CB550 build in Texas, just getting started
- Thread starter kruck
- Start date
Let's hear it man, what are you going to do with this bike?
Redliner
Over 1,000 Posts
Look out for dem dere gaterz
I've brought back worse. Just be very patient. Use proper tools. Use penetrating fluid and heat. Use an impact driver. Be patient. Make certain that your driver bits fit perfectly. Using the wrong size/shaped driver will destroy a screw's head. Oh, and whatever you do, just be patient.
I've brought back worse. Just be very patient. Use proper tools. Use penetrating fluid and heat. Use an impact driver. Be patient. Make certain that your driver bits fit perfectly. Using the wrong size/shaped driver will destroy a screw's head. Oh, and whatever you do, just be patient.
Redliner
Over 1,000 Posts
There are better carb soaks out there but the Berryman dip eats up any petrochemical pretty well. You'd have to remove any plastic and rubber, as it sorta makes rubber brittle and well, why take chances with plastic?
If you need a penetrating fluid, some people have suggested ATF mixed with acetone. Heat the head of the screw with a heat gun or small torch if you have it until it could sizzle the mixture. Just heat it, then squirt a few drops of the mixture on it and you'll see it bubble and some smoke come off. It's being sucked into the threads.
Then again, heating and then applying PB Blaster has never let me down on carbs.
If you need a penetrating fluid, some people have suggested ATF mixed with acetone. Heat the head of the screw with a heat gun or small torch if you have it until it could sizzle the mixture. Just heat it, then squirt a few drops of the mixture on it and you'll see it bubble and some smoke come off. It's being sucked into the threads.
Then again, heating and then applying PB Blaster has never let me down on carbs.
Redliner
Over 1,000 Posts
Be certain that the bike can run with stock intake before trying any modifications to it, such as the pod filters.
Are you certain that the tank has not been rusted through? It's solid along the bottom?
Small battery? Going kick-only?
Clymer and Haynes? You're already a pro. You'll find that where one might miss a specification, the other will have it. And where one was published before another, corrections are made to some procedures. Always check across the two
Are you certain that the tank has not been rusted through? It's solid along the bottom?
Small battery? Going kick-only?
Clymer and Haynes? You're already a pro. You'll find that where one might miss a specification, the other will have it. And where one was published before another, corrections are made to some procedures. Always check across the two
Re: Re: CB550 build in Texas, just getting started
I don't believe the tanks rusted through, but even if it is, I'm going to want to treat whatever replacement I find.
Yeah I want a minimalistic feel.and yeah I love those books. Nothing beats them for diy‘ers
sent from a pit stop
I'll try with the stock intake but its missing a couple boots.Redliner said:Be certain that the bike can run with stock intake before trying any modifications to it, such as the pod filters.
Are you certain that the tank has not been rusted through? It's solid along the bottom?
Small battery? Going kick-only?
Clymer and Haynes? You're already a pro. You'll find that where one might miss a specification, the other will have it. And where one was published before another, corrections are made to some procedures. Always check across the two
I don't believe the tanks rusted through, but even if it is, I'm going to want to treat whatever replacement I find.
Yeah I want a minimalistic feel.and yeah I love those books. Nothing beats them for diy‘ers
sent from a pit stop
Redliner
Over 1,000 Posts
I don't know about today, but at least on the bikes I work on (80's and prior) I've never found a liner. Doesn't seem to be a real need for it, but that's just my take.
OK, well if you're going to eliminate lady-starter, do so only once the engine is squared away. You don't want to kick the thing fifty-times only to find a problem and by then you're too tired to deal with it or even look at the thing. Keep the e-start, use a large car battery so that it can crank longer between charges, then wire up the smaller battery and remove the starter.
If you get the engine running right with the stock intake, you eliminate a lot of hours of troubleshooting. That's because if you run into a problem, you know it won't be improper jetting, parts of the carb blocked by pod filter insulators, etc.
Go to L&L. There's three 500 or 550's laying around. Tony will have boots. Not the best, but they will work. Boil them if they're hard and they'll come back to life. Again, I'm urging this because it eliminates many hours of tears and lost tools that were thrown in every direction.
Oh, and again, when it comes time to do the small things like valve clearance and points, etc, come on by and I'll explain the concepts. I'm right around the corner from L&L: literally walking distance.
OK, well if you're going to eliminate lady-starter, do so only once the engine is squared away. You don't want to kick the thing fifty-times only to find a problem and by then you're too tired to deal with it or even look at the thing. Keep the e-start, use a large car battery so that it can crank longer between charges, then wire up the smaller battery and remove the starter.
