66' Honda Box-O-Parts CL160/175 Cafe Build - First Build
- Thread starter NeeksRR
- Start date
NeeksRR
Active Member
So I met with the machinist Ive been using for the past 2 years to start a new batch of Captive Spacers and asked if he would take a look at the top end for me. We looked it over and right away it didnt look good to him, haha.
The cylinder walls had some big groves and in it and in order to get them out Id have to go to the 2mm overbore kit to get the walls back to proper working order.
The valve shafts? had play in them and you could move the valve stem back and fork a bit. They are also over-sized valves.
He noticed that the bigger valves had a cup in where they seat. He asked me what the degree on them is and we could find it in the clymers manual. He assumed they are suppose to be 45 degrees. The smaller valves had more of a 45, but weren't seating properly.
I really value his advice because of his high level of skills and knowledge, but I feel like with machinists, if its not PERFECT, then is garbage...lol...In a sense. So im wondering how much I can get away with, and have it still run well.
Anyways, when I got home I took the spare rusted frozen engine out of the box, and started taking the head off. I only got the top part off, so I took the valves out...not lookin good, haha. But it does look like there is more meat on them. My camera died so Ill take pictures of everything tomorrow. There is a butt ton of rust engine and the pistons are super stuck. So i tilted the engine up so the pistons were flat, sprayed a bunch of PB blast in there and just going to let it sit for a day or so. I have a heat gun and a rubber mallet to maybe shake it loose, but from what I read you have to slowly work it loose and be patient, so thats the plan.
Dont really wanna blow 400+ bucks on the new top end...so im going to phone a friend for stock used parts to save cash to make it more pretty
We'll see what I decide to do...that machinist has a sexy clean 66' CB450 under a pile of junk in his garage thats been sitting since 85'. I might have to throw an offer at him :
The cylinder walls had some big groves and in it and in order to get them out Id have to go to the 2mm overbore kit to get the walls back to proper working order.
The valve shafts? had play in them and you could move the valve stem back and fork a bit. They are also over-sized valves.
He noticed that the bigger valves had a cup in where they seat. He asked me what the degree on them is and we could find it in the clymers manual. He assumed they are suppose to be 45 degrees. The smaller valves had more of a 45, but weren't seating properly.
I really value his advice because of his high level of skills and knowledge, but I feel like with machinists, if its not PERFECT, then is garbage...lol...In a sense. So im wondering how much I can get away with, and have it still run well.
Anyways, when I got home I took the spare rusted frozen engine out of the box, and started taking the head off. I only got the top part off, so I took the valves out...not lookin good, haha. But it does look like there is more meat on them. My camera died so Ill take pictures of everything tomorrow. There is a butt ton of rust engine and the pistons are super stuck. So i tilted the engine up so the pistons were flat, sprayed a bunch of PB blast in there and just going to let it sit for a day or so. I have a heat gun and a rubber mallet to maybe shake it loose, but from what I read you have to slowly work it loose and be patient, so thats the plan.
Dont really wanna blow 400+ bucks on the new top end...so im going to phone a friend for stock used parts to save cash to make it more pretty
We'll see what I decide to do...that machinist has a sexy clean 66' CB450 under a pile of junk in his garage thats been sitting since 85'. I might have to throw an offer at him :
NeeksRR
Active Member
Update over the weekend:
Found a .50 piston kit from Vicious Cycles up north for 150 bucks and a cam chain for 35, seems like a good deal to me so Ill probably pick that up once I get paid. I'm waiting to do any boring till I get the piston and rings in so I just cleaned the head really well and have it ready when it comes.
So while I wait im just continuing cleaning/ fixing parts to get reassembled and/or ready to paint. So last night I took apart the starter from the spare frozen engine I have to clean that. It was super caked with grease, rust and dirt, but the gears inside moved freely and looked saveable to me. Not sure if it actually works because I have no way to test it yet, but think positive right?
