2x stroke street tracker - project coming together slowly.

A simple google search for 120mm PCD Honda motorcycle disc turned up a CB750 SOHC front disc and/or GL1000 rear.

It was el cheapo on ebay, 55 ins to run and should be with me by next week.

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Hope it fits? :)
 
Made a few hours in the garage today and sorted my stash of parts

Also, prepped the engine case for media blasting ready for the rebuild. I've heard from the crank specialist, it's all done and stitched up, new bearing and seals as well as the barrel centre honed. £110 all in, good price :)

For those who have done this before, is it better to have the bare (ish) cases blasted/cleaned and then rebuild or have them done once built up?
The barrel will overhang the engine case and restrict cleaning, so thinking to send it now in various parts....any advice?

I've tried to apply protective tape to reduce shit getting inside the case, I know it's impossible to stop all of it, but something's better than nothing.

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Also, mocked the engine in the frame again, long time since I did this, I think the engine can sit lower in the frame, I'll know when I get the barrel/head on...but it'll sit lower by 30mm I reckon.

Bit of jiggery pokery with mounts and positioning and it'll be grand.....front mounts needs enlarging to include the lower engine mount (I know it's damaged but can still take a nut/bolt).

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Rear top mount aligns pretty well, but lower rear will need brackets making from footpeg mount to engine. Should be simple enough I reckon :)

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Importantly, the sprockets look to align well which is great news. I did mock it up a good while ago, but seeing it like this now clears that issue up.

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Got some parts incoming next week.
 
I degrease my cases, sometimes scrubbing with an aluminum or stainless bristle brush and scotchbrite on heavy corrosion (if you use a brass brush it yellows the case)

Then I use unpainted mag wheel cleaner to strip the oxidization (eagle one makes the stuff I normally use)

I am not a fan of blasting cases.. you never get all the media out even after multiple washes. It is something I used to do and found even after using a tap to clean out the threads and a few go's in a professional engine wash tank I would still find grit hidden in places. I suppose wet blasting a complete engine would be the least worst as far as media getting into places it shouldn't.

I suppose something like a dry ice blast would be the cat's PJ's or even a soda blast, but I don't have access to that.
 
pitobread said:
I degrease my cases, sometimes scrubbing with an aluminum or stainless bristle brush and scotchbrite on heavy corrosion (if you use a brass brush it yellows the case)

Then I use unpainted mag wheel cleaner to strip the oxidization (eagle one makes the stuff I normally use)

I am not a fan of blasting cases.. you never get all the media out even after multiple washes. It is something I used to do and found even after using a tap to clean out the threads and a few go's in a professional engine wash tank I would still find grit hidden in places. I suppose wet blasting a complete engine would be the least worst as far as media getting into places it shouldn't.

I suppose something like a dry ice blast would be the cat's PJ's or even a soda blast, but I don't have access to that.

Thanks for the input pito.
The fella who I talked to suggested glass blasting....I'll take the engine to him and see if it's OK to proceed. There's still a bit of grease n grime in nooks etc. I've put in all the engine case bolts but sidecase just have a few...maybe more would be good?
 
If the grease is thick, you need to clean it off or your blast guy probably will for you.. the media is great on the white oxide, BUT the media will struggle to remove big globs of dry dirty grease.

Plus most guys don't want grease in their media, we have a U-Blast it place nearby and they are very strict about no grease in their cabinets to save the media.

The other thing I have found is both (EDIT:sand and glass) are pretty aggressive and it kinda dulls the OEM cast finish of the case.. to some it isn't an issue. the Acid kinda keeps that OEM fresh from the mold patina.

I would try to plug as many holes as you can with bolts
 
Thanks....I've gone over the engine and will check and fill other holes I may have missed, as well as degreasing the crud from underneath.

I like the dull alloy look as it's clean but not too blingy. I hope it cleans up OK as the engine re-build and frame fit process is sure to get it a bit grubby.

Not sure what to do with the Suzuki roundel side case badge, think I'll have him blast it and see how it looks without the black background.
 
Definitely clean everything when it is apart. It seems to be a very common perspective that cleaning blast media from complex parts like engine cases is troublesome. I have never found this to be true. The fact is that you need to go to a very high level of cleaning if you plan to do engine work properly, and the trouble needed to absolutely eliminate any media left from the blasting process is the least of what is needed before you put things back together. Personally, I glass bead pretty much everything made of alloy. This includes carburetors, and in over 40 years and thousands of jobs, I have never had an issue. Much can be done with glass beads, and if you want the best finish, that is the smoothest and least porous, very coarse brand new beads are best. Yes, very counter intuitive, but true nonetheless. Brand new beads are critical, as they peen the surface and do very little cutting. As the beads wear, they shatter and make tiny cuts in the surface that gets grimy easily if not painted. Vapor blasting (basically glass beading with liquid instead of air) is vastly superior, but the rig is expensive and not common in the US where I live. Regardless of the process you use, cleaning is a big time intensive job. Your parts need to be very clean before you media blast them because any dirt or grease will contaminate the media. Every pro service I have seen charges substantially to clean your parts before blasting if you didn't do a good enough job ahead of time. When you get your parts back, typically they can appear to be ready to go. They are not. Every nook and cranny, every hole and every thread, and certainly every oil gallery must be comprehensively inspected and cleaned, and I do mean chasing every thread, and mechanically running something through every drilling, not just blasting with compressed air. I typically do this in a parts washer with clean (new) mineral spirits. That gets followed with lots of soap and water, and unless it is too big like a v-8 or something the parts go into a dish washer (yes, like in your kitchen!). I really like dishwashers as the water is super hot and the parts are absolutely sparkling, hot and very dry when done with no rust if there is any ferrous bits. It certainly is not necessary, but it is easy if you have a dishwasher and harmless to the machine if you have done the previous cleaning properly. There is absolutely no substitute for taking seriously how important cleaning internal engine parts and carburetors is, so take it seriously! Knowing everything is clean is the first step in doing everything else to a high standard and having everything work perfectly on the first go round when you are finally done.
 
