A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Hey, what projects are you planning or preparing for? CBX, other motos, workshop, WHATEVAH!
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Thunderdome74
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A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by Thunderdome74 »

So i bought this CBX, with the intention of getting it running and riding for a few years , finishing the other projects and getting to it after they were completed).

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I bought it from the "mechanic' who had got it running for the owner. I couldn't hear it run as it had no battery.
Ok, a gamble ... but she looked pretty good(all original bits were there) so i jumped at it.
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At home with the others
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First thing, fairing had to go. And a good clean and polish so i could see what i'm working with. While i was at it i gave the crash bars a spray as well as the exhausts, which consisted of 6 headers and 2x stainless cans
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The cam caps were broken. I met a guy who kindly gave me a set (they were ceramic coated black... but they were free
Boutght a new battery and she Fired up.
Great!!!, there were clouds of smoke , some cylinders were backfiring but she was running albeit , badly.

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There was an awful amount of fuel running through the carbs (the overflow was blocked as i discovered later)
This fuel depoisited itself on the floor as well as over the crankcase.

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Being an idiot i was hoping it would clear with a bit of running and fuel additive....
Turns out backfiring and fuel all over the place don't mix and i suddenly noticed the floor and crankase were on fire. Not a whoof one would notice but a subtle flame that grew all over the engine and floor.

In a flat out panic I played whackamole on fast foreward and somehow managed to put the lot out. :o

I went home after that.

Took the carbs out and gave them a going over,
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Round 2.
Less fuel everywhere and more in carbs after the cleanup
She was running rough (chains flapping around madly) but after a bit of synching she quietened right down.
Fantastic... plan is going ahead.

And its running on all 4
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But... you know how you can't just leave things when they are not 100%, well i felt i could quieten the chains down further.
I checked the manual which stated to loosen and tighten the tensioners... with the engine running.

Front one was no problem but getting to the rear was proving very difficult,...and hot.
So i switched the engine off, let it cool and loosened the rear.
Then started the engine.
It barely swung before locking dead.... valve i thought.
Last edited by Thunderdome74 on Fri Jul 14, 2017 1:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Thunderdome74
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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by Thunderdome74 »

So i could turn the engine backwards and would hear a distinct clicking sound... chainlike.
I dropped the engine, the camchains looked ok. Something was definetly locking the engine.

What to do.I weighed up all the things...
78 000km
I had a hydrolock (fire escapade) so wasn't positive about the conrods
I had possibly bent a valve

So the heads gotta come off... but its never a case of "i'll just do this" as it's gaskets, might as well do rings, might as well do valve stems... you guys are familiar with the story i'm sure

So in for a penny in for a pound (alot of them apparently)
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Frame went off for powder.
Ordered new rings/gaskets/valve stem seals

Seat cover arrived so i covered that
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Frame back from powdercoating
Assembly starts
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Polished bits n bobs

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Resprayed engine
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Resprayed the bodywork
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Added the black stripe , but it can't be easy, as that woudl be no fun. Somehow the black and silver reacted badly with each other (enamel and 2k.Lesson learnt i suppose :D ) and it bubbled so i had to redo it..
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Pinstriping
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Gloss
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Bloody dust took absolutly ages to get out but it's pretty good as it stands.

Exhausts arrived from Marving... now i was getting excited :D
I had the headers ceramic coated as they are single wall and i would like to avoid the blueing if possible....

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I got the cabrs Vapor blasted as well as i couldnt stand the carbs looking the way they did
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I also had the gas tank lined as it had rusted ,so i took it to a place where they removed the rust and coated it.

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FalldownPhil
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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by FalldownPhil »

What a great story !! Seems like maybe I have heard similar once or twice before :-)
That is right in there with " It ran when I parked it ".
I am sure that there is a happy ending on the way.
Very Best,
Phil
When you are up to your ass in alligators it is sometimes difficult
to remember that your objective was to drain the swamp !!

steve murdoch icoa #5322
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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by steve murdoch icoa #5322 »

So far, a great tale.
Looking forward to the next installment.

Thunderdome74
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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by Thunderdome74 »

Tx guys

So with the engine out, i was checking the cam chains and the like when i noticed
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You see it? The rev counter holder is kaput, i suspect when the "mechanic" got the bike running for the PO.
So i got on the phone and called in any and all facors and a friend of a friend agreed to sell me one.it was in perfect nick.

