Author Topic: 1974 CL 125 "Lil Frank" I cant leave anything alone! (Read 40627 times)

Flying J · « **Reply #25 on:** August 05, 2010, 08:38:14 AM »

the guy at the machine shop said to go .50 for some reason. Said that .25 wouldnt be enough.

I am not worried about rebuilds on this bike. i can always go to 1.00 over and then after that im sure parts for this bike will be long gone. Its already hard to find some things (compared to a 550) and when i bought the seals for it the honda guy said that the warehouse is getting low on a few off those. Ill measure the piston just to make sure.

Flying J · « **Reply #26 on:** August 11, 2010, 03:26:07 PM »

Ok, ordered .50 piston and rings, DID cam chain, and one of the cam chain guides that i needed. All my seals and spring are waiting for me at HONDA. and my gasket set is at the post office. Slowly all coming together.

jaguar · « **Reply #27 on:** August 11, 2010, 09:19:44 PM »

should be a solid bike after that.

i love to ride my stocker around.

Flying J · « **Reply #28 on:** August 16, 2010, 12:26:47 PM »

Do you know what the piston tolerance is? I dont have my manual and im not sure its in there. I have to call the machine shop and let them know.
Found it, .01-.05mm

Had a heck of a time finding a machine shop open on a monday that would do such a small bore. Found one and took in my ported 550 head for a valve job also.

Flying J · « **Reply #29 on:** August 20, 2010, 02:18:10 PM »

Got the bottom put back together with the new Kick start spring. But it would not work. The kick was not engaging. So it took it back apart messed with it, got it to work and then put it back together. Opps! i have a spare washer. take it apart put the washer on and now its back together. Im going to buy some paint to paint the covers with and then slap them on. Then its just waiting for the cylinder to be finished.

Flying J · « **Reply #30 on:** August 20, 2010, 05:26:56 PM »

coming along

jaguar · « **Reply #31 on:** August 21, 2010, 04:36:29 PM »

looking good

Flying J · « **Reply #32 on:** August 29, 2010, 09:04:31 PM »

I was going to polish up the case and heads but it looks like it will be a pain so i think im going to just paint the whole motor silver. Still waiting on the cylinder from the machine shop. But i did touch up the frame with some black paint and hit most of the chrome with some steel wool. Ill post pic later

Flying J · « **Reply #33 on:** September 03, 2010, 10:55:42 AM »

Got it all back together and fired it up. But its not running so well. I cant get it to idle and i have to be on the gas to get it to fire. I pulled the new plug and its already sooty and black so i think that the float is set to high. Sound reasonable? Wont idle becasue its being flooded but will run when im on the throttle because it then is getting enough air to lean it out? Any other ideas?
Im also looking for a right side cover. Can not find them anywhere. I have resorted to emailing anybody in the country selling a cl125 on craigslist.

jaguar · « **Reply #34 on:** September 04, 2010, 10:11:20 AM »

yeah it took me for ever to find the cover.
i PMed you

is the float leaking?
they can be VERY finiky when tuning the carb

Flying J · « **Reply #35 on:** September 04, 2010, 10:24:30 AM »

It might be leaking. Next chance i have to work on the bike im going to pull the carb and re adjust the float. I really think the level is to high. Its blowing black smoke. Still waiting on a new air filter and drive chain and it will be complete.

jaguar · « **Reply #36 on:** September 04, 2010, 03:53:12 PM »

adjust the valves?

Flying J · « **Reply #37 on:** September 04, 2010, 04:37:47 PM »

Thats a good idea. Im a moron.

FrankenFrankenstuff · « **Reply #38 on:** September 06, 2010, 07:30:56 PM »

Great little bike. I have an XL100 that I tinker with time to time. So, you say sidecovers? How much interest is there? Rare as a hens tooth are they?

Flying J · « **Reply #39 on:** September 06, 2010, 07:45:01 PM »

Im not sure on intrest in them. I have been looking for a month and seen none.
Jaguar said he had a heck of a time finding them.

On another note I did the valves and its running a lot better but i still cant get it to idle. I rode it around the block. Man that thing feels sketchy going around corners. Do they all feel that wobbly or do i need to address the front suspension?

FrankenFrankenstuff · « **Reply #40 on:** September 06, 2010, 07:56:30 PM »

Its funny about the little bikes. My daily driver is a ZRX1200R, so when I hop onto my little XL100 or S90...it is all just so alien, but fun. I like that light squirrely feeling. Makes me want to go to the city and ride down some stairs. How funky is it? Does it feel mechanical or is it just that skinny front tire feeling?

Good luck, that is a great looking bike.

Flying J · « **Reply #41 on:** September 06, 2010, 11:21:37 PM »

It feels like the front end is sloppy. Like there is a lot of flex in the forks. They are like toothpicks though.

Flying J · « **Reply #42 on:** September 07, 2010, 02:22:31 PM »

still trying to get the carbs sorted out. I found that the other set of floats is leaking too.

And on top of that the shifter seal is leaking real bad. ITS A BRAND NEW SEAL! WTF!!! sould i replace it or just let the sucker leak? Im not sure replacing it would fix it or not.

scroggins5000 · « **Reply #43 on:** September 07, 2010, 02:47:16 PM »

Quote from: ffjmoore on September 06, 2010, 11:21:37 PM

It feels like the front end is sloppy. Like there is a lot of flex in the forks. They are like toothpicks though.

One reason I didn't bob my front fender on my CB was because it has the fork stabilizer that is mounted to it to help with fork twisting. It doesn't look like your CL has one on there. See front fender below. Maybe that's why?

FrankenFrankenstuff · « **Reply #44 on:** September 07, 2010, 06:32:51 PM »

put a little brake fluid on the seal. it makes the rubber swell. I have actually done it on fork seals as well. (back in the day, just to pass inspection, I do not recommend doing it) but it works. came up with that when I had an old International Scout, the brake fluid res had a rubber thingy on top that got so big it didnt fit the cover anymore.

Flying J · « **Reply #45 on:** September 13, 2010, 11:19:47 AM »

OK "lil Frank" is being a lil 8itch! I can not get this thin to run right. i Got it to idle ok but as soon as you crack the throttle it dies. I just put in a brand new float. The manual says to set the fuel level at .94". Is that the "fuel level" or is that the float level?

jaguar · « **Reply #46 on:** September 13, 2010, 01:16:09 PM »

what manual are you using that is not in MM?

is the timing right? points and condenser good?

is the fuel good?

Flying J · « **Reply #47 on:** September 13, 2010, 02:21:44 PM »

It has it in mm an inches.
Timing is right and i have spark.
Fuel is new.
Its strange, somtimes i get it running and it will idle high so i adjust the idle speed or fuel mixture and it will drop rpms to a normal range and then slow down and die.

jaguar · « **Reply #48 on:** September 13, 2010, 04:23:23 PM »

mixture first
speed second

Flying J · « **Reply #49 on:** September 14, 2010, 12:52:38 PM »

Reset the float height to spec, and its running now. It still sputters at higher RPMs sometimes. And its leaking oil. That pisses me off. I just rebuilt the thing and there is a little oil coming from the front left base gasket. Im not sure if i should have but i gave the head bolt on that corner an 1/8 of a turn to try and snug it down. The shifter seal is still leaking a bunch too. Im just going to ride it as is for a while.

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Author Topic: 1974 CL 125 "Lil Frank" I cant leave anything alone! (Read 40627 times)