Honda-SOHC

Thanks hairyGit,
I had engine oil on it, but will try again tonight.
Like your tag, has anyone used "if it's got tits or wheels, it's going to be expensive!"

steve

Hi, Thanks for the welcoming posts and the banter!
I'll expand on my rebuild to date; I've covered the engine and after this head stud issue, I'll be fitting new clutch plates and trying to revive the gear selector/indicator switch, mine is shot but I'm hopeful for the one on the donor engine. Ignition/charging, I'm not sure about the coil/rectifier I've got so may go the electronic route.
I replaced the bearings etc on the swing arm, which i needed to spring the frame apart to fit. The front forks and yokes went back together very easily using all new bearings/caps and oil seals.
As you may imagine, I have spent quite a lot at D Silvers but mainly for 'consumable' parts, and have been successful in finding other parts on ebay.

Master plan: I'm not aiming for a concours bike, not by a long way, but would like it to be tidy and thoroughly sorted.
I intend getting some parts re chromed and I have been told there is someone fairly local in Wokingham who does this.
It seems that the 'Honda' and '500/4' emblems are expensive and I don't really have painting skills can anyone recommend a source for these?

I am sure there will be many hurdles ahead, and I've not even stripped the head  or carbs down yet, but I'm enjoying the rebuild and depending how it goes I may even look at getting a licence to drive it, yes - I'm not a motorbike rider, although had plenty of experience in my earlier years

Hi, I'm a newbie on this site and to bikes too (sorry I've been a car type petrol head  ) but I would like to share my bike rebuild process - not too many problems so far.
I bought the bike as a box of bits on ebay last year, since then I have built a shed for it,  had the frame and other bits shot blasted, bought and replaced the most obvious  parts - not many missing, but many to replace;- exhaust and seat were missing, but front forks, rear dampers, wheels and a tank needed replacing as well as the run of the mill stuff such as bearings, gaskets, 'O' seals piston rings replaced so far.
The engine rebuild did not reveal any wear, but the engine is a replacement anyway, the log book says its a 500/4 but the block is clearly stamped as a 550/4.
So now the frame is 'mounted' on the bench with the engine installed where I can tackle most of the engine reassembly and a few ancillaries too.
I will update the site on further progress.
Just one major problem; I have had great difficulty removing a head stud from a scrap engine I bought, my engine came minus one stud. I have applied a 18" long torque wrench to the studs (nuts back to back), only to find that because the turning moment is 6" above the lower part of the stud where it's stuck, I'm bending the studs - 2 out of the available 6 so far! And the jaws of the special tool I've bought (see pic)will not bite into the stud in order to grip it.
I have not tried too much heat, my blow lamp is more of a pencil flame anyway, but would anyone suggest that heat will work?