Honda-SOHC

SOHC.co.uk Forums => Other Bikes => Topic started by: AshimotoK0 on January 25, 2018, 06:07:30 PM

Title: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 25, 2018, 06:07:30 PM
Bad news is that my CB72 engine....I thought had STD bores I find has been bored out to +1.00 mm  and I was going to rebore with new pistons due to surface rust due to standing. I do have a second set of barrels at the stash but  rusty bores and not sure if previous re-bored. I noticed you can get Hepolite  old stock +1.50 but are they any good, anyone know?
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Trigger on January 25, 2018, 06:16:24 PM
Nowt wrong with Hepolite, used shed loads of them in the late 80's  ;)
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: taysidedragon on January 25, 2018, 07:26:20 PM
Nowt wrong with Hepolite, used shed loads of them in the late 80's  ;)
I second that.  8)
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: mickwinf on January 25, 2018, 07:37:00 PM
good quality stuff, sold loads of them when i was in the motor trade.
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Orcade-Ian on January 25, 2018, 07:39:33 PM
How bad is the rust Ash?
My CB77 had very rusty bores after someone stripped and left the top end in bits for years.  They cleaned up a treat with my glaze buster and it runs like a good ‘un with no smoke.  The very tiny pockets where the rust was, act as oil reservoirs, no bad thing.  In fact there used to be barrels available for C15 Beezers with dimples in - Trig might remember them and as he said Hepolite are very good (Yorkshire folk tha’ knows) Hepworth and Grandage,
Ian
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 25, 2018, 10:33:00 PM
Will grab my spare barrels from the stash tomorrow and measure them.
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Tomb on January 25, 2018, 11:11:18 PM
Yup, nowt wrong with Hepolites, got them in my Trumpet.

Strangely I have CB750 +0.5mm pistons in my CB72....    and liners ;)
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Bryanj on January 26, 2018, 07:19:35 AM
Hepolite made all the UK pistons at one time and are good quality, it used to be a common thing to have barrels bored the leave them in the garden for a couple of weeks to get the afore mentioned "dimples" to hold oil when racing
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 26, 2018, 11:25:46 AM
Went to my stash and the rusty bore spare ones are standard size...phew ! I  just need to clean up and assess how deep the rusting is.
A guru  on the 305.com site told me that Hepolite CB72 pistons are too high compression for a standard bike and that their gudgeon pins wear badly if used with Honda little ends. Luckily too, no fin damage on them.
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Orcade-Ian on January 26, 2018, 12:44:36 PM
Hi Ash,
The rusting would have to be REALLY deep to give me any cause for concern.  Good grade meehanite which I believe was used by Honda certainly does rust but nearly always cleans off to useable metal underneath.  If your spare standard barrels have been left bare (without pistons popped back in) then that would be a bonus.  If the pistons are in that’s when the trouble can start around the rings.

Ian
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 26, 2018, 02:05:19 PM
Hi Ash,
The rusting would have to be REALLY deep to give me any cause for concern.  Good grade meehanite which I believe was used by Honda certainly does rust but nearly always cleans off to useable metal underneath.  If your spare standard barrels have been left bare (without pistons popped back in) then that would be a bonus.  If the pistons are in that’s when the trouble can start around the rings.

Ian

No Ian no pistos just bare bores left for ages to rust.. what grade of paper/Scotchbrite should I use to clean up? I do have a red Scotchbrite drill operated multi disc ..would that be any use with something like WD40?
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Tomb on January 26, 2018, 04:10:19 PM
If the bores are good apart from the rust a 320 wet+dry paper will work well, diagonal movements to mimic the honing original marks. DON'T polish the bore. WD40, paraffin, or dry is ok.


Luckily too, no fin damage on them.

The early CB72/77 barrels had none pressed fit liners, they would slide out by hand so swapping liners out is easy if you wanted to put them in different barrel/fins.
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Orcade-Ian on January 26, 2018, 05:59:59 PM
As tomb says,
320 will be OK if you can remove all the rust with it and definitely try to mimic the cross hatching.  You can go rougher than 320 and come back.  You will not really be able to remove any significant amount of metal - even a thou will take hours to remove by hand.  I sometimes make up a simple slotted spindle - piece of half inch round bar with a slot cut in and wrap emery tape around and then whizz it around in the drill till all the rust is gone.  Dry to start with, then lubed with WD.

Ian
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 26, 2018, 09:59:28 PM
Well I cleaned up and remarkably the rusty bores  came up fairly nice as you described Ian with very little effort. One bore has a minuscule ridge at the top though. I inserted a NOS STD piston upside down with the skirt positioned just below the ridge and I can just tightly trap a 2 thou' feeler between the bore and the piston (front thrust side). However, I can do exactly the same on the other side that has no discernible. What do you reckon everyone?
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Orcade-Ian on January 26, 2018, 10:44:28 PM
Do you have acces to a glaze buster - the 3 spring loaded stones type? That tiny ridge might come out with one.  There is always the slight risk that a new top ring can be broken by a ridge if it’s big enough.  Don’t know if stepped top rings are available these days.
Is Waterloo Engineering still trading - they might be able to help.
Ian
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Bryanj on January 27, 2018, 01:08:23 AM
Ash, used to have a glaze buster very like the "Flap Wheels" you can buy, works fine
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 27, 2018, 12:48:00 PM
I am thinking it may be best to get a rebore done and new +0.25 or +0.5 pistons. If there hadn't been a bit of a ridge that would have swayed me against reboring  but from what I have leaned on here 2 thou clearance between piston and bore is excessive on a Honda engine. At least I can fit Honda pistons now if I can find them.
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Orcade-Ian on January 27, 2018, 05:03:56 PM
Ash,
This is the glazebuster I use and I can lend it to you if you decided to go with the new std pistons you already have - other than a few gaskets and some time, what is there to lose?

[attach=1]

Ian
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Tomb on January 27, 2018, 05:23:57 PM
I use the same, Sykes Pickavant if I remember correctly

https://www.cromwell.co.uk/shop/automotive/cylinder-head-honing-and-camshaft-tools/028100-cylinder-hone/p/SYK5031168T
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: AshimotoK0 on January 27, 2018, 07:44:01 PM
Cheers Ian .. I have one of those already but it's at work somewhere ... seemed very fierce last time I tried it though ...I think it's a Kennedy one.  A very kind soul has offered me NOS +0.25 pistons and rings, so still undecided.
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Orcade-Ian on January 27, 2018, 07:48:01 PM
That’s Ok Ash,
Glad you now have more choices!

Ian
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Tomb on January 28, 2018, 11:26:34 AM
seemed very fierce last time I tried it though

Best used in a battery drill at very slow speed with paraffin or WD40, and moved in and out lots for the criss cross pattern. And as Orcadian Ian says, will take nothing off when measured unless used for a LOOOONG time.
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: Ashdowner on February 09, 2018, 02:42:04 PM
Hepolite used to make pistons and rimgs for just about every bike you can think of UK and Jap.
Title: Re: Hepolite pistons in a CB72
Post by: AshimotoK0 on February 09, 2018, 03:27:00 PM
Decided to go for a rebore and some kind man on FB is giving me a set of NOS pistons & rings for free ..he has choice of +.25 or +.50

Thanks for all of the advice though..next up is finding out about the barrels I have for the Bomber and any slight rust I will tackle as you have all suggested. They have been srored without pistons so hopefully I will find a decent set among my bits. Already have a set of NOS std pistons and rings so..fingers crossed ...
SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal