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Topics - exvalvesetdabbler
1
« on: July 05, 2026, 12:37:14 PM »
I managed to get along to their annual rally at Kettering yesterday, a few bits of me went a bit numb before I arrived. Did my duty and put my bike in the line up. There were some other nice bikes there and after chatting to their owners they didn't want to be stuck there until about 1600 so left their bike in the car park.
Overall a pretty disappointing turn out. There were a handful of 400 Fours and they were all ridden there and a couple of Motor Martin framed bikes
One that's has been on my wish list was a quite tidy RD350
'Restorer Pete' was there with a CB200 engine in a BSA Bantam rolling chassis together with a loud exhaust system.
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Mine is the candy red F2 second from the front in this picture
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Regards
Dave
2
« on: June 18, 2026, 02:34:43 PM »
Is anyone from here going to the VJMC meet at Kettering in July.
I'm not too far away so might have a day trip on the Saturday.
Regards
Dave
3
« on: May 10, 2026, 04:19:12 PM »
What are folk using these days?
When I was on a budget I used to use boot polish which looked ok for a short while but some folk are saying it's not good for the tyre. Can't see it being any worse than all the chain lube that ends up on the back tyre?
Don't want anything very shiny, just black and clean.
Regards
Dave
4
« on: April 27, 2026, 06:13:43 PM »
Decided to give the bike a clean underneath around the sump and where oil flies off the chain around the main stand and swingarm. Laying on the driveway trying to spray Gunk where needed I somehow had the spray can back to front and sprayed myself instead. Despite a good wash down with fairy liquid and a soak in the bath with loads of bubbles, I still stink of the stuff. I like the smell of gunk on a bike but not on me. Wondering if the wife will have me in bed tonight.
One foot in the grave eh? Kind of thing Victor Meldrew would do.
At least the bike fired up second kick after draining the white spirit out of the carbs.
Regards
Dave
5
« on: April 25, 2026, 11:45:16 AM »
I was wondering if anyone has some good tips for fitting round float bowl o rings. I kind of remember that they used to be shaped to fit. The last remaining OEM kit that I bought, probably 15 years ago has a round one as do the current offerings.
If you glue them down at the corners, the ultimate seal is only as good as the glue is to resisting fuel.
Also thinking if a length of o ring chord might be just as easy/difficult.
Regards
Dave
6
« on: January 29, 2026, 12:06:19 PM »
I have been searching around to find images of original carbs to determine the finish on plated items.
For the choke lever
Pictures of push mileage F2 on Ash's drop box
Yellow zinc with CHOKE stamped on the lever
NOS carb set on cmsl. - same as above
All of my old sares same as above
Carb link set on cmsl. Has OPEN stamped with the arrow pointing in the opposite direction with the lever and the associated bits on BZP.
NOS link set purchased around 2008 from DSS
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I would be interested in any observations or insights as to why Honda would bother making the change or if it was model specific.
Can't help noticing these things and curiosity gets the better of me.
Regards
Dave
7
« on: January 25, 2026, 11:33:44 AM »
Still busy cleaning up carb bits and come across the fuel t that sits between carb 2 and 3. It seems to be made of brass but I'm suspicious that it may have been zinc plated over as well.
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Looking at the barb where the fuel line goes and the spigot at the bottom of the picture there appears to be residual plate there. This was after a 5 minute soak in citric acid and a quick polish. Most of it was black at the start. I can't find a part number for it , hoping to find a pic of a new one online to see what it might be.
Also what material is the short connector piece that goes between the breather ports between 1,2 and 3,4. What I have is rock hard but doesn't look like it was ever rubber,,maybe polythene or other hard plastic
Advice appreciated.
Thanks
Dave
8
« on: December 24, 2025, 05:48:36 PM »
I have been digging through my boxes of bits and found enough bits to put together a set of carbs.
I'll post what ever I get up to on this thread as I go.
The first job was to refurb the frame and link rod that was stuck fast. Loads of soaking in various fluids and wiggling to get some movement. Made up a jig to drill out the pin so that the link rod could be extracted. Then drill out the hole to 4.4 mm and tap M5.
