Topic: cb400f "Project Resurrection"

[Really?]

Lookin' perty good!

[-CB-Jamie-]

Well I've been working on my carbs for the last few days and their starting to come along now as well, got the bodys painted and the bowls and tops polished. I also polished the brass drain screws and caps.
Should get them back together in the next few days now as well and have them back on the bike.




For some reason the two in the middle dont look polished at all, must be the pic.

[RickB]

Oh man those carbs look sweet!

How'd you get the camshaft out that throttle cables connect to? I tried drilling that pin out and made a real mess of it. I see you were able to dissemble that whole part. Do tell how!

Rick.

[-CB-Jamie-]

Oh man those carbs look sweet!

How'd you get the camshaft out that throttle cables connect to? I tried drilling that pin out and made a real mess of it. I see you were able to dissemble that whole part. Do tell how!

Rick.

Hey Rick thanks,
Well all I did to get the shaft out was loosen the bolts I circled in red fully(In last pic) and the shaft just slid out for me, although I don't think its supposed to be like this as their was a slot in the shaft where that pin you tried drilling out is. I never drilled out this pin. So I think maybe there was supposed to be something where the pin is but maybe there was a fault with mine from first day as the pin had never been removed. Don't really know as I've never touched one of these before so just guessing here??? I just took a chance at loosening the bolts before I tried anything else. Don't know what the story with mine is as that shaft was able to slide slightly from side to side before I loosened the bolts, is yours like that?

Anyway I since have them back together although there's no jets in them yet as I'm waiting on new o rings for the main jets and the float valves so I just stuck on the float bowls to see how they looked, so heres a few pics:

[Owned]

Those carbs look nice...today.  Real curious how delicious they will look a year from now after gas has leaked over the sides.

[-CB-Jamie-]

Those carbs look nice...today.  Real curious how delicious they will look a year from now after gas has leaked over the sides.

Ya I know thats my one fear with the carbs, I'll try to keep them as clean as I can though and hope for the best

[fasturd]

I am totally jealous. I cannot start another motorcycle project until the "new kitchen" gets finished... I hate wood working...lol. Neat little hot rod you've got going. I finished mine last year, well they are never really finished (a new set of Dunstall clipons just showed up for it) but 400s are GREAT daily riders.
Good luck.

[Spanner 1]

Great work Jamie..... great to see some Irish bikes getting restored, well done.

[Zaipai]

Fantastic job so far. Its look really good!

.: Scott :.

[-CB-Jamie-]

Hey everyone, thanks for the comments.

So heres where I am since my last update:

• Got the wiring loom, coils and some of the other electrics back on.
• Got exhaust mounted.
• Made up a new fusebox.
• Threw on the tank and seat temporarily.
• Overhauled the right side handlebar controls.

Well the PO had tapped one of the exhaust stud holes to 8mm, must have snapped a stud or something and drilled it bigger and probably drilled the exhaust clamp too. I didn't get the exhaust clamps with the bike so I decided to get a 'special' bolt made up. My uncle works somewhere where they do some machining so he was able to get an 8mm bolt welded to a 6mm bolt in stainless and so I just threaded the 8mm part into the head and then had the 6mm part sticking out to take the exhaust clamp.

Heres a pic of the 8mm bolt in place


My 'special' bolt, had to grind down the weld a bit further before I installed it.


I used the back of the old fusebox and bolted a 4 blade fuse box onto it as my new fusebox. The old one was all melted and I had no cover for it so this is why I decide to do this. Its after ending up a bit bulkier that I thought it would so I think I might redo it and solder all the wires underneath the fusebox itself when I get time to do it.



Heres my handlebar control refurbishment, the PO had cut all the wires off for no apparent reason so I ended up having to solder on all new wires. I polished up all the contacts and greased all moving parts and put it all back together. I also polished the outside of the controls.

Controls all taken apart


Some of the new wires soldered on and heatshrinked


The finished product


My method of Identifying the wires as I didn't have any wire in the right colours

[MoMo]

Very nice job with the switch. 400 fours are fun bikes, both to ride and work on...Larry

[johnny]

Looks good! I admire you for redoing the switch / controls - which are a pain!

[-CB-Jamie-]

Looks good! I admire you for redoing the switch / controls - which are a pain!

Thanks man! Ya they're very frustrating alright, I nearly picked the whole lot up a few times and just threw it across the room  . The connectors the wires are soldered onto are just so small. Its done now though so I just have to take the other side apart and clean all the contacts and then polish the outside and thats it. At least there's no redoing wires on this side(touch wood) unless they're damaged.

[Zaipai]

Wow, nice progress.. I feel your pain on the controls. However given how much new (nos and non-nos) ones are its worth the effort.

.: Scott :.

[t_revs]

Hi CB
Yeah it's looking good.
I am about to start doing the same on 2 basket case 400's.
What paints have you been using?