Here are pics before after I took it almost all apart...
The gasket was in ok condition, all in one piece. But I couldnt find a replacement for it so Ill just clean this one up and reuse it. Does hold fluids, so I dont think the seal is a huge deal, could be wrong though...
After some sand blastin'
Everything cleaned up so nice I was a little surprised! I love media blasting because its instant gratification...but since I dont have a blast booth, I was covered in fuggin sand, haha. Going to try to find a cheapy use booth on CL or something, but if not I can deal with the set up I have now.
One thing I did notice at reassembly was the ball bearing in the starter was stuck, not sure if it was my bad or it was already like that. But I looked for a new one and couldnt find one. Looking to see if there is another bearing that will work as a replacement now.
Tonight Ill probably clean up a few more things before the rain comes...Thats it for now!
Found a .50 piston kit from Vicious Cycles up north for 150 bucks and a cam chain for 35, seems like a good deal to me so Ill probably pick that up once I get paid. I'm waiting to do any boring till I get the piston and rings in so I just cleaned the head really well and have it ready when it comes.
So while I wait im just continuing cleaning/ fixing parts to get reassembled and/or ready to paint. So last night I took apart the starter from the spare frozen engine I have to clean that. It was super caked with grease, rust and dirt, but the gears inside moved freely and looked saveable to me. Not sure if it actually works because I have no way to test it yet, but think positive right?
Here are pics before after I took it almost all apart...
The gasket was in ok condition, all in one piece. But I couldnt find a replacement for it so Ill just clean this one up and reuse it. Does hold fluids, so I dont think the seal is a huge deal, could be wrong though...
After some sand blastin'
Everything cleaned up so nice I was a little surprised! I love media blasting because its instant gratification...but since I dont have a blast booth, I was covered in fuggin sand, haha. Going to try to find a cheapy use booth on CL or something, but if not I can deal with the set up I have now.
One thing I did notice at reassembly was the ball bearing in the starter was stuck, not sure if it was my bad or it was already like that. But I looked for a new one and couldnt find one. Looking to see if there is another bearing that will work as a replacement now.
Tonight Ill probably clean up a few more things before the rain comes...Thats it for now!
Couple of points
0.75mm pistons are 0.75mm oversize as already mentioned.
Both valves look oversized but the exhaust is more oversized. What size are they?
The screwdriver slots in the valves are common on small Hondas of that period
The starer block off plug on the CL should be fitted from INSIDE the cover - not outside
Valve seats are all rounded off as your machinist observed. Seats need to be cut and valves need to be ground. Not hard but need to be done by a machinist and he will need the right valves. Small stock valves will probably not fit, so you need to know what they are from if one or more needs to be replaced. Try the other head for parts.
We have fitted 1mm oversize valves into a160. Seats need to be cut differently for larger valves, so you may have to swap the complete head or get valves the same size as the ones in it now.
That odd looking machining in the exhaust ports is how Mr Honda made them. JB weld will just melt in an exhaust port. Do not open up the exhaust ports at that point. It might look better but it will not work as well.
0.75mm pistons are 0.75mm oversize as already mentioned.
Both valves look oversized but the exhaust is more oversized. What size are they?
The screwdriver slots in the valves are common on small Hondas of that period
The starer block off plug on the CL should be fitted from INSIDE the cover - not outside
Valve seats are all rounded off as your machinist observed. Seats need to be cut and valves need to be ground. Not hard but need to be done by a machinist and he will need the right valves. Small stock valves will probably not fit, so you need to know what they are from if one or more needs to be replaced. Try the other head for parts.
We have fitted 1mm oversize valves into a160. Seats need to be cut differently for larger valves, so you may have to swap the complete head or get valves the same size as the ones in it now.
That odd looking machining in the exhaust ports is how Mr Honda made them. JB weld will just melt in an exhaust port. Do not open up the exhaust ports at that point. It might look better but it will not work as well.