Wow, OK mobius....I get your point haha, thank you!

I will be cleaning the cases much more before having them blasted...also looking to offer more protection and figuring how I'll clean them post blasting.

I have a jet washer and can use spray degreaser as well, so that should work for the initial pre blast clean....possibly for the post blast too I reckon? :)

Dug out my crate of metal off cuts so I can fashion a lower rear engine mount using the 400/4 mounts, a length of threading, a tube and welded location tags/mounts....close to the original Honda mount I think?

Lots of CAD (Card assisted design) coming up....
 
Incoming parts are bouncing off the door mat.

Received the needle roller bearings....which are now set into the swingarm and fit a treat.

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Awaiting the 400/4 pivot bolt (thought I had one but an extensive search found I didn't - it'll turn up sure enough when the project's finished :/ ) so got another, including two long engine mounting bolts from a VJMC member.

Have to get two inner rollers made to size now.

Damn....whilst writing this, I've remembered I didn't insert the crush tube between the bearings......bugger!!


After careful consideration I've decided not to have the engine cases glass bead blasted (or any kind o fmedia blast) so will clean them up hte best I can using the traditional wirewheel/scotchbrite etc method. Starting to look much better....

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I will have the side cases blasted though.
 
Right...pondering my mistake yesterday, in not inserting the crush tube before setting the bearing in place, I've come up with a workable solution, rather than drifting one roller out and risking damage to the cage etc.

The crush tube needed to be replaced with a longer one anyway (I really didn't join up my thinking) as the needles are shorter and don't fit inside the pivot as far as the stock rollers. So, I'm also having the roller internals made up in s/s to a particular length so the crush tube (the same 25mm o/d as the inners) and two inners add up to the total width across the pivot mount frame to frame.

I'll now have the inners made with a short reduced spigot to fit inside the new crush tube, so it aligns with the inners and when the pivot bolt is tightened up the entire assembly will be tight and the correct length overall.

Does this make sense to you all? Have I overlooked anything?
 
Finished cleaning the main engine cases and bought some VHT black.....think I'll go black for the centre cases and glass blasted side casings, barrel and head.

The black Microns will look smart alongside that combo I reckon.

Also, my lad popped in and we got a bit more mocked up....swingarm will work with the primary and drive sprocket lining up and the chain angle to the pivot will work we reckon.

Side panels, rear guard insert, swingarm and engine in place (awaiting engine mounting bolts to arrive). The Honda top mounts line up perfectly, I have a plan for the lower rear and will also make the top and lower front mounts........starting to look like a bike at last.

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Bought some white/grey primer as I want to give the side panels a quick prep and blow over along with maybe grey on the frame to see how the colours work in real life. More anon....
 
Found sometime today....:)

Primed in white a side panel and grey primered the frame around it jsut to see how the white grey would look...me likey.

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The scratch was caused by the seat unit...trial fitting ready for the chop.

1st cut is the deepest..

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A lot more fettling to tidy it up and get the lines right. Also, the arse end will be trimmed down too.

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I took a leap and cut the seat mounts/lock off.....oooeerrr!

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Received the extra barrel studs and clened them up.

Looking to use stainless shoulderred nuts on barrel/head.....will they be OK?

Thanx for checking in.
 
A job I'd been putting off to be honest.....repairing the hole in the float.

Needn't have worried, turned out OK....

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Also, had another go at cleaning the carbs using Wurth Carb Cleaner...good stuff but they also needed scotchbrite to remove a limescale like coating.

Pleased I left one carb intact to be a model should I forget how they go together.....

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However, through all the grime I noticed one jet missing from the clean carb, the small one next to the main jet....bugger, cannot find it....yet!

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Anyone got one?
 
Found a new pattern pilot jet....bought a pair.

https://www.discountbikespares.co.uk/product/jet-pilot-20-a50-gt200-gt185-rg250-pattern/
 
Let me suggest that before you put the float bowls on, fill each with isopropyl alcohol to check the overflow tube for leaks. On my CB750F, two of the four were cracked and I had to solder them. Also, using isopropyl (91%) for leak checking reduces fire hazard and smell.
 
pidjones said:
Let me suggest that before you put the float bowls on, fill each with isopropyl alcohol to check the overflow tube for leaks. On my CB750F, two of the four were cracked and I had to solder them. Also, using isopropyl (91%) for leak checking reduces fire hazard and smell.

Would white spirit work as well as isopropyl? I have new overflow pipe on order.

Thanks for the advice pid.
 
I think isopropyl is thinner and the smell disipates faster. Readily available at the druggist. 70% will work but 91% is better. Any left over will either evaporate or mix with the petrol and burn. Makes a pretty good all-purpose solvent, too. It will burn but doesn't have the energy of petrol.
 
You could use Tequila. Then you can use the bowl for a shot glass as long as it's cleanish. 8)
 
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