By this stag i was getting a bit sick of all the surprises and with a possible bend valve/conrod i was loathe to do the head work myself, as i could take it apart and my inexperience would tell me it was ok, when in fact it might not be.

A mate who has a bike shop gradually agreed to take on the work for me(tx Tim)
(countless cups of coffee and me reminding him how much he Loves these bikes)

What was done
Lap Valves
2x new camchains
6x rings
Gaskets head/base
Valve stem seals
Check conrods and valves
rev counter cam holder

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The engine was in good nick which was great news.I suppose the owner did a regular mantinence shedule, so even with the high ish milage the pistons were within spec :D

So living here in South Africa we have exciting times. The bike was finished on the Friday.I sheduled the collection guys to pick it up and deliver, However certain elements of the population decided it was time to go on a rampage as they were sick of "service delivery"

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Now without descending into a political social economical arguement what basically happened was we have a large informal settlement (tin shacks for houseing) on our doorstep.
There was a huge fire a few months ago which swept through it. The community rallied together with bankets and food etc.
The goverment stepped in and built the homeless temporary houses while it was going to build (for free) new houses for them on the burnt land.(properly layed out ,so in future fire services would have access to the fire via buit and planned roads)
Now the guys recieving these free houses are not taxpayers mind you, but decided to go on a rampage destroying property as their new free houses were "taking too long"

Sight. So our village was locked off due to unrest ... But i eventuall got the bike home on Wednsday.

I had taken off the alternator for a clean and inspection adn the brushes (only one of them) was worn down to a nub.
Honda wanted $70 doallars for them. FYI the Golf (the square boxy one) has brushes for 5$ which require sanding to get them square , but they fit fine.
Surface of the rotor was a bit worn because the brushes were in a bad state
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The sping seat washer on the alternator clutch shaft was LOST:shock:
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For a few days i stumbles around the workshop looking for this
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Paul, from this forum very kindly provided me with the measurements and i had one made up.
I also managed to loan one to double check the one i had made up (it's hardened steel)
I then found the piece this bike was using in insted of the correct one... a copper washer with no locating tabs so the spring was dancing all over it and the shaft
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So yesterday .... I managed to fire it up!!!!!!!!!!!! Bloody hell she sounded smooth and fantastic. Ther eis still a leak from the carb overfloe, but before putting the carbs in i bench tested them... so i am hoping that will clear up
anyhow here is where i currently stand
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Will update this as soon as i have her on the road.
Thansk to everyone on the forum, you guys have provided an invaluable help

Thor

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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by Larry Zimmer »

Great epic, Thor!! Makes Ulysses little journey look like a walk-in-the-park! We look forward to the final chapter.
Larry Zimmer
cbxlarry@sbcglobal.net

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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by Gearheadgregg »

Nice Project ! Did you completely disassemble your carbs ? Also your story about the fire was a close call ! Just purchased a new toy hauler trailer and promised the wife No starting old motorcycles in RV..LOL Been.... There.... Done That Fire thing with my Hot Rods and Boats in the garage :shock: :D

Thunderdome74
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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by Thunderdome74 »

I didn't dissasemble the carbs into their seperate bodies, just the jets Idle and mains) and made sure i blew the crap outta everything to make sure the vapour blasting stuff wasn't lurking.

GOT IT RUNNING TODAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Went for a short ride.Carbs are no longer leaking. No Smoke, Firing at idle and revs on all 6.
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:P
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I am so stoked right now. She needs a good clean and running in then off we go.
Thanks to everyone here for the help.
Really apprecitated, and i'm sure i will have more questions as we go
but for now... life is good

Thor

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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by Thunderdome74 »

And no it's not an arty farty effect on the lens btw, my greasy hands cleaned the phone camera ... thus the blur effect :laughing-rollingyellow:

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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by FalldownPhil »

Congratulations Sir !!
Well done and enjoy the ride :-)
Best,
Phil
When you are up to your ass in alligators it is sometimes difficult
to remember that your objective was to drain the swamp !!

steve murdoch icoa #5322
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Re: A build...this bike and i went through a few tales...

Post by steve murdoch icoa #5322 »

Thunderdome74 wrote:And no it's not an arty farty effect on the lens btw, my greasy hands cleaned the phone camera ... thus the blur effect :laughing-rollingyellow:
That is a nice photo, don't bother cleaning that lens. haha.
Congrats on getting another one back on the road.

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