Well, I finished yanking the motor on Saturday and wheeled the frame off to another corner of the shop.
I was really hoping NOT to have to break the motor down, but looks like my oil leak is a seeping base gasket, so at minimum the head and cylinders have to come off.
I'm gonna do my damndest to avoid splitting the cases. Not sure I have the patience for all that. Carbs are coming along nicely though, should start putting them back together this week.
Agree - not at all convinced that your oil leak is the base gasket. The first place to look for an oil leak in the front is the cam chain adjuster bolt. Replace the o-ring. Also, does look like you have a leak at the oil filter case.
Hmm. It's just odd that it gets wet with oil right at the seam between the cylinders and the case. The cam chain tensioner bolt definitely has some oil on it though.
Well we're back on this project. Time's limited, so I'm going to be sending the carbs to Mike Nixon. I've got 3 of them rebuilt, but they've been sitting on the bench for that long and I've forgotten how it goes together. Couple that with my general lack of time, and if I convince myself that I'll get around to it, it'll be another 3 years before I do.
Anyway...
Both my front and rear brakes are junk. The front and rear caliper pistons are completely seized, and both master cylinders are junk. First order of business is to get the pistons out of the calipers and see if they're rebuildable. I've ordered a cheap $10 master cylinder from ebay that I'll hopefully be able to use to get the pistons moving.
Hopefully the calipers and masters are salvageable, but I'm not holding my breath. If anyone knows of some common replacements that cross over, I'm all ears. This is going to be a rider, not a "restoration" so I'm not really concerned about having the exact correct parts.
Also, I've decided in the past 3 years (lol) that the cylinders aren't coming off. Hopefully that oil leak is just the filter gasket. If it's not, oh well, it'll just weep a little oil.
I tend to get scope creep and bogged down in details very easily, which is why the bike's been sitting so long in the first place.
One system at a time friend, go ahead and get parts ordered on other stuff so you can continue, send your carbs to Mike, but focus on one system at a time to keep things going and not be overwhelmed. You got this, just do a few hours every week, say focused. We’ll help.
N.
Nils Menten
Tucson, Arizona, USA '80 CBX, sort-of restored :-)
One system at a time friend, go ahead and get parts ordered on other stuff so you can continue, send your carbs to Mike, but focus on one system at a time to keep things going and not be overwhelmed. You got this, just do a few hours every week, say focused. We’ll help.
N.
Yep.
Who makes a decent valve cover gasket? Mine's solid as a rock. I see some on ebay at varying price points, but nothing on Partzilla or Randakk's. Are the ebay gaskets good to go or should I be looking elsewhere?
Can’t do better than OEM, but do not fail to get the proper sealing washers at the same time, also OEM, those are at least as important, and if yours are also hard and cracked, it can lead to over tightening and breaking valve cover bolts.
Nils Menten
Tucson, Arizona, USA '80 CBX, sort-of restored :-)
….and a tube of Hondabond 4, use nothing else for installation of the gasket.
There’s two thoughts concerning installation of the gasket, I use 3M Weatherstripping adhesive black, to glue the gasket to the cover, then Hondabond 4 to seal the cover to the head, keeps everything thing from moving around and installation a breeze!, you only need a minimum amount of the 3M, if you can see it seeping to the outside you used to much, no worries, after it dries before you install the cover just wipe the excess off with acetone or your choice of mild solvent, it will ball up and come right off.