Topic: '77 550 overheating????

[sniper1]

My '77 CB550 seems to overheat on these warm to hot days. It runs great for about the first 20 miles then, it starts to make a little chattering sound that seems to come from the head. If I stop, the oil light comes on and seems to want to quit running. I pulled into get gas the other day and it did not want to start after pumping. I had to kick start to get it going again. Any thoughts or suggestions?? I'm running 10W40 in it and it doesn't burn oil.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Lean mix can cause over heating.  What do your plugs look like?  When did you adjust your tappets last?   

[bistromath]

My '77 CB550 seems to overheat on these warm to hot days. It runs great for about the first 20 miles then, it starts to make a little chattering sound that seems to come from the head. If I stop, the oil light comes on and seems to want to quit running. I pulled into get gas the other day and it did not want to start after pumping. I had to kick start to get it going again. Any thoughts or suggestions?? I'm running 10W40 in it and it doesn't burn oil.

Run 20W50 for warm weather. Checking your oil pressure with a gauge plugged into the oil pressure switch threads wouldn't hurt. At the very least, open up the tappet covers and verify that there's oil up there. If it starves for oil (less common on the 550 than the 750) you'll break a cam in half quick.

[sniper1]

Thanks for the advice, I'll check those items this weekend.