Author Topic: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild  (Read 14274 times)

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Offline Tintop

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #75 on: January 09, 2011, 05:54:45 PM »
Great news that its up and running.  Nothing like hearing it running for the 1st time.

well it;s not the first time for it running but the first time since i tore it down

and you didn't even need those left over bolts. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
1977 CB550/4 Cafe - Speed Warrior / BOTM 03/11
1980 CB750F (project)
Whittaker GBF Vintage Racing Sidecar (XS750 power) - ITG / 151's / CMR Racing Products (SOLD)
1976 CB400 SS - stock / BOTM 04/11 (SOLD)
1973 CB750 K - basket case (SOLD)
77 CB550 Cafe build
550/750 Filter Thread
Sidecar Rebuild Thread

Offline cafe550

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #76 on: January 09, 2011, 07:04:45 PM »
Great news that its up and running.  Nothing like hearing it running for the 1st time.

well it;s not the first time for it running but the first time since i tore it down

and you didn't even need those left over bolts. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
there is a few of those around  :D
I HAVE THE SOHC4 SICKNESS!!!

Offline Tintop

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #77 on: January 09, 2011, 08:24:25 PM »
Great news that its up and running.  Nothing like hearing it running for the 1st time.

well it;s not the first time for it running but the first time since i tore it down

and you didn't even need those left over bolts. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
there is a few of those around  :D

 :D :D :D :D    just proves Hondas are over engineered. ;) :)
1977 CB550/4 Cafe - Speed Warrior / BOTM 03/11
1980 CB750F (project)
Whittaker GBF Vintage Racing Sidecar (XS750 power) - ITG / 151's / CMR Racing Products (SOLD)
1976 CB400 SS - stock / BOTM 04/11 (SOLD)
1973 CB750 K - basket case (SOLD)
77 CB550 Cafe build
550/750 Filter Thread
Sidecar Rebuild Thread

Offline cafe550

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #78 on: January 10, 2011, 04:39:46 PM »
Great news that its up and running.  Nothing like hearing it running for the 1st time.

well it;s not the first time for it running but the first time since i tore it down

and you didn't even need those left over bolts. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
there is a few of those around  :D

 :D :D :D :D    just proves Hondas are over engineered. ;) :)

true that!
I HAVE THE SOHC4 SICKNESS!!!

Offline cafe550

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #79 on: January 16, 2011, 06:39:30 PM »
well got my tank cleaned out as good as its going to get cleaned the piss out of my petcock and put new gaskets and o-rings in it installed tach cable and throttle cable

waiting for new to me bar controls in the mail...i really need to start taking pics again but really it doesn't look much different yet  ;D
I HAVE THE SOHC4 SICKNESS!!!

Offline cafe550

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #80 on: January 29, 2011, 07:48:43 PM »
still working on some wiring but here is a few new pic


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Offline Tintop

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #81 on: January 29, 2011, 09:16:25 PM »
That's coming along very nicely, but shouldn't you be putting the knobby on it for the snow. ;) :)
1977 CB550/4 Cafe - Speed Warrior / BOTM 03/11
1980 CB750F (project)
Whittaker GBF Vintage Racing Sidecar (XS750 power) - ITG / 151's / CMR Racing Products (SOLD)
1976 CB400 SS - stock / BOTM 04/11 (SOLD)
1973 CB750 K - basket case (SOLD)
77 CB550 Cafe build
550/750 Filter Thread
Sidecar Rebuild Thread

Offline Kong

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #82 on: January 30, 2011, 06:43:48 AM »
I'm going to try to save you some grief in the not too distant future.  Your paint job is going to fail unless you do something to correct it soon.  It is good that you can't ride the bike right now.  Get the tank off the bike and dump all of the gas out of it and then let it air out.  Take the cap off of it and leave it off until you get the paint fixed.

The problem you've got is that the painter did not mask the top of the fuel fill.  Notice in the photos that paper was stuffed in the hole (and maybe the inside of the hole was masked) but that the top of the fill spout is painted.  What is going to happen is that fuel is going to get under that paint and start lifting it starting at the top of the cap and then moving down and out.  That top should have been masked off and left in bare metal.  The actual paint should have begun right on the shoulder on the outboard side of the rim at the point where the cap gasket ceases to make contact.  The point is that the cap gasket should only touch bare metal.  You painter (or you) can repair this by sanding only the very top of the fill spout to shiney metal right out to the edge and then taking some clear epoxy (5-minute epoxy will work) on the tip of your finger and applying it over the sanded edge of the paint.  If you don't do it you're only a couple of months away from a paint failure.

