eram
Been Around the Block
Update: My plans for the bike have totally changed...now in the process of a total frame-up rebuild.
This is going to be rough, but I appreciate any and all feedback / criticism / anything. I've gotten a ton of ideas and motivation from the other threads and members here, and I have nothing but respect for your opinions (and recognize that I have no idea what I'm doing
).
Background:
This is my very first experience with owning a motorcycle (had very minimal riding experience ~15 years ago? As in I've hopped on one once or twice), so this is meant as a learning experience and, more importantly, a procrastination excuse for me to put off finishing my dissertation. I'm planning on commuting with it since registration and university parking is ridiculously cheap here, so I need it reliable and then the rest will come slowly I hope. I have no wrenching experience aside from changing my car's oil and doing basic maintenance; I have no experience machining, welding, painting, etc.; and my tool menagerie is quite limited. Hopefully, most of this will change from this project
I put off starting a build thread (two months late) since I'm not sure anything will be of any use to all the veterans here :-X Hopefully, it'll keep me organized and motivated though as the weather gets colder.
So, after over six months of unsuccessful watching local ads (and some not-so-local) for a cheap project, I finally got impatient and jumped on these two. The CJ360 had a clean title, and the CB360 was just a parts bike but said to be complete. They were ~2 hours away, but for some reason the titled one clicked with me. The PO said the tank was good and showed me the one small-ish dent; the tires were brand new still with the little nubby things on 'em; the bars were brand new; and the rest was purportedly in great condition. I liked the style, and with my little experience (except for online research and just seeing what was out there), I liked the aesthetics and was assured that it wouldn't be much work to get the CJ running. The CJ "had a bad head," but "just needed swapped" for the CB motor (which he "had running recently"). I'll get to the problem list soon...
Original pics from the craigslist ad:
I met the guy, and the bike looked a bit different than the pics, but I had driven 2 hours for them and I didn't know enough about them to ask for the errata. So, I picked up the bikes, forked over a small student's fortune ($800), the guys helped me tie them down, and I was off...the straps started to come off one block from my house, but we made it
Goals: I'm a grad student, so money isn't exactly...present. I'm hoping to not have to invest much, and as time goes by I'll make it pretty and do the details and upgrades. Therefore, I'd like to:
1. Get it running...and safely
2. Everything else.
3. Refurb the CJ motor while riding with the CB in (want to restore with matching VINs on frame and block)
4. Next winter (2011-2012) do a complete tear down and frame-up rebuild.
First couple of days:
1. Drained oil and gas
2. Started disassembly of both bikes for the engine swap.
I pulled off the left rear cover for the chain, and the motor(s) were so crudded up there and on the bottom, that they looked like they were run through mud or something. Joy. They did come out of the frame relatively easily (I tend to make things harder than they really are). I started with the CB, so if I banged up the frame, etc learning how to get the block out it wouldn't matter as much.
I took the CB motor (the "good" one) to the car wash to use some Gunk engine cleaner and the pressure washer on it, which did ok, but it's going to need some work to look shiny. Dried them off with the compressor, untaped, and started checking out the CB motor...points cover off:
It was starting to dawn on me that the PO may not have been completely honest with me The motor wasn't seized, though, and I was still hoping that everything was there and the internals were ok.
I jump around a lot...
CJ Tank inspection:
It looks like it was lined with something, but still kinda nasty...
The "lining" was chipping and squishy; still no idea what it was...
CB Tank inspection: Also nasty, but none of that vinyl-ish stuff...
Still had some old gas in it...ugh.
I ordered a POR-15 HD Cycle Tank Repair Kit (the one with the liner stripper) so that I could just start anew, so I went back to the engines.
I was getting nervous letting them sit with the oil drained anyway (which I now know doesn't mean it's dry), so I threw the CB engine in the CJ frame and started running wire for the parts of the harness that weren't exactly in-tact. I more wanted the engine bolted in so that I could start doing some diagnostics (compression test, mainly) to see where exactly I stood with the project (and thus how much $$$ to put into it...) since the PO's report wasn't really reliable.
I started to make a list of stuff I needed to get the bike running, and here were the biggies that I wanted to work on first:
1. Get tank cleaned, lined, and ready to hold gas so that I don't screw up the carbs when it is running
2. Get engine in for compression testing and probably back out for tear-down
3. Get carbs off and cleaned (and re-cleaned...)
4. Get ignition cleaned, set up, and checked-out/tuned
Tank stripped and prepped for liner:
Full day of lining: Not perfect, but the squishy stuff came out and this should hold gas and not kill the carbs too badly while I'm building...
Painted with the POR-15 sample kit ($19 shipped, not bad as I'd spend that in primer, paint, etc for rattlecan)
Did a cold compression test = 160psi both cylinders, but I haven't done the "put oil in and do it again" test. I hope the build-up on the pistons isn't too bad since I expect the warm test to be higher.
