Topic: CB550 Cafe build - 1st bike build, but not 1st build

[Tintop]

Turns out the mechanic at the local Harley custom shop, is into old Hondas.   He not only degree'd the cam, but then took some extra time to check for coil bind, valve / piston clearance, and set tappet clearances.  The owner was very impressed with my custom wiring harness, and all the CAD billet work.    Might get some sidework out of this.

Tomorrow I will finish going over the bike, and re-install the body work after the carb situation has been checked out.  I do have two issues to resolve before heading south on the 17th.  One is an easy fix, the other somewhat more complicated.  The 1st is that the front fender is too close to the tire.  After the last test run I noticed that the tire had expanded in dia. at speed, and is rubbing the tire.  Will need to adjust the fender mount on the right side to raise it.  The 2nd issue is noise.   As I have mentioned the exhaust is over 100db at anything over 3500/4K rpm.  Because the reverse mega end is welded, fitting a baffel now is problematic.  Still trying to find a clean, simple solution.

[Flying J]

Clean and simple

[rickmoore24]

^^^^^ Hahaaaa!!

[bwaller]

You better take enough earplugs for the law along the way. 

[Tintop]

Clean and simple

That 'baffle' is located in the wrong orifice, and looks to be somewhat smaller than the required size.  

You better take enough earplugs for the law along the way. 

More likely need to supply the southern half of IN, just to be safe.

[Tintop]

Yesterday did some checking to resolve #2 running rich.  Had a good look at the plugs, and #2 is showing tan on the insulator  under the carbon fouling.  Would appear that the cylinder was running fine, then started to go rich.  Decided to check ignition 1st, as I know the points (Hondaman ignition) & coil are good (#3 running fine).  Pulled the caps from 2&3, and checked resistance - 4.83 & 4.89.  Also checked the wires, and they both measure the same.  So I'm confident that ignition isn't the problem. 

Today I'll pull #2 float bowl and check it out.  Wondering if the new slow jet wasn't pressed in enough, and has fallen out.   As the overflow lines are clear, and the PD's make it easy to check levels, will also double check the float level.

Also on the list for today is a quick check, and adjust as needed on the 400SS for tomorrows ride to Bellfountian.

[Tintop]

Update on the carb issue.

The 1st thing I did was check the fuel level in #2, against the others.  It was high.   So that would explain the fouling.  Pulled the bowl / float / needle, and then sprayed carb cleaner back through the air correctors.  Got an immediate good flow from each jet.  Next sprayed the float needle seat area, and needle.  The bowl was sediment free, so I reassembled everything.  Flushed the #2 bowl, filled, then rechecked the fuel level.  Back to being the same as the others.   Replaced the body work, and brought the battery back to put on the tender.  As soon as the adapter plate is back, off to be safety'd, and get some miles on it.  Will probably remove the front fender for now, while I make up a new mount for the right side.

[SF]

glad to hear you got her back and in order, did you find a baffle to fit your pipes

[Tintop]

glad to hear you got her back and in order, did you find a baffle to fit your pipes

No baffles yet, still want to hear those pipes for myself (away from civilization .  Right now the priority is getting some miles on it, and making sure there are no reliability issues, and all the systems work.  I didn't need to big rpm's to do that, and I have a cam/rockers, and pistons/rings to break in.  That said a baffle design is in the works; just not sure when I'll have them.

[seanbarney41]

Clean and simple

That 'baffle' is located in the wrong orifice, and looks to be somewhat smaller than the required size.  

You better take enough earplugs for the law along the way. 

More likely need to supply the southern half of IN, just to be safe.

you will fit right in, midwest U.S. cops are not concerned with loud motorcycles....

[Terry in Australia]

Back from taking things apart, and the point of failure is very clear, photos below.  Question is why it failed.  My quess is in tightening everything down the soft brass started to fail at the return holes.  Then the vibration, and pressure from the high rpm run finished the job.

The pipes stopped the plate from going very far, and limited the mess.


Point of failure.
The other 1/2, still bolted in place.


Failed part.


The next question will be how to resolve the problem.  A new piece in steel would probably work, but the chance of a similar failure would always be there.  Will need to take some measurements, and see how much room there is to make the fitting a larger dia.

Here you go Brian, all fixed. If you bust this one, then you're trying too hard! I'll put it in the mail tomorrow. Cheers, Terry.

[Tintop]

Great news Terry, thank you very much for all your efforts, and posting the pictures.  Looking forward to receiving it, just make sure let me know what the 'rush' return postage comes to.

Glad to hear that midwest police having a hearing deficiency seanbarney41.    Takes a bit of the pressure off getting it baffled before the 17th.

[Syscrush]

Hey Tintop, what's up with your new baffle design? Any luck on that?

[Tintop]

Hey Tintop, what's up with your new baffle design? Any luck on that?

I did the design in MasterCam & saved it as an AutoCad .DWG file.  It's currently at 4way Laser.  Glen is going to cut the x4 pieces from SS, then I will have to put the bends in them and do the final fitting.  Doubt they will be ready for this weekend, but should have the bike at Campbelford this weekend.

