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CB350/400 / Before I took it apart.....
« on: February 02, 2018, 07:42:49 PM »
So, I bought a complete UK bike in fairly good outward condition, with the intention of riding it and eventually doing it up. MOTS over 5 years or so show a consistent mileage story, with the bike doing less than 100 miles a year. I think I'm the 8th owner.
I thought I'd get a couple of "before" pictures out there- but don't count on any "after" ones for a few months at least. I should say that my default position is to keep the spanners off something (apart from services) unless I'm pretty convinced that there's something wrong.
In summary I've found it to be relatively unmolested. As purchased engine very quiet, but idle lumpy sometimes. Used a bit of oil, not spectacularly bad. Plugs Ok, number 1 very slightly fouled. Smoked a bit on start-up sometimes. Oh, and front brake poor. The two things that led me to dive into it were the rate at which the oil became dirty, and the smell of the oil, plus the engine, although keen to rev right out, didn't seem to be especially willing. This after I'd done about 250 miles on it.
Long story short is that piston 1 no top ring and a partial second ring- head well bashed by fragments, pistons 2 and 3 broken top rings, piston 4 OK. Barrels relatively undamaged. Cam chain adjuster half moon seized at pivot. Not much else wrong in the engine.
On the frame the lower cross piece (above the stand) had rotted out underneath and been poorly repaired. Otherwise mostly cosmetic problems.
I'll pop in more details as time allows.
By the way this forum is obviously useful but don't discount how encouraging it is as well, so thanks to all of you for that.
Arfa.
I thought I'd get a couple of "before" pictures out there- but don't count on any "after" ones for a few months at least. I should say that my default position is to keep the spanners off something (apart from services) unless I'm pretty convinced that there's something wrong.
In summary I've found it to be relatively unmolested. As purchased engine very quiet, but idle lumpy sometimes. Used a bit of oil, not spectacularly bad. Plugs Ok, number 1 very slightly fouled. Smoked a bit on start-up sometimes. Oh, and front brake poor. The two things that led me to dive into it were the rate at which the oil became dirty, and the smell of the oil, plus the engine, although keen to rev right out, didn't seem to be especially willing. This after I'd done about 250 miles on it.
Long story short is that piston 1 no top ring and a partial second ring- head well bashed by fragments, pistons 2 and 3 broken top rings, piston 4 OK. Barrels relatively undamaged. Cam chain adjuster half moon seized at pivot. Not much else wrong in the engine.
On the frame the lower cross piece (above the stand) had rotted out underneath and been poorly repaired. Otherwise mostly cosmetic problems.
I'll pop in more details as time allows.
By the way this forum is obviously useful but don't discount how encouraging it is as well, so thanks to all of you for that.
Arfa.