The International CBX Owners Association

Hi everybody!

After my short "new member introduction", I thought it would be best to start a project tread. Mostly because its easier to ask for help this way (I think) and partly because my girlfriend can't take my endless rambling about six cylinder motorcycles anymore.

This is the link to my introduction : viewtopic.php?f=108&t=12795

Its about a year since I bought the bike, so it will take me a number of posts to get up to speed on all what have happened. So just give me a couple of days for that.

Lets start with some pics and comments from the day I bought it.
The bike had been stored in the back of a semi trailer for a number of years. To my surprise this semi was located in the sellers buddys backyard, I met him there to pick it up. Yes, I climbed into a unknown mans semi trailer about 1000km from home, thats what it takes to find one of these things in my home country Finland. I don't regret it (only sometimes).
It was a tight fit and the bike came with many parts in many boxes. We just about managed to get it all into my Toyota Proace.

The bike came with some unfinished paperwork, it had never been transferred electronically between the two previous owners. But I got it registered to my name after jumping thru some hoops at the local DMV.
Here it is badly strapped down for the 100m trip to the DMV from the workshop.

The beast was held together with 2 rolls of electrical tape and more zipties than I want to admit. But it was mine.

I wanted this bike to be complete, OEM+ maybe is the right word.

For that I had to source many parts but the most important to me was the side bags/panniers. So that I can take this thing on a roadtrip and when arriving to the hotel, detach the briefcases that are packed to the brim with the one change of clothes I managed to get in them. To then carry them into the room, just how the Pro-Link designers visioned it.
It came with the original exhaust and also this Marshal 6 into 1.

After following this sites instructions for awakening a sleeping beauty, I tried to start it. After many failed attempts and one burnt out starter motor i did the only reasonable thing (the only thing I somehow thought I could "skip" in the guides) I took apart the carbs.
Someones secondhand baking tray was sacrificed to become this "custom" CBX carb tray.
The PO had done a "carb rebuild" with what seemed to be cheap parts, he had also made the mistake of installing slow jet rubber plugs. This is what I blame the no start condition on. I thanked the Gods for screw in slow jets and installed my Randakks kit.

At this point it felt like when I already had tilted the engine, I was only a couple bolts away from a clean newly painted frame. Right?
Anyway, One Honda CBX 1982 Pro-Link, some assembly required.

‘Only a couple bolts away’…..lmao

Welcome to the rabbit hole!

On a typical carburetor rebuild, there is NO NEED to remove the choke shafts from #3 and #4.

The placement of those 2 choke plates is critical for the alignment of the other 4 that can provide headaches to re-wind the springs and proper operation of the choke mechanism on re-assembly.

But, you are past that step.

Just a word of caution for those that may be following that will be attempting this work in the future.

Again, welcome my friend. You will be rewarded. As to your carb rebuild, just be patient and thorough. Getting the choke mechanism assembled can be a bit chanllenging. However, you will get it done. Do a meticulous job 'bench synching' the carbs and it will reward you when starting. Do be certain to use those idle bleed holes nearest the engine side as your synch reference points. Open and close the throttles several times after each adjustment to be certain things are settled in synch.

AND, certainly ask any questions.

CBX-tras wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 14, 2024 8:29 am

On a typical carburetor rebuild, there is NO NEED to remove the choke shafts from #3 and #4.

The placement of those 2 choke plates is critical for the alignment of the other 4 that can provide headaches to re-wind the springs and proper operation of the choke mechanism on re-assembly.

But, you are past that step.

Just a word of caution for those that may be following that will be attempting this work in the future.

Thanks for the heads up, the carbs are already back together an choke mechanism works. I just followed the Nixon guide. Never thought about leaving the #3 and #4 plates attached, but now when you mention it Im sure it would make things easier.

Larry Zimmer wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 14, 2024 11:42 am

Again, welcome my friend. You will be rewarded. As to your carb rebuild, just be patient and thorough. Getting the choke mechanism assembled can be a bit chanllenging. However, you will get it done. Do a meticulous job 'bench synching' the carbs and it will reward you when starting. Do be certain to use those idle bleed holes nearest the engine side as your synch reference points. Open and close the throttles several times after each adjustment to be certain things are settled in synch.

AND, certainly ask any questions.

Thanks!

For sure the choke mechanism is in my opinion the hardest part about rebuilding these carbs. But with many before photos and time anything is possible.

After previous posts we are almost up to speed on everything that have happened with the bike. Right now the frame is at the painters and I have started taking the engine apart. As some of you already saw in my other tread, there were some big problems with my cylinder head and cylinders.
Camshaft cap #8 (right exhaust corner) is in bad shape. This most likely caused by the "plug" in the end of the camshaft being pushed too far in and thus restricting/blocking oil. The head also has 3 bad spark plug threads and helicoiled cam caps/front cam chain adjuster. A new used head is on its way from Louis and should arrive shortly. My plan is to rebuild that head and install my bad heads good internals. Should be everything except right exhaust cam.

#1 cylinder is pitted pretty severely and my plan is to send it out for cylinder boring, the professionals will get to decide what to do.

Right now Im waiting for a clutchbasket nut socket and holding tool, after that have been removed I can continue with engine teardown. Hoping for everything to be fine in the bottom end, anything in particular I should look out for?

My 1982 head had three damaged camshaft cap threads. I was not able to check the exact quality of the other threads and so I decided to helicoil them all with d*3.
Three cap screws were also broken without any visible stretching. The short ones I replace by 12.9 quality + washers.

aahrens1 wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 15, 2024 4:48 pm

My 1982 head had three damaged camshaft cap threads. I was not able to check the exact quality of the other threads and so I decided to helicoil them all with d*3.
Three cap screws were also broken without any visible stretching. The short ones I replace by 12.9 quality + washers.
2023-07-13_14-33-21.jpg

I was amazed that all my bolts were OK, thinking about just replacing them all to be sure.

I'll make this reply regarding cam cap bolts/threads: DO NOT exceed the torque spec. And, remember, general bolt torque specs are for dry threads -- both bolt and hole threads. While not too common, these cylinder heads are castings which may have porosity. Porosity in the threads will lead to failure if over-torqued. [Ask me how I know!] As such, the use of 12.9 bolts is just a waste of money. 9 or 10 ft-lbs is plenty of torque for these bolts.

P.S. If a 12.9 bolt failed with absolutely no indication of stretch, it was a cheap bolt (poor or no process quality control) that experienced hydrogen imbrittlement.

FYI, a typical 12.9 grade bolt is a socket head allen style. Use them or not at your discretion.

If used, these bolts/screws WILL interfere with the drip plates, in the valve cover, over the intake valves and clearancing in necessary, where I've indicated in red: