[350idiot]

CAN ANYONE HELP ME?
Bought a '73 cb350 off a guy for peanuts.. in great shape cosmetically but, has'nt run in god knows how long. Figured it'd be a good project. Took off the alternator cover and oil everywhere!
There is a small hole in the engine case centered under the crank. Should there be a bolt in there? I can't find anything in the manuals.

 

[jbranson]

I going to assume you are not joking.

Yes the oil is supposed to be there. Most bikes of that era ran the alternetor in oil....supposedly to cool them.

JohnnyB

 

[350idiot]

Why wouldnt they mention that in the manuals? The whole 'step by step' instructions fail to mention oil or draining it before removing the cover.
So, how would i set the timing? Oil literally pours out when i remove the cover.
Or am i really the idiot i feel like?
And thanks for the help. you guys rock.

 

[jbranson]

Typically you don't have to drain the oil to pull the cover, the oil level should not be high enough to run out of the round alternator cover.

Welcome to the world of timing a Honda twin...I've still got oil on my walls from timing my 175. Most people end up taking an old cover and making a hole in it so they can see the timing marks. Bear in mind back in the day these things were made dynamic timing wasn't common, most timing was done with the engine off and using the old "12v bulb and aligator clip" timing setup...called "static timing". Of course the manual usually mentions testing ignition advance too....pretty much gotta do that running and with a modern light.

You'd think some smart guy would have made reproduction covers in clear plastic by now...but no I've never seen one. So...you are not an idiot. Your choices are probably coming up with a spare cover and modifying it, or maybe run just enough oil to keep the engine alive while you time it and see if that helps. Some of the other 350 guys here might have come up with a better solution.
JohnnyB

 

[aaron]

quote:
Welcome to the world of timing a Honda twin...I've still got oil on my walls from timing my 175. Most people end up taking an old cover and making a hole in it so they can see the timing marks. Bear in mind back in the day these things were made dynamic timing wasn't common, most timing was done with the engine off and using the old "12v bulb and aligator clip" timing setup...called "static timing". Of course the manual usually mentions testing ignition advance too....pretty much gotta do that running and with a modern light.

JohnnyB

Doing static timing you can time it to the end of the advance. So the your light bulb shouldn't come on until the end of the advance or where essentially the motor at speed would not need the advance anymore. Most people confuse this and either static time it so advance their lean on top or check it with the motor in the wrong position. You'll never get to a perfect timing from doing it static but when you check it dynamic you see how and where a set of manual points advance and retard. My point is if your static no advance timing is accurate, wouldn't your points or electonic box have accurate advance curve if they were working properly?

Aaron

 

[jbranson]

Yes they would. Actually I haven't read the manual timing procedure..they may just assume the advancer is working properly.

But..come to think of it seems like I've seen procedures in the manual for checking advance timing to determine if the springs in the unit need to be replaced...only way to do that would be with the engine running.

Do what we all did....time it once and make a mess...then mark the spot on the point plate and cam bearing so you don't have to do it again.
JohnnyB

 

[joe c]

or, you can block the oil ways off with epoxy. then time away.

i like jbs method better though. hey, jb, you got a good way to get a stuck brake puck out of a caliper too??

jc

 

[aaron]

Air. Lots of air.

Aaron

 

[jbranson]

Air is cool if you want to blow it across the room and kill your cat.

You mean pumping the lever won't push it out?

Often if the hundreds of psi generated by the master cylinder won't do it then it's stuck pretty good and you'll probably ruin the caliper if you do manage to get the piston out. Heat doesn't work great cause it ends up melting the o-ring and then when you try to push it out with fluid it just leaks by. I'd try pumping it up, wrap something around the lever to keep pressure on, next day pump it up again etc...see if it slow pushes it out.

Or..fill it with water, close the bleeder, seal the line inlet...throw it in a fire....something will come loose.
JohnnyB

 

[imslow]

happened to me with a lockheed disk brake. I used a grease gun fitted to a grease fitting on the caliper. Pump away on the grease gun, It'll come out fast. always works. But then you gotta clean all the grease out.

scott

 

[aaron]

I used to get all kinds of lockheeds and honda calipers in the mail with nothing in the box but a note to rebuild. I still think air is the way to go. You just hold the caliper so it faces down with a rag around and fill the bleeder whole with air. Wahla and no grease to clean. Plus I think cats are Satans little fury deamons.

Aaron
Now I have all these calipers that are rebuilt cause there was nothing in the note other then to rebuild it.

 

[jbranson]

Scott...grease gun...good idea.

Aaron....I always suspected you didn't really like pussy.

JohnnyB