My 80 dollar CB350... sigh
- Thread starter Novafrk
- Start date
Novafrk
New Member
JRK5892 said:
Thanks JRK!
The piston is stuck in the caliper... I think it has the classic problem of crap building up behind the o-ring which eventually locks the piston... It was disconnected when I got the bike so I'm assuming that it went out and wouldn't retract. I've had it soaking in penetrating oil for days now, and it hasn't helped it any... the piston itself doesn't look corroded or anything like that which leads me to believe that it's just being squeezed in there by the oring. I'll know more in the next day or so.
well i woudl do this to fix it... i have had this happen on old muscle cars... you are to the point now that you can try anything cause if it does not work you are going to have to replace it... VICE TIME! put it in a vice and start cranking! really take you tiem to be sure that you are putting pressure on it so it goes in square... it will take some real muscle to get it to break and pop in... after it does then hook it all up and put some soft wood in the caliper (i use particle board) start pumping! if it moves forward, and begins to crush the wood problem fixed break up the particle board and compress the piston again... problem solved... if not, ebay my friend, ebay
i have had many a mechanic tell me this does not work and is a bad idea, yet just 3 weeks ago i did it to a buddy that has a G35 with a front piston that was sciezed out... had 2 infinity mechanics at my house just drop their jaws when i did it and it worked! just cause it is not in the books of HOW TO does not mean it is wrong
i have had many a mechanic tell me this does not work and is a bad idea, yet just 3 weeks ago i did it to a buddy that has a G35 with a front piston that was sciezed out... had 2 infinity mechanics at my house just drop their jaws when i did it and it worked! just cause it is not in the books of HOW TO does not mean it is wrong
noexit
Been Around the Block
Yea, that's can work, but I'm telling you, hydraulic pressure is a lot more powerful than a vice and you hands. That's why they designed the brakes to use hydraulics, not vices... I've rebuilt a few disk brakes, and you'll have a hard time getting even uncorroded brakes out with the tools around your shop. Hook the brake up to a good master cylinder, bleed it, and squeeze the brake lever until it comes out. It will, and you won't damage anything.
Novafrk
New Member
Thanks everyone...
I think I'm going to save the vise and hammer trick for a last resort... I'll try the hydraulic pressure trick first. Sorry JRK, just seems like less sweating involved. lol.
My biggest concern is the carburators... I've completely rebuilt them. New jets, seals, floats needle/seats... everything. I've got a new pet cock too. How tempermental are these old carbs, provided the fuel flow is constant to them? Do the mikuni race carbs I've seen on ebay make a difference/easier to maintain/get parts for? Does anyone have any experiance with the mikuni set up? Any advice on the stock cv carbs?
Nova
I think I'm going to save the vise and hammer trick for a last resort... I'll try the hydraulic pressure trick first. Sorry JRK, just seems like less sweating involved. lol.
My biggest concern is the carburators... I've completely rebuilt them. New jets, seals, floats needle/seats... everything. I've got a new pet cock too. How tempermental are these old carbs, provided the fuel flow is constant to them? Do the mikuni race carbs I've seen on ebay make a difference/easier to maintain/get parts for? Does anyone have any experiance with the mikuni set up? Any advice on the stock cv carbs?
Nova
noexit
Been Around the Block
Novafrk said:
The biggest problem with the CV carbs would be if your diaphragms are cracked. Other than that, they are pretty easy. Once you get the cables hooked up, make sure that they both start opening at the exact same time when you crack the throttle. Then use the mixture screws to get the balance and idle. There isn't really a better way to sync them. There's no vacuum port, you're just supposed to feel the pressure coming out of the exhaust pipes with your hands.
Novafrk said:
Personally I like flat slide style carbs and that's what I'm putting on my Hodaka,but it's a single cylinder,two stroke.
