Stalled again

Yeah, yeah...I know I haven't posted anything in a while. What can I say, life got in the way for a bit.

Most importantly (related to this blog, anyway), I keep having issues with the little things on the CX 500. Nothing major is being done, nor will get done, until the motor is back in the frame. Why? Simply put, I don't want to spend the money on paint, powdercoating, fiberglass fabrication, and whatnot, if I can't get the motor to run.

Since November, this project has come to an almost complete stop, all the result of whatever was hiding behind the rear engine cover. There were two things that needed attention, and while those usually do not present a challenge, this time they did.

Issue number one was mentioned in previous posts: Cam chain tensioner and guide. The 'no longer available' status from Honda complicated things in regards to obtaining a new guide. The tensioner is still readily available and arrived within days, but the 'NLA' guide took some browsing, searching, and bidding in order to obtain one. Once it arrived, and I installed it in the motor, I thought I would swiftly move forward. But no, not so fast...

The current issue, which I've been dealing with for about a month, is the mechanical seal on the water pump. Simple problem, really - someone in the past installed the ceramic disc backwards, which in turn tore the rubber bed and damaged the mechanical seal. Well, not being fond of half-ass jobs myself, I ordered a new mechanical seal as well as a new oil seal, plus all the other seals that go in the rear cover. So, once the cam chain guides were all set, I moved on to the seal issue.

I popped the old seal out, cleaned out all the crap that was in there, and got ready to press the new seal in. With the case heated (per manual), I took the mechanical seal out of its bag, got the right size socket to use as a press-guide, and .... found out there was no way the seal would fit in. Hmm, the diameter was off by about 0.6mm (the hole being smaller than the seal). there was no way the seal would press in without suffering some serious damage.  

Fortunately, the online parts supplier accepted to take the seal back. I then went to a local Honda dealer, confirmed model and year, along with VIN twice, and ordered a new OEM seal straight from Honda's warehouse. A week later it arrived, only to find out that it did not fit either. Same issue as the other seal.

It turns out (per some online forums), that the early CX 500 had a 27.5mm dia mechanical seal, and the later had a 28mm dia mechanical seal. Funny enough, Honda offers only one variety, the 28mm version.

So, tired of all the mess and staring at an open motor for two months, tomorrow I'll be taking my rear cover to a machine shop to enlarge the opening so I can fit in my new seal. Being the Holiday season, it may be a while before I get it back.

Well, at least I did some rust cleaning.

The other current projects are: Prepping the CB750F for new paint job (yes, she is in pieces again), and making a custom seat for my BMW 650GS (I found a used seat online and bought it to make a seat shaped just for me). Both projects will be posted once I actually accomplish something.

Carburetor fun, CB750F

While I was waiting for parts for me CX 500 Project, I decided to overhaul the carbs on my CB750F. A while ago, I bought a spare set, so this downtime was the perfect opportunity to make these like new again.

First, I ordered a set of new rubber parts, jets, and O-rings for crossover pipes. Unfortunately, Honda does not sell these individually. The only place I was able to find a complete kit was from Randakk's, but I ultimately decided to go a different route. His kit is amazing, well priced, and has all the rubber components, but I also needed pilot screws, and a few other things, so I searched the web and acquired different pieces from different places. This may prove to be unwise in the end, but only time will tell.

So, my spare carbs started life looking like this, after sitting outside for some time:

Eventually, after different cleaning methods, hours of playing with brushes, and buffing wheels with polishing compounds, I ended up with this:

And, a couple of hours later, looking like this:

These carbs were completely overhauled, and all fasteners were replaced with stainless steel, buttonhead screws. Of course, I used Loctite to prevent seized fasteners down the line. Not only the new screws look better, but they also allow for an easier removal vs the old, Phillips head kind.

I can't wait to get this set of carbs on and try them.

Finally

I was finally able to find the needed cam chain guide and tensioner, so I'll be soon able to proceed with my work on the CX 500 project. Since the OEM part is NLA from Honda, I was searching eBay until this set showed up. It's exactly what was holding me up for the past month and a half.

Stalled

The CX 500 project has come to a stall. I have the bike all apart, the engine lays open on its side, the rear cover is off. Numerous other parts lay scattered on the floor in various stages of prepping for paint and powdercoat. But...

I can't find this one part I need: Cam chain guide. The item is NLA from Honda, and every online place I try yields the same results - sooner or later I get an email that the part is NLA. My local dealer is trying to locate one without any success as of yet.