Cheers

[fasturd]

One of the control problems is that the US versions are that dang switch with the automatic headlight kill on the push button. That little box explodes and there is nothing you can do with the bits. (though replacing with a later model GL1000 switch works great as it has been updated and does not disintagrate) The euro bikes use the switch set up that is much easier to fix as it is like our older SOHC switches, which can be adapted to work great but don't look right if you are trying to be stock...

[-CB-Jamie-]

Hey t_revs. The only paint I've used so far is engine enamel and acrylic spray for the frame. My tank isn't painted yet just in case you think it is as it kinda looks like it is in the pics, it actually looks like this:



Hey Fasturd, good thing I'm in europe so as this was the stock setup on the bikes here.
Also you seem fairly familiar with these switches so you might be able to explain something to me. I have the left switch all taken apart today and there is one wire I just can't figure out what it's for. The switch for changing the headlights from high/low is on this side. There is a second wire on the output side of the high beam side of the switch which goes to the button for the horn. I just cant figure out why there would be a wire that comes live with the high beams going to the horn and I've been scratching my head about this all day.
I tooka pic just in case I didn't explain clear enough.

Unfortunarely I had to replace three wires on this side too as they were broke/

Left switch is the high/low switch and right is the horn, as you can see there is two wires(Blue) connected to the high beam side, one going to the horn.

[bevel121]

Hey t_revs. The only paint I've used so far is engine enamel and acrylic spray for the frame. My tank isn't painted yet just in case you think it is as it kinda looks like it is in the pics, it actually looks like this:



Hey Fasturd, good thing I'm in europe so as this was the stock setup on the bikes here.
Also you seem fairly familiar with these switches so you might be able to explain something to me. I have the left switch all taken apart today and there is one wire I just can't figure out what it's for. The switch for changing the headlights from high/low is on this side. There is a second wire on the output side of the high beam side of the switch which goes to the button for the horn. I just cant figure out why there would be a wire that comes live with the high beams going to the horn and I've been scratching my head about this all day.
I tooka pic just in case I didn't explain clear en

Hey t_revs. The only paint I've used so far is engine enamel and acrylic spray for the frame. My tank isn't painted yet just in case you think it is as it kinda looks like it is in the pics, it actually looks like this:



Hey Fasturd, good thing I'm in europe so as this was the stock setup on the bikes here.
Also you seem fairly familiar with these switches so you might be able to explain something to me. I have the left switch all taken apart today and there is one wire I just can't figure out what it's for. The switch for changing the headlights from high/low is on this side. There is a second wire on the output side of the high beam side of the switch which goes to the button for the horn. I just cant figure out why there would be a wire that comes live with the high beams going to the horn and I've been scratching my head about this all day.
I tooka pic just in case I didn't explain clear enough.

Unfortunarely I had to replace three wires on this side too as they were broke/

Left switch is the high/low switch and right is the horn, as you can see there is two wires(Blue) connected to the high beam side, one going to the h
th
Left switch is the high/low switch and right is the horn, as you can see there is two wires(Blue) connected to the high beam side, one going to the horn.
[img width=600 height=450]http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt119/Fishybuisness/_1062137.jpg[/img

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[fasturd]

OK I am just guessing on this one (because our switches are different) But MAYBE it is a push to flash button? When you beep the horn you also flash the highbeam? I remember reading that euro 400Fs had this function but I have never seen the switch. Maybe it is not really a different switch just the extra wire? That might explain your extra wire. Here in the US the safety nazis didn't want us flashing our headlights...

[strynboen]

hey ...i have a high beam bottom. on my 400 1975.hwer the horn  normaly are..not shure it is korrekt honda..
the symbols are vith green  back..not red..

[-CB-Jamie-]

Hey...
Have it figured out anyway, your kinda right fasturd, the switch for the horn is actually two switches in one, when you press it straight in it sounds the horn or you can push it sideways to flash the high beam. My dad noticed PA engraved on the outside of the housing and he had seen it years ago on a car and it was to flash the headlights. I then opened the button for the horn and saw this was the case alright.

Anyway heres a few pics of it finished

All contacts cleaned, broken wires replaced and heat shrinked

[Zaipai]

Nice work on that switch..

.: Scott :.

[Joel]

Those polished bits look great.  Are your rims 18" front and back?  Mine had a 16" on the rear when I bought it and I'd like to replace it.

[-CB-Jamie-]

Thanks Scott and Joel,
Ya they're 18'' rims front and back, thats the original size rims on the 400f.
16'' must look pretty small on the back, is it a wider rim than normal too?

[Zaipai]

Thanks Scott and Joel,
Ya they're 18'' rims front and back, thats the original size rims on the 400f.
16'' must look pretty small on the back, is it a wider rim than normal too?

They usually are wider, most are harley rims. I have one on mine. I make up the difference in size by getting a taller tire..

Example:


.: Scott :.