I also had a racing flat slide carb on my CR125 I sold last year. It was really simple and really cool because the idle screw and the choke was all one in the same. You pull up on the knob to put it on choke and after it was warmed up you could turn it to set the idle wherever you wanted with no tools needed like on some older bikes. That made it very nice and easy to adjust the idle to suit the conditions/temps. ;D
I really,really didn't want to let that carb go with the bike,but I didn't have another one to put on it. :'(
Novafrk
New Member
noexit,
Thanks for the info. Luckily the slide diaphragms look to be in great shape. Hopefully they will last a few years. I've got a related (sort of) question on the drain tubes... where exactly do they get routed to? Surely they don't go right in front of the rear wheel? Down through the center support? Any advice?
Nova
Thanks for the info. Luckily the slide diaphragms look to be in great shape. Hopefully they will last a few years. I've got a related (sort of) question on the drain tubes... where exactly do they get routed to? Surely they don't go right in front of the rear wheel? Down through the center support? Any advice?
Nova
Novafrk
New Member
Little update on the exhaust... it looks like I'm missing the collar on one of the drag pipes sooo we'll be using the factory pipes with the little mufflers. I'll fab a collar over the winter and run the drag pipes next year. I'm actually partial to the curve of the factory pipe... I know the drag pipes probably flow better but... looks are important too.
Nova
Nova
noexit
Been Around the Block
Novafrk said:
Actually, I think that is where they go. I doubt that gas would leak out when riding, and even if it did, it shouldn't cause a problem since it's not a lubricant. Just make sure your engine case vent goes somewhere that it can't get pinched. I had mine get pinched by the center stand stop, blowing an engine seal, causing oil to start pouring out of my engine. It made the rear wheel really slick.
Novafrk
New Member
Ok, thats where I'll put them... Has anyone ever used a breather filter for the case vent, instead of running the hose? I think it'd look slick if you could get one small enough.
I've got a question about led turnsignals. Will I have to change the flasher unit in order for them to flash since the current draw is less? If so does anyone have any information on what unit they used or modification to the factory piece to get it too work?
If I understand the concept correctly, if I shave a little metal off of the bimetallic strip, it should heat up and trip the switch with the reduced current draw. Let me know what you think...
Nova
I've got a question about led turnsignals. Will I have to change the flasher unit in order for them to flash since the current draw is less? If so does anyone have any information on what unit they used or modification to the factory piece to get it too work?
If I understand the concept correctly, if I shave a little metal off of the bimetallic strip, it should heat up and trip the switch with the reduced current draw. Let me know what you think...
Nova
Novafrk
New Member
Little weekend update...
I didn't get it running... I misplaced an ehaust pipe gasket... and apparently that isn't a part anyone stocks... ??? In addition the front brake is shot... well the master cylinder is. The caliper... I've cleaned it up but the puck seems awful tight still... It may be fine I'm not sure though... I did get some stuff done... Working on cleaning up the electrics, mounted the gauges, chain, clutch, throttle cable, rear brakes... I've got one coat of paint on all the remaining pieces... So once I figure out the master cylinder, (let face it if I have everything else done and it's running.... I'm riding it with just the rear brakes...) and get the exhaust pipe gasket... Things will get loud. I've got one more place to try Monday, for the gasket and master cylinder. So We're bumbing the launch date by one week...
Novafrk
I didn't get it running... I misplaced an ehaust pipe gasket... and apparently that isn't a part anyone stocks... ??? In addition the front brake is shot... well the master cylinder is. The caliper... I've cleaned it up but the puck seems awful tight still... It may be fine I'm not sure though... I did get some stuff done... Working on cleaning up the electrics, mounted the gauges, chain, clutch, throttle cable, rear brakes... I've got one coat of paint on all the remaining pieces... So once I figure out the master cylinder, (let face it if I have everything else done and it's running.... I'm riding it with just the rear brakes...) and get the exhaust pipe gasket... Things will get loud. I've got one more place to try Monday, for the gasket and master cylinder. So We're bumbing the launch date by one week...
