OAP Ted's CB400F2 rebuild - engine not run for about 12 years.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Not really done much since I've had the engine running, as the clutch will need to be stripped down & replaced I thought I would see if the casing screws wanted to come out. Removed the brake pedal & kick start for full access - just needed to find out if there were going to come out or not. The plan is/was simple go round getting each one undone then hand tighten ready for when I drain the oil & remove them all.

Tried by hand - got nowhere so got out my Kielder 1/2" drive impact driver with a new long JIS bit fitted via my hex adapter. They have all come out with ease. Only loosened them a few turns then nipped them up by hand ready for oil drain and strip down hopefully over the next few days.

My nightmare experience back in the mid 1960's of removing similar screws on my Honda 250 Dream with a hammer & chisel or drilling them out are now history.  RESULT.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Assembled the clutch basket today I have the flat edge of the plain metal discs facing the engine with the notch marked discs all facing outwards and together. The smaller friction disc is against the retaining clip. All looks good.

I've dismantled the camlifter clutch operating unit in the clutch cover case - the bit with 3 large ball bearings fitted with a bearing race holder thing. It looks badly worn but looking at pictures they all look strange in that the balls sit in an oval looking recess. DS says parts not available but their pictures show a worn like oval seat  so I guess its the design!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

The learning dip......................

Having assembled the clutch unit I've started to realise that I'm not taking enough photographs as I dismantle things as I should. I think to myself its obvious how this fits - then a couple of weeks later I find myself wondering how it all goes together again.

In my youth I could strip down a Mini Cooper S engine & gearbox - change a synchromesh using the manual only for torque settings and the like! Not sure if it's my age or that more modern motor cycles engines are so much more compact.

I have two workshop manuals that came with the bike - I am finding that they seem to be written for folks who know what they are doing.lol 

Thank goodness for this brilliant site.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

As I have no date for my operation with indications that it will not now be until late November due to a backlog in Urology/Covid consequences I've now started plan C roughly as follows.

When the clutch casing has been re-painted & replaced I am going to do a final compression test both hot & cold to help me decide if a full engine strip is really necessary.

I am aiming to then remove the engine & put it on its NJ sourced stand, get as far as possible with the full frame strip down to enable powder coating.

I am guessing the engine is pretty heavy - so can it be removed complete or do I need to take off the rocker cover?
Any tips for getting it out of the frame please?

[Nurse Julie]

It can be stripped whilst still in the frame Ted. Even the 400/4 engines are a heavy lump when complete. Remove, rocker cover, head, barrels and then its easier and lighter to lift the bottom end out.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

It can be stripped whilst still in the frame Ted. Even the 400/4 engines are a heavy lump when complete. Remove, rocker cover, head, barrels and then its easier and lighter to lift the bottom end out.

Will it not come out as a  complete unit?
I can easily obtain assistance with a lift out.

[Nurse Julie]

It can be stripped whilst still in the frame Ted. Even the 400/4 engines are a heavy lump when complete. Remove, rocker cover, head, barrels and then its easier and lighter to lift the bottom end out.

Will it not come out as a  complete unit?
I can easily obtain assistance with a lift out.

Oh yes, it will come out in one lump very easily with 2 of you Ted. I assumed you would be doing it on your own and didn't want you to get a double hernia on top of your other issues 😊😊😊

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

It can be stripped whilst still in the frame Ted. Even the 400/4 engines are a heavy lump when complete. Remove, rocker cover, head, barrels and then its easier and lighter to lift the bottom end out.

Will it not come out as a  complete unit?
I can easily obtain assistance with a lift out.

Oh yes, it will come out in one lump very easily with 2 of you Ted. I assumed you would be doing it on your own and didn't want you to get a double hernia on top of your other issues 😊😊😊

If there was room for bodies & hands I can get 2 to help me. Too late for a hernia warning they found a small one when I had my last scan. I've no idea how I got it as I'm very careful when I lift anything - I don't do heavy. Lol

[Johnwebley]

It can be stripped whilst still in the frame Ted. Even the 400/4 engines are a heavy lump when complete. Remove, rocker cover, head, barrels and then its easier and lighter to lift the bottom end out.

Will it not come out as a  complete unit?
I can easily obtain assistance with a lift out.

Oh yes, it will come out in one lump very easily with 2 of you Ted. I assumed you would be doing it on your own and didn't want you to get a double hernia on top of your other issues

If there was room for bodies & hands I can get 2 to help me. Too late for a hernia warning they found a small one when I had my last scan. I've no idea how I got it as I'm very careful when I lift anything - I don't do heavy. Lol

It would have been your wallet before you started the Honda project


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[hairygit]

But you will have to remove the oil filter and sump pan to get it out with the head on, and the carbs.

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[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Thanks for that I knew about the Carbs & Oil Filter but not the sump.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

This is the clutch cover after stripping with Nitromores before painting I used 1500 grit to remove virtually all of the dark oxidation patches it took me less than an hour..

Cutch Cover by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

This is after the painting & baking in the kitchen oven - no sheep were harmed in the painting or photography process.

 Painted Cover by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[SumpMagnet]

not baaaaaaaa'd at all

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

not baaaaaaaa'd at all

Love it - I guess I left myself open for that one.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

It can be stripped whilst still in the frame Ted. Even the 400/4 engines are a heavy lump when complete. Remove, rocker cover, head, barrels and then its easier and lighter to lift the bottom end out.

Will it not come out as a  complete unit?
I can easily obtain assistance with a lift out.

Oh yes, it will come out in one lump very easily with 2 of you Ted. I assumed you would be doing it on your own and didn't want you to get a double hernia on top of your other issues

If there was room for bodies & hands I can get 2 to help me. Too late for a hernia warning they found a small one when I had my last scan. I've no idea how I got it as I'm very careful when I lift anything - I don't do heavy. Lol

It would have been your wallet before you started the Honda project


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Too close to the truth in that comment John - if I carry on at my present spending  rate I will have spent more on parts than I did on buying the bike in June 2020!

Since lock down I've done the accountants / auditors  trick - my eating out budget, fuel budget & holiday budget have been subsidising the bike build so it's not really costing anything - just swapping budgets with a small net saving.lol