CA, CB 160 engine

lizard554

New Member
First off, I just found this site and DAMN I love it. Already have some answers to my questions, but need more. Got my hands on a bitsa bike and need some info. Frame number is L160E-1021211 and frame number is B160-1072052 and I can't find info any where as to what year it is. The motor is a 160 sloper with 175 cyls bored to 55.65 mm as close as I can tell. New pistons and a fresh bore and obviously never been run. The head is a fresh looking head but is only a single carb head so I am assuming it is a CA head. Is there any way to tell for sure what head it is and what cam it is (CA, CL, or CB cam)? Would really like to get this baby running! I understand I can use any 175 or 200 head? would the cams in those heads be compatible with this motor? Any way to find out what year this bike is? I would appreciate any answers you guys can give me.
 
Well got the engine torn completely down and more surprises! The trans case has been machined out and a 5 speed set up installed. Not the best looking work but I am down to using this bottom end set up and see what it does. My plan is to use the CA? head that was on the bike as it is suited to the big bore pistons (Cyls are 175's bored to 55.65 nearest I can figure). Also planning to use the cb160 cam as it should match the cl160 crank. The CA cam looks to be a little different and I am assuming the cam needs to be the same as the crank. The cam slipped right in and the valves are the same. This is a real experiment guys so any comments or suggestions are appreciated. Larry
 
lizard554 said:
Well got the engine torn completely down and more surprises! The trans case has been machined out and a 5 speed set up installed. Not the best looking work but I am down to using this bottom end set up and see what it does. My plan is to use the CA? head that was on the bike as it is suited to the big bore pistons (Cyls are 175's bored to 55.65 nearest I can figure). Also planning to use the cb160 cam as it should match the cl160 crank. The CA cam looks to be a little different and I am assuming the cam needs to be the same as the crank. The cam slipped right in and the valves are the same. This is a real experiment guys so any comments or suggestions are appreciated. Larry

i meant that there is only one CORRECT way to set the cam timing but it can certainly be set incorrectly . . also, the factory honda book is never wrong . . if you did it exactly how the book said, it is correct.

ok, this is a different deal now . . basically you don't really match a cam to a crank [stroke] but i see you only have two cams to choose from . . the best thing would be if you told us whether you want mostly low end power or if you will sacrifice a little low end power for some more rpms.

in other words, do you just want a cruiser or do you want as much power as you can get?
.
.
 
Actually just want a good running motor. Just don't know what motor the original came from but since it was in the CA head already, I am assuming it is a CA. The other cam is definately a cb160 cam. My point is that they appear to be made with different lobe positions and I would think that the cl160 bottom end would work right with the cl160 cam as opposed to the CA cam which I am assuming was in the CA head.
 
ok, well they made a ca160 and ca175, so are you saying you have a 160 crank but a ca 175 head and cylinders or ca175 cylinders but a ca160 head? . . I'm soooo confused.

the 175 had a 52 mm bore and a 41 mm stroke but i don't know what the 160 had.
 
Yea, I'm not explaining this very well. Start over. I have a cl160 bottom for sure. I have a cyl that is marked 174cc. Very possible that it is a CA175 but it has been bored to about 56mm or so with new pistons. The head is a single carb head so I am assuming it is a CA or CD head and it bolts right up to the cyl. I have the cam which was with the motor which I am assuming is a CA or CD because it was in the head when I got the bike. I also have a cam that I removed from another 160 sloper motor and I am trying to figure out if it should be used in the motor because it is a cam that matches the bottom end (crank). I am not sure because I dont know if the cl160 motor and the CA/CD fire at the same period in the cycle.
 
You sure it's not an XL head or jug?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
lizard554 said:
I dont know if the cl160 motor and the CA/CD fire at the same period in the cycle.

OK, this is your question and I don't remember but someone else will like maybe DOHC.

If both engines fire at the same time or if they both fire at alternate times, the cams are interchangeable.

If one fires both cylinders at the same time and the other does not, the cams are not interchangeable.
.
 
Lord I only wish it was an XL! Singles are so simple!
xl350 is my favorite bike. Yes I would think they both would fire one piston at a time but I don't know for sure.
 
Try going on the website csmnl.com and compare the various parts of the CA, CB, CL and CD's and see what you come up with. I don't think the baby Dreams used a different crank like the CA72's versus the CB72 did but you never know.
I don't know the slopers very well as compared to the vertical motors, but you now have a 200 cc motor with the overbore and I was told - but never confirmed - that the only 5 speed that would fit in a 160 sloper was from the 175 sloper, but never had reason to pursue the issue myself.
I've got a CB crank in a CD vertical 175 but the part number is the same.
You should also be able to find a site that will tell you the years of the frame and motor.
Sounds like a neat project.
Pat
 
Back
Top Bottom