Topic: What did you do to your bike today ?

[alacrity]

I pulled the head an barrels... because it was leaking like a #$%* from the side oil seals. I found that the aftermarket (chinese-made) o-rings could NOT have been true buna-n material, because they had become rock hard and oval-shaped.
:-(
dropped the head and cyl off at my favorite local machine shop (Vellios) so they can jet clean and take a 10,000th or so off the surfaces to ensure flatness when I put it all back together...Assembly party at my house tuesday night!

[PeWe]

Peewee, where did you get those carbs? I have never seen that model before myself and find them very interesting.
I believe that you are on the right track with the jetting changes vesus out of the box but what are the spec's on your engine and
what exhaust system are you going to be running? [camshaft change(s)? Engine size? Compression ratio?]

Eric

I ordered from bikeside.de in Germany. I could buy them locally in Sweden too, but appr $100 more. Mikuni TMR32-D7. D7 is for CB750, how the carbs are mounted together. Distances between the carbs.
More application photos on several sites http://www.mikuni-topham.de/ENGLISHSITE/TMR_English/Honda/TMR32D7_English.html

I read this thread with TMR32's and got a lead about main jets where he changed from 135 to 132.5 when using std filter box. http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=50168.msg1383158#msg1383158

I guess 135 is a good start for pods.
My K6 engine has 836cc, 34mm inlet valves, ported head, cam Megacycle 125-20. Today old Alpha 4-1 visible in my avatar. I'll change to 4-4 no numbers K0 replica later this year when carbs are OK. 4-4 without diffusers to not restrict flow too much if sound level is not worse than my loud 4-1.
Maybe smaller jets with 4-4

[evanphi]

Stage 1 of frame cut/top end work...

Marked the spots


Cut them with a tube cutter to give a guide for the hacksaw. Covered the engine after threading the saw... and decided it was too cold to start getting in to this now. Bringing the space heater to the garage tomorrow.

[Ace]

Went for a ride, got home, turned the bike off and noticed this.... 

bummer.
pucks or head gasket?

Neither, out the exhaust port of #1 and #2. Pulled it all apart none the less. Bit of fuel in the air box, unburnt fuel in #1 and #2. All combustion chambers wet with #1 the worst. Plugs for #2/3/4 are fine, #1 wet and oily. Oil between tops of all the jugs. I'm thinking rings but also oil maybe coming up from between the sleeve and the barrels? I put the rubber orings in and some sealant, mustn't have worked....now have to work out what went wrong.

Is there a lot of pressure to force oil between the sleeves and barrels? I haven't heard of anyone using sealant there before. I just used the orings from the gasket set and so far things are good on my 550.  Valve stem/guide seals?


---
1978 Honda CB550K

Funny you mention that Dave. On my F2, I had to put a second breather hose in (next to the original one) as the crank case was pressurising and forcing oil out the head gasket. It was 895cc big bore kit. I think in this case, re-used the rings last time and I got caught out with oil getting past, #1 cylinder was just worse. There is an oil leak between #3/#4 cylinders as it runs out on the fins, no where near the head gasket. So that's why I'm thinking I've got an issue with oil between sleeve and barrels. A second breather may help, although I've never need one on the bike before.  Weird issue.

[maduncle]

Well -

Today I went to ride it to a local motorcycle show.

Turned the key, flipped the switch to on, pressed the starter - and nothing.

Plenty of juice, everything electrical worked except the starter button.

And it has only just started not starting since I fitted those clubman bars I freshly painted ...

...

... An hour later I had the bike running and I went to the show.

I leave you to fill in the obvious ... as to why the bike would not start with freshly painted clubman bars fitted.

[mrbreeze]

Uhhhhhh.......No ground

[calj737]

Wrong color? 

[tweakin]

bike is rejecting the clubmans...

Well -

Today I went to ride it to a local motorcycle show.

Turned the key, flipped the switch to on, pressed the starter - and nothing.

Plenty of juice, everything electrical worked except the starter button.

And it has only just started not starting since I fitted those clubman bars I freshly painted ...

...

... An hour later I had the bike running and I went to the show.

I leave you to fill in the obvious ... as to why the bike would not start with freshly painted clubman bars fitted.