Since the compression was acceptable (and equal), I decided to try to fire it up...oh wait, PO only left me one coil and no airboxes...big relief on the compression, though.
Found some XS650 coils on eBay with wires and 5k caps for $20. Score. Now lets hope they work...
Fired it up, timing WAY off, but it burped first kick and fired up on the third! Didn't idle correctly (timing) and died easily, but it was much welcomed progress.
I gapped the points, but the right point was still sparking quite vigorously and blue, so got some new ones on the way. I hear electronics can make or break how these bikes run, so I want to eliminate as much uncertainty as possible (and ~$15 for peace of mind isn't too bad).
Engine compression: check.
Timing set: check.
Carb cleaning: usurped by impatience and new excitement from the running
The right cylinder wasn't great. Backfiring and missing once in a while, and on the road-test wouldn't rev over 4k. It'd stop RIGHT at 4k and just not go farther. Hmm...
Got it back, pulled the carbs, drenched myself in gas, found that there's a drain screw for the bowl, and noticed the right carb had a rattle...
Ack.
Yep, that's my secondary main jet rattling around in the float bowl. Screwed it back in, put the carbs back on (they were actually pretty clean), and the difference was amazing. Just in time, too, because the weather turned 70+ for a week and I was able to get some seat time just to get my bearings and diagnose as much as I could before winter. I put ~90 miles on it that week, and I had it up to ~70mph with minimal problems. A couple of misses/hesitation which I'm attributing to incorrect jetting for the semi-open exhaust and pod filters (cheaper than stock airboxes around here...I was quoted $60 per side from the local salvage yard!). Pulled the plugs, and the left side I [finally] have running with the perfect mix at low RPM, but the right side goes back and forth lean and rich depending on driving.
I've continued making a list of what I needed to do and have just been tinkering and swapping parts from the CB over ever since...
Some more things I need to address:
1. Carb jetting
2. Lost an exhaust collar when the muffler flew off, a part that goes between the [not-original] muffler and the 2-1 stock header -- maybe causing small exhaust leak?
3. Seem to stall after bike is warm while sitting at lights... swapping over the electric starter (ordered new solenoid for $7 since CB's was fried) to run until I fix the problemo
4. Lower triple tree steering end-stop thing seems chipped...if I let the wheel turn to the right while sitting, the push throttle cable attachment hits the tank ><
This is going to be rough, but I appreciate any and all feedback / criticism / anything. I've gotten a ton of ideas and motivation from the other threads and members here, and I have nothing but respect for your opinions (and recognize that I have no idea what I'm doing
).Background:
This is my very first experience with owning a motorcycle (had very minimal riding experience ~15 years ago? As in I've hopped on one once or twice), so this is meant as a learning experience and, more importantly, a procrastination excuse for me to put off finishing my dissertation. I'm planning on commuting with it since registration and university parking is ridiculously cheap here, so I need it reliable and then the rest will come slowly I hope. I have no wrenching experience aside from changing my car's oil and doing basic maintenance; I have no experience machining, welding, painting, etc.; and my tool menagerie is quite limited. Hopefully, most of this will change from this project
I put off starting a build thread (two months late) since I'm not sure anything will be of any use to all the veterans here :-X Hopefully, it'll keep me organized and motivated though as the weather gets colder.
So, after over six months of unsuccessful watching local ads (and some not-so-local) for a cheap project, I finally got impatient and jumped on these two. The CJ360 had a clean title, and the CB360 was just a parts bike but said to be complete. They were ~2 hours away, but for some reason the titled one clicked with me. The PO said the tank was good and showed me the one small-ish dent; the tires were brand new still with the little nubby things on 'em; the bars were brand new; and the rest was purportedly in great condition. I liked the style, and with my little experience (except for online research and just seeing what was out there), I liked the aesthetics and was assured that it wouldn't be much work to get the CJ running. The CJ "had a bad head," but "just needed swapped" for the CB motor (which he "had running recently"). I'll get to the problem list soon...
Original pics from the craigslist ad:
I met the guy, and the bike looked a bit different than the pics, but I had driven 2 hours for them and I didn't know enough about them to ask for the errata. So, I picked up the bikes, forked over a small student's fortune ($800), the guys helped me tie them down, and I was off...the straps started to come off one block from my house, but we made it
Goals: I'm a grad student, so money isn't exactly...present. I'm hoping to not have to invest much, and as time goes by I'll make it pretty and do the details and upgrades. Therefore, I'd like to:
1. Get it running...and safely
2. Everything else.
3. Refurb the CJ motor while riding with the CB in (want to restore with matching VINs on frame and block)
4. Next winter (2011-2012) do a complete tear down and frame-up rebuild.
First couple of days:
1. Drained oil and gas
2. Started disassembly of both bikes for the engine swap.
I pulled off the left rear cover for the chain, and the motor(s) were so crudded up there and on the bottom, that they looked like they were run through mud or something. Joy. They did come out of the frame relatively easily (I tend to make things harder than they really are). I started with the CB, so if I banged up the frame, etc learning how to get the block out it wouldn't matter as much.