If you get the engine running right with the stock intake, you eliminate a lot of hours of troubleshooting. That's because if you run into a problem, you know it won't be improper jetting, parts of the carb blocked by pod filter insulators, etc.
Go to L&L. There's three 500 or 550's laying around. Tony will have boots. Not the best, but they will work. Boil them if they're hard and they'll come back to life. Again, I'm urging this because it eliminates many hours of tears and lost tools that were thrown in every direction.
Oh, and again, when it comes time to do the small things like valve clearance and points, etc, come on by and I'll explain the concepts. I'm right around the corner from L&L: literally walking distance.
work9to5
See you in the wind.
Redliner's right, dont go to pods until you get the carbs sorted and tuned! I did the opposite (a 550 78') with my build and it caused me 4 weeks of frustrations, waiting for different sized jetts to come in. With those exhaust I'm guessing someones already messed with your jet size. I doubt you have factory standards in there. Also just an fyi honda did alot of switching of carb models on the 550 (even in the middle of the production year), figure out exactly which carb you have right away. This is just a guess, but from the look of that bike somebody who knew motorcycles owned that thing. Your tanks painted (hopefully that means there's no rust in there, cross your fingers and get a flashlight in there right away), there's a #2 on your #2 plug wire (somebody with exp. has touched that engine), your pipes r they just open (no baffle/ i.e.-non standarding jetting)? Your petcock should have one out going to #2 carb. I'm just finishing a full engine rebuild on mine, have rebuilt and re-jetted carbs on it three times and put 5,000 miles on it in the past year whenever i get it outta the shop (not in pieces) if you have any questions shoot em out there. And best advice i can give you, HAVE PATIENCE'S and plan it out!
frogman
'74 CB360, '71 CB450, '75 CB550SS
+1 on Berrymans, there are a few pieces of rubber/plastic that are impossible to find so just take care with what you have. Follow the instructions on the can, 20-30 minute soak is best if it doesn't clean just put it back in, long exposure to the chemical will ruin the aluminum, I left a petcock in it overnight once and it ruined it.
Get them soaking now and then check the post where the main jet under that retaining spring goes. The FIRST set of 550 carbs we started with on the one in the shop had serious corrosion, enough that the jets would not stay put once clean. Managed to find good carbies in a junk yard and the guy was nice enough to cut us a decent deal. I still have a lot of little parts for them hit me up if you need any.
Starter is a pain to remove I would suggest just leaving it and working around the battery, its a bigger bike and will be nice to have one. We are leaving the starter and the battery in this one, just moving the battery a bit and making new side covers and upgrading a few things electrical along the way. Can get the same rated battery in a smaller package if you go with sealed or gell style.
Air filters are pretty much whatever you want, they are slide carbs so you really won't affect them as much as if you had gotten that 450. There are lots of COOL looking filters that will fit the 550s. They do run like absolute shit without filters and mufflers, but they sound stupid awesome that way. \
One thing I can say is get to looking for another front end to rob the brake parts from so you can do dual disks. My 360 has the same front brakes and it stops fine but it weights half as much. The first 2-3 times riding the 550 before we took it down I was less than impressed with it. Kinda like is it gonna stop.............. brakes and that was after reworking them and cleaning them up.
Get them soaking now and then check the post where the main jet under that retaining spring goes. The FIRST set of 550 carbs we started with on the one in the shop had serious corrosion, enough that the jets would not stay put once clean. Managed to find good carbies in a junk yard and the guy was nice enough to cut us a decent deal. I still have a lot of little parts for them hit me up if you need any.
Starter is a pain to remove I would suggest just leaving it and working around the battery, its a bigger bike and will be nice to have one. We are leaving the starter and the battery in this one, just moving the battery a bit and making new side covers and upgrading a few things electrical along the way. Can get the same rated battery in a smaller package if you go with sealed or gell style.
Air filters are pretty much whatever you want, they are slide carbs so you really won't affect them as much as if you had gotten that 450. There are lots of COOL looking filters that will fit the 550s. They do run like absolute shit without filters and mufflers, but they sound stupid awesome that way. \
One thing I can say is get to looking for another front end to rob the brake parts from so you can do dual disks. My 360 has the same front brakes and it stops fine but it weights half as much. The first 2-3 times riding the 550 before we took it down I was less than impressed with it. Kinda like is it gonna stop..............
brakes and that was after reworking them and cleaning them up.