Novafrk
Novafrk
New Member
OK after some more set backs... the bike fired up and ran flawlessly tonight. I mean seriously... I hit the starter button and it fired! It startled me... seriously I had no expectation of it firing up the first time that I hit the starter button. I did have to turn down the idle a bit, and tweaked the mixture screw a skosh but other than that... it runs good.
Now for the problems... all four turn signals come on when I select one side or the other. They don't blink which I didn't think that they would since I've put led signals on it. I didn't expect all four to turn on at the same time. I'm going over the schematic tonight but if any one has any insight... by all means throw it my way.
Also, the ignition switch... it has two positions... in the first position everything comes on everything works (except the turn signals... which now that I think about it don't come on with the light... should they?) The second position I lose EVERYTHING. It's a new after market switch, but the old one does that now too... it didn't before... I know I've got something mixed up but I can't figure it out. Maybe studying the schematic some more will help... here's to hoping.
Novafrk
Now for the problems... all four turn signals come on when I select one side or the other. They don't blink which I didn't think that they would since I've put led signals on it. I didn't expect all four to turn on at the same time. I'm going over the schematic tonight but if any one has any insight... by all means throw it my way.
Also, the ignition switch... it has two positions... in the first position everything comes on everything works (except the turn signals... which now that I think about it don't come on with the light... should they?) The second position I lose EVERYTHING. It's a new after market switch, but the old one does that now too... it didn't before... I know I've got something mixed up but I can't figure it out. Maybe studying the schematic some more will help... here's to hoping.
Novafrk
Novafrk
New Member
Hey all!
After studying the schematic last night I discovered that I had the wiring correct... the PO had had it jacked up. Also I'm pretty sure my other electrical gremlins are missing grounding straps. I forgot about the bar mounts having rubber isolators. Even with the minor issues I put 25 miles on the bike today. It runs well. I do have some shift issues though. When it heats up it doesn't like to down shift, sometimes third to second, almost always second to first. I'm sure I have the clutch adjusted correctly so I'm guessing it's something in the shift drum.
Any advice?
Nova.
After studying the schematic last night I discovered that I had the wiring correct... the PO had had it jacked up. Also I'm pretty sure my other electrical gremlins are missing grounding straps. I forgot about the bar mounts having rubber isolators. Even with the minor issues I put 25 miles on the bike today. It runs well. I do have some shift issues though. When it heats up it doesn't like to down shift, sometimes third to second, almost always second to first. I'm sure I have the clutch adjusted correctly so I'm guessing it's something in the shift drum.
Any advice?
Nova.
Novafrk
New Member
I've got the bike road worthy! I've been riding it to work the last two days. Thought I had a transmission problem but it was operator error. I think I have a couple of vacuum leaks which I will take care of over the weekend.. (not working tomorrow) The new master cylinder came in so I'll be fitting that as well.
http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk43/Novafrk/CB350G%20rebuild/
This is the link to the complete build, start to finish.
Here is how it looks today. BTW I took third place in a peoples choice bike show today at work... ;D. I beat out 20+ Harley's and other cruizers. Got beat by a CBR1000rr and some other sport bike. Not bad for a slightly modified 35 year old bike.
Thanks for all the advice. I'm sticking around though... I've got a line on a CB450 twin... it's apart, but still in major pieces. I think I can get it for about 50-80 bucks...
Any one around Indy want to go cruizin?
Nova
http://s277.photobucket.com/albums/kk43/Novafrk/CB350G%20rebuild/
This is the link to the complete build, start to finish.
Here is how it looks today. BTW I took third place in a peoples choice bike show today at work... ;D. I beat out 20+ Harley's and other cruizers. Got beat by a CBR1000rr and some other sport bike. Not bad for a slightly modified 35 year old bike.
Thanks for all the advice. I'm sticking around though... I've got a line on a CB450 twin... it's apart, but still in major pieces. I think I can get it for about 50-80 bucks...
Any one around Indy want to go cruizin?
Nova
