Topic: WTF!!?? HELP!!

[crazypj]

If you didn't hear it leaking on 2&3 it should be OK. (usually it will squeak' if you have a leak from fittings)
 It's around 10% so should be OK.
 Fire it up, get it hot, see if it smokes.
Was the clutch assembly/kickstart OK?

[70CB750]

I know standard compression reading should be 170psi, with the bike fully warmed up. 

Only, if you use the same very low volume gauge Honda used in the service manual.

But since I don't want to fire until I see at least some compression, what COLD readings should I be looking to see??

You are looking for numbers within 10% of each other.  Absolute numbers will vary with the volume of the tester.
There is a post in the engine FAQ about compression tests.

Thanks, TT!  Here are my COLD and DRY compression numbers.   155, 140, 140, 155

I wasn't able to tighten down the gauge in 2 & 3 as tightly as in 1 & 4 cuz its limited accessibility.  Don't know if that is significant but thought I'd mention it.

I had the same problem, unless you have the engine out of the frame, the #2 and #3 reading is always bit off.  I got within 5psi, because i spent the time and made an adapter shaped and sized like a sparkplug - that allowed me to get to it with the plug wrench.

[Rigid]

I would never let it get ugly.  If any unfortunate thing like that were to EVER happen on my watch, I would be a man about it and make it right with the buyer. 

There are some really shady sellers out there that would blame the buyer in that situation saying "Buyer Beware"...but I would have considered that my fault and fixed the issue.

That is niave.  Buyer gets the bike, has trouble, takes it to the most expensive shop he can find, gets a quote, demands you pay it, sues you when you don't, plus "damages" due to lost use. etc.... A repair that would have cost you $100 to make right is now $2500 and you are telling me you are just going to fork over the $2500 to be a nice guy and "honest" ? uh huh.  Has happened to me twice and I can tell you trying to do the right thing is noble, and works out most of the time, but buyers can be just a big of #$%*s as sellers. 

[WarwickE36]

Not to add insult to injury here ... BUT.... Let's exhaust all potential stupid causes for this that haven't really been ruled out.

Sometimes things are stupid like you left the choke on and it flooded out and stalled...  Or ran out of gas?

Then somehow when you went to kick it it was in gear? Kicking it in gear while holding the front brake would certainly give it a locked feeling. 

Maybe a hydro/fuel lock from choke being on until it literally flooded.

Not saying your scenario didn't happen... it probably did. But so far something doesn't seem to add up.  Kicker getting stuck sounds plausible.  But aside from that, I'm getting the feeling maybe in the haste of making a sale something profoundly stupid and simple went wrong.  I could be wrong, lord knows I've been wrong plenty of times.  But for your sake hopefully I'm onto something...

[brycegp]

Not to add insult to injury here ... BUT.... Let's exhaust all potential stupid causes for this that haven't really been ruled out.

Sometimes things are stupid like you left the choke on and it flooded out and stalled...  Or ran out of gas?

Then somehow when you went to kick it it was in gear? Kicking it in gear while holding the front brake would certainly give it a locked feeling. 

Maybe a hydro/fuel lock from choke being on until it literally flooded.

Not saying your scenario didn't happen... it probably did. But so far something doesn't seem to add up.  Kicker getting stuck sounds plausible.  But aside from that, I'm getting the feeling maybe in the haste of making a sale something profoundly stupid and simple went wrong.  I could be wrong, lord knows I've been wrong plenty of times.  But for your sake hopefully I'm onto something...

I wish you were right...I'd rather be stupid than unlucky any day!!

[brycegp]

So I buttoned it up and fired it up to see where I stand...and it ain't good.  There is a very loud knock coming from the bottom end.  The knock wasn't happening when I was cranking it during the cold compression test so that rules out bad installation of the stator cover.

But once the motor was running...the knock was very apparent.  I immediately shut her down and called my mechanic.  Bottom end issues are beyond my ambitions to deal with.

The great thing for the new owner will be that for the same price...they'll get a fresh motor...

[brycegp]

If you didn't hear it leaking on 2&3 it should be OK. (usually it will squeak' if you have a leak from fittings)
 It's around 10% so should be OK.
 Fire it up, get it hot, see if it smokes.
Was the clutch assembly/kickstart OK?

No smoke on start up.  But didn't let it run long enough to get it hot...after hearing the knock, it ran for about a minute to figure out where it was coming from and I shut it down.

Side note:  When the motor was running, I pulled in the clutch, put it in first and the rear wheel started spinning.  I know there is some residual force that may spin the rear wheel but it should stop if you apply force.  It wouldn't stop as if the clutch was still engaged.  I removed both clutch covers.  The clutch push mechanism is new and operational.  The clutch basket and discs look good.  I can see the pressure plate disengaging when I pull in the clutch...and I tested the plates...they're not stuck together.

[WarwickE36]

Its a viscous coupler, it will spin in gear with the clutch in.  Road force + your/bike's weight is enough to stop this in "real" conditions.  If the bike lurches when put in first there is too much free play in the clutch/cables, if it doesn't its probably fine. 

Knocking from the lower end sure sounds like a spun or worn out bearing.  Its time to take a look at that oil pump and pickup screen.  Drop the pan and scope out the pickup screen.  The pull the sprocket cover and inspect that oil pump for scoring etc.