Topic: 73 greasy rat is done and it runs(video)

[bikerbart]

Here is what I picked up for 250 clams.It is complete,with compression,dig that white tank,kinda like greased lightening,SO,I have a sweet set of alloy wheels,couple of seats,couple of tanks,All I need is an exhaust(BCR,Carpy yosh?Custom,hmmm?)Norman hyde Bars,possibilities are endless.All I gotta do is get it running,

[bikerbart]

I plan on doing the bare minimum on this at first,put an exhaust on it,rebuild carbs,cafe seat,just get it running and who knows maybe I will sell it and put that cash into the motor of the orange bike?Unfortunately I destroyed the rear of this cafe seat I made dodging a deer,who knows maybe I will rebuild it into some thing better.

[bikerbart]

So,I deciced to pull the motor from my orange bike,Gaskets,clutch,porting.Winter project.Now I have 2 projects.My orange will be completely stock(just got original pipes)And Greasy will be either a bobber or cafe.I am starting to see some awesome bobs out there now and am starting to really dig em.cant decide,any input?So I will have a completely stock 73 sunrise orange and a bastard.First problem I am having with the motor is 1 bolt holding the breather cover is froze.Impact driver wants to budge it but I can tell its ready to snap.Any suggestions would be great.so far I have just sprayed it with PB blaster.

[bikerbart]

Ok,I have 3 different manuals,all of them say the same thing,7.remove camshaft holder.Sounds simple,well it aint.I have never done this before,am I an idiot or is it stubborn.I am enjoying this so far but these things just wont budge.Supposed to slide up and off 2 long bolts,any advice please.

[Ogri]

Sounds like it's stuck on the dowels. A little heat might help, and be sure you lift evenly all round.

Are there any areas that look like they've been designed to allow a flat screwdriver in to apply a little leverage.

<Dons asbestos suit in preparation for flaming>

[bikerbart]

Yeah,I was thinking some heat as well.I will try again tonight,thanks

[bikerbart]

got the head off. ;DMy buddy who is a moto mechanic says it looks good,no scoring on the cylinder walls,Everything is at it should be.So,before I continue,I was thinking of taking off some of the combustion chamber ala hondaman and making a "hemi" head.Is this advisable,or would I be wasting my time,I am not changing much other than heavy duty head bolts??

[vorhese]

Unless you really know what you're doing, plan on racing, I'd just leave it as it is. If it runs good, it's probably not worth it.
Your jug walls may not be scored but are they glazed at all? If you can see cross hatching you're probably good, but if not you may need to hone them. Cheap chinese tool shops sell ball hones for about $15. Just get the right diameter and use some wd-40. Pretty easy.


How's your chain tensioner look, is it all chewed up?

[bikerbart]

Oh yeah,I plan on putting new rollers on the cam chain tensioner.Its not too bad,but I may as well while I am at it.Luckily one of my good friends is a mech with a lot of special tools to help.It ran great but I got tired of the oil leak and spray.I just want to make it tight and leak free.Just got a set of original pipes so now I will make it stock(other than the handlebars)

[bikerbart]

Ok,talk about stubborn jugs.What do I do to get it loose?I dont want to smack on the fins,I got a dead blow,hard rubber mallets,any suggestions how to break the 35 year old seal???

[vorhese]

Did you try prying the ends up? I was in the same boat as you til I found out about them
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=15650.0

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I used some wooden shims I bought at the hardware store. They're soft enough to not damage the aluminum.

[bikerbart]

Hey shiek,are you a tom Waits and Zappa fan?If you are,your cool in my book.Thanks,but patience and perseverance prevailed.Now,i need to get the nasty ol gasket off.jugs are in very good shape,pistons as well,I will check tolerances and get to puttin all back together again.Any suggestions on gettin the gasket off?Plastic scraper and Solvent of some kind?

[Ogri]

I've found Jasco type paint stripper softens the baked on paper. Do not use a metal scraper, a stiff plastic kitchen spatula or an old credit card works well.

[bikerbart]

yeah,I got some of those cheap white plastic putty knives that should work well.

[bikerbart]

did a couple of hours last night.pulled the no.1 piston to clean the carbon off and check specs.Looks good,within spec,some scoring on the skirt but not too bad.(I think,I am new at this)the cylinder walls are nice and shiny with no scoring,I have not measured my ring gap yet(need new thickness guages)pulled off my top triple clamp to strip it and polish,The head bearings are smooth as heck,should I put roller bearings in while I am at it or leave well enough alone?(it has been garaged the entire time I have owned the bike)the exhaust ports have a lot of carbon,but that is to be expected ,right?heres some more pics.

[bikerbart]

Anyone know where I can get the cheapest heavy duty cylinder studs??

[KB02]

APE

http://www.cbrzone.com/

Most other places you can get them from buy them from APE to start with, it appears.

[bikerbart]

so,now I am waiting on my piston clips,should be here thurs,and my wife is getting me HD cylinder studs for xmas,so I gotta wait for those as well.I am going to sell my other bike to do up this one right,progressive fork springs,tapered head bearings,new tires for my alloy wheels.I will post soon if anyone is interested in the white bike?It is complete except for exhaust.

[dave500]

hi bart,those bores look glazed,very shiny is not good,in a previous reply a button hone was mentioned,use a variable speed drill and spin it slow!!move it up and down the bore 6 or 7 times,you are trying to achive a cross hatch pattern of about 45 degrees,35 is better,dont over do it!!just get that mirror finish off!! ,use kerosine to lubricate the hone,wd40 contains silicone,and can leave a residue not welcome during breaking in!!these "sratches"hold oil to lubricate the piston and cylinder,that black area on the pistons,on the ring lands,flame has been going there,new pistons might also be the choice here,,its apart now,do it once /do it well,im sure your local engine rebuiling place will give you some free advice if you take the barrel and pistons to them,do you really need heavy duty head studs?the money could go toward maybe a rebore?

[bikerbart]

thanks dave I will hone them,I have pretty much no cash,unless I sell my other bike,so new pistons are pretty much out of the question,they are well within spec.My good friend who is a moto mechanic has been helping me with questions.Maybe I will get a bonus at work,what would you do with a limited budget?

[bikerbart]

AAAAAAAAAAGH!!!Friggin gaskets!removing the gaskets without harming the aluminum is the hardest part of this build yet.What a major pain in the A$$.That being said,got my cylinders ball honed from a great mechanic here in town,Tim at cycle therapy,the only one to go to here in the far left corner of the country.Charged me a whole $10,plus all the free advice I can want.+++++Cleaned up my pistons,nice and shiny and well within spec.Almost ready to put the head back on,its the gaskets that are killin me.Labor makes an honest man.Tim also said he would only charge me $15 to put in my roller bearings in my head,I'd say its worth it.

[Ogri]

Have you tried paint stripper on the old gasket material ? The stuff that makes paint bubble up, it softens the fossilized gaskets and makes it a much easier process.

[bikerbart]

I will try that,obviously the gasket remover aint doin squat.I removed some carbon from the combustion chamber,is this good enough,before and after pics.

[joec3613]

I'm at almost the same point of my rebuild as you are and I feel your pain on the gaskets! For sure the most difficult thing so far. Take your time and get it off as best you can. God luck!