Seized Engine - How much trouble to fix

Mryan

New Member
Hey Everyone,
My name is Mark and I am new to the site. I am currently considering buying 2 Honda CB 360s and a 350 for $600, all do not work. 2 are complete and 1 in peices but all the parts are there. The gentlemen selling them said the engine's are seized and he's not sure what the problem is but I should be able to get parts from one to fix the other.
Being new to the build scene and not having much mechanical experience should I stay clear of these bikes? I am not sure what the problem could be or even know where to begin to fix it.

Thanks alot for your help
 
Depending on the severity of the seize your cost would be a lot of elbow grease, an hone job, and new rings or it could be a useless lump of metal. No way of knowing until you open it up. Count on at least two hundred dollars to fix though. You might be able to get away with less, but it's going to take time (which is, of course, money).
 
Are they seized due to lack of oil or rusted rings? $600 isn't bad really if you have titles and there are lots of good parts.
 
I'm not sure what the cause is. All he said was the engine was stuck.
2 of them have titles, one does not.
I may pick them up, thanks for your help.
 
Not to be the huge bearer of bad news.....but alot of the time, "if you have to ask you are in over your head"

MANY MANY things could be wrong
Do you have any mechanical skills?
do you have any tools?
do you have a place to work?

$600 is a ton of money for 2 parts bikes and a pile of stuff.
None of these bikes are rare or anything crazy special.
spend the $600 or maybe alittle more on a running riding bike.
Any old bike, even a fully restored beauty will give you things to learn how to work on stuff.
 
I have considered all of that as well.
My mechanical skills are not great but I want to learn and I figured this was a good way to start. I have tools and can always buy more over time and I have a garage with lots of room.
It would be a project, may take me months or it may take me years. Just something to tinker with in my spare tim and something to learn and be proud of when completed. I've always rode sport bikes but recently became interested in bobbers and cafe racers.
 
I agree with everything suffly has mentioned, but my actions on my own bike don't seem to reflect that.

Reason? Two, actually.

1.) You can't put a price on knowledge. Learning something new is one of life's greatest joys, especially when the topic is of interest and the results are tangible.
2.) Emotional attachment (including the "Because it's there" excuse). A lot of us value our bikes as more than the sum of the cost of their parts and not all decisions are based purely on price versus performance. Why do some of us drop thousands of dollars on bikes worth a fraction of that? Because we want to. ;)
 
Mryan said:
Just something to tinker with in my spare tim and something to learn and be proud of when completed.

That right there says it. I say get the bikes. Heck, if you've got the room for three non-runners in your garage, and enough time to get at least one of them fixed, that's really all you need. Nobody is born with mechanical knowledge and ability. These are skills you need to acquire through practice. You have to start somewhere. If you're not afraid of putting some money and time into it, this could be a perfect starting point for you.

Somebody else will have to comment on price though... I can't really say much myself without having seen the bikes.
 
uhm... if the motor is seized, no hone is going to fix the cylinders, you'll need to bore.

second, the 360 isn't a great motor to start, it's far from bulletproof, or even bullet resistant... or even mildly drag inducing to a bullet. the 350 is a good motor, but you're getting just one, if he were offering 3 350 parts bikes, there's a good shot you could put one together. as it stands, you've got a parts bike with a parts bike, and another odd parts bike. I have a shop full of tools and I wouldn't take that deal. for $600 you could get a running bike. if your plan is to spend a lot of time sitting in your garage getting dirty, then maybe it's a good deal for you, but if you want to ride a motorcycle, save your money and get something running.
 
Ive broken a couple stuck motors free by just pouring marvel mystery oil through the spark plug holes and letting it sit for like a week. then a little muscle on the crank bolt and they brake free. Ive been told about this stuff but havent used it: http://www.simyamaha.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=ACC-RNGFR-PL-12 its a fuel additive, but apparently the yamaha mechanics I know just use it as described above and it works by the next day on *any* stuck engine.. or so they tell me. but the guys swear by it, so I want to try it next time I have a frozen motor.


$600 sounds like a lot. Ive gotten free bikes with good compression and titles before. depends how much work you want to do, how long youre willing to look around for a bike, and how much you want to spend.
 
I'm with Rockcity on this one. If the bike were in great shape, aside from not running, it could work out in your favor. BUT... You need to think about the "whys" in this deal.
Why are all the engines seized? (were they bought this way by him from someone else and he knows now its going to cost more than value to fix?
Why, if its as easy as swapping some parts, isnt the owner doing it himself?
Why wouldnt you just look for a bike that runs for the same money?
 
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