Partially Restored 74 CB550

[Bryanj]

Got a link for impex, might be usefull for others

[Nurse Julie]

I've found the Impex site before whilst looking for parts but I could never find anything relevant for our specific models, I must have been searching incorrectly. I was looking for 1969-72 parts 🙄🙄🙄

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

https://en.impex-jp.com/

[davidcumbria]

Here is the page I used to order bearing shells. See they now have  black big end shells which they didn’t when I ordered. Works out about £10 per shell when import duties added. Postage about£20 per shipment.
https://en.impex-jp.com/catalogs/moto/honda-other/cb550/cb550k-a-1976-usa-6724/camshaft-crankshaft-455707.html

[davidcumbria]

When the cats away. Engine cases sprayed and cured. Looking forward to rebuilding engine now. [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Johnny4428]

Hell! Get that windows open David! 😂😂

[paul G]

I get away with just a tut and a roll of her eyes 

[Oddjob]

Somebody rounded off the oil filter nut and had to grind it off, made a real mess of the housing.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Being positive about the oil filter housing - at least the fins look intact.

Not so sure about the bolt seating - maybe its all a reflection of some sort?

[davidcumbria]

Yes it looks worse than it is. Can’t see the mess under the bolt head when buttoned up and seal works fine. That’ll teach me to show my knickers in public !
I thought about a second hand one but those for sale had worse fins than mine. Easy to swap out later on if I’m not happy in the end.

[davidcumbria]

Checked clearance of my expensive 10 new main bearing shells.All OK. So pleasing to see the brand spanking new shells in place
[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[davidcumbria]

Spent an afternoon struggling with kick start.plenty of info around on how to fit it so I was sure I had it in right. Problem was that two ratchet gears were rubbing slightly in the disengaged ie resting position. No change with a couple of reassembly attempts. I reassembled out of the case and could see that I could turn the ratchet far enough up the track on the guide piece to get the required disengagement but not when installed when the rotation is limited by the casing stop. There must have been some wear limiting the amount the ratchet pawl was pushed inward by the track. Solution was to grind a few mill off the pawl on the shaft so it could rotate further before hitting the casing stop. All good now as you can see in the before and after photos. Without this there would be a ticking sound from the kickstart with engine running  which on searching sohc net has afflicted a few bikes and is often confused with primary chain noise. Having removed it several times I now need to buy another new
end circlip but it was satisfying to solve this problem albeit after a lot of frustration. [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ]

[Oddjob]

Something wrong there David. Take it back out of the case and disassemble it completely. Lay out all the parts as you had them fitted and lets see if we can spot if there is a part missing. There should be a large spring and a special washer under that gear to keep it away from the other gear, the spring should be stronger than the other one you can see or the other one will force the gear into contact, which is what I suspect is happening.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I suspect like me you did not have that washer with the slots on the right side of the smaller spring.
It fits to the left inside the gear then the small spring - well fiddly you just need three sets of fingers or an assistant lobster.

https://flic.kr/p/2oBoXwj

[davidcumbria]

Thanks guys but no all the parts are there in the correct order as per the parts list and videos / discussions etc. all sorted now and checked it works with the external spring in place by temporarily putting on the kickstart lever.

That squared off washer is easy to miss as it sits right inside the first gear. I think there was wear on the pawl guide / ramp surface. It’s not the spring that moves the ratchet backwards Ken it’s it’s the contact with the guide which is like a ramp as the shaft rotates. The large spring keeps the pawl in contact with the ramp., and is not as powerful as the smaller spring which goes on second.


( Ted I think that order is wrong in your photo - the squared off washer goes before the spring not after it - see parts list )