(Not really) The slowest project ever - CM400T

[kadavenport]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - it's ALIVE (w/ video)

Cool build, and congrats on getting it moving down the road... err sidewalk.

 

[Alchemist]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - it's ALIVE (w/ video)

heh,

Thanks guys. The sidewalk ride was actually a lot more lame than it looks. I didn't have the bike running, so I ran with it and then hopped on it to test out the brakes =)

Here are some updates:

Everything is done EXCEPT the LED flasher relay (store is closed and couldn't get the transistor today) and exhaust - which will be a small 90 deg bend down

I used old upholstery for the seat, it's not perfect but it will be good enough for now. I can't justify spending money on proper upholstery at this time, and I need to get some riding hours behind me while the weather is still nice.

I will also clean it and take nice pictures once everything is finished, but I hope to start riding it this week.

 

[goodfornothing]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

Dude that looks great!

You're a very fast worker as well. This was a quick build!

 

[dcmspikes]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

yeah this came together nicely. have you set the speedo and tach yet? ive been looking at those gauges. will you let us know how it works for you? thanks. great job

 

[goodfornothing]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

I'm interested in how the speedo/tach works out!

There's a couple of things I should bring up, first with your shift and brake linkages, I heard that it's better if you have the arm/tabs that the linkages are connected to parallel with each other. Also, are you looking into dust seals for your forks?

 

[Alchemist]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

I'm interested in how the speedo/tach works out!

There's a couple of things I should bring up, first with your shift and brake linkages, I heard that it's better if you have the arm/tabs that the linkages are connected to parallel with each other. Also, are you looking into dust seals for your forks?

The shift linkage does work better when it's parallel, I got lazy and didn't want to thread a new rod, but it really works fine as it is now.

The brakes are awesome, no complaints what-so-ever.

I'm not going to gt dust seals for the forks. Regular seals should prevent dust from getting in there and I don't plan on riding in the rain or bad weather. I'm taking it from years of riding bicycles, the forks lasted forever without the dust boots... although, I may be completely wrong about this and i'll blow my seals haha

 

[goodfornothing]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

For sure! I just replaced my fork seals but the dust seals that I ordered couldn't be installed right so I just wrapped electrical tape around it LOL!

Is that a plastic rear inner fender you have there?

 

[boingk]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

Rear-sets sit where passenger foot pegs used to be, that location is actually PERFECT for me

Same for my GS850! Gotta love coincidence...or is it fate?

Anywho, nice build man. Very clean. Only thing I'd ping you on is the tank - looks smooth and all the rest but why leave the bdage divet in there? If its just primer then thats cool, otherwise find a badge or find some bondo. Don't want to sound like an ass, but its the only thing that caught my eye as 'not quite right'.

Cheers, and good job! - boingk

 

[Alchemist]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

The rear inner fender is plastic, it came stock on the bike...

Same for my GS850! Gotta love coincidence...or is it fate?

Anywho, nice build man. Very clean. Only thing I'd ping you on is the tank - looks smooth and all the rest but why leave the bdage divet in there? If its just primer then thats cool, otherwise find a badge or find some bondo. Don't want to sound like an ass, but its the only thing that caught my eye as 'not quite right'.

Cheers, and good job! - boingk

Heh, thanks. I haven't checked to see where I can buy some honda badges yet. The tank is painted... the paint is called metal specs and it looks as if it was just sandblasted, but its painted and clear-coated already.

So... where can i get the honda badges?

 

[dcwp]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

I'm looking for a tank to put on my CM400 project this week. Depending on what I find, I may have an extra set of badges made specifically for your tank. Check in with me this weekend if you're still looking.

 

[boingk]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

If it doesn't work out with dcwp's badges, check your local wreckers yard. Not sure what its like over there, but its fairly usual here for them to have a box of badges and a rack of tanks, plus the usual wrecks sulking around demanding silly money. Now Joes Motorcycles in Canberra...theres a wrecker!

 

[Alchemist]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - Final touches.

Cool, thanks guys.

now I need help... badly.
I don't know anything about carb tuning, the bike seems to be running rich right now and the timinig seems to be off. I'm judging based on non-stop backfires I'm getting.

I put on the filters, so there is a lot more air getting into the motor, which means that it should be running lean.

I called a local shop and he said he charges $160 just to take the carbs apart, and for that much money I'd rather learn how to do it myself. Can anyone help me with this, guide me in the right direction or maybe even come over (I live in Richmond Hill) and help me tune it on Saturday? I will provide beer and snacks, and I can offer some nominal fee for gas, etc.

Thanks gents!

 

[Maritime]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - HELP! Carb tuning!

