The International CBX Owners Association

daves79x wrote:......Biggie here is that I know for sure you'll find the dogbone pivots dry and they need taken apart and lubed while you are doing the shock. And they need done every couple of years thereafter. They are a high stress/wear point.
Dave

Couldn't have been more accurate with that statement. Them dogbones were dry as a bone and crusty. Even had a lot of trouble taking apart one side. It was a very good learning experience and now I have a fair understanding of where to grease the rear suspension.

I am really looking forward to feeling the difference with a new shock and everything well greased back there. Won't be for awhile yet, though.

PC

Here is a pic of the new Progressive shock installed. I hope it rides good.
Patrick

To those brave people who have taken their carbs apart to replace o-rings and the pros who have paved that way for us......


After a marathon weekend I have re-assembled my carbs. I will leak test today sometime. It was much too late last night and it was time to get down to some celebratory beverages (also much needed for the nerves). I could not have done this without the amazing threads here on this forum regarding this topic and the help of Mike Nixon through his book. Also the FSM, which I thought was fairly good on the topic of carbs, and the hundred or so pictures I took along the way.

It was not easy by any means and I had my fair share of put it together-take it apart again. In the end, there were no bits or pieces left on the bench so I feel confident everything found its way where it needed to be. What a task!

Here is my obligatory picture. Please don't be too critical about not polishing. I am not interested in a full 100 point restoration on ths bike. I will save that for some lucky person down the road or perhaps myself in a few years. My primary goal is to clean up the mess of sitting in a barn for 27 years and make as smooth running as possible.
Send some good thoughts my way today for a successful leak down test. If I see any leaks I think will need some therapy

Patrick

Hey Patrick, I don't think Honda polished them highly so why should you if you don't want them that way? They look great.

Good vibes sent for a leak-free test, and smooth running.

N.

NobleHops wrote:Hey Patrick, I don't think Honda polished them highly so why should you if you don't want them that way? They look great.

Good vibes sent for a leak-free test, and smooth running.

N.

Woot woot. Thanks Nils. I'll be cancelling that appt. So far so good and no leaks. I drained each bowl one at a time and also had the same volume of fuel in each. Very happy about this. Once my gauges show up I'll move on to syncing.

PC

Sharpie66 wrote:

NobleHops wrote:Hey Patrick, I don't think Honda polished them highly so why should you if you don't want them that way? They look great.

Good vibes sent for a leak-free test, and smooth running.

N.

Woot woot. Thanks Nils. I'll be cancelling that appt. So far so good and no leaks. I drained each bowl one at a time and also had the same volume of fuel in each. Very happy about this. Once my gauges show up I'll move on to syncing.

PC

fantastic!

While the carbs were undergoing leakdown testing the other day, I dissassembled the forks and cleaned out some nasty looking gunk from 27years ago. Installed new Progressive springs and new seals and filled with 10wt to 6" from the top as recommended. Here is a pic of the springs that came out. I am wondering if they were original as one end has more close wound coils than the other. I also greased and packed the steering stem bearings and both were tapered. I thought I read that the original were not a tapered set. Perhaps the original owner changed these bearings and the fork springs back in the 80's?

Patrick

You replaced the original springs and yes, all CBXs came from the factory with tapered rollers.

Dave

Did you measure the free length of the springs? Mine were a full inch shorter than the minimum spec in the manual...

Thanks for the info Dave.

NobleHops wrote:Did you measure the free length of the springs? Mine were a full inch shorter than the minimum spec in the manual...

I just measured the free length at 22 1/2" which converted equals 571.50 mm. Well above the service limit of 559.30mm. Perhaps I didn't need to change them out. I wonder if the new springs will really make much of a difference considering the shape of the originals. No biggy. I can always list them on Ebay as Original Equipment

Patrick

Well gentleman today I begin a task I'm not looking forward to......chasing spark plug threads. Three of the plugs go down about halfway and completely stop and one other spark plug hole is very mucked up. I remember this from earlier in the year when I bought the bike and removed the plugs. They were very difficult to remove and three were not seated fully and one was off center. I took my time then and was very careful about removing. Now I am at that point where I need to fix this. I have never chased spark plug threads and am a little nervous about this. Due to the #5 plug hole being so mashed up at the top and looking good towards the bottom I am really thinking I should shell the money out for a backtap. Also I am not even sure if I could get a regular tap started straight from the top.

I've read about individual ways of managing the metal chips produced from tapping and I am thinking of going the route of heavy grease on the tap and rigging up a small hose to a shopvac and vacumming out the rest, if any, that fall. I don't anticipate a large volume of debris as I am not drilling and tapping for an insert. Hopefully .

Patrick

Patrick:

I am sure, I cannot convince you to do it, but I would take the head off. It is not that big of a project and you will have it much easier to address problems with the spark plug threads and you will be on the safe side.

Thanks EMS. I will consider this. The motor is still tipped forward so at least I have that going for me. I will read up about the procedure in the FSM this afternoon. I suppose my desire not to is hastiness at this point. So close to tipping the motor back in place and syncing those carbs I just completed and hearing another 6 fire up. I have been patient up to this point and taken my time and only proceeded when I felt I had a handle on what I was doing as best as possible with my level of experience. In the overall scheme of things, it would not be a big deal to do this since snow is in the forecast this weekend and the riding days are numbered.

If I were to take the head off, is there any other maintenence detail that I should look into?

Patrick

One important maintenance/service issue to address would be valve shaft seals. As you have the head off, this will be a great project. Especially as you can replace the original seals with the much better Viton kind. See the thread elsewhere in the for sale section about "genesound" selling them.
It does take some time, however, and you need to have some special tools. But you can always take the head (after you take the valves out) to a Honda dealer and have them install the seals. May be worth it. Make sure to mark the valves. They should go back into the same place they came out of.

Sorry to tell you Patrick but i believe there is a small fine for the first guy that mentions snow.

Years ago i did the spark plug holes on a CB350. Obviously a mistake on that bike would not be such a big deal but the methods would be similar.
The proper tools, plenty of grease for catching the shavings, the vacuum nozzle and we had the piston on top so any shavings that did pass would be easier to get at. One worked and one needed a heli-coil due to operator error.