Topic: '77-78 550K thread (F owners, too...)

[Scott S]

 Here's a thread for all the '77 and '78 550K owners out there.

 Some people feel that these were the ultimate iteration of the small fours. Better clutch, transmission, etc. The styling is up for debate and a matter of taste. Good power in a lighter package that the 750.

 But...there's always a "but"....you also deal with the "lean burn" carbs (of which I believe there were two versions. Correct me if I'm wrong), restrictive exhaust. Parts aren't always interchangeable with the earlier 550's (and they could even share parts with the 500's).
  It's harder, for me  anyway, to find maintenance info on these models, too. Sure, some things are the same, but there are differemces and most shop manuals I've seen, factory or otherwise, often don't include the late models. Or, they just gloss over them in an addendum.

 So, '77-78 CB550 owners, share your pride and joy here! Stock or modified, all are welcome.Please add anything that you feel is helpful or pertinant to these models as well.

[Scott S]

 Here's my '78. It's in the "planning and parts gathering" stage right now. It looks likeit may have been down, softly, on the left hand side as there is a small ding on the tank and it looks like the center stand kissed the exhaust pipes.
 The pipes are very solid and sound nice, but I'm itching for a Yoshi replica pipe...



 The P.O. swapped out the headlight, turn signals and ears for smaller units, but I've already collected the parts to go back stock. I'll probably add fork gaiters when I do, just 'cause I like them and the F models had them anyway.

 The front brake drags, so I'll pull the caliper and give it a good cleaning. The rear brake was WAY out of adjustment, so I fixed that and now it squeels. I suspect worn out or delaminated shoes. Easy fix, both of those, and I'll add stainless steel  lines to the Euro  (?) handle bars.

[Scott S]

 I also plan on doing a full tune up. It, like so many other late model bikes, likes a high idle. I suspect it needs a valve adjustment and a carb synch.
 It will get the full 3,000 mile tune up soon and I'll throw on a Pamco while I'm in there.

 Also, new grips, Halcyon mirros and and a possible (probable) repaint. Maybe black with the F model tank stripe in gold?

[Elniniomuchachos]

I've got a 77engine/carbs/and 4-4 exhaust on in an 76' frame. It's a custom project that I've been working on. Right now I'm in the adjustment stage (tuning and whatnot) I just picked up 110 main jets for it, and hope this will help  with my running issues. Yes I am running pods... but am thinking about getting the K&N down the line. Anybody have any experience with the setup above? I am going to do the full 3k tuneup today, and sync with the emgo carb sync gauges.

[Scott S]

 I asked a similar question on another thread and never really got a reply.

 With the EPA mods and "lean burn" carbs, would simply going up a small amount on the jets hurt or help?

 For example, I'm also an XS650 guy. They got into the same EPA stuff in the late '70's/early '80's. A common mod is to drill out the brass "EPA" plug so you cam adjust the pilot screw, which is set stupidly lean from the factory. That, and a corresponding jet change if needed, really wakes up an otherwise stock bike.
  Just a year or two earlier, the 550's came with larger main and slow jets, right?

[Tews19]

High idle on my bike as well.. Thats after a well known shop in Milwaukee went through the carbs..... I got my morgan carbtune today and will be doing the valve adjustment and cam tensioner tonight and hopefully be able to hit up the Morgan carbtune. I will kee you all posted...

FYI, I did the valve adjustment on my 550F this morning, well actually completed it properly and the bike has no more ticking and runs great..Super easy too with the help of the members here who walked me through the process.

[cb550inct]

Scott you stole my bike

here is a before and after

[Scott S]

 Looks great! Love that exhaust.

 After looking at your "before" pic, I definitely have non-stock handle bars on mine. I kinda like 'em, but also wouldn't mind something a little flatter. Superbike bars, maybe? I don't know what mine are, but they look like Euro bars.

 Also, my kill switch isn't working. I'm guessing that whoever added the small headlight did that. I plan on tracing all that out and getting everything back to normal if possible.

[Lostboy Steve]

Putting my 77 together...


---
- Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scott S]

 OK, Tews and twisted, we're gonna need pics of your bikes, too!

[cb550inct]

Ill be honest I love this bike. I work with a bunch of young bucks who have gsxr's and Yamaha F1's , I let them take it out and they cant get over how much fun it is to ride. Its so much fun I took the harley of the road for the season. I put 2000 miles on this bike this summer going back and forth to work.

