Topic: Honda CB400 four. Red one

[horror]

Hi there
   Not sure weather this is the right sector for this but here is the honda cb 400 4 I recently got.
I am not sure what I'm going to do looks wise. At the moment I would just like to get it roadworthy as it is.
It had no ignition barrel. The seat was locked on as I have no keys. There is a lot of surface corrosion on the wheels and exhaust.
the electrics were all hanging off.
I noticed that the earth lead coming off the battery was a chunky red lead. The battery was wired with the + terminal going to the earth on the bike. I'm sure that is incorrect. Also the fuses were jumbled so there was no power at all.
I connected new ignition, plugged up all the wires and used a car battery to try it.
I got It turning over but no starting. I think it's old gunged petrol in the carbs so Iv'e removed those to clean out.

[fasturd]

Hello,
You ave got your self a project my friend!

Nice that it turns over. Just time and elboe grease and you will be on your way!

Check out my 400 link it has a few tips for getting these little guys back on the road.

Good luck!

[horror]

Thanks I'll have a look.
Yea It looks bad but I'm hoping its mechanically sound ha ha

[fasturd]

Couple spark plugs and a little fresh gas and you will be on your way!

[horror]

I see there are no front brake pads. and the lever has been squeezed. I think I'll have to sort that lot out.
I want to clean the carbs out. I think It has been sitting for a long time and some gunk petrol has settled in the carbs.

[horror]

I have had a good old go at the 400 now, Everytime I do a bit something else seems to crop up.
I got the carbs sorted and fired it up. Then I noticed the rear shocks have completely collapsed. Then I noticed that the front forks
have little or no effect. once pressed down they stay down, then when theyre lifted up they stay up. I wonder weather this is just lack of oil or stiffness from not being used for a long time. stiction is excessive. I took it up the field out the back and they seemed to bounce around a bit whilst i was moving along.
The rear mudgaurd looks like scrap, the oil filter nut is just a round rusty stump. the front brake resevoir/master cylinder was filled with melted rubber goo. the front pads were ciesed into the caliper.
The exhaust snapped also at the join. Looks like a bodge that happened a while ago.
Where is this lot supposed to go? Is it just shoved up behind the tank?

Look at this bludy thing

The wreckage of the rear

The exhaust joint

I removed the exhaust and all of the nuts undid fine, exept this one. the entire stud came out and the thread was covered in
alloy. It looks like the thread has been wrenched out of the head 
I dont know what's going on there, Is this evidence of a previous helicoil?

Here is the stud and the thread that came out of the head

Anyone seen this sort of thing before?

[fasturd]

Your P/O put in a heli-coil to temp. fix a stripped thread.

[RickB]

I'm sorry to laugh at you horror, but I've finally seen someone that has a 400F worse than mine. Well at least, worse than mine used to be.

If you haven't seen it already, you could benefit from reading through my thread, I've already noticed a few problems that I went through.

First things first, have you checked the serial numbers? You'll see why I ask that.

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=51957

I started off wanting to 'just get it running' but found there was so much to repair that I striped the frame and started again so to speak.

www.davidsilverspares.co.uk will become your friend.

Keep this thread updated, it'll be the best help you'll get.

Good luck,
Rick.

[horror]

Yea I've seen Yours 

I have found that the engine is great, and the documents are in the post hopefully. Its a lot of little things that ar wrecked

[horror]

The rear shocks seem to be starting to work now, I added loads of oil to the shaft and moved them about loads. seems to have freed up the dry pitted shaft a bit.
The front forks are the same. They still seem mega stiff but they do bounce back up now. I got new oil but yet to add it.

I cleaned up the worst of the rust on the rear mudgaurd with a flaper disk, I will put gaffa tape over the jagged holes. that should do for now.

The exhaust, I managed to replace with a real cool 1970's alpha for £60.00

The new gaskets and the rest of the studs hold it on good. the 1 threaded stud holds done up as much as I dare but I cannot tighten it up
for fear of destroying what little thread is left. It doesent leak.

The cam chain adjuster was wrecked, managed to ort it out with a temporary fix for now. I'll get it helicoiled when I do a more thorough job.

[camelman]

Glad it's coming together.  When you go for the more permanent fix on the adjuster bolt, I'd recommend either a time-sert or going with a larger bolt tapped to fit.  Don't repeat that stock unit.  There isn't enough meat in the stock threading to hold up to a missed torque spec.

The head bolt looks like it pulled out the stock threads.  I've seen a few of those off these engines.  The stock threads just pull right out as a complete unit.  A Helicoil should fix it as long as the helicoil is open ended.

Camelman

[horror]

Yea, Ill do that. I notice the advice on the link there suggest's the bolt in the blaking hole too. If I still have the bike by winter I'll
probably take it apart then and look at everything too.

[horror]

I got the bike roadworthy now, I have tax and mot ha ha.


I patched it up bodge job style just to get her on the road. Gaffa tape fixed the rear mudgaurd. I put a temporary plastic fuel cap on from a petrol station. Got the front brake working with a replacement master cylinder. The front forks are slammed down and have no spring in them, they were o.k on hte mot day but after about 100 mies I realised they were fully compressed. I took the tops off the forks and the springs were sticking out about an inch. I have replaced the oil in them. Maybe the springs are nackered or maybe they have been lowered in the past?
    the 1970's alpha exhaust sounds great.
I had blac tape as hand grips, but that resulted in  a bruised wrist after a while, so now it has nice leather padded grips.
here's a pic just before i fitted the front brake