Topic: 77 CB550K restoration...Engine needs help

[thelary07]

I have started a frame-up restoration on a '77 CB550, the frame is stripped and the engine/transmission is out..Engine is badly corroded and in need of polishing, thinking of having it soda blasted or sand blasted to clean it up some. Is there an approved way of getting the engine back to its nearly-new look? Understand that I'll have have to expand a bunch of elbow grease to finish it up but would like to get most of the crud off before I start that. I would appreciate any tried and true ideas from those who have already done this.
Thanks...thelary07

[honda_jason]

lots of scotch brite, wire wheels on a dremel and elbow grease

[Greggo]

I suggest soda blasting it while still assembled.  I haven't done it myself yet, but I've read/seen lots of good results. 

[akinz]

I feel your pain man. I've done what you're contemplating. I don't have any pictures now, but tomorrow I will post some for you so you can see the before and after results.

If you do still have the engine in tact I recommend spraying it down in spray nine and scrubbing with a brush, whether a stiff bristle brush or toothbrush. Ya I know, sounds like a ton of work, and it is, but trust me, it's much better to do this when the engine is still in one piece.

If you use a pressure washer, just don't put it really close to where any bolt holes or gasket surfaces are. If you have any oil leaks you will end up pushing that crud into your engine cases.

I completely tore my whole engine down, and bead blasted everything. It turned out amazing. Just make sure if you go this route you spend time taping off with duct tape all areas to prevent blasting bearing surfaces etc.

If you need any other advice just let me know... Search for "Akinz' 77 cb550 build" in the project forum here and you can see the quick before and after results. It's definitly worth the time and effort.

Good luck!!

[Cheffish]

+1 on the spray nine and wire brush. I used a brass brush and alot of scrubbing. I also took a bore brush meant for a pistol and put it on a drill. It helped alot for cleaning the fins of the cylinder.

[thelary07]

What is "spray nine" ? Is this a cleaner of some kind?  ..yep, the engine is in one piece, I am waiting for a quote from the soda blaster...that would be a good start but I am not afraid to spend a few days with brushes (pistol brush was a good idea)..I hope to turn this thing into what it was 34 years ago.
     Akinz77..I will be glad to take a look at your pics, sounds like you have a lot of experience with this stuff.
  Thanks to all and I hope to have before and after pictures of this bike that are night and day.
thelary07

[Cheffish]

Spray nine is like simple green on steroids. It works really well for cleaning and it actually can remove paint I you're not careful. You can dilute it bit for the motor you won't have to. Clean it really well. Then hit it with a scotchbrite pad and paint it.

[akinz]

Spray nine is like simple green on steroids. It works really well for cleaning and it actually can remove paint I you're not careful. You can dilute it bit for the motor you won't have to. Clean it really well. Then hit it with a scotchbrite pad and paint it.

Sorry I forgot to mention that right after you scrub it rinse it off thouroughly with water, because yes, it could start eating stuff if you end up leaving it on too long