Hydrolock - Shot myself in the foot

[silversurfer1050]

I have in the past. I usually wait till closer to the date. Red has posted there also I'm pretty sure.

[silversurfer1050]

I have aquiered a manual, head gasket, and ordered a set of rods. Viton seals and a base gasket set -maybe rings.... Thinking of going to get her ou of cold storage tomorrow.

[daves79x]

Just curious - why did you order a 'set of rods'? You only likely bent one and you'll probably find it was #1. I've had great success just replacing the bent rod, and in a couple of cases a piston, but you need to wait until the engine is apart to see what rod code you need. Just any CBX rod will not be proper for your engine. And it's a waste to replace them all with a new set, since you'll then be into a set of bearings which you don't need. Maybe I missed something, but would like to know more about what your plan is.

Dave

[silversurfer1050]

Well, here goes.

I have about a 1-in-3 chance that the new rods will match the old rod to be replaced. If it does - easy fix.

The engine has close to 30,000 miles on it. I'm considering replacing the bearings, maybe rings too anyway. A light valve lap might be good too - this is leading into more money, but I'll have the engine out, so it would probably be worth looking into.

Where is the best place to get a reasonable set of '81~82 rings?

TIA,
Bill

[daves79x]

Honestly, if your engine ran well and didn't use much oil, re-ringing it is a waste of time and money. As long as you arrange the ring gaps as per the manual you can put it back together with no problems - I've done it dozens of times with no problem. Do not hone the cylinders if using the old rings. But if you feel you must, I'd use Honda rings and they retail for around $50 a set (x6). Then you'd hone the cylinders.

Same goes for the main and rod bearings. Check them carefully and plastigauge them if you want, but bearings that have been treated well last for 100,000 at least.

All I'd do is match up the rod you need, see if the bearing codes match and if not get the proper one for just that. Check the piston carerfully at the wrist pin boss. The tapping you hear is the flyweight on the crank hitting the underside of the piston at BDC. It likely just put a couple of nicks in the boss, but check for signs that it started to pull the wristpin down.

Lapping the valves is a good idea and also new seals as you suggest.

You will need a few special tools and some other gaskets also. The Honda ring compressors work really well and I have a set here you can use when the time comes. You'll need a clutch hub tool and some kind of spanner to loosen the primary shaft ring nut.

Keep us posted.

Dave

[silversurfer1050]

The engine ran very well. It was starting to smoke. I suspected valve stem seals.

Con-rods are here. C-3's. Viton seals next.

...spending money like the mad-hatter at Alice's strip club.

...bought a Blackbird along the way too.

[silversurfer1050]

The bike is back home in my garage. It sat across town at a friends for the whole summer while life happened. He was going to help me rebuild it. I still need to go pick up the Haynes manual from his house. I was lucky enough to be employed and even got a ride in with the 1100F bunch in the UP.

Now it's going to be a long COLD winter.

Dave, You are on three other boards I frequent...

It would be nice to meet up with you on one of these rides that happen.

[silversurfer1050]

Honestly, if your engine ran well and didn't use much oil, re-ringing it is a waste of time and money. As long as you arrange the ring gaps as per the manual you can put it back together with no problems - I've done it dozens of times with no problem. Do not hone the cylinders if using the old rings. But if you feel you must, I'd use Honda rings and they retail for around $50 a set (x6). Then you'd hone the cylinders.

Same goes for the main and rod bearings. Check them carefully and plastigauge them if you want, but bearings that have been treated well last for 100,000 at least.

All I'd do is match up the rod you need, see if the bearing codes match and if not get the proper one for just that. Check the piston carerfully at the wrist pin boss. The tapping you hear is the flyweight on the crank hitting the underside of the piston at BDC. It likely just put a couple of nicks in the boss, but check for signs that it started to pull the wristpin down.

Lapping the valves is a good idea and also new seals as you suggest.

You will need a few special tools and some other gaskets also. The Honda ring compressors work really well and I have a set here you can use when the time comes. You'll need a clutch hub tool and some kind of spanner to loosen the primary shaft ring nut.

Keep us posted.

Dave

I've been told by the war department that I need to get this running and stop just pushing it around in the garage.

I think I'd like to put in new rings because of the smoking. I heard somewhere that the tings in the late models were different and didn't let oil past as much.

[NobleHops]

What about the valve guide seals?

[daves79x]

Wow - a 2 1/2 year gap! How many miles have you put on pushing the bike around? Word is the rings for the later models were of a different composition, but what you'd get from Honda are the late ones. Aftermarket ones are OK too - just hone the cylinders. Did you get the rod puzzle figured out?

Dave

[silversurfer1050]

Did you get the rod puzzle figured out?

I picked up a whole set off eBay for about $56 if I remember correctly.

I'm hoping they are a nuclear option though. I'm hoping I only need one vs the whole set. I think I got C-3 rods. Someone said don't worry about it, just get the right bearing. You're not a race driver.

I'm struggling with what else I might want to do with the engine opened up. I woke up this morning thinking about cam-chain tensioners.....

80

I'm about to convince myself to duke it out with the war department and push it around the garage for a few more miles (couple years till the last kid is out of college). Costs are adding up without loosening the first screw.

Maybe I'm too attached to this damn thing.

[silversurfer1050]

It's back running. I put about 300 miles on the rebuild and it has developed a nasty oil leak from somewhere on the bottom end.

...don't know if it's a problem with work or just old existing parts.

[daves79x]

Look at the oil cooler lines first.

Dave

[NobleHops]

Look at the oil cooler lines first.

Dave

+100

[tevan]

I can fix you up on some new oil cooler lines if yours are leaking.