So, for the time being, I'm letting it all sit. If I can't find the part, the engine is useless, and with it, the entire project as well.

Nevertheless, I started taking my CB750 apart again to improve on my summer creation. :)

Not much progress being achieved these days. I've been slowly taking parts off and getting them ready for powdercoating, and that's about it.

After pulling the alternator, I did find that the other part of the cam chain tensioner (guide) is broken as well. Unfortunately, this part is no longer available from Honda :(, so I've been searching eBay and such for one.

While I have not obtained one yet, I did find a nice set of Remus pipes off a Duc Monster that I bought to use on this project. The pipes should be here soon. I'm thinking of fitting them straight on via a 30-degree elbow, while getting away with the H-type crossover pipe. Yes, it acts as a pressure compensator, but I'll see how it runs without it.

In the mean time, I learned that the fans on the CX are prone to "exploding" at higher speeds, so I'll be doing an electric fan modification on this bike. It should both relieve some stress off the cam and improve performance as well.

Stay tuned.

Motor fun

I finally managed to sneak out and do a little work on the CX500.

When I bought it, it was with the understanding that the water pump seal needed to be replaced, so armed with some sockets and a new seal, I dug right in.

Surprise, surprise, things are never as easy as they could be. First, I found out that the steel coolant pipes are rusted and pitted around the O-rings. The plan is to either look for new ones, or to solder fill the pitting and powdercoat the exterior. Not sure yet. Then, the shock of the day came when I took the water pump cover off.

 Whoever designed this with a steel (or cast) impeller, was a real ass.

Then, after I pulled the rear cover off, I found a destroyed oil seal, and a broken cam chain tensioner.

Other than that, things look pretty good in there.

For the past few days I've been absent on this blog, and the trend is likely to continue for a few more. The winter preparations are in full swing, so leaf raking, wood splitting, and house winterizing has taken over most of my free time. I will continue on the CX500 project when time allows.

Thanks for standing by.

On a side note, one of my flash fiction pieces is scheduled to appear at Apocrypha and Abstractions this month, so if you enjoyed my previous stories on that side, check out the link for more. All of the stories by various authors are well written and thought provoking. You won't be disappointed.

Playing with wrenches

What is a man to do on a rainy Sunday?

I don't know, but I started taking things apart. All, except two bolts, went smoothly, and the bike is no longer in one piece.

Actually, I've been quite busy:)

1979 CX500D Project

Since I completed my CB750F Project during the summer, I started looking for a new project to occupy me during the upcoming winter. When a 1979 CX500D showed up on Craigslist near me, I could not resist.
What draws me to this bike is the engine itself. The twin cylinders sticking to the sides create a unique focal point, and remind me of old Guzzis. It will be a fun project.

Thanks to Josh for selling it to me at a great price!

This particular bike has been sitting in a basement for a while. The last inspection sticker on the bike is from 1998, but whether that is the last time the bike has been on the road, is unknown to me.

The bike came as a rolling chassis with motor in the frame, and two buckets full of parts, but upon opening the valve covers, I found that things look better than I expected.

Unable to help myself, I decided to dive right in, and start messing with different ideas.

At first, I thought I could get away with using a pre-fab Airtech cafe cowl and seat pan, but I did not like the look of it. Thanks to a friendly shop owner who operates a local bike shop (Eddie's Vintage), and let me borrow the Airtech to see how it fits, I did not have to buy the cowl only to find out I will not be using it.

This, however, leaves me hanging for the time being, as I will have to come up with my own design, create a mold, and start playing with fiberglass and resin. I'm hoping that I have learned something from my failed attempts at the CB 750F tailsection, and will not waste as much time and materials on this one.

And now it's time for me to sharpen the pencil, grab a sheet of paper, and start drawing.

An update

The CB750F has been out and about for the past two weeks, putting a smile on my face, and turning heads wherever we went together.

I have not done much to it since the last post: synchronized the carburetors with Carbtune Pro (easy to use), re-routed the throttle cables, and rode almost every day. The bike performs much better with 93 octane gas.

The only issue I ran into was a dragging front caliper (left side). After rebuilding the calipers, I installed a new set of brake pads. Since my local guy did not have anything else, I went with Marshall  pads. They appeared slightly thicker, but were made for my bike so I went ahead and put them in. On a ride few days ago (about 30 miles), I noticed a slight drag and decreased performance. Once I pulled over and put the bike on its centerstand, I proceeded to check the wheels. The front left disc was so hot I could have fried eggs on it by the side of the road.
I drove home slowly, and once in the garage, I swapped the stationary pad for the slightly used one I had laying around. Ever since then, the brakes stopped dragging.