The jig keeps the drill centered. Drilling out a steel pin from aluminium can result in the drill wandering off centrer.
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Stepped screw to lock in the link rod.
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Remove the felt seals and retainer
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Link rod. This is after 2 days in my electrolytic cleaning bath to de-rust an clean.A bit scabby where the throttle linkage is attached bit at least the bit that engages with the bushes has survived. I'll probably just brush plate this portion.
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Edit. Be careful not to loose the nylon shim washer that goes on each end of the bronze bush.
Regards
Dave
9
« on: December 10, 2025, 06:37:19 PM »
I'm still working my way through my junk box and picked up the frame that the 4 carbs attach to. I have everything else to build another set of carbs. It's seized solid so kind of expecting to make up some new bronze or brass bushes anyway.
I parked this many years ago due to the metal rod that actuated the slides being quite sad scabby and because I didn't have the machining capability machine the two keyways to produce a new one.
What do other people do, I can live with a few scabs where they are hidden under the tank but it's the two ends that have the inverted cone that is difficult to clean up not knowing what material it is.
It's not zinc plate but could be nickel or chrome plated that has been ground to size.
Any ideas or suggestions.
Regards Dave
10
« on: November 30, 2025, 06:14:49 PM »
I'm trying to get some o rings for the carb internals and have managed to size most of them except for the push fit main jet. I have crawled the net on and off over the last few days and not come up with anything convincing. 4.2 x 1.1 or 3.2 x 1.2 seems popular. But looking at the measurements, neither size is going to be a very snug fit.
I'd rather buy a bag full from a reputable source as opposed to just buying four at silly prices + postage.
I don't like reusing rings and don't see it as sustainable to keep buying carb kits just for the sake of one o ring. In other words it's a PITA having to buy kits just to pop out the emulsion tubes and ensure they are clear and free of corrosion.
Does any one know the right size?
Regards
Dave
11
« on: November 25, 2025, 06:59:57 PM »
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I have uncovered a NOS cylinder head that I had stowed in the loft 30 years ago. Originally bought it because mine had a few iffy threads for the rocker cover bolts.
What I'm not sure on is the valve seats. Valve guides are present. Looking at the parts list it does show valve guides as being included in the part number and available separately. If it is a factory fresh head would the valve guides have been reamed to size an the seats ground concentric with the guide.
Taking a used ex valve it goes in quite easily, just the lightest of a push and gravity does the rest.
The reason for it being cheap at the time is the exhaust port stud holes are untapped. M5 drill bit drops in M5.5 is a tight fit and only goes in a few mm. So probably right for tapping.
Regards
Dave
12
« on: November 15, 2025, 06:21:48 PM »
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Been cleaning up the tappet covers. Many years ago they got painted as part of the rocket cover but easily damaged with routine spannering and now looking a bit scruffy.
Cleaned these up with various grades of wet 'n' dry down to 2400 grit followed by a tickle on the bench polisher. Way too shiny.
Has anyone perfected the technique to get close to original finish ?
Regards
Dave
13
« on: November 15, 2025, 06:11:02 PM »
What was the original finish on the 400F breather cover, painted same as rocket cover or bare metal like the sump.
Regards
Dave
14
« on: November 10, 2025, 06:50:35 PM »
Just wondering if anyone has any comments regarding this flexoid oil resistant paper for making gasgets.
Planning on getting the sump off this winter and having it vapour blasted to tidy it up a bit and as far as I know it's probably it's the original gasget, I re-used it last time I had the engine out 20 years ago to replace the cam and primary chains.
I have roll of old gasget material but it contains asbestos so not keen on using it.
Regards
Dave.
15
« on: October 06, 2025, 07:08:06 PM »
Starting to work through a laundry list of minor maintenance tasks,one of them being oil weeping from one or more tappet covers. O rings are probably original as I have not changed them in the 45 odd years I've had the bike.
Does anyone know the correct size, parts book only mentions 30.8 .
Nearest I can find is 31 ID x 3 cross section.
Looking at some of the ridiculous prices some folk are charging for genuine ones, it might be cheaper all round to order new covers from China that come with o ring.
Regards
Dave
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