Maintaining Project Enthusiasm Help Desk Needed!

[davidcumbria]

I had to take my carbs off again after I’d done the first rebuild and like you was not much looking forward to it. It went smoothly thanks to the thread you had raised and in particular Ian’s comment about how to easily refit the carbs. So maybe rereading this might kindle some enthusiasm - and every bit of hose rubber you find will be a small victory worth celebrating 👍

And thanks for all your input on here which definitely helps to maintain enthusiasm and interest in these bikes.

http://www.sohc.co.uk/index.php/topic,29954.0.html

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Thanks for everyones comments to date - it's good to know I'm not alone with the slump in my enthusiasm/energy levels.

It bolstered me sufficiently today to re-set the points & timing as I had lost the plot a few days ago after cleaning up the points base plate then being a numpty just could not get the bulb to go out when setting the static timing with the correct points gap.

This morning I had just one thing on my agenda - set the dam timing Ted you have done it before! Aside from getting the bike running again I tinkered with the air screws (after fitting the correct 500 ones) I swapped out number one spark plug so it now runs hot on all four cylinders at last.

I have a touch of melted skin on one finger after being a tad too casual thinking number one cylinder would be cold. I had a second or two thinking it was cold before the cold/hot signal changed in my brain!

[Laverda Dave]

I have a touch of melted skin on one finger after being a tad too casual thinking number one cylinder would be cold. I had a second or two thinking it was cold before the cold/hot signal changed in my brain!
[/quote]

That's because our nerve endings take a lot longer to react to hot and cold rather than straightforward pain Ted (I remember it being explained by Doctor Magnus Pike on Don't Ask Me back in the late 70’s).
Good to hear the enthusiasm has returned though despite the impromptu BBQ!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I came back after a pub lunch with my mate - I  found myself in the garage duly motivated.

Official Groundhog afternoon  they are off - took me about an hour and a half to remove the clutch cable, throttle cables , took all the air cleaner parts,  off with the battery & battery box, wiggled the intake thingy out of the way - carbs now off.
..
.
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.Carbs off by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

[Laverdaroo]

Top news, good on yer Ted


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[Craizeehair]

Good to see you going again Ted, I’ve been feeling your pain. I couldn’t  get the CB360 firing on both and had to have the carbs out three times, I’ve balanced them and it’s running but I’m not completely happy with it and knows it needs more fettling but as a novice it’s a slog but I’ll get there.

Looking forward to seeing your next update.

[DomP]

Carbs out! The thought makes me shudder😂

[Johnny4428]

That smell of burning skin, it’s not nice!

[royhall]

Your at the worst part of the project Ted.
During the build your trying to do everything perfectly. After first fire up it usually becomes clear that more work is needed and it is demotivating.
You just need to accept that there is no such thing as perfection and getting a half century old bike to behave itself is not easy. More work is almost always required, you just have to take a few days break from it, then get stuck in and sort it.
You will get there in the end.
I have a bike I finished 3 years ago and it's still not run-in as I'm struggling with carburation issues.
Best of luck mate.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Good to see you going again Ted, I’ve been feeling your pain. I couldn’t  get the CB360 firing on both and had to have the carbs out three times, I’ve balanced them and it’s running but I’m not completely happy with it and knows it needs more fettling but as a novice it’s a slog but I’ll get there.

Looking forward to seeing your next update.

I just looked back at my personal build log in 2020 when I first had my 400 running before the full rebuild - the carb sliders were all stuck soild. After the carb work I read that I had to take the carbs off several times drawing blood on the back of my hand getting the intake 4into1 thing in place - being older even a hard plastic produces a big bruise as well as cutting thin skin like a blade. When I removed my 500 carbs I remembered to wear some grip gloves so escaped relatively unharmed!

I'm planning to go fishing this afternoon as a treat to myself before I return to the carbs - I have a couple of stripped bowl threads to fix as well 2 out of 16 aint bad I guess.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Ted, you are not on your own and I freely admit that I go through phases where I just can't be arsed - usually because of an unobtainable part or interruptions from other sources.  This spell of shite weather hasn't helped either.
A case in point is with my very low mileage V12 XJ-S convertible.  When I got it a few years ago, I ripped into it, replacing all the rubber injector pipes and stripping and cleaning all brake calipers.  It ran perfectly until on the way to the MOT station, when the ABS light came on and stayed on.  I shoved it at the back of the workshop and it hasn't moved since!
Something or someone will suddenly inject me with enthusiasm and if I live long enough, it will get sorted - it's only a machine!

You need to go and visit a mate who is well into a project - the infection will spread!

Ian

Blimey Ian you need to get back on the XJ-S and sort out the ABS - I had a Merc 300TE-4Matic that had a fluttering ABS linked sensor. I ran it for almost 5 years with the ABS fuse removed - the fix was the front drive shaft reluctor rings that were part of the drive shaft itself. At just over £1k for one drive shaft I sold her when the self levelling rear suspension collapsed that is part of the 4-Matic system. Sold it as a none runner losing only about £600 on the original purchase price. G23SST is still on the DVLA database - car came from Callenders in Glasgow when new iirc.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Your at the worst part of the project Ted.
During the build your trying to do everything perfectly. After first fire up it usually becomes clear that more work is needed and it is demotivating.
You just need to accept that there is no such thing as perfection and getting a half century old bike to behave itself is not easy. More work is almost always required, you just have to take a few days break from it, then get stuck in and sort it.
You will get there in the end.
I have a bike I finished 3 years ago and it's still not run-in as I'm struggling with carburation issues.
Best of luck mate.

I assume you are talking about the CB450KO Roy - from what I have read here they are a challenging bike to get running well at the best of times - I admire your persistance.

[royhall]

You are correct Ted. Always get there in the end though. I have a feeling that I'm nearly there.

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[haynes66]

ah, glad i'm not alone!  i have a honda britain and prr, both needing complete restoration.  i did very well for a couple years and then it just tailed off. i dont even want to go out riding much either.  what does help me a little is going to a local vintage show, not the big flashy ones. in fact, there's a local one coming up next weekend so looking forward to that.


pete

[SumpMagnet]

Enthusiasm...yes. I had some once.
My poor 750 project is needing love, but the daily rider needed work...then a Triumph T21 happened...then work changed. Then the daily rider needed more attention.
The bike fund was getting stretched too many ways, my search for a sensible exhaust that wasn't £500 of iron oxide with a chrome skin got frustrating.

So It's taking a rest.

But it's not forgotten. The frame paint got some damage in the house move, and I need to redo it. That was 3 years ago. Shame on me. But I did paint the engine, sort a lod of other stuff out, prime the tank and more. Just haven;t done anything since last summer. I will get back to it.