Topic: FFJMOORE CB550 BIG bore engine build.

[Flying J]

Ok, did a little looking around and dint find any 550 motor rebuilds from start to finish. If you know of any feel free to link them here. Im going to start my own.  My bike is away right now getting exhaust built for it and its taking awhile so i think ill start on an engine rebuild.
here is my build thread: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=51902.0

 The motor i have was running but was leaking oil from the head and sometimes had a hard time getting into neutral. So i dont expect to find to many problems.


 I have been collecting parts for the motor. Its going to be a 592cc with 61mm pistons.

I also have a ported head with fresh valve job and a CB650 cam
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=56904.msg849297#msg849297

I also bought a flat side cam chain for a Gsxr 750. Supposed to be better then the normal cam chain just needs to be shortened. We shall see.

[Flying J]

First off here is a list of parts I will need or possibly need for the rebuild. Am i missing anything?

Pistons
Rings
Head gasket
Base gasket
Engine gaskets
Oil seals
clutch
Clutch springs
HD cylinder studs
Camcahin
Cam chain tensioner
Crank bearings
Rod bearings
Cylider bore
Valve Job
Primary Chain

[luceja]

I need to update my thread, I'll definitely be watching your rebuild. I just buttoned up my 550's bottom end. - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=71439.0

[Flying J]

Now a few questions.

Pistons
Rings
Head gasket
Base gasket                          How thick should i get? Dynoman has .010, .014, .020.
Engine gaskets
clutch                                 Should i just replace standard or get the EBC      
Clutch springs                       Get heavy duty?
HD cylinder studs                  Is this necessary, a really good idea, or dont need it?
Camcahin
Cam chain tensioner
Crank bearings                      I guess ill know if i need new bearings by doing the plastigauge right?
Rod bearings
Cylider bore
Valve Job
Primary Chain                      Reading the clymer manual i did not find any specs on this anybody know? $144 from honda                                                  
                                        is there any other source?      

[Flying J]

I need to update my thread, I'll definitely be watching your rebuild. I just buttoned up my 550's bottom end. - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=71439.0

Very nice any advice, or things to look out for, lessons learned?

[Roach]

you might need new oil seals once you crack the cases mine fell apart.

as for the clutch iv heard things about ebc clutch plates slipping so i went right to honda and got all new plates they sure are nice when they are new.

[Flying J]

Good point on the oil seal ill add that to my list.

[SF]

ILL BE WATCHING THIS THREAD, IM ABOUT TO BUILD A 550 MOTOR, DYNOMAN I THINK IS THE GOTO GUY. ALSO HAVE ANOTHER FOR RACE WITH TT'S RACE PONY FRAME (I HOPE)

[Bakeoff]

I need to rebuild mine as well and have the "gasket kit" but I'm wondering if anyone's broken down the parts cost for a full rebuild. 



As for the question about plastigauging the old bearings...  Once you pull the bearings, you'll never get them set back in place just as they were, so you'll end up with odd wear on them.  Just replace them.  Or were you talking about plastigauging them to find the size for the new bearings?

[luceja]

I need to update my thread, I'll definitely be watching your rebuild. I just buttoned up my 550's bottom end. - http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=71439.0

Very nice any advice, or things to look out for, lessons learned?

When I split my case, I bagged and labeled all the little stuff, but I wish I had cleaned everything then and there and bagged the big stuff too. For example, my crank and rods were basically just under a drop cloth instead of in some kind of sealed bag. Now I'm paranoid that god knows what got in between the rods and the crank but I don't want to remove all the rods and weaken those bolts. (We took just one off to plastigauge and assumed the other 3 are probably fine). I found a complete oil seal kit on cmsnl.com.. we'll see if it works as expected. You will probably need to do the oven trick to get the bearing in or out of the inside of the lower case, but it works incredibly well. I think the last time I just did under 200 degrees for just a couple of minutes. If your case paint is like mine, it's impervious to anything short of gunfire or glass bead. I wish I just left the damned paint as is. A bucket of carb cleaner is man's best friend, especially if your carbs are laquered together like mine were. Be careful transporting the gear shafts.. picking them up the wrong way and losing small things like bearings happened more often than it should have. Take pictures of anything complicated (gears, gear change) because the manual pictures suck (at least mine do). My tips are like engine refreshing for idiots: probably obvious to everyone else.

Once I try to start mine and it bursts into a cloud of flame and smoke, I'll probably have a few more lessons learned.

[Flying J]

I need to run to harbor freight to get an engine stand before i start the tear down. As for a price list here is mine.

CB550 Engine rebuild Parts      
Part                     Price     Location
Pistons            $80.00    sohc4
Rings                    $130.00    sohc4
Head gasket    $39.99    http://www.dynoman.net/engine/gaskets-cometic.html#cb550
Base gasket    $29.99    http://www.dynoman.net/engine/gaskets-cometic.html#cb550
Engine gaskets    $80.00    
clutch            $141.00    ebay
Clutch springs    $9.99    ebay
HD cylinder studs    $79.95    http://cbrzone.com/studs.html
Camcahin            $29.95    Ebay
Cam chain tensioner    $30.00    ebay
Crank bearings    $161.00    honda
Rod bearings    $96.00    honda
Cylider bore            $200.00    
Valve Job            $150.00    
Primary Chain    $144.00    ebay
oil seals            $35.56    5 deals at Honda
650 cam shaft    $100.00    
          Total    $1,537.43    

[OneWheelDrive]

I need to run to harbor freight to get an engine stand before i start the tear down. As for a price list here is mine.

