1975 CL360 Cafe project (Completed for now!)

[AimSmall]

Re: 1975 CL360 Cafe project (Seat fabrication completed)

Thanks for all the comments guys. Here's an update on the exhaust. I went to a friends shop and he did the tig welding. Also used the brake bender to make the muffler bracket clear the shock.

Zero emmissions setup. And new shocks.

 

[AimSmall]

Re: 1975 CL360 Cafe project (Seat fabrication completed)

Here's a couple shots of the battery strap I made using a rubber bungee from home depot.

Polishing the forks, new seals and oil too.

Polished up the front fender on the buffing wheel too, it had some surface rust and corrosion build up. It's not perfect but I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

 

[AimSmall]

Re: 1975 CL360 Cafe project (Seat fabrication completed)

The petcock hits the top of the head in the original location, in the process of moving it to where I'm pointing in the picture and it will work fine. Will post more pics once it's done getting tig welded by my friend (tig ran out of gas today right after making the 2-1 collector).

After this I'll be riding it, had the brak cable shortened and the throttle cable made yesterday. It's sooooo close!

Solution

 

[AimSmall]

She's done for now! Did just a short test ride up and down my street and it seems pretty comfortable and runs good overall but I have two questions for you guys with the CL's / CB's especially the 360's.

1. The valve train sounds noisey, like a loose cam chain. I adjusted the valves and it's still the same. Is that normal? I think it's got a bad tensioner or worn cam chain. Bike has 11,500 original miles.

2. The rear brake seems pretty weak, but it worked alot better before the rear sets/linkage was done. Ideas?

After I ride it for awhile I'll do a full tear down and pretty it up a bit more (paint, chrome, etc.) After the tires are worn out (they're pretty new) I'd like to do some Buchanan stainless spokes, black aluminum rims, and polished hubs. For now though, I just want to ride it for the summer.

 

[ariel.714 o/c]

 

[AimSmall]

I gotts nada? what happened?

 

[ariel.714 o/c]

I  don't know. I am on the wifes I pad, it's weird I can't just message people, some times.
 I  have the same trouble with my bike, it's loud it sounds just like you described. almost like a lawn mower lol. This is one of the reasons the 360 wasn't as popular as other models. Definitely double check the valves and the chain tenshioner. I don't know how many times I have adjusted the thing 14 mm wrench on alternator spin counter clock wise 90 degrees past the lt mark right where all the valves areclosed,12 mm wrench on lock nut and10mm on tension bolt that should do the trick  . But I end up with the same loud chainy sound. Must be the valves because it's kind of easy yer to mess up the feeler Gage settings since they just say set to where you feel a slight drag??? Ok grandpa Honda if you say so lol

I gotts nada? what happened?

 

[frogman]

They have loud valve trains, just make sure the tensioner is set correctly and valve lash is as well and run. Mine has nice little singing voice at normal RPMS. When it starts yelling I know something is wrong. Now if you hear grinding or squealing then shut it off and get to digging, squealing is a sign of a bearing that is going out or is is out and chain grinding means the cam chain is loose and the tensioner is possibly busted.

FYI it is easier to set the tensioner with the bike running at an idle. Flip it on, let it warm up. Then loosen and tighten the lock bolt. Might be a little louder that way but it does work in a pinch, like out riding.

The solid lifter/tappet design these guys have will always be loud. Part of the reason most cars have hydraulic lifting systems is to act as shock absorbers and remove some of that noise. Than and they automatically set the lash.

 

[AimSmall]

ok thanks guys, I'm looking forward to when it stops raining so I can run it around for more then 5 minutes. So to set the tensioner do I just loosen then tighten the lock nut or do I need to do something else too?

 

[frogman]

HERE Directly from the shop manual

 

[Sonreir]

Just for a quick visual... you want the circled mark lined up with the red arrow or thereabouts. It's doesn't need to be perfect, but it does need to be close.

 

[AimSmall]

Wow you guys are great, thanks for the visual help, it will make things much easier for me. Does anyone have a PDF of the manual for this bike?

 

[Sonreir]

I do... but it's 93 MB. A bit too large to email.
I can mail you a CD if you want.

 

[frogman]

I can point you to a link on Honda twins if you like its a shop manual. TONS of good info over there too.

Linkage to the part of the forum that has the manuals.

 

[frogman]

Just for a quick visual... you want the circled mark lined up with the red arrow or thereabouts. It's doesn't need to be perfect, but it does need to be close.

Is there a place on your bike you HAVEN'T touched with a tooth brush Sonny? ;D

 

[AimSmall]

Any chance you guys could PM me or post the section on valve adjusting and the cam chain adjutment (if there's anything else in there about it). At the point in Sonny's pic ALL my tappets have zero free play, when I adjusted them before I did not set the timing marks, I just found the spot where 2 were loose and set them. I think it needs to be adjusted again. Thanks again guys.

EDIT: So I just went through and adjust the valves again, they were tight due to not setting at tdc the first time I adjusted (overconfident in eyeball ability). So now they are all at .002 IN and .003 EX correctly but at 90 degrees after TDC on "LT" compression stroke the tappets are loose except the right IN. I can see the right IN close at about 75 degrees after LT TDC on compression stroke but it just doesn't wiggle like the rest. If I put it on RT TDC compression stroke it wiggles and is still at .002.

I'm nervous about adjusting the cam chain like that but confident about the valve adjustment.

Suggestions?

 

[frogman]

Setting the VALVE LASH is different than setting the cam chain tension. The Valves need to be set at ZERO pressure from the cam PER SIDE. Easy way to find that is at the TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke of EACH side. Set the lash and check with the NEXT size up, so if it is .002 check with a .003 and so on. The .002 go though fine but the .003 should sorta start but not go through. The Tappet end is round so it will sorta kinda go under but not through. Then spin the engine over a few times and get it back to TDC on the compression stroke for the side you are working on and check things again. I know sounds repetitive, but do it anyway.

Then go to the other side and repeat the process. MAKE sure you tighten the the lock nuts or the screws will back out and maybe fall out and lock shit up. IF the screw turns while you turn the nut then figure out how much the screw turns and back it out a bit before you turn the nut.

The cam chain get it set the way it is supposed to be set and remember that they are all metal engines they will make some noise it's just part of the deal. If I can get to it I will make a vid of what mine sounds like and post it for ya.

 

[AimSmall]

Frog, Last night I set the valves exactly like you described, the noise I'm hearing really isn't that bad and I think it's likely just normal valve train noise.

After riding about 50 miles today I can say it runs pretty good overall. I need to make a stronger linkage for the rear brake (5/16 bar stock) because the stock one I bent up just flexes like crazy and the rear brake doesn't get the pressure it needs. Also need to adjust the carbs a little, WOT seems fine (maybe a tad rich) and low RPM's are fine but right around the middle it has a pretty bad burrble I need to get rid of. I'm going to drop the needle two clip positions and try it again, if that doesn't do it I'll try one size lower main jet and put the clip back where it was. Will report back later on that.

 

[AimSmall]

Playing with photoshop, trying to make a cool looking buisness card.

From this

And this

To this

My photoshopping skills suck but you get the idea of what I'm going for. What do you guys think?

 

[AimSmall]

I think I need to do the "magic wand" cut out on this photo (brighter pic) and it will blend better with the flames photo but I don't have that tool. I'm just using a free photo shop that came with a blackberry phone LOL.