[Tews19]

I am with CB, these bikes are something special.... I almost died in 2004 on a CBR600 F4I, spent a week in the hospital and never drove again until my wife talked me into getting another bike... I bought a KZ650 Sr but wasn't satisified.... Test drove a 550 a few weeks after buying my KZ and was hooked.. To bad the owner sold it at 6 am the following day after I drove over an hour plus to look at it... Oh well, I am more then pleased with my two 550's now.... The KZ gets no love from me and I am hooked to this site... This site is great and the peeps are too.... Not to mention, there is this great accomplishment feeling when I work on the bike myself... Something I could not take claim to a few weeks ago... Well here is my first 550 and my pride and joy... This is the old lady on my new lady... No pun intended.... I should mention, it is a great feeling when you go to a bike night at a local pub and people are talking about how great your bike looks anbd the shape it is in.. Not to mention the stories they share with you if they had one their self... Great bikes, will never sell my first 550.

[Tews19]

Here's my '78. It's in the "planning and parts gathering" stage right now. It looks likeit may have been down, softly, on the left hand side as there is a small ding on the tank and it looks like the center stand kissed the exhaust pipes.
 The pipes are very solid and sound nice, but I'm itching for a Yoshi replica pipe...



 The P.O. swapped out the headlight, turn signals and ears for smaller units, but I've already collected the parts to go back stock. I'll probably add fork gaiters when I do, just 'cause I like them and the F models had them anyway.

 The front brake drags, so I'll pull the caliper and give it a good cleaning. The rear brake was WAY out of adjustment, so I fixed that and now it squeels. I suspect worn out or delaminated shoes. Easy fix, both of those, and I'll add stainless steel  lines to the Euro  (?) handle bars.

Scott, your pipes are nice... if you are ever interested in selling let me know.

[Scott S]

 Here is some carb tuning information that is (respectfully) lifted from a reply that TwoTired added to a post about tuning/synching '77 550K carbs.

 Tuning the carbs on these late model bikes seems to come up more and more often and this is good advice that I plan to follow during my next tune-up.

 The IMS (idle mixture screws) screws get a reiterative adjustment cycle.  From an outward position they are adjusted inward just to the point where the most increase in idle speed occurs. Then the idle is brought back down with the main idle stop, and the next carb is adjusted, in turn and the process repeated with the main idle readjusted, etc.  After they are all done once, you go back and verify you found the true peak RPM for each IMS.

This may seems odd, but carbs can be cleaned, and they can also be cleaned thoroughly.  The former does not certify the later.  Sometimes, you have to clean the correct portion of the carb for beneficial effect.

If you are trying to cure a "slightly cold blooded" condition, it is probably not going to happen until you get the choke plates properly synchronized with the fast idle adjustment.  While cold, there will be a fast idle setting and choke plate position that will remove the cold blooded condition.  This will allow you to drive almost normally with the choke partially applied.  (Note, you will never get max power out of the engine with the choke plates interfering with throat pressures and airflow.  However, that is different than getting reliable power while cold, though.)
The choke is NOT simply an on or off mechanism.  The operator is expected to regulate the choke position during warm up, to obtain reliable operation.  This requires the operator to impart some skill upon the machine during the warm up period.



 P.S., Hope you don't mind, TwoTired. 

[Scott S]

 Started a tune-up on my '78 today. I hadn't intended to, but one thing led to another and before I knew it I had adjusted the valves and cam chain and attempted to synch and adjust the carbs.

 All of the valves were tight. Not horrible, but I had to adjust them all.
 And I say "attempted" to adjust the carbs, because I was unable to finish that job.

 Like many of the '77-78 models, my bike has a high and sometimes erratic idle. I set all of the idle mixture screws at 1 1/2 turns out. For whatever reason, they were all way more than 1.5-2 turns out. By the way....what flippin' genius engineer decided to move them UNDERNEATH the carbs? That was a brilliant move. I had a cab adjusting screwdriver; the kind you can twist the handle and the head turns. That would have made the job easy, but OF COURSE it broke after doing the first one.

