Doms CB550F1 project

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Not sure if abrasive dirt in the oil might explain the marking - if it's just surface marks might be fixable with slightly heavier fork oil - what do the insides of the fork legs look like - are they similar?

Someone like Bryan or Ken might know the reason for such wear.

[DomP]

I think the legs are pretty good, I'll check again in the morning

[DomP]

Very little marking inside the lower legs, I struggle to understand how without bushes on the stanchion they don't contact the insides of the legs.  The damping rod has a bush I know but there must be significant flex in the rod

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Might be worth a PM to Ken or Bryan - pretty sure they will know the cause & fix.

[Bryanj]

Some wear is frequent, those look fine to use to me

[DomP]

Some wear is frequent, those look fine to use to me

That's a relief Bryan, I've reassembled them😀

[DomP]

I began assembling the top end tonight, I've staggered the piston ring gaps if this really makes any difference as I've read they are known to naturally rotate in use, laid the gasket on with its orings and oil jets (got them upside down to begin with) then lowered the barrels over and fed #2 and #3 then #1 and #4 piston into their bores.  Leaving the 20mm gap I then inserted the cam chain guide and slackened off the tensioner and fitted it making sure it as in the pocket in the crankcase.

Having had the barrels skimmed I'm hoping the orings in the top of the oil jets will be sufficiently fat enough to prevent leaks.  I've fitted the head gasket and dropped the head on, at this point I'm going to ask if I'm missing anything?  I've got new pucks from Julie to fit s well.

[davidcumbria]

With a vesrah gasket I did upsize the o rings so looked a bit tighter than yours, allowing for the squish. Pretty sure I used 2.75 thickness in viton but can’t be sure. I know I didn’t use the vesrah ones. Head was not skimmed. No leaks so far. I thought it’s  It s worth trying a few sizes to see how they look because they  are so inexpensive and having to remove head again is a big expensive job.

 The po had fitted the oil jets upside down on my bike, not realised and actually damaged the seat in the barrels - amazed it wasn’t leaking.

[DomP]

Yes I agree David, I might order some today, can you recall the internal diameter of them?  I'm at work so can't measure

[Bryanj]

As you have skimmed the block you dont need oversize O rings as the pockets are shallower so the ones you have will squish more.
Too much might close the hole a bit.

Rest of it looking good mate

[DomP]

Thanks Bryan, the o rings are pretty much level with the gasket, will it crush that much?

I'll put a picture up with a steel rule so I can demonstrate how shallow the Vesrah o rings are

[DomP]

I got home from work a bit early today, nothing to do with having a half built engine honest!  Bryan was correct, the new oil jet o rings were plenty proud of the gasket prior to torquing the head down which I have now done (I went middle of the specified range) following the Honda shop manual, an excellent resource on here thanks to the great forum members.  Should I retorque them tomorrow or will it be fine as is?

Getting the camshaft, sprocket and chain all on was a right b#####d, I knew I'd read Ted suggesting his method so trawled back through his build thread until I found his method.  All I can say is get the chain on the righthand side of the sprocket not the left then it's easy.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Glad you remembered my struggle with the cam chain - hard to put into words though.
Pleased it helped.👍👍👍

[Bryanj]

Honda dont specify retorque but might be an idea to take to the max setting after a 24 hour wait, in workshops we never did as time taken was always against us

[DomP]

It really did help Ted, what didn't help was reading Ken mention to check and check again the tensioner is sat in its pocket in the crankcases...I'm panicking now even though I'm sure it was, any way of checking now its all torqued up?

I might do that Bryan but I felt uncomfortable torquing the two m6 flange bolts, makes me cringe doing them up in alloy to specified torque.