Tels CB550 project

[TezzerTel]

So I thought I'd put a little about progress on my CB550. Having stripped the majority of it the frame has been powder coated. I rebuilt the forks a while ago and today assembled them to the frame. Progress from here on will probably be somewhat slower!

[TezzerTel]

A little bit further on but struggling to find time.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Looking good, just an observation iirc if you put the rear front half mudguard in place this early it will make assembly of the carbs, battery box more difficult later on. I also used some straps to make the frame more secure against accidental tipping. The front wheel clamp helps as does getting the centre stand in place for added stability.
Just trying to be helpful not critical we all have our own methods.
As I work almost always alone i had to think a lot about logistics. If your bike ramp has a removable panel at the rear assembling the bike with the rear wheel at the clamp end makes removal of the front wheel much easier. The rear wheel slots in from the horizontal easily when the rear most fender is not in place. With the centre stand in place it raises the rear end so fitting the swing arm etc is much easier. With the bike in this way arounf fitting the front wheel by removing the rear ramp panel (if you have one) makes it easy.
Sorry if I'm stating the obvious.

[TezzerTel]

Any help much appreciated. I didn't know that fitting the front half of the rear mudguard would upset fitting the carbs. I didn't think there was a easy way around that? I'm sure many parts will go on and off the bike as I go along 😳

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

On my 400 & 500 I found that when the engine is in place with the hope that the carbs will not have to come off again fitting the carbs then building back works well. The battery box is a puzzle to fit into the frame, having the rear front half mudguard out just makes life easier with less collateral damage to your knuckles & patience. 😁

[K2-K6]

Good work Tezzer Tel, as it starts to look more bike shaped it feels that all the hard prep work is paying off.

[K2-K6]

On my 400 & 500 I found that when the engine is in place with the hope that the carbs will not have to come off again fitting the carbs then building back works well. The battery box is a puzzle to fit into the frame, having the rear front half mudguard out just makes life easier with less collateral damage to your knuckles & patience. 😁

Good advice Ted

The carbs installation  ... emphasise that the cleaning of idle circuits, their passageway and jets is so, so very important to them running correctly and staying on there once you get running.

Many times on here and the wider biking Internet world, not enough importance is given to this element, with resulting running issues that are obviously frustrating.  It further seems that putting them in ultrasonic cleaning routine just doesn't guarantee that they are effectively operational.

Absolutely imperative in these carbs, playing such importance in how the engine will run, also massive contribution to that Honda 4 cylinder smoothness that people rebuilding their bikes have in mind on completion of project.

They, the idle circuit, control so much and far more than many appreciate.

[Johnny4428]

All looking good so far! Really good to see it taking form. Can I add to the good advice above (and sorry for stating the obvious) a good idea to have the carbs held in position and flooded with petrol just to check integrity of float valves, and carb float bowl seals etc.

[TezzerTel]

I was hoping to get it to point where it is on its wheels and I could move it around without the engine before I started on the engine. Maybe I'm just making more work for myself 😳

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

All looking good so far! Really good to see it taking form. Can I add to the good advice above (and sorry for stating the obvious) a good idea to have the carbs held in position and flooded with petrol just to check integrity of float valves, and carb float bowl seals etc.

That's a good tip, I would add however it might flood on first filling with petrol as the floats can stick when they have been fully down in an empty carb - when the bowls are completely empty the angle between the tip of the float valve and the tang on the float can be just too acute initially.
If it floods virtually straight away, switch of the fuel supply, rock the bike a tad on the stand and let it settle & stop then see if it floods when you open the tap again It can be a one off.

[TezzerTel]

So now I'm slowly putting it back together what points/parts of my freshly powder coated frame needs taking back to bare metal for electrical connectivity? I'd sooner do it now rather than chasing bad/no earth later on it the build!

[Bryanj]

Both sides of the RH rear engine nount big engine through bolt goes and the coil mounting bracket where the small green wire goes

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

IMHO what you need is one good high quality earth point rather than several earth points all over the place. There are two areas as I see it, battery earth to the frame and the engine, good earth for the loom to frame earth near the coils.

I concentrated on the main battery cable earth point where the cable from the battery attaches to the frame lug where the upper rear engine mounting bolts through the frame. I made sure there was good clean contact betwwen the earth strap and the bolt head, the frame where the bolts sits on the upper right hand side, the inside part of the frame, likewise at the left side where the nut fits onto the engine mounting bolt.

Second area was where the wiring loom has that spur on the 500 near the coils on the left side of the frame. I also provided dedicated earth wires for all four indicators.

If I've missed something there will be comments from others.

Update Bryan has already posted the short version!

[TezzerTel]

Thanks that's a great help

[TezzerTel]

So I've rebuilt both my wheels and had some nice new Continental tyres fitted.

I looked through my removed parts box and found these. Can't remember exactly where they came from !! Do the fir on the headlight mounts?