I'm currently looking for the next project, whatever it is. I would like to complete a new build this winter, if time and finances allow. To this end, I'm going to look at a 1979 CX500D, and I'm talking with a lady about 1977 GS400X. Winters here are long.

Almost there

I went for a short spin today, and so far the bike has done real well. I still have a ton of work to do: Polish paint, clean everything, replace the front master cylinder reservoir cup once the parts arrive....

But, things are coming along, and the journey is almost over.

Here are a few pics I took this evening, as the ones from last night were rather crappy. And yes, the black seat is growing on me.

Reworking the seat

When I first bought the white vinyl for the new seat, I matched the tank and fender white color to that of the vinyl. Unfortunately, the gas resistant clearcoat I used as the final coat, turned the bright white into a sort of cream white color. Not that I mind, as the color scheme looks even more vintage this way. Nevertheless, since the seat color is much brighter, it makes the seat stand out, rather than blend in.

After contemplating the resulting visual appearance last night, I started liking the white seat less and less. Don't get me wrong -- it definitely gave the bike a "one of a kind" look, but it did not sit right with me. So, today after diner, I decided to reupholster the seat in black vinyl. While the black seat most certainly stands out, it also compliments the other black pieces on the bike, and it breaks the bright blue and white color scheme.

As of now, I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I guess I'll have to give it a day or two to see how, and if, it will grow on me.

CB750F Project: Part X

Today, after clearing gutters, digging trenches for the water to run away from the house, and getting soaked, I decided to spend a few hours in the garage.

And it appears that it was a wise decision.

First, I was able to finish wiring the front turn signals and the horns. With everything wired and connected, I struggled fitting all the wires into the headlight housing, but I ultimately prevailed.

Second, I was able to find the cause of a glitch I experienced while test riding the bike yesterday -- a constantly turned on neutral light. It turns out that when I installed the sprocket cover, I have accidentally pinched the switch's wire between the engine case and the cover, giving it a constant ground. After I removed the sprocket cover and found the cause, it was as easy as wrapping the damaged insulation in electrical tape, and re-routing the wires where they won't get pinched.

And third, I finally started on fitting the tail section. After cutting out a radius matching that of the fender, I set it down on the frame to mark the location where the tail section would attach to the frame. Initially, I wanted to leave the entire cowl without any visible fasteners, but I had to abandon the idea. When I first planned this, I was going to attach my rear turn signals where the passenger footpegs should be, but faced with the choice of having ugly screws on the cowl, or using the turn signal bolts to attach the cowl to the frame, I opted for the latter.

In the end, all I had to do was to modify some nylon spacers (to fit between cowl and frame), enlarge the existing holes in the frame, and separate the signals from the stems (which are the mounting bolts).

While the end result is not as aesthetically pleasing as a smooth cowl, it looks better than a set of mounting screws.  Tomorrow I'll work on some sort of latch system that will allow me to tilt the tail section to the rear, pivoting around the turn signal stems. I'm thinking O-rings on the stems, and a latch up front. However, if I don't like it, I'll just make a bracket for the front that will bolt to the inner fender.

There is still a ton of work left to be done, but here is some progress.

Working on the seat, part II

There was some trimming to be done on the seat pan, so it would follow the contours of the side panels. The seat pan, being nylon, was easy to cut. Dremel was out of the question, as the high speed cutoff blade melts the nylon, immediately sealing the cut it just created. However, the old fashion approach, using a hacksaw with metal blade never fails. After cutting the pan to the desired shape, I smoothed all edges with a 100 grit sandpaper, to prevent future rips in the seat cover.

Next step was to glue seat foam onto the pan. I opted for using the old KLR foam, as it is more rigid that any foam I can find locally. To adhere the foam on to the pan, I used 3M spray adhesive.

As you can see, the KLR seat is of a completely different shape than what I was looking for. In addition, since I trimmed the seat pan, the foam came over the edges.

After cutting the excess foam, I bolted the seat in place and started on shaping it.

This was done with a metal hacksaw blade. This method, while fast, only gives marginal results. Although the blade cuts through the foam with ease, it flexes too much to achieve any accurate results. To produce the final shape, I used a belt sander with a 100 grit paper on it. I tried using an orbital sander, but the edge of the disk was cutting into the foam too much -- the belt sanded worked much better. During the process, I sat on the seat numerous times to ensure it will feel right. Since I plan to ride this bike, a comfortable seat is more important to me than a good-looking one.

