I recently purchased a 1978 cb750f that is a restoration project. I have only experience with looking things up on the internet. This is my first bike. It hasnt been started in "two years" according to the seller and 15 years before that. I bought a new battery and attempted to run a compression check but the the no.2 cyclinder was difficult to remove the plug and then difficult to thread the compression gauge. All other cylinders read approx. 100 psi but the number two was 60 everytime except the last reading which was 90 psi, then the gauge broke. I returned the guage so i wouldnt have see 60psi again, lol. Thought maybe the threading was probably the issue and reinserted plug.
I decided to just move forward and adjust the valves. Here lies the issue. The manual states that you need to find tdcc on the no.1 in. and ex. , the no.2 ex. and the no. 3 in. and the rest at tdc. Well i couldnt get any clearance on the no.2 ex. and the no. 3 in. at tdcc after verifiing that the pistons were at compression tdc not tdc. I did read one thread that stated it was the opposite for the no.2 and no.3 so i tried that and its was simple and easy. I started it after doing it and it idled with some taping. This frightens me though. Any comments?
One last question. I painted the engine and put miracle oil in the top end. When idling it starts to smoke from the ex. of the engine within a minute. No oil leaks that are apparent. Exhaust leak, head gasket, paint burning?