Yet another CL350 rebuild...HELP!!!

So, I'm also rebuilding a 1970 CL350, and I definitely need some pointers!

This is my first motorcycle as well as my first project. I have been doing a good bit of research (on here as well as elsewhere on the ever-growing interwebs) and I know I'm going to have my hands full, seeing as how I will be learning almost the entirety of the process.

The motor turns over and has good compression, so I'm not sure whether I'm going to crack the engine casing to investigate or just leave it be and come back to it another time. Thoughts?

I am for certain going to need to tear her down though because the frame has a decent bit of rust on it and the wiring harness needs replaced anyway. So I have already removed the old wiring harness and the air cleaners. The previous owner thought it was a great idea to drill holes in the fenders to attach mud flaps (On a 350? Really?), so the fenders have honkin' big holes in unnecessary places.

Now as for the clutch, it does have difficulty shifting. Only thing is, I don't know if it is because the clutch itself is wearing out, or if it is because the clutch cables are the original ones that came from factory 44 years ago (the throttle cable is the same way). I know that I need to replace the cables, but where do you think the true problem lies?

I could go on with hundreds of questions, but I think I ought to pace myself. haha Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

don;t know that the clutc ould wear out on one of these. Sludge in the crank case? Cables definitely, adjustment possibly. I would not crack the case unless you absolutely need to. lots of rubber replaced, seals etc. gt a seal kit and replace anything you can get to.

not sure why you would replace the wiring harness, they are hard to find and very expensive.

A few holes int he fenders is not a big deal. lots of god used ones out there, and you can always fill and rechrome.

As well the clutch cable looks like it is routed incorrectly.

There is a plethora of replacement cables out there.

I found another wiring harness on ebay for 30 bucks, so it didn't set me back too much and I was particularly glad I bought it when I got down to the last few connectors; They were, for the most part, burnt up and blackened.
Could possibly have been too much draw from the aftermarket sissybar/seat contraption that was installed on the bike, with pre-installed lighting. (Not pictured, and for good reason, that sucker was hideous!)

And it's good to hear that the clutches usually don't wear out. Makes me a little bit less apprehensive about the whole thing. Where is the clutch cable usually routed through?

As you can tell I am quite the novice, so I apologize for ignorant questions in advance.

I second TheCoffeeGuy's advice to not tear the bike down unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. Once that happens things snowball fast and it may be a long while before you actually get to ride. I'd start by hooking up your replacement wiring harness, charging the battery and checking for spark. If you have spark and the bike still isn't starting I'd pull and clean the carbs, to make sure they are letting fuel through. If you don't have good spark I'd clean and set the points and maybe check the coils. You say the motor has good compression - did you test it with a compression tester? IIRC, 160-170 psi is normal range. As for the clutch cable, it is usually routed up the backside of the head under the tank and around the front. Google image search for a large picture of a stock CL350 to see details. Process for adjustment is (1) Loosen the adjusters on the lever and case, (2) turn the sprocket cover screw on the side of the case to the left until you feel tension then back off a bit, then (3) re-adjust the cable.

Yep - don't assume anything about the clutch until you have the bike running.

Also, that's obviously not a stock CL exhaust, but it doesn't look like a CB350 exhaust either.

Get it running and then start your fixing.

I know, I know. Assuming makes an ass out of me, not you.
Honestly, I have not had the compression checked, I only assumed it was decent since when I got it, the motor was running. Albeit, it was running rough, which could have been dirty carbs and worn out throttle cable/throttling handle.

As soon as I get the new wiring harness on, I'll clean the carbs and put some new cables on for clutch and throttle.

What's really irking me though is the rust in my gas tank that accumulated over the time that it sat before I had enough money to start into the whole project. I have read about various ways to remove rust from a gas tank; including electrolysis, vinegar followed by baking soda, and solutions with the likeness of metal rescue, but which is best? And how do I prevent further rusting from happening?

How much rust is in there? If it's just surface rust a good soak with white vinegar would do the trick. I soaked my CL's tank with vinegar for 1-2 days, then wash out with water/baking soda, then rinse with a pre-mixed gas/oil i use for my weedeater. Worked great. I imagine Metal Rescue or CLR would work in a similar manner though I haven't used them. Electrolysis seems to work well for heavier rust.

That looks like a great buy/project.
It looks to be in pretty good shape.I second everything these other guys have said, dont assume you need to go into that engine .
First thing Id do is get a spark and fuel and get it running. If it runs get new plugs and leads then get a decent battery on it , change the oil and lube that clutch cable , get a new air filter. When you've got it starting and running reliably then look into the tyres and brakes and chains and sprockets.

You don't say how many previous owners or mileage the bike has covered. Please tell us on your next post and more pictures 8)

12707 miles. From what I know, there is only 1 previous owner, but it is possible that there was another one earlier in the game.


So, I have taken off the rear fender, toolbox, seat, and air cleaners; as I figure having a bit more working room when it comes to those carbs will be nice. But ultimately, I did it cause it made taking the wiring harness off a bit less "snaggy". I just woke up two hours ago and I can't seem to find motivation for anything just yet. (Graveyard shifts kinda suck)

So, you want to do a resto on it? As in, just like factory or kind of a custom job? The reason that I ask, is because your next steps (after getting it running well) can very quite a bit depending on the planned outcome.

We may be able to save ya some heartache/wasted time.

Yeah, I want to do some mods to it. Like the exhaust, I think it's awful in appearance. I would much prefer a 2-into-1 exhaust set up. I have thought about Pod air filters, but I have also been reading on it and it seems like there are a lot of problems that come along when doing that kind of thing.

Those pipes are not stock by any means. Look like a mashup of various parts. The MAC system is ok, if somewhat awkward looking in my eyes. There are a few members here (RocCity for one) who can make you a nice 2-1 system.

If you want to run something other than the stock airbox, than look into some Mikuni VM28 carburetors. Much easier to tune than the stock CV units, amd much "easier" to make work with proper (read: K&N or Uni) filters. As you may have guessed... None of this will come cheap. Just one of the reasons to really plan out you build.

And thanks BarnBurner, mine seems to be just surface rust. Distilled vinegar it is!

Yeah, I thought for a short while that they might have been from a super sport, but then I realized that the previous owner had this thing looking like a goldwing when I got it.

cruising around, conversing with the world, dreaming about riding!

12000 miles , that's only just run in and one owner looks like a great find! Take your time and do it right. 8)

I will. Thanks for the encouragement!

The last few days have resulted in no progress partly due to non-ideal weather and also partly due to my getting out of work at 7 AM and requiring sleep for most of the daylight hours.

That being said, I don't have an update for you guys as of right now. But I'm gonna try to get some stuff done today.

cruising around, conversing with the world, dreaming about riding!

Strike that, I should have known better. How come weather in Colorado is so impermissible? There's like 3-4 inches of snow out there.

Guess I'll have to keep talking instead of doing for another day...