What up guys? Been lurking for a while thought I’d make a thread. About a year ago I bought a couple frames and parts to hopefully build a café of some sort. They are a 71 CB450 and a 72 CB450. Last week I acquired a 69 CL450 and I’ve noticed some differences that I wasn’t expecting like fork and headlight sizes, don’t know if this is because it’s a CL or just because it’s older? I have 2 motors, the first one came with the CBs, I pretty sure the bottom end and cylinders are in good shape, PO said it had good compression and I believe he knew what he was talking about but the top end is slightly taken apart, he told me it needs stem seals and such.
The CL I got last week had been sitting under a 4x8 sheet of plywood for 20 years along with a few other bikes, I picked it up for $200 with a seized motor. Pulled the plugs and put some penetrating oil in the cylinders and it broke free fairly easily. I am getting compression out of the right cylinder but not even a pound out of the left. This is only using the kick to try and get a reading, I haven’t been able to get the electrical system to do anything yet. I am assuming a valve problem since there is zero compression and since I’ll have the head off I might as well take care of the cylinders while I’m there.
I think I will try and fix the motor I got with the CBs first since it is already taken apart and I believe it has less problems, I have no experience with these motors so I’m trying to keep it simple. I have done a couple top ends and a complete re-build on cars before though so I’m not completely useless. Any tips on where to start?
Here are some pics of what I have to work with, I am thinking about doing a rat bobber with the second motor if I ever get this one done…
The CL I got last week had been sitting under a 4x8 sheet of plywood for 20 years along with a few other bikes, I picked it up for $200 with a seized motor. Pulled the plugs and put some penetrating oil in the cylinders and it broke free fairly easily. I am getting compression out of the right cylinder but not even a pound out of the left. This is only using the kick to try and get a reading, I haven’t been able to get the electrical system to do anything yet. I am assuming a valve problem since there is zero compression and since I’ll have the head off I might as well take care of the cylinders while I’m there.
I think I will try and fix the motor I got with the CBs first since it is already taken apart and I believe it has less problems, I have no experience with these motors so I’m trying to keep it simple. I have done a couple top ends and a complete re-build on cars before though so I’m not completely useless. Any tips on where to start?
Here are some pics of what I have to work with, I am thinking about doing a rat bobber with the second motor if I ever get this one done…