I took the CB motor (the "good" one) to the car wash to use some Gunk engine cleaner and the pressure washer on it, which did ok, but it's going to need some work to look shiny. Dried them off with the compressor, untaped, and started checking out the CB motor...points cover off:
It was starting to dawn on me that the PO may not have been completely honest with me
The motor wasn't seized, though, and I was still hoping that everything was there and the internals were ok.I jump around a lot...
CJ Tank inspection:
It looks like it was lined with something, but still kinda nasty...
The "lining" was chipping and squishy; still no idea what it was...
CB Tank inspection: Also nasty, but none of that vinyl-ish stuff...
Still had some old gas in it...ugh.
I ordered a POR-15 HD Cycle Tank Repair Kit (the one with the liner stripper) so that I could just start anew, so I went back to the engines.
I was getting nervous letting them sit with the oil drained anyway (which I now know doesn't mean it's dry), so I threw the CB engine in the CJ frame and started running wire for the parts of the harness that weren't exactly in-tact. I more wanted the engine bolted in so that I could start doing some diagnostics (compression test, mainly) to see where exactly I stood with the project (and thus how much $$$ to put into it...) since the PO's report wasn't really reliable.
I started to make a list of stuff I needed to get the bike running, and here were the biggies that I wanted to work on first:
1. Get tank cleaned, lined, and ready to hold gas so that I don't screw up the carbs when it is running
2. Get engine in for compression testing and probably back out for tear-down
3. Get carbs off and cleaned (and re-cleaned...)
4. Get ignition cleaned, set up, and checked-out/tuned
Tank stripped and prepped for liner:
Full day of lining: Not perfect, but the squishy stuff came out and this should hold gas and not kill the carbs too badly while I'm building...
Painted with the POR-15 sample kit ($19 shipped, not bad as I'd spend that in primer, paint, etc for rattlecan)
Did a cold compression test = 160psi both cylinders, but I haven't done the "put oil in and do it again" test. I hope the build-up on the pistons isn't too bad since I expect the warm test to be higher.
Since the compression was acceptable (and equal), I decided to try to fire it up...oh wait, PO only left me one coil and no airboxes...big relief on the compression, though.
Found some XS650 coils on eBay with wires and 5k caps for $20. Score. Now lets hope they work...
Fired it up, timing WAY off, but it burped first kick and fired up on the third! Didn't idle correctly (timing) and died easily, but it was much welcomed progress.
I gapped the points, but the right point was still sparking quite vigorously and blue, so got some new ones on the way. I hear electronics can make or break how these bikes run, so I want to eliminate as much uncertainty as possible (and ~$15 for peace of mind isn't too bad).
Engine compression: check.
Timing set: check.
Carb cleaning: usurped by impatience and new excitement from the running
The right cylinder wasn't great. Backfiring and missing once in a while, and on the road-test wouldn't rev over 4k. It'd stop RIGHT at 4k and just not go farther. Hmm...
Got it back, pulled the carbs, drenched myself in gas, found that there's a drain screw for the bowl, and noticed the right carb had a rattle...
Ack.
Yep, that's my secondary main jet rattling around in the float bowl. Screwed it back in, put the carbs back on (they were actually pretty clean), and the difference was amazing. Just in time, too, because the weather turned 70+ for a week and I was able to get some seat time just to get my bearings and diagnose as much as I could before winter. I put ~90 miles on it that week, and I had it up to ~70mph with minimal problems. A couple of misses/hesitation which I'm attributing to incorrect jetting for the semi-open exhaust and pod filters (cheaper than stock airboxes around here...I was quoted $60 per side from the local salvage yard!). Pulled the plugs, and the left side I [finally] have running with the perfect mix at low RPM, but the right side goes back and forth lean and rich depending on driving.
I've continued making a list of what I needed to do and have just been tinkering and swapping parts from the CB over ever since...
Some more things I need to address:
1. Carb jetting
2. Lost an exhaust collar when the muffler flew off, a part that goes between the [not-original] muffler and the 2-1 stock header -- maybe causing small exhaust leak?
3. Seem to stall after bike is warm while sitting at lights... swapping over the electric starter (ordered new solenoid for $7 since CB's was fried) to run until I fix the problemo
4. Lower triple tree steering end-stop thing seems chipped...if I let the wheel turn to the right while sitting, the push throttle cable attachment hits the tank ><