CB550 Engine rebuild Parts      
Part                     Price     Location
Pistons            $80.00    sohc4
Rings                    $130.00    sohc4
Head gasket    $39.99    http://www.dynoman.net/engine/gaskets-cometic.html#cb550
Base gasket    $29.99    http://www.dynoman.net/engine/gaskets-cometic.html#cb550
Engine gaskets    $80.00    
clutch            $141.00    ebay
Clutch springs    $9.99    ebay
HD cylinder studs    $79.95    http://cbrzone.com/studs.html
Camcahin            $29.95    Ebay
Cam chain tensioner    $30.00    ebay
Crank bearings    $161.00    honda
Rod bearings    $96.00    honda
Cylider bore            $200.00    
Valve Job            $150.00    
Primary Chain    $144.00    ebay
oil seals            $35.56    5 deals at Honda
650 cam shaft    $100.00    
          Total    $1,537.43    

Holy $h*t, makes me very glad I found a near mint 550 donor motor for $200 when I was contemplating doing a similar rebuild.  Obviously rebuild a motor with an overbore has its advantages but I've never even spent that much on a running bike!

[luceja]

Holy $h*t, makes me very glad I found a near mint 550 donor motor for $200 when I was contemplating doing a similar rebuild.  Obviously rebuild a motor with an overbore has its advantages but I've never even spent that much on a running bike!

yeah, you definitely pay the price for doing it right. when my stuff explodes, I'll return to this thread to see what I should have done.

[Flying J]

yeah for this bike im willing to spend the $$. On my 750 im not. Its been hard to sell because it has a head leak. I think i may pull the motor and replace the gaskets just so i can sell it.

[Roach]

when you typed in ''VALVE JOB'' is that a port and polish or?

[Flying J]

No it was removing the valves and doing a valve grind on them and the seats, also resurfacing the head.  The porting i did myself. It was just smoothing and removing casting marks not a big port job.

[fastbroshi]

Now a few questions.

Pistons
Rings
Head gasket
Base gasket                          How thick should i get? Dynoman has .010, .014, .020.   I would go with the .014, easy way to gain some compression, but I'm not sure where you stand with those pistons.
Engine gaskets
clutch                                 Should i just replace standard or get the EBC    I've heard those can be grabby, but you'll get used to it.  
Clutch springs                       Get heavy duty?  
HD cylinder studs                  Is this necessary, a really good idea, or dont need it?  I got mine thinking it would be a good chance to see if I could eliminate the dreaded o-ring weep on the sides of the head.
Camcahin
Cam chain tensioner
Crank bearings                      I guess ill know if i need new bearings by doing the plastigauge right?  PLEASE document this, the manuals are a bit confusing to a first timer like me
Rod bearings
Cylider bore
Valve Job
Primary Chain                      Reading the clymer manual i did not find any specs on this anybody know? $144 from honda                                                  
                                        is there any other source?     Check Hannibal's posts, he MAY have offered a nugget of truth about this [/color]

[lone*X]

Hope you included the tach drive and 650 tach in the cam swap pricing.  Both needed pieces.

[Bankerdanny]

Plastigauge is pretty straight forward.

Someone will correct me if I am wrong i'm sure, but the sequence should go:

• Put the gauge material on the rod bearing, attach to crank, torque to spec.
• Remove rod and measure length of gauge material, compare to chart to obtain clearance, compare clearance to spec to determine if you need to grind crank and install new bearings

[Flying J]

@bankerdanny    that sounds about what i expected to do.
 
@lone x      Tachometer drive i have somewhere and a 750 tach. I was told they are the same ratio as the 650.

im not worried about a clutch being to graby, i would prefer that over slipping.

My parts list is a full rebuild head to toe list. It would be really easy to knock hundreds off by reusing parts but its good to know what a total rebuild would be.

Stay tuned, this will not be a fast paced thread but i will keep it full of pics as i go.

[fastbroshi]

Correct, the 750 and 650 are the same at 4:1, as seen in the list here:

CB750 Speedo  2240:60  Tach 4:1
CB650 Speedo  2240:60  Tach 4:1
CB550 Speedo  2240:60  Tach 20:3
CB500 Speedo  2240:60  Tach 20:3
CB400 Speedo  2240:60  Tach 20:3
CB350 Speedo  2240:60  Tach 20:3

[Tintop]

Thanks for starting this ffj.  I'm sure I glean some nuggets before I tackle the race motor.

[Raef]

just blasted my cases today, I didnt want to blast them but I have been trying to strip them for 2 weeks. I got sick of cleaning and put the bead to it, at least to the out side of it

Next time i'll either leave them bee or just clean them up and paint them.

any who, I'll be watching as well

Mark

[luceja]

for what it's worth, david silver spares has 88$ aftermarket primary chains.

[ivanhoew]

Now a few questions.

Pistons
Rings
Head gasket
Base gasket                          How thick should i get? Dynoman has .010, .014, .020.
Engine gaskets
clutch                                 Should i just replace standard or get the EBC       
Clutch springs                       Get heavy duty?
HD cylinder studs                  Is this necessary, a really good idea, or dont need it?
Camcahin
Cam chain tensioner
Crank bearings                      I guess ill know if i need new bearings by doing the plastigauge right?
Rod bearings
Cylider bore
Valve Job
Primary Chain                      Reading the clymer manual i did not find any specs on this anybody know? $144 from honda                                                 
                                        is there any other source?       

 ff, on the base gasket , you ccould do a dry build ,then pick the base gasket that gives you the piston to head clearance you want ?