Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB500/550 => Topic started by: DomP on March 08, 2024, 08:38:22 PM
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Very soon I should be ready to start my rebuilt engine, just valves and electronic ignition to adjust and exhaust to fit, having never done this before what procedure should I follow? I'm slightly nervous about it to say the least, really hope I've done everything correctly.
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Most important.... Take a front tappet cap off at each end and make sure you are getting oil splatters, put a white paper towel in front of the holes to see if you get oil spits. If no oil at top end, turn off engine straight away and investigate. Good luck, I'm sure it will be fine.
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Always a special moment. Keep an eye on the oil light too. Should turn off quickly
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Can I suggest you fill with oil as normal
With the plugs out, spin the motor on the starter till the oil light goes out
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When I did my 650 top end, with the rocker cover off and the plugs out I spun it over gently on a battery drill.
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If you fill the oil via the two sides of the tapett covers that puts a tad up top as well.
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Big thing is DO NOT turn the engine over with the big nut at points end with plugs in, otherwise just follow manual for tappets and whatever instructions you have for electronic
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Thanks all, some really good suggestions there. I'll let you know how I get on🤞
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There’s that big oilway under the crank and the one from the filter to the oil pump. I managed to get a good volume of oil down the oil pressure switch hole on the pump before first turnings with plugs out. Some say uneccessary but I’m glad I did and the oil pressure light went out immediately on the second burst after one short effort of say 3 seconds seconds getting the oil round. Ever since it’s been immediately out.
The actual start with plugs in took a fair bit of cranking before it fired up on one then two then three cylinders. This seems to be to get fuel through because after that first time it fires on the button even after not starting for a week.
Good luck Dom.
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Be patient, it took ages for the oil light on my 750 to go out on first start up but I persevered and did not fire her up until it did.
Cheers
Dennis
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On my rebuild of Lazarus (see my video of first start) it took a few seconds for oil light to go out, it would not go out just cranking on starter. I did make sure I had lots of oil and graphogen on assembly and as advised by Julie take the tappet caps of to check, on my video you can clearly see it splashing out. Make sure the carb bowls are full and good luck! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOScVJ4W2fs
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I used the kickstart to build some oil pressure or at least fill the oilways before using the electric foot.
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It will certainly be a Buzz for you when you first fire your bike up Dom.
You will panic if you hear any sort of unexpected noise or if it stalls after a few seconds.
Before you know it your apprehension wil be filled with joy.
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I soak the oil filter by pouring oil over it a few times in its housing before bolting it in place. It is surprising how much oil those things soak up. It's a bit messy but it saves a vital few seconds of dead oil time.
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I remember when it was fashionable to install aftermarket pre-oilers on some more modern cars (post 1960), some had a pump system to obtain oil pressure before engine cranking began.
The design that I thought was neat consisted of an oil canister that had a servo that emptied the oil into the galleries via an oil filter housing connection. They all enabled positive oil pressure before the engine was cranked over. I believe some classic car owners fitted them when there was plenty of space under the bonnet.
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I've adjusted the tappets following the manual and refitted and adusted with a 12v light the electronic ignition today but just realised I've not released the camchain tensioner, pretty sure I should have done that first so I'll recheck it all tomorrow once I've reset the tensioner. It's all looking very nice now though, my Delkevic is also fitted which looks so good!
My intension tomorrow is to fill with oil but put as much of the specifird volume as will fit in the oil pump, soak the filter and put some through the tappet cover holes on either side. Remove the rocker end caps and with plugs out turn over on the kick-start, after that, plugs in and turn over in short bursts with the kill switch on until oil light goes out before attempting a full on start up. Sound OK?
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Yes,
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Sounds spot on. I'm sure everything will go to plan Dom, I bet you're excited, it'll be a great feeling for you when she fires up.
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[...] and turn over in short bursts with the kill switch on until oil light goes out before attempting a full on start up. Sound OK?
I am not so sure short bursts will result in an extinct oil light... A tribologist has warned in his publications more than once that interrupted starts or killing the engine after a succesful start and then restart are about the worst things you can do to your engine. I assume you have prelubed parts on assembly. I'd open one or two valve covers for monitoring spats, crank the engine in one go and oil should be up there within 10 seconds.
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Thanks John/Julie, yes excited is definitely the word!
By short burst deltarider I think I was more meaning stopping if the oil light doesn't go off after say 5-10 seconds and checking for oil at the end caps.
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Thanks John/Julie, yes excited is definitely the word!
By short burst deltarider I think I was more meaning stopping if the oil light doesn't go off after say 5-10 seconds and checking for oil at the end caps.
