Author Topic: I need help setting up my turbo 550 with ARD and electronic ignition!! (Read 9472 times)

jon®2004 · « **on:** September 12, 2010, 05:17:17 PM »

Hi all,
I've been rebuilding my '74 CB550 Turbo for the past year almost now and have reached a stalemate. The bike has alot of one off things that are making things difficult for me including: Electronic ignition with VW distributor, turbo with single Webar carb ect...

Is there any one other there in the SoCal area (I live in Vista) who is willing to come to my house and help me out, I will pay you! OR is there a shop that specializes in Honda CB that you can recommend. I really want to get this thing running, I'll have a freshly painted tank and seat coming soon and it would kill me to put it on a bike that doesn't run.

The bike ran OK prior to me doing the restore.
Thanks in advance.

jon®

scottly · « **Reply #1 on:** September 12, 2010, 10:05:13 PM »

Sounds like an interesting project! Tell us more! Pictures are always a plus. There are people here with turbo, VW distributor, and Weber experience......

jon®2004 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 13, 2010, 06:33:34 AM »

It has been a fun project, I've been full steam at it until I bought my house a few months ago.
I'll post up some pics today.

The bike gets spark, but I'm not sure if the timing is on.. The carb is not pushing fuel, it's a very old webar side draft that isn't made any more. I'll post pics of it as well. I need to get the bike running!!!!

jon®2004 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 13, 2010, 10:14:10 AM »

Are there no SoCal riders on this site??!?!!?

jon®2004 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 13, 2010, 06:28:23 PM »

I think the my main problem is fuel delivery. Right now it has one weber side draft that leaks and a rebuild kit isn't available. I'm thinking of swapping it out for a mikuni side draft. The setup I have only has room for one carb, so what size should I get? Any thoughts?

scottly · « **Reply #5 on:** September 13, 2010, 07:34:19 PM »

I may have a Mikuni that might be a nice match for your turbo setup. Might even be willing to swap, straight across for your Weber, if I knew what it was...

jon®2004 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 13, 2010, 07:42:30 PM »

Might be a plan, check this link for pics. I'd like to keep it if I could get it to stop leaking.
http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/niftygardener/sets/72157622970721525/

scottly · « **Reply #7 on:** September 13, 2010, 07:50:22 PM »

Is that a Weber 40DCOE cut in half??!!

haggeo · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2010, 07:55:25 PM »

wow, i'd pay to see that bike actually running. looks pretty complex.

jon®2004 · « **Reply #9 on:** September 13, 2010, 08:02:09 PM »

The bike ran ok before I tore it up. I have all the notes from the original builder too.. Any takers on someone helping me out!?

scottly · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2010, 08:09:52 PM »

For starters, you need to figure out how to time it. You can easily rule out fuel delivery with starting fluid.

jon®2004 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2010, 09:07:09 PM »

It does backfire when using fluid. How can I check timing??

scottly · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2010, 09:12:03 PM »

It looks like you have an ARD distributor drive. No personal experience with them. Try doing a search?

scottly · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2010, 09:17:30 PM »

That doesn't look like a stock VW distributor, BTW. (pics are small)

Old75_ratafe · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2010, 09:20:58 PM »

thats gotta handle like a brick but man I bet it would HAUL in a straight line.

jon®2004 · « **Reply #15 on:** September 14, 2010, 06:56:13 AM »

Why would you think it would handle poorly?

jon®2004 · « **Reply #16 on:** September 14, 2010, 07:25:09 AM »

Here are some pics as the bike sits now....

jon®2004 · « **Reply #17 on:** September 14, 2010, 07:26:41 AM »

More pics....

68grandprix · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2010, 02:20:15 PM »

Pretty much, get the No.1 cylinder to TDC on the compression stroke(this would be far left cylinder at the very top of its travel, when both rocker arms are loose). Now make a mark on the small engine pulley(the one that drives the belt for the dist).Also make a mark on the engine beside the pulley mark. This will give you a No. 1 TDC reference. Look at the rotor inside the distributor. The post that it is pointing at should go to the No.1. Make sure the plug wire on this post goes to 1. Install the other three plug wires in the proper spots(I don't know the firing order off the top of my head). Make sure you have set the point gap before you do this. I can't remember the actual gap, but the thickness of a match book(just one side) should be close. Rotate the engine until No.1 is just before TDC. Open the points and insert a piece of cellophane. Now rotate the engine forward while gently pulling the cellophane. You will probably need two people. The cellophane should pull free just as the two marks you made earlier align. This will get you close enough to run the engine. Jim

jon®2004 · « **Reply #19 on:** September 14, 2010, 06:26:00 PM »

I'll give that a try, also have to mention there's an electronic ignition set too so points aren't an issue. I think the firing order may be wrong, I'll check this and let you know.

scottly · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2010, 06:53:14 PM »

Hey Jon, I looked at that carb today, and I think it's probably too small. I don't think I've ever seen a Weber like yours. Can you post a pic looking down the throat? You've made me very curious.

68grandprix · « **Reply #21 on:** September 14, 2010, 07:31:12 PM »

If it's electronic you do it the same way but just line up the pickup(if that's the kind of ignition it is). In response to the "that doesn't look like a stock VW dist", it's probably a 009 unit, which replaces the vacuum advance with a fixed advance, if I recall coeewctly. Also, if it ran with that carb originally, it should again. I doubt if the company that developed the bike would go through all that trouble and put on too small of a carb. Corvair turbos used a small 1bbl to limit boost, and those are six cylinders. Jim

scottly · « **Reply #22 on:** September 14, 2010, 07:46:44 PM »

Quote from: 68grandprix on September 14, 2010, 07:31:12 PM

In response to the "that doesn't look like a stock VW dist", it's probably a 009 unit, which replaces the vacuum advance with a fixed advance, if I recall coeewctly.

The original VW dist was NOT made of aluminum. It was a fully mechanical advance unit. Later units were ported vacuum advance, and only worked properly with the stock carbs.

(I have one of those Corvairs: the original carb was a piece of crap, regardless of the size. That's why I replaced it with a real carburetor!)

scottly · « **Reply #23 on:** September 14, 2010, 07:53:45 PM »

If that is a VW type distributor, there should be a notch in the top where the cap fits on, that denotes the rotor position for where it should be when #1 fires. Is there a Pertronics ignition module inside?

Tintop · « **Reply #24 on:** September 14, 2010, 07:59:45 PM »

You might try checking with clubs for things like the Fiat 500. Something like that Weber most likely came from that kind of car application.

As a possible alternative. Early F3 1000's used a twin choke down draft with the right side empty & blocked. If you get stuck, no reason you couldn't do the same with a DCOE 40 (a 38 would be better but hard to find). Disadvantage would be the extra weight, and the 'dead' half sticking out.

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Author Topic: I need help setting up my turbo 550 with ARD and electronic ignition!! (Read 9472 times)