Memphis area engine god?

[Scruffy]

For a was running now locked up tighter than a nun's thighs 63 Honda 250 twin. It may be just a stuck kicker shaft but... I'm a body and paint guy. And an antique engine mechanic, if it has OHV (let alone OHC), I don't mess with their internals much. Preferably somebody a lot closer to the Tipton County line off Hwy 14 (where I live) than the old race shop on Airways at the south loop. I rarely (very rarely) go into the city anymore.

 

[teazer]

CA (dream) or CB(Supersport) or CL (street scrambler)? I see that your sig line says CL, but CB or CL kickstarter side cover?

CB kicks forwards, the others go back as normal.

Please post pics and I'll see what I can see. Is the motor seized or just won't kick? What has been done/tried so far?

 

[Scruffy]

CL

Won't kick, rolls fine in neutral, kick it into gear and it doesn't move, not even a wiggle at the countershaft sprocket. I've had it filled for months with Marvel, diesel, atf and motor oil. Drain the lubricant, try the kicker, try moving it in gear, no change. Pour the fluids back in and let it soak some more. And by full, I mean through the plug holes and through a valve access port. Disconnected the kicker arm and tried rocking it in gear, no change. Pulled the plugs, stood on a breaker bar on the crank nut, no movement.

Only pics I have showing the engine, it would still kick through and kind of run when the pic with stock handlebar was taken.

 

[teazer]

That's a bit sad looking but I have started with worse/less. I'd just go ahead and pull the engine and strip the top end off, but drain the oil first.

They are a simple engine to work on but the two piece camshaft is very different to anything else on the planet. It's not difficult, just perplexing, so get a parts book and shop manual. You should be able to find both on line.

If that tank is aluminum, it's worth cash to a restorer.

 

[Scruffy]

Steel tank, have one steel side panel too. It came with the stock seat (junk), a cafe seat/tail (junk) and a couple ragged Preston Petty fenders (junk).

Was originally picked up to make a sign out of, but I had it running in under a week. Not well, timing plate is shot, but it ran.

Was then going to fix it up for a friend's niece but, 1) she decided she didn't want anything to do with motorcycles once she "blossomed" 2) wife and I moved cross country (back to civilization).

Too little for me to ride. 6'2" 240# doesn't do mid mounts and low bars very well. Figured I'd get it running for the grand nieces, one is 6 or 7, her sister is 18 or 19 (goes to UT Knoxville). Would be a decent college beater fixed up.

 

[snake89]

Well scruffy i work at that shop on airways and i dont know of anyone else who does that kind of engine work. Hope you've figured it out but if not Fletchers your man.

 

[Scruffy]

Pulled the engine, looked in the intake ports, not too shabby, a bit of "fuel sand" in the pockets but over all pretty clean. Looked in the exhaust ports, saw what looked suspiciously like the aftermath of a magnesium fire in the right side port, left side port is black and sticky (roofing tar sticky). Engine has between 10 and 20 hours on a complete rebuild less timing plate, but, the work was done in the late 70s or early 80s. Cam and chain look like factory new, have not pulled the head proper yet, but I'm betting a piston is burned through and/or shattered (with a piece stuck somewhere in the transmission or bottom end).

Snake, I'll keep you guys in mind. I'm way up in Rosemark on the county line, so you guys are a bit of a haul for me. Right at the edge of my blown back's sitting tolerance in a car or mini truck (my full sizes aren't licensed). My farmhand has been playing with 60s Hondas for decades, as in a couple years before I was born and I'm 40. I'll try and pop the cam chain this week and get the head yanked.