A quick session with an electric stapler, some vinyl, and a lot of cussing later, I had a decent seat to test.

I drove up and down my road (no lights, no front brake - so I was limited), and I really liked the way it felt. 


 

Working on the seat

When I first made the decision of eliminating the seat that came with my CB, I opted for using what I had in the garage -- that is, a spare KLR 250 seat.

Some people questioned my wisdom, while others were curious as to what it would look like.

I must admit that the thought of putting a dual-sport seat on a street bike sounds insane. Nevertheless, the curves worked out rather well, in my humble opinion, and the seat pan was paid for, so why not.

After chopping the seat pan to a single seat length and figuring out its basic position on the bike, I went ahead and molded the rear section. Once the rear section was fiberglassed and painted, I started with reassembly.

As you probably know from previous posts, I spent a lot of time working on the brakes, fixing the carburetors, and all the other stuff that makes the bike run, drive, and stop.

Well, while waiting for some brake piston seals, I decided to work on the seat itself. And here is where the challenges started.

When I first laid down the pan and molded the tail, I had the inner fender removed. It was no surprise that once I installed the inner fender in its place, that nothing fit the way it did before. Faced with the options of either not having the inner fender, or reworking the seat and tail, I decided against removing the inner fender. yes, I can be stubborn and this adds a ton more work. But, the thought of every piece of gravel and sand hitting the frame and battery, was the deciding factor.

So, the first step in this saga was to remove some more material off the seat pan. This went along smoothly (doesn't it always?). I then had to figure out how to attach the pan to the frame. At this point, I have the rear attachment brackets figured out and fabricated, but I still have to work on the front.

I started with some 1/4 inch aluminum flat bar

 Which I then bent in a vise to offset for the frame mount, drilled a hole for the mounting bolt, and rounded off the ends.

 Next, I found the proper mounting point on the seat pan, drilled a hole, and cut the end at an angle to accommodate the angle of the pan.

 And, voila, it worked.

It is attached to the seat pan via stainless steel carriage bolts, which will hide nicely underneath the seat foam. I still have to smooth all the edges and polish the brackets, but I'm one step closer to finishing the seat. 

UPDATE:

Tonight I finished making the front bracket. Actually, I used the "lip" method, where an aluminum lip slides underneath the gas tank mounting bracket, and holds the seat in place by friction. Since the seat is attached in the back by two bolted brackets, there is no way the seat will move. All the lip does is to hold the front of the seat in place, and to prevent it from rising.

First, I cut a piece of 1/4 inch aluminum plate to the desired length. Then, using a double-sided tape to temporarily hold it in place, I marked the location where the lip would attach to the seat pan. Since the seat rises up against the tank at an angle, I had to bend the lip to follow the contour of the pan. Once that was done and the desired amount of friction achieved, all I had to do was to drill two holes in the pan and the lip, and attach the two together with stainless steel carriage bolts. I then cut the excess bolt length to prevent it from snagging on the wiring that resides under the seat. To minimize frame scratching, I used a piece of protective door molding (self adhesive half-pipe used on car doors) on both the front of the lip, as well as the frame bracket.

Next, I'll be cutting the seat pan to copy the contours of the side panels, and carving the seat foam to the desired shape. And then it will be upholstery time.

I took a weekend break from all the bike work, the mundane, and the to-do-list, and headed down to Rhode Island to see some animals.

Here is one of the cute guys that caught my eye.

CB750F Project: Front brakes part II

Finally got to cleaning out the front brakes. Right now, the calipers are all reassembled and ready to go back on the bike.

In the mean time, I discovered some carburetion issues, so I have to take the carbs apart, again. The cause, at this time, is unknown.

Anyway, here are a few pics of the cleaned calipers and the front master cylinder.

CB750F Project: Front Brakes

I'm finally starting on the front brakes.

This is what I found once I took the brakes apart.

Obviously the front calipers are pretty much oxidized, but cleanable. 

 The Master Cylinder is in a tough shape.

 Other than an old brake fluid of very questionable quality, there is plenty of gel-like deposits. On top of this, someone, once upon a time, decided to seal a leaking O-ring with silicone, liberally applied everywhere.

This is what I was hoping to avoid - a complete rebuild. But, the piston has seen better days, so I don't have much choice.

Right now, I'm waiting for parts: new master cylinder cover (the old one is pitted and rusty, with cracked plastic) and a rebuild kit.