Honda-SOHC

Not for the purists......

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255027081198?_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item3b60cc6fee:g:2sQAAOSwYj9g00Bh&amdata=enc%3AAQAGAAACoPYe5NmHp%252B2JMhMi7yxGiTJkPrKr5t53CooMSQt2orsSg3Ye8yTWgOW7pmE1t838dpxV3QyaN2fW1XECwPJH2vX9VErGjoZIKdLI%252BnUT1L4UxwJfUZLlE4ke8iQdiF2uwELwMcPygLn%252BXPsOC4QGKBYBufhr%252FYn3d%252FfIhRugDpdBCYpjCjsUgHhM2GwUR6G1RFpkwXkg6mGPNoNUdL%252Fg4lnjeS5Id1oJOK0o8LmsUIGTVw82inMdNflqBdNVHQGSuV%252BlYt5SlOLnu8Dn%252BqSTP78%252F0vPvMHwGG1X%252FzCc47NMRF9YjvIC8N8YwsvuuLC3VUsZWeO6e8bmZ8F8bAJYwzUxi8KlqJ7XhhM2kLbFUNYhSBVxXGxdz5v19wNtb5FWkT59Hovs3UqtPVgRy%252FtzPW7lNHJqHdHm3KbBS%252BekOSqPsQHyQ6AgRABCm%252FHVGOEG6cSmYWHDNfHdoDdDY6z%252FWkggklbwTyTwcIH9MNxx05wrlCY8bK6JMgFwc6FohA2EwekKL%252FaDgG5TxEB36Ahv%252F1v7kiNwCcmttgV6AhGk4ohcx4zhWS5J91tRtapudgk0elckUjVIkvt5yYDGbdi%252BsBr30KfLHHe6xD%252BmqFVxC28Ieg1Nz%252BcrL5xruNu%252B1k6JhwdCTFc7XjbToQzuE4bZmq6DgL9PaovSODniou5x0xQIrXqXRye1uaGpBzQx3TosmhMFIzYuqisycc1XQVCHIgpSaT67U1H12WOXlA9o%252FMUmK9cpuXQX8ku5jET1B%252B%252F55x1UdGrNeLvzZRQdV0ShtL10%252FP6k%252F31HwBiGvyzHowWLLzIOyXEeCdxdw566HKZr79U5TUDBhYX0fvTpt%252BCImD9W2mMQ%252BpM%252FjvH67e3QTnuXECBIw53JDbYaJrlMmhrWAVw%253D%253D%7Campid%3APL_CLK%7Cclp%3A2334524

Today I went to put back the horsehoe tensioner bolts I am less than happy with one of the bolts as I began to tighten them up (I was aware of this previously but it seems worse). One bolt went to an initial 4 N-M but the second was not tightening up as it should so I am pretty sure the thread is worn and starting to strip.

I put some Locktite on both threads and all was clean before assembly. What are the forces at play on the tensioner is it possible that it could come adrift with just the one decent bolt?

I suspect either the PO has had it off before or the threads have been worn by the vibration through the seized  horseshoe?

Question is what can be done to the casing threads to fix the problem are there any best options?

Can't remember what this is it looks like some sort of stop - it has an O ring it looks like it's made from alloy ?

Do I need to fit it inside before I fasten up the crankcase?


what is this part by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

Whilst doing the Plasigauge on my Big Ends today I had trouble finding any of my sockets that would fit the nuts properly due to the small gap between the nut and the bearing cap. Out of four of my 12 mm sockets the best fit was a 1/4 drive socket with an adapter for my torque wrench but the fit was far from ideal.

When I come to fit the crank I am wondering if there is a decent brand of 12mm socket for the job perhaps a 3/8 drive that anyone can recommend ?

My so called thin walled 12 mm 1/2" drive one was not thin enough. Annoyingly my old Kamasa 3/8 drive set does not have a 12 mm one it jumps from 10 to 13 via 11 none are missing!
My best socket set is a Britool but its all A/F as was the fashion when I worked on cars in my youth.

My new Plastigauge arrived yesterday - unlike my previous stuff its very brittle is this normal or is it dried out old stock?

Looking at assembly sealant options for the crankcase halves just a coule of questions please - I've looked at historical posts and on Google so I obviously need to make a choice. The price is not really a consideration (within reason) - I want to do it once & do it right.

1) I know with the likes of Hondabond it is used very sparingly - so what size / quantity of sealant tube do I need?

2) There seem to be several versions of Hondabond what is available now, Threebond 1184, Yamabond etc what is the easiest / best to use please - also thinking of a ticking clock to assemble all those top & bottom bolts before it sets?

After some anxiety I think have got my head around main bearing shell colour codes  as the crankcase codes are easy to spot, if the colour code on your old main shell is illegible you can mic the crank and from the tables work out the shell colour code you need.

Although my big end shells are in pretty good condition it got me wondering about how the big end shell colour codes are arrived at. I can understand the journal measurements running along the top of the table but this time instead of numbers running horizontally  there are letters with number running vertically instead of letters. Looking at old posts here it talks about markings on the crank web & con rods - in the absence of any visible markings how do you work out the shell size? At present the only markings I can see on my con rods are the letter "C" that I believe are to do with weight.
My crankshaft seems devoid of any markings although I have not cleaned it with petrol for a possible new reveal. Does this mean that the con rods have coded numbers for the rod internal diameter that in the absence of any numbers I need to measure the con rod diameter to establish if it's a 1,2 or 3 then from the crank jiurnal establish the appropriate letter range? Is it likely that all the conrods will have the same bearing shell size for a given weight code.

Sorry if I sound dense but it is as though they have deliberately switched the rules between the con rod tables & the mains!