Topic: New Cb350f owner brake questions

[MMoore4545]

Hey guys I'm new to the forum,
    I picked up a running '73 Cb350four for very very cheap. Has a few problems, it falls flat on it's face around 5500rpm, cleaned the carbs, searched on the forum and found that I just need to upsize the carb main jets, was running lean anyways. Popping in the exhaust. The only other real issue with the bike aside from the poor cosmetics is the lack of a front brake caliper. The splitter/switch/master cylinder/caliper bracket is there. I'm going to bypass the little metal bracket between the forks and just use a banjo bolt mounted brakeswitch and a single line straight to the caliper.

Where can I find a caliper? Every online shop says it's discontinued. Local places haven't been helpful on a bike this old.

I know the 400 and 350 calipers interchange but I don't think any others do.

[GroovieGhoulie]

http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/CB350-FOUR/part_44054/

A few more $$$, but exactly what you need.  And brand-new to boot.

DSS is the bomb, and shipping to the US is reasonable.

[flybox1]

welcome!
but we really need more info before we can make an informed suggestion....
are you running pods(type) or a stock airbox (new air filter?)?
stock jets in there already?
needle clip setting?
carbs bench synched?
A/F screw setting?
plug type?
...not to mention valve clearances, timing, cam chain adj?
...then a good vac sync of your carbs?

what have you done up to this point?
lots of stuff to cover before you slap bigger mains in there  

[MoMo]

Welcome.  If the bike is stock(exhaust, carbs and jets, ignition, etc) then the problem is not main jet size. Main jets could be blocked though...Larry

[MMoore4545]

Sorry I should have mentioned I've done a bit of maintenance

carbs are cleaned

stock jets are in there

they're bench synched

cam chain is adjusted

timing has been checked

haven't messed with the needle clip, honestly slipped my mind.

a/f screw hasn't been touched (the ones on the side of the carbs? I thought they were for idle a/f)


factory airbox is falling apart so, some of the clamps are missing, has huge leaks before the carbs
 it's getting nixed for some pod filters
4-2 aftermarket exhaust

That caliper is nice, the cost is almost as much as i bought for!
I'm considering picking up a Brembo or Wildwood single piston and graphting it onto the factory mounting bracket.

[flybox1]

factory airbox is falling apart so, some of the clamps are missing, has huge leaks before the carbs

ummm...yeah, this is why you are lean.
glad the maint is done!  
factory airbox will get you running right, for sure.
can you seal it up any way? get a new one? primarily to get your bike dialed in before you rejet for poods.
you'll need min mains 80's, and prolly 85's up to 90's for pods. (depending on which ones you source, your plug chop readings, and the rest of your setup...)

[MMoore4545]

Thanks Flybox1,
    I read a bit on this forum that a lot of people were having issues with exactly the same symptoms. The after-market exhaust lets the engine breathe better so will still cause lean conditions.

I don't have access to the factory exhaust so I'm going to be running into issues either way, I'll tape the box up and try to get it dialed in as good as I can before my new jets come in. I ordered 98's and 110's. Seems they jump from 80 to 98 on everyones website.


now onto finding these brakes!
anyone use the calipers I have mentioned?

[flybox1]

I read a bit on this forum that a lot of people were having issues with exactly the same symptoms. The after-market exhaust lets the engine breathe better so will still cause lean conditions.

true, but with some fine tuning, and attention to the intake side, your AF mix may even out, or be real close. in my case, like a few others, it did not, but then i only needed to got #78 mains to dial my 350F in.
98's and above seem too big even for pods...but give it a try.

if you've got your carbs off, reset your floats to 24mm's and pull the emulsion tubes out from under the main jets, get all the tiny holes super clean if you have not already
 
a 350F used airbox($13.00), caliper piston, caliper o-ring, caliper mount and housing, MC rebuild parts...all on ebay...
SS and original rubber brake lines all over the joint....but i'd suggest slingshot cycles.

[flybox1]

75s thru 95's 
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/HONDA-CB350F-CB400F-PERFORMANCE-MAIN-JET-JET-KIT-/220722148025?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item336410b2b9

[faux fiddy]

Sorry I should have mentioned I've done a bit of maintenance

carbs are cleaned

stock jets are in there

they're bench synched

cam chain is adjusted

timing has been checked

haven't messed with the needle clip, honestly slipped my mind.

a/f screw hasn't been touched (the ones on the side of the carbs? I thought they were for idle a/f)


factory airbox is falling apart so, some of the clamps are missing, has huge leaks before the carbs
 it's getting nixed for some pod filters
4-2 aftermarket exhaust

That caliper is nice, the cost is almost as much as i bought for!
I'm considering picking up a Brembo or Wildwood single piston and graphting it onto the factory mounting bracket.

Oh yeah, valve adjustments,too.

[MMoore4545]

after a long week of school and work I finally got to tear my carbs down again
as far as the needle clip setting goes. I have no clue. most of the screws that hold them in are stripped.
looks like I'm taking a trip to the machine shop tomorrow.

[MMoore4545]

so no success on the needleclips, the machine shops I've tried in town won't touch them
and PB blaster hasn't helped

put everything back together,
and now I can't get it started, was all the dirt and grime from the previous owner making this thing run?

[flybox1]

give us a pic of what you're having troubles with....