[PeWe]

Stage 1 of frame cut/top end work...

Marked the spots


Cut them with a tube cutter to give a guide for the hacksaw. Covered the engine after threading the saw... and decided it was too cold to start getting in to this now. Bringing the space heater to the garage tomorrow.

You will use Franks weldless frame kit?
I have done that on my bike too. Really good upgrade I have used several times last year whan I need to lift head, replace cyl studs, change cam, repair threds etc.

I recommend how I did the cuts . Max forward touching the ign switch and max backward so the carbs will stay free. There are welds back that must need space.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515860#msg1515860
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491

Before the cuts of frame:
I started to measure and drill the 2 holes on each side on the triangular bracing.

[eigenvector]

Replaced the brake line.

All set to go for a ride, the front wheel wouldn't budge.  Turns out I pinched the hard brake line when putting the forks back on the bike.  Now my next challenge will be to remove the jammed brake pad from the caliper.  I don't have a grease gun and my pancake air compressor won't create enough PSI to blow it out (I think - no harm trying I suppose), so I'm gonna have to get inventive.

Incidentally.  If you get brake fluid on your pads - as is typical when you're trying to remove one from the caliper and it's stuck, do you automatically pitch it (throw it away)? 

[Stev-o]

I don't have a grease gun...

Go buy one, small one is adequate and only $10 at Auto Zone. 

[eigenvector]

 How long does it take to clean all the junk out of there once it's free?

edit:  Not that I'm doubting you're right - just ewww - all that grease.

[evanphi]

Stage 1 of frame cut/top end work...

Marked the spots

Cut them with a tube cutter to give a guide for the hacksaw. Covered the engine after threading the saw... and decided it was too cold to start getting in to this now. Bringing the space heater to the garage tomorrow.

You will use Franks weldless frame kit?
I have doe that on my bike too. Really good upgrade I have used several times last year whan I need to lift head, replace cyl studs, change cam, repair threds etc.

I recommend how I did the cuts . Max forward touching the ign switch and max backward so the carbs will stay free. There are welds back that must need space.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515860#msg1515860
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491

Before the cuts of frame:
I started to measure and drill the 2 holes on each side on the triangular bracing.

Yep, frank's kit!

I cut just above the carb linkage, and all the way forward allowing for the ignition bracket.



Also got my valve cover off... turns out it is K head, just painted black by PO.




What is the consensus on the 5mm bolts in the cam towers? Keep them in? I see one was "replaced" by PO...

According to Hondaman, leave them out!

if i read that right mark, i should leave the little bolts out that keep the shaft from roatating?

I always do: I have a little box full of them, now! 

[Stev-o]

How long does it take to clean all the junk out of there once it's free?

edit:  Not that I'm doubting you're right - just ewww - all that grease.

Only 5 min or so, not bad.  I just did one two weeks ago.

[eigenvector]

I took my bike out for it's first official ride since the rebuild.

Tough to gauge the power, I'm so used to my R1200 GS that the CB550 feels like a slug.  It idles reasonably well - it's pretty obvious that it needs to be sync'd, the #4 cylinder is running rich - but not excessively rich.  Might just need to turn the air screw out (or is that in ) a bit.  Idle is hunting a bit, but not terribly so.
Don't have a working speedo - I think the mechanism in the wheel hub is messed up - the cable itself looks fine.

I'm going to try kick starting it - it's running well enough to the point where I suspect it will easily.

edit:  Oh yeah - and I don't have functional brakes.   I need to bleed them or burn off the brake fluid that got on them.

[kap384@telus.net]

Charged the battery on my 400F.  Cleaned the fork seals on my CRF450X.  Charging its battery too.


Shot this video:

[evanphi]

Charged the battery on my 400F.  Cleaned the fork seals on my CRF450X.  Charging its battery too.


Shot this video:

Always good to have a chuckle at the end of an exhaust demo.

[evanphi]

Picked up some slick stuff from the post office...

[mcswny]

Stage 1 of frame cut/top end work...

Marked the spots

Cut them with a tube cutter to give a guide for the hacksaw. Covered the engine after threading the saw... and decided it was too cold to start getting in to this now. Bringing the space heater to the garage tomorrow.

