CB550 refurb

[Johnny4428]

Main function of the carpet Ted is put there for the build, giving the frame and engine protection from getting the paint scuffed off. Great for protecting all the components, chrome etc. Now that the bike is rolling the carpet will be removed until the next build. 👍

[deltarider]

Lovely bike. I was to comment on those blinkers, but then I read Bryan's comment. I couldn't beat him.

Shame about the US frying pan indicators

[taysidedragon]

Main function of the carpet Ted is put there for the build, giving the frame and engine protection from getting the paint scuffed off. Great for protecting all the components, chrome etc. Now that the bike is rolling the carpet will be removed until the next build. 👍

Have you got a red carpet for "Launch Day" when the bike is finished?

[Johnny4428]

Main function of the carpet Ted is put there for the build, giving the frame and engine protection from getting the paint scuffed off. Great for protecting all the components, chrome etc. Now that the bike is rolling the carpet will be removed until the next build. 👍

Have you got a red carpet for "Launch Day" when the bike is finished?

Maybe a skip in case it all goes pear shape Gareth! 😳

[taysidedragon]

Main function of the carpet Ted is put there for the build, giving the frame and engine protection from getting the paint scuffed off. Great for protecting all the components, chrome etc. Now that the bike is rolling the carpet will be removed until the next build. 👍

Have you got a red carpet for "Launch Day" when the bike is finished?

Maybe a skip in case it all goes pear shape Gareth! 😳

That'll never happen!  🤞

[Johnny4428]

So here’s the confession - after filling the carbs with fuel and quickly discovering I hadn’t closed No3 carb drain screw 😡 I pressed starter button and turned over to nothing more than banging and cracking and misfire I quickly realised something is not right. I kind of ran out of time and left it til later in the day buying myself some thinking time. My instinct was to check valve timing which I did and resulted in the realisation that they were not set right. I had set the valves when I assembled the top end but had set the valves on the exhaust TDC stroke and not the compression TDC 🫢. Anybody tried that? Just me then! After setting them correctly all is well, fired up immediately and running well maybe try a carb sync see what like when I give it a right heat up. Slight leak at camshaft end cap mounting bracket. Is these aluminium sealing washers still available?

[nairb]

I always find the first 20+ miles on a rebuilt engine a nervous/fraught time. Especially on a 2-stroke, Best have a change of underwear tucked into the tool kit as well.

[SteveD CB500K0]

I did that on my CB175 Johnny.

“We are not alone”…


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[Laverda Dave]

Lovely work goinng on there Johnny and in a nice big garage.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I always find the first 20+ miles on a rebuilt engine a nervous/fraught time. Especially on a 2-stroke, Best have a change of underwear tucked into the tool kit as well.

First start up rides always fills me with apprension, I remember one of my early runs on the 400 during its two cylinders only period (plug leads not in correct order) as I'm going up a fair hill the engine started to die. I pulled onto the pavement to look on my phone for breakdown recovery. That's when I turned the petrol tap to R, it flooded a carb, tarmac was stained, I thought for a moment it was engine oil. Rocked the bike, rode home on 2 cylinders. Wow was it a different bike when I switched the leads. Rookie mistake left coil to one &  two, right coil to three & four. I beat myself up with that mistake.

[Johnny4428]

Bike fired up and running good but annoyingly an oil leak from the sump pan front and back. So left with no choice but to drain oil and remove sump pan found that the sump gasket rubber is too thin for the groove! (I might be wrong) IMO. I thought about making a gasket to fit but thought I’ll try a thin smear of blue hylomer to see if that does the trick. Has anybody else found this?
I’m quite sure after checking that the mating surfaces were clean.
I wish I had the old gasket I could have compared the two.




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[Orcade-Ian]

That's a bummer Johnny,
I had the same problem a while back - can't remember now if it was the 350/4 or one of the 400/4s.  I made a shaped tool out of an Araldite spatula and part filled the groove with Hylomar, then used the tool to leave a couple of mm of it in the bottom of the groove.  Left for a few days to firm up, then used the gasket as normal.  We are starting to experience the same problem that Brit bike owners have had for years, with aftermarket stuff not really fit for purpose,

Ian

[Sesman]

TBH, I was surprised at the thickness of the Oring, but to date I’ve had no issues. My O ring came in the gasket set…Twas a Vesrah. I can’t vouch for NE or other gasket sets.

Can the sump oring be supplied separately?

[Johnny4428]

Yes Ian unfortunate that not up to the spec of Honda! Don’t know if Honda still supply this part separately Phil. Mine was vesrah kit too. Like your fix Ian! I have ran the bike again and all seems to be fine! Didn’t take much hylomer to seal it. Shouldn’t have to use it all the same.

[Oddjob]

If you had a new gasket and could measure the thickness I could compare to a genuine Honda sump oring and we could see if they are supplying thinner ones these days. I have quite a few genuine bottom end gaskets sets for the 500, around 6 or 7 IIRC, the sump gasket is the same as the 550 one, just stuff like the clutch gasket is different. As soon as you use it and it compresses I'd imagine it alters the thickness so measuring a used one probably won't work.

They are available to buy separately, 11398-323-000 which has been superceded to 11398-426-000, which is the CB650 IIRC. Cost about £10-11 plus P&P.