Carbs finished! my project is starting to reward!. .CB400

[Integra99]

Its been a roller coaster doing this CB400.. and at times I've got dis-heartened.. with costs, constant problems and hard work.. and only the other day I thought about walking away for a bit but I've finally finished my CB400/4 Carbs, I decided not to get the casings vapor blasted as I liked the matt look apart from that they are literally brand new with every part changed or zinc plated, so its given me a boost!

I was trying to find a pic of them at the strip down and found this one.. also shows how bad the engine was.. let alone the wiring loom.! I'm very close to getting her all back together.

Before....



Engine....now

[mike the bike]

Coming on nicely is that.  How far off is it?

[Laverda Dave]

Well done. The carbs are one big (but very small) fiddly job. They are looking great and will complement the engine nicely. Nothing worse than seeing a lovely rebuilt motor let down by rusty fastenings on the carbs!
Keep the photos coming and especially during the dark nights to give us encouragement when we are rebuilding a bike in a cold and damp garage 

[PatM]

The chewed-up tappet cover looks familiar! I have had one (in about 1989) completely snap off- the hex casting, leaving me no option to chisel out the remaining mess and on my present 400/4- which considering I had it all apart 5 years ago- one wouldn't shift until I took a chisel to it- which took a chip out of it and I had to replace one...

Ive rebuilt carbs a few times, in fact Ive got a set with new jets and never used laying about as spares- The only damage was they were in a plastic-bag which melted when my garage caught fire about 4 years ago- Yes, nearly a total loss but fully insured and all tools replaced- thanks to MORETHAN. I had been charging a LIPo Cell for my electric bike-kit and it exploded! took 2 fire-tenders to attend and finally put it out (i put the main faire out, but was overcome by smoke) WARNING- it does happen!!

The spare-carbs have melted plastic bag on them, but not completely- ie, it will pull off.

Id forgotten about that till i started writing this...Luckily my 4 bikes were not in that garage!

[Integra99]

Thanks all... its been quite a journey and I only stripped it to weld a rust patch on the frame.

Yes the tappet covers were really bad, well two of them, I think I may put them back to polished metal as I've sourced two new ones.

The bike is getting close...  the only real snag now is my Delkevic pipe was made for a 75 - 77 so it fouls the rear footpegs, Delkevic are making me a solution so I plan to get her back together and take up next weekend.

Once that's done I can focus on getting the loom in , but while the bike is away I will bench test it as I've rewired 50% of it .. it was such a mess... I'm also putting in a reg/rect combo unit, so making some brackets so I dont have to modify the airbox.

I'm also currently looking at electronic ignition.. David Silver one.. or perhaps the DYNA S one from the states.. looks a better unit!

And finally my speedo unit was cracked, I've opened it up and used the spacer inside, then found a bearing seal to fit the housing.. hopefully this works. I will then run a small GPS unit for the speedo.. well this is the plan.

I will have lots of updates coming..  hoping to have a running bike for xmas..!

[ogri211]

Were the carbs straight forward enough to strip right down to individual carbs for cleaning ect and puting back together, as I am ready to do mine, I have the luxury of a spare bank which I think will come in hand when rebuilding them as a reference. 

[royhall]

Were the carbs straight forward enough to strip right down to individual carbs for cleaning ect and puting back together, as I am ready to do mine, I have the luxury of a spare bank which I think will come in hand when rebuilding them as a reference.

Not too bad if you take your time and photograph everything so you know how they go back together. Very fiddly and tedious job though. I have given up doing them now as I have a little man thats an expert, so I pay him instead.

[Nurse Julie]

I take the carbs apart on my CB400/4, easy enough to do but as Roys says, fiddly. Easy to split the bank to individuals by removing from the back plate and pulling carbs apart.

[ogri211]

Sounds straight forward enough I want to polish each carb, and clean them in my ultrasonic cleaner I assume I will just balance them statically and tweak them with the  carbtune when I get the bike running, fiddly is not a problem fixing clocks is another one of my hobby's, once the carbs are seperated Im sure they will just be the same to strip as any other carburetor.