 With the IMS's at 1.5 turns, we started the bike and let it warm up. Still a very erratic idle and would stumble and die sometimes. After a bit, we got all four carbs synched. However, it seems that we're having a fuel delivery problem, almost like the bike was running out of gas.
 I was using a rigged up lawn mower gas can do do the synch, but it still acted as if was running out of gas at times.

 We had to wrap it up so I put the fuel tank back on and noticed that when I turned on the petcock.....no fuel to the carbs. Looks like I'll be pulling the tank, cleaning it and the petcock, as well as replacing the in tank filter.
 All this leads me to the inevitable conclusion that the carbs are gonna have to come off and get a good cleaning. I'd say it's very possible that there's trash, sticking floats and/or needle valves, etc. and any of those could be leading to my carb issues.

 Before I get that far, I'm going to order some new plugs and caps, install the Pamco and set the timing, as well as go through the tank and petcock. Only then will I try the carbs again.

[Scott S]

 Which spark plug caps do I need to order? Z1 lists about eight different options.
 And can I get just the sock filter for the petcock?

 EDIT: Found out what caps I need and got them and a few other things on the way from Z1.
  Guess I'll have to call Honda and see if they can get the fuel sock for me. I'll wait until I get it pulled and checked out to be sure that's all I need.

[Scott S]

 Found a (semi)-correct seat for my '78...it's from a '77...but it definitely fits better than the '75 seat. Plus, I now have storage for a tool kit and owners manual, both of which came with the seat. Bonus!

 Some comparo's:
'75 seat


'77 seat


'75

'77

[Lostboy Steve]

Can anyone tell me what color mine is. As per my other threads, I'm having trouble tracking down some paint or a paint code or color name with which I will paint my new (missing) side cover. It looks brown to me. In the sohc4.net info area the 77 is said to come with excel black paint and red / gold decals. I see your cb550 with blue decals yet the color is similar. Why am i getting mind #$%*ed over this?

Still got some work to do....

[Ichiban 4]

Here's a thread for all the '77 and '78 550K owners out there.

 Some people feel that these were the ultimate iteration of the small fours. Better clutch, transmission, etc. The styling is up for debate and a matter of taste. Good power in a lighter package that the 750.

 But...there's always a "but"....you also deal with the "lean burn" carbs (of which I believe there were two versions. Correct me if I'm wrong), restrictive exhaust. Parts aren't always interchangeable with the earlier 550's (and they could even share parts with the 500's).
  It's harder, for me  anyway, to find maintenance info on these models, too. Sure, some things are the same, but there are differemces and most shop manuals I've seen, factory or otherwise, often don't include the late models. Or, they just gloss over them in an addendum.

 So, '77-78 CB550 owners, share your pride and joy here! Stock or modified, all are welcome.Please add anything that you feel is helpful or pertinant to these models as well.

__________________________________________________________________________________
Bump

[Scott S]

Can anyone tell me what color mine is.  It looks brown to me. In the sohc4.net info area the 77 is said to come with excel black paint and red / gold decals.

 Looks like the Excel Black to me. Often, those old paint names were...different. VW was the same way...called a blue car by some funky green color, had a brown that was "sealing wax red", etc.
 Just find a good, modern paint shop and they can match your paint. Love that color combo, BTW.

[unheatedgarage]

Hi all, another '77 550k owner checking in.

I'm in the process of rebuilding it -- keep meaning to start a build thread, but...well, maybe I'll just do that tonight

[Lostboy Steve]

Can anyone tell me what color mine is.  It looks brown to me. In the sohc4.net info area the 77 is said to come with excel black paint and red / gold decals.

 Looks like the Excel Black to me. Often, those old paint names were...different. VW was the same way...called a blue car by some funky green color, had a brown that was "sealing wax red", etc.
 Just find a good, modern paint shop and they can match your paint. Love that color combo, BTW.

Yeah, my buddy has a lexus that it deep night black and its clearly blue. You're the man. I've been trying to figure this bull#$%* out for about 2 weeks and didn't even think to ask on here. I like it too. I fell in love with the early 70's orange when i was a kid but I really like this brown and since it buffed out really well, I'm going to leave it regardless of the few nicks.

[pablo78cb550]

[bobbylast]

this my as close to stock as i can keep it 77 550k

[TwoTired]

Can anyone tell me what color mine is.

The HMIdG says the 550 K model 77's came in Excel Black.  The 78's came in Candy Alpha Red as well as Black.