I've used a center punch and hammer, with the link backed up by a dolly or heavier hammer, and I've also used the below-average Stockton chain tool. The tip that was intended for the job didn't last, it bent quickly but I was able to put a taper on the end of the pin intended for breaking the chain to use it for flaring the pins in the previous picture.
AD’s setup is what I’ve used as well. If you get it squared up it flares almost too easily - a quarter turn too far and you’re starting over.
I've never used one of those master links. Normally the chain comes with one and it goes in the drawer or the trash, but this chain I ordered over a year ago did not come with any master link since it was endless. And since I've never actually bought one or used one, I wasn't aware (if true) that you could/should flare the ends of it after pressing on the side plate, which would make sense except the pins seem a lot harder and I wonder just how they flare because of it. I've always used the DID master link from 4into1 (or from Honda prior to that). And yeah, that Stockton tool has some useless tips included and I only used it to break a chain once. And it sucked. Now I just carefully grind the heads off the pins on one side of the chain and then use the chain tool just to push the link pins through the side plate.
I only visually inspected all the rollers from the two inner bearings, and replaced about eight that had small minor corrosion spots on them. Areas that could barely be felt, but I had extras so I changed them anyway. But I didn't look at the rollers in the outer bearings individually, just a partial visual by sliding the outer race partly off. Both looked okay and I thoroughly rinsed them with fresh solvent in the parts washer, then squirted some fresh oil into them. All of them seemed to roll smoothly at the time. But I must have missed something.
Wow, I hadn't bothered to look it up yet because I do have a fair amount of spares, but I haven't inspected each and every one of them either. IIRC there are 17 total in each bearing.
Yeah, later on today I'll lift the crank out and see what I see. Almost has to be one or two rollers that take a few revolutions to line up "wrong"
Yeah, I noticed that today while looking up the differences between the 4 speed and 5 speed crankshaft rollers.
Thanks! Yes, it's starting to feel good. And the left side of the bottom end will be a piece of cake with that flat cover from Electrex. I just have to remember to remove the woodruff key after setting cam timing and later the ignition timing. Once the engine is together and off the lift, I have to put the roller up on it again and partially disassemble the front end to do some final tightening of parts left finger tight until I could see how the mods to the front forks went. I'd love to drop the frame over the engine on this one too, but after getting ahead of myself a bit with all the harness and wiring work, I'm not really in the mood to disassemble all of that. So maybe with both wheels off it will be light enough... we'll see.The starter plug is very nice and that's a good bit of progress.
You mean light enough without the wheels to drop the frame over the motor despite leaving the electrical, forks, and swingarm on? I guess you'd pull the fork tubes, too.
I'd probably try without removing the forks, though it will add to the weight. Too much wiring and cable arrangement done already, shouldn't have gotten ahead of myself but I was on a roll when that stuff got done and it would only have to be done after getting the engine in otherwise. If not, I can always do it the old fashioned way, it's a short hoist from the floor to the lift surface with it fully lowered.
I'm counting on the Hondabond on the o-ring will help it seal, and the bolt is tightened enough that the o-ring is compressed to about half thickness. Easy enough to fix later if necessary.
The last couch here had removable cushions that now live in the Honda hauler van for just such an occasion. Laying the bike over the engine with it raised on the cushions a foot or so then gradually lowering down around engine. The next 350 job here will get that treatment.
If it happens, I'll do a better repair than that. As we say here in the US, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. And in this case, IF I come to it.
It's really only intended for race engines Bob, and many probably use a different clutch lifter mechanism as well for less weight and to make it easy to get to the front sprocket at the track too, so with both of those thoughts in mind they designed it for minimal size/weight without stock engine cosmetics being considered.
Yes, increased dwell is the goal of course and it's more like flatten the backside of the lobe, I did a less pretty job of it on the advancer for my red 450. I learned this from a Gordon Jennings article back in the '70s.
It's fairly hard steel and a file would work but take quite a while (and my hands and wrists have had enough lately). As long as the tapered drop-off on the lobe is smooth enough so it won't excessively wear the heel of the points, the surface where you remove the material doesn't have to be perfectly smooth because the points don't touch it during rotation. I'll use the bench grinder with a decently square-edged wheel and then file the closing ramp smooth like I did previously, and though the work was hand-held and a bit crude last time it doesn't wear the points on the red 450 at all (or no more than it did in original condition)
you're a lucky man !
Seems pretty much the same all around. The engine allegedly only had 3000 to 4000 miles on it and as you've seen along the way, many parts from it seem to show it's true. I sure hope it works out as well in practice as it does in theory, but I do know it will have plenty of oil available.
For sure, with Jay's 'Old Faithful' oil pump.
Yeah, except I won't be reinstalling the rotor permanently, I'm running total loss ignition on this to be able to remove the rotor, stator and other unnecessary weight. And the removal of the rotor lets the engine accelerate faster too. I bought a big battery to handle an evening's run time without the charging system, same thing I did back in the '70s very effectively. I'll probably just put up with the mismatched look, most will be too busy looking at the stub of the crankshaft sticking out and rotating anyway. The 4 cylinder guys who remove the electric start on the later engines that don't have kickstart use a large hex nut bolted to the end of the crankshaft so they can use an external starter motor to get the bike running, I won't need to do that.
Yeah, pretty much the same here. I know the crowd at the track in Clearwater pretty well, they'll all be expecting the bike to be slow because it's a small engine with ancient 2 valve technology so they'll be plenty busy nit-picking lots of other areas, same thing happened when I ran my red bike there in 2019.
Thanks very much. It better turn out halfway decent for all the years I've spent gathering stuff and waiting to finally put it together.
Since this discussion reared its head again and since aesthetics DO matter a bit to me AND since I do seem to have more than enough old sprocket covers, I’ll add to my list the small project of making a more “streamlined” cover for you. Only caveat is I‘m reluctant guarantee when I might get such a thing done. But I am adding it to my list nonetheless!
That's an awesome offer Chris, I really appreciate it. Despite a fair amount of progress recently, it will still be a while before I'll need the cover.... so you're saying there's a chance...
Dumb and Dumber reference, brilliant. I love it..... so you're saying there's a chance...