The length of time depends on whether you filled the filter housing,
A couple of 10 seconds burst on the starter, should kill the oil light
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On my first connection of the fuel supply one or more of the float valves got stuck on the way up from the bottom and it was overflowing badly and had to close the tap. Tapping the float bowls with a hammer shaft did the trick and I’ve never had a problem since. Suggest prepare for this eventuality. Squirt of easy start into the plenum wouldn’t be a bad idea.
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When the carb bowls are empty the floats can easily stick causing flooding when you open the tap for the first time as the float valve pin is fully extended with the brass float part at an extreme angle.
I have found just having the bike off the stand then rocking the bike from left to right works for me.
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Slight issue to over come, the clutch arm has dropped and is jammed, I did notice this when stripping the engine that it could go past its pivot point and get caught. I think I'm going to have to drop the oil to get the case off
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Put the bike on the side stand Dom before you remove clutch cover you will not lose much oil.
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Put the bike on the side stand Dom before you remove clutch cover you will not lose much oil.
That's a good point Johnny. Mothers Day has taken me away form the restart!😪
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After a blondmoment with the kill switch...you can guess what I did there, it runs! I managed to sort the clutch arm without taking the clutch cover off which was a relief, the oil light goes out almost instantly on start up so all the precautionary steps everyone suggested have worked so thanks for that!
I will need to spend a bit of time fiddling with the carbs as it's running rich and sounding a little rough on idle, I'll try and put a video up.
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Glad to hear it mate
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Glad to hear it mate
Thanks for all your help Bryan, well and Ken and many on here who've chipped in along the way, it was a great relief when it fired up. As its not road worthy yet what should I do regarding running it in because I've yet to sort the seat and front brakes out?
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Glad to hear it mate
Thanks for all your help Bryan, well and Ken and many on here who've chipped in along the way, it was a great relief when it fired up. As its not road worthy yet what should I do regarding running it in because I've yet to sort the seat and front brakes out?
Wait till its on the road,
It needs load on the engine to get it to bed in properly,
At least its running
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Well done Dom. As Bryan says, get it on the road first and get some miles on her, don't leave her ticking over for very long at this stage to play with the carbs, it needs to go through lots of heat cycles with cool air getting around the fins to help the rings cut in. I bet you are well pleased and so you should be.
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I would if it was ready for the road but I need to sort the seat, indicators, brake light etc as its not standard anymore so I'm going to have to get inventive. Very much a work in progress
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As said needs to be on the road to run in, short engine runs not good
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I would if it was ready for the road but I need to sort the seat, indicators, brake light etc as its not standard anymore so I'm going to have to get inventive. Very much a work in progress
No problem,
Get everything finalised,
Then run the motor
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Great news Dom always a relief to know she’s a runner and you have an indication of oil pressure.👍
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Good news and some riding to look forward to 👏👍
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Exiting news. I'll bet you are chuffed!
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Very Happy Jan, I do realise why Ken says do engine last though!
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Ken is spot on with that, I can't really even mount my exhausts as the wheel hubs are still at CWC.
I feel the bike is too unstable to fit the exhaust & start the engine with no wheels fitted.
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Well done 👍. Always a great feeling (and a huge relief) when they start with no problems.
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I do wonder though if I should warm it up to get any condensation out?
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I do wonder though if I should warm it up to get any condensation out?
No,
Unless it gets to full working temperature, it's likely the moisture will turn acidic,
Ideally ride it for the minimum of 10miles,
Always get it hot,
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I do wonder though if I should warm it up to get any condensation out?
Getting it warm will cause more condensation but a lot more importantly, unless you have a lot of cold air going around those fins, there is a very high risk the engine will seize.
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My concern is that its not yet road worthy so what should I do now having got it running
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My concern is that its not yet road worthy so what should I do now having got it running
Absolutely nothing. Wait until it's road worthy.
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A mate of mine has restored a 1960’s convertible. He had the engine rebuilt by a pro and installed it along with the gearbox etc. He then came to fit the interior and kept starting the engine to drive the car out the garage to give him more room. I kept telling him to push it in and out of the garage to save the engine. He didn't and the result was the engine started knocking. He had someone come to look at it and was told the engine needed a full stripdown. The mains were badly worn, the bores were marked and the engine oil stank of petrol where it was continually running on choke (it's a four cylinder twin carb). Had he actually driven the car instead of driving it in and out of the garage the chances are he could have avoided the carnage that resulted in another complete engine rebuild.
I never ride for less than 30 miles when I go for a ride.