On Edit:  I just wanted to add, this is a real easy (and cheap) fix now, but once it starts to bubble up it gets a lot harder (and much more expensive) to make sure it doesn't spread.  All it takes is the fumes in the tank to get it started too, and that's why the advice to empty the tank and take the cap off as soon as possible even if you can't get around to fixing it until later.
« Last Edit: January 30, 2011, 08:19:18 AM by Kong »
2002 FXSTD/I  Softail Deuce
2001 Acura (Honda) CL Type-S
1986 Honda Rebel, 450
1978 Honda CB550K
1977 Honda CB550K

Offline cafe550

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #83 on: January 30, 2011, 08:22:29 AM »
I'm going to try to save you some grief in the not too distant future.  Your paint job is going to fail unless you do something to correct it soon.  It is good that you can't ride the bike right now.  Get the tank off the bike and dump all of the gas out of it and then let it air out.  Take the cap off of it and leave it off until you get the paint fixed.

The problem you've got is that the painter did not mask the top of the fuel fill.  Notice in the photos that paper was stuffed in the hole (and maybe the inside of the hole was masked) but that the top of the fill spout is painted.  What is going to happen is that fuel is going to get under that paint and start lifting it starting at the top of the cap and then moving down and out.  That top should have been masked off and left in bare metal.  The actual paint should have begun right on the shoulder on the outboard side of the rim at the point where the cap gasket ceases to make contact.  The point is that the cap gasket should only touch bare metal.  You painter (or you) can repair this by sanding only the very top of the fill spout to shiney metal right out to the edge and then taking some clear epoxy (5-minute epoxy will work) on the tip of your finger and applying it over the sanded edge of the paint.  If you don't do it you're only a couple of months away from a paint failure.

On Edit:  I just wanted to add, this is a real easy (and cheap) fix now, but once it starts to bubble up it gets a lot harder (and much more expensive) to make sure it doesn't spread.  All it takes is the fumes in the tank to get it started too, and that's why the advice to empty the tank and take the cap off as soon as possible even if you can't get around to fixing it until later.

thanks for the advice
I HAVE THE SOHC4 SICKNESS!!!

Offline cafe550

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #84 on: February 06, 2011, 02:50:17 PM »
I HAVE THE SOHC4 SICKNESS!!!

Offline Tintop

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #85 on: February 06, 2011, 05:22:41 PM »
The tins look really good on the bike.  Nice to have it started and running, isn't it. :)  Thanks for the video.
1977 CB550/4 Cafe - Speed Warrior / BOTM 03/11
1980 CB750F (project)
Whittaker GBF Vintage Racing Sidecar (XS750 power) - ITG / 151's / CMR Racing Products (SOLD)
1976 CB400 SS - stock / BOTM 04/11 (SOLD)
1973 CB750 K - basket case (SOLD)
77 CB550 Cafe build
550/750 Filter Thread
Sidecar Rebuild Thread

Offline cafe550

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #86 on: February 07, 2011, 07:23:21 PM »
thanks all i need are a rear tire seat cover and a shift shaft seal and she is done
I HAVE THE SOHC4 SICKNESS!!!

Offline Stev-o

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #87 on: February 16, 2011, 08:43:19 PM »
thanks all i need are a rear tire seat cover and a shift shaft seal and she is done

Oh no, they are really never done!  Looks nice.
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline Tintop

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #88 on: February 17, 2011, 03:02:00 PM »
thanks all i need are a rear tire seat cover and a shift shaft seal and she is done

Oh no, they are really never done!  Looks nice.

+1  Consider this phase one. ;D
1977 CB550/4 Cafe - Speed Warrior / BOTM 03/11
1980 CB750F (project)
Whittaker GBF Vintage Racing Sidecar (XS750 power) - ITG / 151's / CMR Racing Products (SOLD)
1976 CB400 SS - stock / BOTM 04/11 (SOLD)
1973 CB750 K - basket case (SOLD)
77 CB550 Cafe build
550/750 Filter Thread
Sidecar Rebuild Thread

Offline Jt550

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Re: 74 550 semi cafe rebuild
« Reply #89 on: February 18, 2011, 02:41:02 AM »
What technique did you use to clean the cover?  It looks quite nice when polished.

Harry O

It's nots fast/simple, but makes your bike look great. Click >>> http://www.ehow.com/how_4491972_polish-aluminum-mirror-finish.html

Or take the part off the enigine, clean it with dish soap, then use a cheap polishing wheel with polishing compound.... Or if your really lazy get a hand held one and work on it for a week...
It's not a quick process, but a bench buffing wheel really helps speed things up... Just my 2 cents.....
Tyler Durden: You're not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your f*<king khakis. You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.

-78 CB550k with a BIG #$%* Eating Grin-