1977 400F2 first restore project

[smoothoperator]

Black paint applied on another sunny day. Finally getting somewhere.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZojbH7ZjffVeP2oB8

[smoothoperator]

Crank cases painted and cooked. Dry fitting to check both upper and lower case bolts all go in OK, which they did. Did the same with the sump yesterday and had to chase out one hole with a tap and found that 2 bolts need replacing due to damaged threads. Stuck another £200 in the bank of David Silver so engine rebuild can start soon.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZojbH7ZjffVeP2oB8

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

The zinc plating looks good you're certainly ahead of me on the build!
I'm in pause mode at present - I need to get my threads for the cam horseshoe done but have temporarily run out of roundtuits. In a rash move I bought a spare engine for working on in 2022/3.

[smoothoperator]

I have been very impressed with the Gateros kit and got good results pretty much from the off. I chose to buy their PSU to give me good control over current and I think this really makes life simpler. I use 0.1 A per square inch of whatever is being plated. At this current things come out grey rather than shiny, then they turn miraculously silver after a 30 second dip in blue passivate. This technique is recommended by them. I have found that by using a hot water bath with the alkali cleaner has also worked fine, it is recommended to get this much hotter by using a gas ring or similar. I Make sure that everything I plate is already mechanically spotless and degreased before putting in the alkali bath.

[philward]

I've used Gateros kit for several years - works well. I use a battery charger with the basic current control. You just have to be well organised with all your various tubs of alkaline, pickle acid, clean water (for rinsing between each stage) and pasivate.
Why I like it is you can plate as you build the bike (in small chunks) - just follow the instructions!

[smoothoperator]

More test building on the engine. A few of the head bolts were removed during strip down so I was checking the depth before loctiting them in. The one on the back right of the photo leans over a bit the case has been helicoiled a bit off vertical in the past. This makes it awkward to fit the barrels (without pistons!) so I think I will put it in once the pistons are in. Head also awkward but not so much as to cause a problem, so the sequence will be fit barrels, then bolt, then head. I need to source 2 dowty washers, if anyone reading this knows where to get them please let me know.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/PpsrWLLxUEt2Bbs66

[Laverda Dave]

There was a thread a while ago about the dowty type washers and where to buy them (instead of DSS). I have tried to find the thread in the seach but no luck. Hopefully someone may be along soon who knows how to find it!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

That's looking good Steve I'm way behind you at the moment - upper crankcase at engineers having a couple of Helicoils fitted.

Out of interest how did you clean the fins up on the block & head they look good?

[Bryanj]

Dowty washers on fleabay

[smoothoperator]

Rocker cover stripped, clean and painted. One of the easier engine parts to do and very satisfying to see a before and after picture. Some of the tappet adjusters are badly pitted however as luck would have it there is a set of decent used spares in the small box of parts that came with the bike.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/fcs7CUVpEfyhRgj19

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Camshaft top cover is looking good Steve,

I know it's not a race but I'm in Groundhog Day mode awaiting my upper crankcase return from having the Helicoils done on the cam tensioner arm.
It will be next week before the Zinc plated bolts are done for the crankcase bolts.
I am looking forward to assembling the crankcase halves (again) and fitting the pistons & barrels.

It's all about the build as they say on American Chopper!

[smoothoperator]

Serviced the oil pump today with new O Rings from Julie. I don't know if the dots on the pump rotors should both be facing the same way up, but they weren't. Having stripped, cleaned and measured for wear I put it back together the same way as it was before I took it apart. General condition was excellent but certainly some wear on the O Rings.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/oACptEQE4Cc7QFs17

[Nurse Julie]

Both dots should be facing you, one dot opposite the other, so you get the Gerotor in the correct position. But, yours will already be worn in with the dot not showing, so agree, put it back as it was.

[smoothoperator]

Thanks Julie, I was a bit worried about which way to go, as well as confused by the Haynes gibberish, but I figure that the dots are just there to aid getting the drive spindle in easily. I can't see it matters too much provided it all goes back together and turns freely when tightened up, which it does.

[smoothoperator]

Have started rebuilding the engine and looking at the main and big ends at the moment. On disassembly I thought the main and big end shells looked good to re-use, however...Fitted No 1 conrod dry and there is visible movement when "waggling" the rod, so much so that I wouldn't even bother with plastigauge. I was really hoping to dodge this bullet! Not on grounds of cost but from reading many baffling posts on shell colours, crank markings, case lettering, unmeasurable journals etc etc. However it looks like I'm stuck with the problem so here goes. I'll stick with the big end shells for a start. There are no visible colours on any of them, where do I go from here?

Pictures of crank showing all visible markings.

Edit, added a close up of a big end shell to show the lack of paint marking. The brown colour that is there wipes off and is the same colour as all of the internals that were covered in brown grime.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1yByMnaW2RkaJsaE6