What engine parts are chrome?

[alexdecker]

Hey all

On a CB550F, what part of the engine is chrome? Repainting, and don’t wanna paint parts that should be chrome? Also, is there any recommendations besides how it came out of the factory, as to what should be chrome?

[Johnwebley]

I think only 4 items are chromed,

Points cover
Starter cover
And both cam end caps.



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[Trigger]

End caps not chrome just, points cover and starter motor cover 

[alexdecker]

Thanks. Is anything else polished, or just painted? When I look at restorations, they often look shiny many more places. But what I’m hearing is that I can paint the entire engine bar points and starter cover, and it will be a resto true to factory spec?

[Oddjob]

What about kick start lever???

Bolts that hold the starter cover on.

Screws that hold the points cover on. Screws that hold the cam end caps.

[alexdecker]

Ah, I’m just talking engine cases here.

But - was the screws painted originally? I ordered new shiny ones for most of the engine though…

[Oddjob]

The points cover screws were chromed, raised countersunk ones. Same for the cam end caps screws.

All the casing screws were zinc plated.

[alexdecker]

Got the engine painted. Was a little in doubt - do you guys usually paint the tappet covers as well as the oil covers etc? Basically all that screws in? Or do you polish them?

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[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Looking good.

[Laverdaroo]

Nice,

asab rule Id say polished screws but I had all mine vapour blasted and clear ceracoted. Your call basically.....

[Oddjob]

Sometimes it's nice to paint them a different colour to the engine for a contrast. I've had them chromed in the past, there are some chrome ones available (tappet covers) on Ebay.

Engine casings, your choice, polished, chromed or satin silver or even satin black for contrast. My last engine I did I had every part that bolted to another part a different colour, either silver or black, so if the crankcases were silver the barrels were black, the head was silver and the camcover black with the breather cover silver etc. It sounds a bit OTT but in fact it looks very nice.

[alexdecker]

Thanks for those responses!

Wondering - the exhaust flanges and collars - were they chrome originally? Mine are pretty rusted, and instead of buying new ones, I could paint them. But if they are originally chromed, I might go with that look instead…

[Sesman]

That’s a nice looking, clean paint job Alex. Which paint did you settle on?

[Bryanj]

Exhaust flanges chrome, collets not

[Oddjob]

Yes the exhaust flanges were chrome, however they are very roughly cast using a sand mould by the look of them. If you attempt to get them rechromed it won’t last long as the surface is too rough to accept it and only really the edges of the fins and the parts around the stud holes come out any good. They tend to rust like hell at the bottom of the fins after even a very short time.

Been there, done that, learnt the lesson.

I have a thread in the project corner section called 30 years of storage later, check out page 2 and you’ll see what I did to get round this problem.

The collared were zinc plated, due to the very high temps they are subjected too painting, even using VHT paint, doesn’t tend to last. I also did the collars in the same way as the flanges, almost ready to take them to get done, one set of flanges will be chromed, one set will be done by another process and all the collars will also get this process. If you can wait a few weeks you’ll see the results.