Topic: Cleaning engine internals after a lenghthy storage.

[ride_a_honda]

Hello to all. I've been lurking the Tech Forum for some time now (reading of course) and feel it is time for me to ask some questions. I've read just about everything that has been posted on 750's for the last 8 months.

A bit of history: I've owned a 750K3 for 24+ years and due to family issues it has been stored for many (20) of those. I have been buying many new and used parts lately (one from Terry in Australia, Hello Terry) to bring her back to life and am looking at possibly riding her this summer. (Tends to be a short riding season in Cold Lake, Alberta)

Now a question: I'm getting ready to re-assemble the engine. I've had it apart from the barrels up for a long time. I've tried to keep the crankcase plugged to prevent any foreign matter from getting in, but am not sure of my success. I would like to know if any of you have ever tried "pressure" cleaning the inside of the engine without tearing it apart? I do have the bottom cover off and think that if I "steam clean" or "pressure wash" the crankcase it would just drain from there. I would then "oil / fog" it through the holes to prevent an corrosion before assembly. Does this seem like a sensible solution seeing as time is against me if I'm to ride her this season?

Any comments would be appreciated. I'm getting the itch back and REALLY want to ride her again.

Thanks for all the great reading....I love this forum....Keep up the great work.
Cheers from "Fightertown Canada"...home to Canada's Air Force....
........and Lou (Retired Air Force Turbine Tech)

[kghost]

I don't think I would spray water in the internals.

How bout using a siphon sprayer with compressed air (or a pump up Garden sprayer) to flush with Naptha, desiel, or Marvel mystery oil.

If the oil pan is off any contam. should run out.

[Hop on a Honda]

Asuming that the engine in question may have been preserved with some form of presertive oil 'DIESEL' is the best in my opinion. Its a natural mineral light oil which has good cleaning qualities.
Kerosene is also good for cleaning, but it must be washed off asap as it has a abrasive qualities. Seals hate it.. The thing is now to clean it again with more DIESEL.
Then reassemble the whole assembly using bedding oil.
Regards  in the Cold.
Dave in the Heat.!!

[Dennis]

Bedding oil!!
What's bedding oil??

Is that Australian for something we know?

[Einyodeler]

Baby oil and waterbed?

[Hop on a Honda]

For the lubericatedly challenged.
Bedding Oil > Light Oil 10grade SAE.
English for making new mechanical assemblys easier to reassemble and preserve.

Also used for corrosion control purposes.

Use sparingly on plastic on horiziontal hotel.
"Waterbed"  Use baby oil instead, wife lover will not like Mineral oil used on her cylinders or your pistons.
Dave 
 

[kghost]

Also hard on condo "raincoats"

[tgascon]

Wow Small world!

I've got a Buddy in Cold Lake with a CB 750. He still rides her once in awhile!
He's an Armourer over at 410 Sqn. Stew!  Great guy !  He may have some ideas for you.

I spent 9 yrs there myself as an Armourer and am restoring a 75 CB550 in Ontario.
Go Packers!!!!

Good luck

Toddy

[ride_a_honda]

Hey Fellas, thanks for all the info. I'm looking at some sort of a "siphon" sprayer with which I can spray in diesel for my cleaning job.
I'll let you all know how things go. Want to do this in the next week or so, but I have to borrow or build the sprayer.

Todd.....nice to hear from you. I remember you as I've been in C.L. for over 20 years. Spent a 9 years at 416 and a short spell at 410. Am now retired and working as a full-time Reservist at AETE. Nothing like double dipping. Hey....why don't you send me an e-mail....just look it up in my profile. I'll get Stew's full name from you there.

Cheers to all.
Lou.

[Terry in Australia]

G'Day Lou, how are you mate? Yeah, all the advice above is good, just don't listen to Dave Benge (Hop on a Honda) though, he's ex-Navy, so unreliable in the extreme, and likes wearing nail polish.

His advice re: diesel is good though, just go to KMart and buy a garden weed sprayer and with the sump-pan off, all should be good, then once it's together get some "bedding oil", (normally cheap wine works for Dave, that's all the girls he'll be "bedding" seem to drink, ha ha) Kmart cheapo oil is fine, run the engine for an hour or so, then dump that oil and filter, and refill with good quality oil and filter of your choice.

Post some pics of your bike and those Sopwith Camels the Canadian Air Force are still flying, ha ha! Cheers, Terry.

[ride_a_honda]

To all that have responded to my question....Thank you....your answers are greatly appreciated. I'm really looking forward to this task....have already located a sprayer....as spring is just starting out here and it was easily found at Walmart.

Terry...sorry my "down under" buddy....the only pic of the bike I have right now is over 20 years old and I do not have access to a scanner. Being that all I have in the workshop is the rear wheel and frame assembled....not much to look at. But I promise......I will post pics of the completed project......just for you.

Here are a couple of Aircraft pics....the CF-101 (Voodoo) was the first A/C I worked on until 1984.....and the CF-18 (Hornet) was the last in 2003.
Enjoy the pics.

Cheers to All.......Lou

[kghost]

Know the feeling buddy. First for me Douglas DC-3 Now Boeing 727

[Hop on a Honda]

OK OK OK.
I conceed , Nail polish remover is out of the question. Terry goive me back my engine cleaner.
Just remove the spark plugs, also the tappet access ports ( How's that Terry for being mechanically correct) throw in some DIESEL use the Lever to crank the beast over for aa while and then simply leave the bike for a couple of quite lubricating ales.
On the occassion when your brain is back to semi conconsence, You know when you come to,then do it all again.
Dump oil filter element and take sump off , crank the lever again for a while
Flush with more Diesel and then replace the filter , oil pick up screen(Carefull) and then replace. plugs with new ones. Also check tappett clearance then replace the round thingo's which hide the tappets. Now use bedding oil or flushing oil. Start engine making sure there is a good breeze coming past the bike to ensure the heat is dispersed, leave running for some time at say 3,000RPM.
Stop, replace oil with good mineral quality 20w-50 oil.naturallly filter as well.
The engine will be slightly smokey at first, but take it easy on your first ride.
Dave
Fly NAVY.
Quote.
The gathering of good intellegence is seldom wasted if used correctly.

[ride_a_honda]

Glad to see there are some Aircraft Mechanics out there. Although the CF-101 Voodoo was my first, I did some work on a DC-3 in the mid 80's. Changed a couple of barrels (cylinders) and helped run the engines up. As a Reservist now, I am employed in the Technical Library, but do have some "hands-on" time keeping a couple of CH-146 Griffons (Bell 412's) in the air.

OK....on to my engine....just so we are all on the same page, the head and cylinder barrels have been removed many years ago and the concern I had (even though I had taken great care in plugging the crankcase holes) was there may have been some smaller foreign matter that could have possibly dropped in past my home-made cover. From all the responses I've received, the method used will be the "garden type" sprayer and diesel fuel. With the pan cover off as well, this "cleaner" should just drain out along with most (if not all)  of the "suspect" foreign matter (if any). I'll keep all of you posted on my progress. And once she is all assembled.....for Terry's eyes only.....OK.....everyone's eyes.....I'll post some pics.

Now, as the KING of procastination, I'll have to put my money where my mouth is and actually post these pics...the sooner the better.....right? Guess I had better get out to my workshop now.

Cheers to all,
Lou in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada.