New from north of T.O.

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Timiskin

New Member
Hello all,

My name is Tim and sitting in my garage is a 1978 CB550K. She had been running great until I noticed she was leaking from the corner of the gear shift side cylinder. Sounds like it's time for a new head gasket which should be an adventure as I've never done that sort of thing before. (any advice would be appreciated) As long as I'm taking her apart I might as well rebuild her as a cafe, and I've found some great inspiration here. I especially like the chrome tank on Leon's 550. Once mine's in good shape again, I'll have to meet some of you for a ride. It's nice to see so many of you are in/around Toronto.
Anyone recommend a good local-ish source for parts or am I stuck with ebay/oldbikebarn?
I'll get some more pics of my bike up as the transformation progresses, but here is one of my daughter and I from earlier this year.

cb550.jpg
 
Welcome! Always glad to see more Tim's on the board. You're lucky with your 550 in that the head can be removed from the bike with the engine in the frame. I've rebuilt a couple of 550 engines, and they're about the simplest ones to do (aside from perhaps my BMW R75).

Changing out the head gasket is simple enough. You should check compression in the cylinders as well though before you do it. If it runs excellent aside from the small oil leak then you're golden.

Now, one other possible oil leak source are the caps on the ends of the valve cover - there are o-rings in there than can fail. Common location for an oil leak, and a LOT easier to deal with than the headgasket. 10 minutes and you can do both sides, with only one big #3 phillips screwdriver.

Another overlooked area for oil leaks is the tachometer drive seal. Often it simply isn't there at all. Bottom right of the engine however, so not your problem now.

Pinpoint if you can the leak location. Could also be a failed/missing o-ring in the #1 tappet covers (cylinders are numbered 1-4 from left to right).

For parts, it depends on what you're looking for. The best source are swap meets, but they don't happen often and you're into hit and miss hunting. Do you want to maintain 2-up riding ability?
 
Hey Tim!!.. Welcome to the board!!..
We'd love to have you come out one thursday ngth!!..
If you like that tank I have, I have another one that Im selling!! ;D
 
Welcome Tim.

Nice looking 550 as she sits. 8)

I'm in Keswick. Where are you?

Z1enterprises.com may have parts for the older Hondas. I've delt with them for mainly Kawasaki parts, but they do list the other Japanese 4.
They have great service as well.
 
I'm in Aurora so just down the road. We shall ride when my bike is up and going again.

The leak is the #1 cylinder and I'm pretty sure it is coming from the join where the head gasket sits. I intend to buy a full gasket set so I will replace everything down to the head gasket while I am at it.

I would like to stay 2-up if possible, I have seen some 2 up seats with a rise at the back that I would prefer.

Leon, how much for that tank and do you have pics?
 
Timiskin said:
I'm in Aurora so just down the road. We shall ride when my bike is up and going again.

The leak is the #1 cylinder and I'm pretty sure it is coming from the join where the head gasket sits. I intend to buy a full gasket set so I will replace everything down to the head gasket while I am at it.

I would like to stay 2-up if possible, I have seen some 2 up seats with a rise at the back that I would prefer.

Leon, how much for that tank and do you have pics?
Click to expand...

Hey Tim,

here is a link to a thread with the details:
http://dotheton.com/index.php?topic=4601.0

the tank is from a cb750f.
You'd have to do some minor mods to mount it properly.
 
You may try and re-torque the head to spec first and see if that stops or slows the leak down and check the compression/leak down.
 
Leon (or am I seeing that you real name is Noel from other posts??) I am sending you a PM with my contact info. I'd like to come see your tank in the next few days if possible.
 
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