[Syscrush]

Groovy.  I'm looking forward to an update on this.

[Tintop]

Hey syscrush, looks like the pieces should be ready to pick up tomorrow.  Will still have to do the bends, but will post a picture tomorrow of the raw parts.  Also think I'm going to change the gauges to the Speedhut 2" GPS speedo, & electronic tach.  The current ones aren't reading correctly.  Probably because the cable bends are causing binding.

Also thinking of changing the bar to a Renthal 'ultra low', and yes, replacing the bar end mirrors.   I really like the Renthal dual compound grips, may add a set of those as well.  After this weekend, next on the list will be the fall Super Show, so a few upgrades are called for.

[Tintop]

Took the 550 for its 1st real ride, about 15 miles, boy is it loud.    Ride was shortened because it started running on 3.  Seems I still have an ignition, or maybe carb issue.   #'s 1 & 2 were fouled, 3 & 4 very slightly rich, which rules out the coils.  Checked float heights, all good, and nothing is overflowing.  Not very happy with the work that was just done.  Granted I changed the cam since, but there shouldn't be any ignition issues now, and the carbs should still be sync'd.   As for how did it ride?  The front end is great, though I will play with the tire pressures.  The back end tracks perfectly, thanks to Hondaman's bushings, and CMR's super bike bracing, but the springs are way to stiff.  Going to contact, YSS and see about softer ones.  Oh, and that cam is a great addition, there's lots of mid range there.

On a brighter note I picked up the baffle plates this morning.  If my friend is home tomorrow I plan on stopping by to use his brake in the afternoon.  May even get them fitted.   Tomorrow morning I'm of to the Ice House in Campbellville for that TSN thingy.  Given how the bike is running, not sure how getting there is going to work out yet.

[Tintop]

Got a chance to work on the baffle plates today, as I had some extra time.  Seems TSN only wanted some background shots of the 550.   Put fresh plugs in, and that helped for a while, but its still loading up.  Probably time to think about pulling the carbs and dropping the needles, and another cleaning.

The baffle plates were laser cut from 18 guage SS.  I had them make x5 so I had one to test with .  There's still a plastic coating on the good side (brushed) in the photo.


This was the quick test of the four.  May to have to tilt them slightly, or reverse one so I can easily remove them.   The one in the upper right has the coating removed.

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Brian, sorry mate, I've obviously missed something here, are you building baffles for your bike and those plates are just a cosmetic thing to tidy up the look from the back, or are they the actual baffles? I presume that they're just decorative covers, right? Cheers, Terry.

[Tintop]

Actually Terry, their a variation on the 'Snuff N Go' baffle plate.  Also Joe posted a video earlier in the thread of a simple plate that fit into a Ducati's reverse megas.  It's actually sitting in line with where the reverse cone starts, and has about 3/8 clearence around.  I only need to knock about 10db off @ 4K to be legal.  Not quiet, just legal.   I've got the Interceptor if I want 'quiet'.  If these work I'll make a nicer set with a full polished ring instead of the tabs.  So far they've cost me $10 each, and an hour+ of my time, and they're already polished under the plastic.

The problem with a conventional wrapped baffle is my opening is 2 3/4, but the megs doen't get back down to that dimension for about 6" inside.   Make fitting very hard.  I thought about cutting the reverse cone off and fitting an alloy ring with a perforated, wrapped tube mounted to the inside.  A member did that with his Swarbricks.  Decided it added to much extra weight off the end of the pipes, and they've already been coated.

By the way Terry, the 550's oil filter system kept drawing crowds all morning.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Brian, so will they be like the "Snuff n Go's" where you can open and close them by rotating a lever somewhere? The end baffle on my original Yoshimura pipe is just a length of perforated tube wrapped in fibreglass, it only reduces the ID by around an inch or so, but it quietens it from unbearably loud to a nice legal note. I reckon they'd be easy enough to make for your Swarbicks too? Cheers, Terry.

[Tintop]

I had thought about doing a set of disks that you could open and close by turning a knob.  If these work, then maybe I'll keep that for a winter project.    Easy enough to touch up some 1/8" rivet holes.

[Terry in Australia]

When I first bought my Triumph Rocket III I installed a Supertrapp muffler, and machined up an end plate similar to the "Snuff N Go" principle. I had to use an allen key to turn the inner plate to open/close the end cap Brian, but geez it made a difference, was very quiet around town, and by turning the one bolt 1/4 of a turn, it was like a straight out pipe!

The only problem was (like most Rocket III/Supertrapp owners, I'd reckon) the back pressure was so great that it pushed the muffler off the header pipe, so I eventually ditched it for the Jardine system that's on it now. Cheers, Terry.

[Tintop]

My engine could probably use the back pressure these plates will develop.  Might help sort out the carb issues.   If they work I'll send you the drawings for my version of the Snuff N' Go's.

[Terry in Australia]

OK Brian, I'll look forward to seeing them!