If it wasn't a 16 hour ride I be there to help. I know you need to up the main jets for pods on the CM to prevent lean conditions. are your carb gaskets good? Air getting past or a hole in the boots can cause the backfiring. Is it on throttle close? or Acceleration? I have 128 mains with 2 over stock slows, pods and straight exhaust with emgo shortys with baffles in. Check your air scres as well to set them at factory to start. Download the clymers, it has stock setting and how to tune. You may not need as large of main jets if you still have the crossover under the bike, that is the real muffler on these things, the pipes are just hollow. Jets are cheap and available from Importation Thiebault. I got them from a local shop for 2.00 ea and bought a few sizes and tested until I got the right ones. you just pull the float bowls and use a flat screwdriver to change them out with the carbs on the bike.

good luck.

 

[dcwp]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - HELP! Carb tuning!

Don't worry about timing. I could be wrong, but as far as I can tell there is no way to screw up the timing on this bike unless you modify the camshaft or your CDI goes bad. The carbs are super easy to work on with a clymer and a couple of standard screw drivers, so hopefully you'll be in good shape. I'll watch intently though, I want to go to pods later this year and will be interested to see how you end up dealing with the jets.

 

[boomshakalaka]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - HELP! Carb tuning!

"slowest project ever"..

so your thread on caferacer.net started within a month of my build thread on here. My bike is currently in 1299053720895 pieces and I have a ton of stuff to clean up/fabricate still. So, uh, I win, or lose, or whatever..

 

[Alchemist]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - HELP! Carb tuning!

"slowest project ever"..

so your thread on caferacer.net started within a month of my build thread on here. My bike is currently in 1299053720895 pieces and I have a ton of stuff to clean up/fabricate still. So, uh, I win, or lose, or whatever..

heh, I am just too excited to ride, so I keep trying to finish it faster.

Okay. So here is the issue.

I'm sure my timing is fine - i read in the manual that the timing pretty much never needs to be changed.

I cleaned out the carbs again (it's amazing how easy it is to take them off when you're following the manual)
When I go to start the bike, my carbs INSTANTLY flood, to the point where gas starts coming out of my air filters.
I think the floaters aren't working, but I'm really not too sure.

Any advice?
I called Tony today, he'll come out tomorrow to help me tune the bike. But I want to make sure I find the problem so that he doesn't come out here for nothing.


Oh one more thing, since I know you guys love photos. Here's my exhaust:

I'm thinking of repainting my tank in copper colour because I love that look.

 

[dcwp]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - HELP! Carb tuning!

Holy crap that exhaust looks cool! I love the copper color, I wanted to do my trim in copper or bronze, but the closest I could find was gold :-\ It'll have to do for now.

Is that exhaust crazy loud? Or is it ok for regular riding? My muffs are pretty crappy and I've been hemming and hawing on what to replace them with. Your solution is awesome.

As for the carbs, your float needles are clearly not closing. The floats themselves are not adjustable, the manual says to just buy new ones and if you try to bend the plastic, they will break. Trust me, they definitely will break, I learned it the hard way.

BUT you can adjust float height a little bit by bending the needle tabs. The top of the needle is a flat metal square with a little pin coming out. The pin is spring loaded and doesn't do much for your float height. The corners of the squares can be bent slightly with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Bend them up somewhat (toward the little rod on top, away from the valve seat) and you will gain a bit of float height. This is a very imperfect approach, but if you find you're close to the right float height, it may get you what you need.

The other thing to check is the float needle seat (the place the rubber tip of the needle closes into the carb body). It needs to be super clean so the needle makes a full stop. If there is any debris, clean it out, blow with compressed air, check to make sure it's clean before reassembly. You may also want to hit it with a q-tip and some metal polish to be sure there aren't any scratches. I haven't done this myself, but saw it recommended somewhere. Finally, check the rubber tips of your float needles. Again they should be perfectly clean and smooth.

Good luck!

 

[Maritime]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - HELP! Carb tuning!

IF you like copper, check out Cannuck Plumbers bike. He's got copper accents that pop against a balck and polished bike, Same model as our's CM/CB. I had the same problem as yours and it was dirty float needle seats as posted by DCWP. I turned on the petcock and fuel just kept coming. There was a small amount of rust that burped into the carbs and got in there. Cleaning them should allow the needle to close and shut of your fuel. I like the downturn tips, how did you fasten them? with the stock clamps? I need to extend my shorties just a bit as they blow exhaust on passengers (Wife) and I was thinking a turned down end would be good.

Good luck on the carbs, they aren't to bad to work with. I have 2 spare sets if you break a float etc.

Maritime

 

[Black Motor Covenant]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - HELP! Carb tuning!

I'm surprised that you haven't removed that big, nasty underbelly/colector that the headers run into. It's pretty heavy and the bike looks a heck of a lot better underneath without it. You'd agree! But anyway, the bike is looking awesome!

 

[Swagger]

Re: Slowest project ever - CM400T - HELP! Carb tuning!

That crossover box is unfortunately the only thing keeping this bike from augering out his ears too.
He'd need some actual mufflers......