Topic: new CB400F owner needs advice

[malcolmgb]

I have just bought a 1976 CB400F
can anyone help with these questions
1 - is there any difference between the F, F1 & F2 models apart from colours/styling.
2 - what valve spring compressor & piston ring compressor do you recommend, I have to reassemble top half of engine as it came in boxes.
I live in the UK so prefer tool suppliers there, but will also consider the US as my daughter lives there.

just noticed it was first registered July 1977 

[Zane]

Regarding your first question; I also am a relatively new owner of a '76 cb400f and I found the parts list (in pdf form) at

http://www.honda4fun.com/home.php

to be helpful.  Click on 'materiali' and then 'parts lists'  scroll through to the cb400 parts list.  It's the most comprehensive (with country codes for all the parts) I've found and it shows all versions.  It's a little harder to read than the one that has the parts section by section (like at partsfish) but it tells you more.  I use both because once in a while I get interested in buying a part from overseas, and the country code is pretty helpful in telling you the differences a la f - f1 - f2 etc.

Cheers!

[seabird]

Hiya Malc - I have a '75CB400F which I'm slowly (_very_ slowly due to the lousy weather conditions at the moment) restoring - in my quest for info on the machine I found there seems to be little difference apart from (as you say) the trim and decals - however, my 'bike has the pillion pegs mounted on a separate sub-frame - so the pillion's feet don't bounce around while moving.  I can't find any definitive year or model that these sub-frames were fitted to (anyone like to chip in here?), but possibly the only thing to check as you throw money down the tubes <G> is the country of origin - if you're trying to rebuild to UK spec these bikes were manufactured (so it seems ) specifically for the European market, and Europes' a pretty big place (ewven back when....).

Where abouts are you in UK?  I'm in Buckinghamshire.

Seabird

[oldbiker]

The pillion footrests were mounted on the swinging arm on the F1 model. Later ones were on the subframe.
  It is possible to assemble the pistons into the barrels without ring compressors as long as you are careful and don't force things.
  I'm in Coventry with my CB400f (1976-F2)

[Bodi]

Get a valvespring compressor for small engines - like lawnmower engines (car ones are rather large and unweildy, plus they expect a larger spring diameter). A largish C-clamp and a black iron pipe fitting that has a slot sawn out of it works fine as well.
Forget piston ring compressors. You won't find any that will fit below the pistons except the Honda ones, they aren't needed because the sleeves have a forcing cone at the bottom that makes manually slipping rings in very easy, and doing the job with compressors will take much longer and be vastly more frustrating due to installing and removing the damned compressors themselves. Plus you won't waste money on them.
In my experience the only major changes were the frame passenger peg mounting and the handlebars. Different countries got different lights depending on local regulations and different handlebar switches depending on "always on" headlight laws. Also according to destination you got various miles/km/both speedos. Japan got a 398cc engine rather than 408cc because of licensing laws that changed (drastically) at 400cc...

[Tim2005]

Hey, welcome to the world of 400/4 ownership. When shopping for a valve spring compressor, bear in mind it's got to be deep enough to go around the fins - easiest way is to take your head down to Machinemart with you. That said, I use a car one with a bit welded on so it's small enough for the 4/4 valves. Piston ring compressors are unnecessary, as per everyone else's guidance. Oh, it's miles easier to reassemble it with the motor on the bench; unlike the 750s you can get the head off with the engine in, but I find it is quicker to pull the lot out. Now for the important bit, while you've got the top end off make certain that the camchain tensioner mechanism is free and working properly - there's plenty of previous posts on here to guide you through that.

Differences over the years in the UK were pretty minimal- frame/swingarm for rear footpegs, fuel tank, colours, clocks had Km/h added, cam sprocket was changed, i.e. nothing important really. The US got a version in 77 which had lots of changes and is extremely rare (that one is easily spotted by a flap over the fuel filler cap).

Whereabouts in the UK are you? I'm up in snowy Norfolk.

Cheers


Tim

[malcolmgb]

ok thanks everyone for your advice.
I'm in Burton on Trent, Staffs for those who asked.
I'm not looking to do a concours rebuild just a tidy machine. It has had a good non-standard colour respray.
I got the parts manual thanks Zane.

Something else which I should have asked last night is that the cylinder is painted black, I believe it should be natural aluminium, what is the best way of removing the paint safely without damaging barrels.

oldbiker - what is your photo of? where/when was it taken? I used to help a mate who raced in the 70's. From that you will gather I'm a fairly 'old biker' too!

[oldbiker]

Hi Malcolm, that photo is me at Snetterton in 1986 on a stinking horrible rainy race day. I was a mere youth of 57yrs then. The bike is a water cooled, 250cc Rotax engined 'Cotton'. I raced from 1956 till 1987 so we may well have met. Happy new year.