You will use Franks weldless frame kit?
I have doe that on my bike too. Really good upgrade I have used several times last year whan I need to lift head, replace cyl studs, change cam, repair threds etc.

I recommend how I did the cuts . Max forward touching the ign switch and max backward so the carbs will stay free. There are welds back that must need space.
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515860#msg1515860
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=62832.msg1515491#msg1515491

Before the cuts of frame:
I started to measure and drill the 2 holes on each side on the triangular bracing.

Yep, frank's kit!

I cut just above the carb linkage, and all the way forward allowing for the ignition bracket.



Also got my valve cover off... turns out it is K head, just painted black by PO.




What is the consensus on the 5mm bolts in the cam towers? Keep them in? I see one was "replaced" by PO...

According to Hondaman, leave them out!

if i read that right mark, i should leave the little bolts out that keep the shaft from roatating?

I always do: I have a little box full of them, now! 

Yeah, you don't need them!

[DaveBarbier]

In the process of removing the front end to upgrade the steering neck bearings to all balls, rebuild the forks and go to a single brake line with a nice low pro master cylinder from Nissin.

Just went out to get some ratchet straps to lift the front end...and get a beer.


---
1978 Honda CB550K

[flybox1]

...and get a beer.

you're off to a good start! 

[evanphi]

So I started taking my top end apart last night... and found a few surprises...



See that big bolt there? It is A) too large, B ) not necessary, C) Imperial.

Turns out the PO/whoever built the bike last time DRILLED AND TAPPED to put a 1/4" bolt into the rocker shaft. FOR FORKS SAKE!!!

All the other shafts came out no problemo... this one, on the other hand, scratched my rocker shaft bearing surfaces all to #$%*. The shaft has burrs on it from the drill/tap hack job, so there are gouges in all of them now...



You can see gouges already...





And here's the shaft... leftovers from the drill/tap on both sides of the hole.



PO had to ram the shaft in, and I had to tap it out.


AND! (more surprises)

NO 6x35 flanged bolts under the pucks?!?!?!?!




So obviously I need to get 4 flanged bolts. Easy.

BUT what do I do about the scratched bearing surfaces on my 3/4 cam tower? Get a new one? As for the shaft, I can get rid of the boogers at the edge of the holes using some emery paper. I'm not putting the bolts back in anyway... going to be like the K0-K2.

Can I salvage my cam tower? Can I use it as-is? There are no high spots in those bearings, just the gouges.

I'm going to add this info to my build thread, and also start a separate thread so others can see/chime in/gain info from it.

[flybox1]

that sucks!
plenty of usable cam towers and bits on ebay for $60+/-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1975-Honda-CB750-Camshaft-Cam-Case-Rocker-Arms-/161628383959?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item25a1cd6ad7&vxp=mtr

http://www.ebay.com/itm/honda-CB750-cb-750-Four-1974-Cam-Rocker-Arms-And-Cam-Holder-/381181757201?pt=Motors_ATV_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58c0340711&vxp=mtr

[evanphi]

Got the head off last night... Following the diagram:



I went around to check if all the nuts were at least 15 ft-lbs... turns out the #2 and #4 nuts were loose, which was probably causing my head gasket leak around #3 piston, and the blowout which you can see in the pics. I notice 1 and 4 are much more carbon-heavy than 2-3. When I was checking everything before teardown, I noticed that all the tappets were very tight, no matter their position on the cam lobes. I'll be sure to set them all right when I reassemble.

Lots of carbon to clean off... I soaked the combustion chambers in engine cleaner last night, and it took away all the flaking. Need to get rid of all that stuff though... any tips? I was thinking of a stiff plastic bristle brush and some brake cleaner, or just straight up acetone. So now the cleaning process begins, as well as waiting on some cam towers...

 
CYLINDERS
1:


2:


3:


4:


HEAD
1:


2:


3 (Notice the blow-out to the front!):


4:

[Bailgang]

I got the cases together on my 750 last night and so far the trans seems to be shifting smoothly so hopefully I wont have 4th gear issues anymore but of course the real test will be when I fire it up and take it for a ride. I left the top end alone and intact but I still want to pull the cam and its cradle today so I can re-torque the cyl head. If all goes as planned I should have the bike on the road this weekend.