Abigail - a project review

[squirrelciv]

Right then, here's the deal. Been made an offer that has caused much reflection on my project cafe racer Abigail. A company we deal with at work had offered to sonically clean my engine parts FOC but I fear we may lose the contract soon and with it the offer. As things are, I'm not ready to undertake the engine as I was thinking of doing a 600cc conversion complete with all the costs involved, but now i'm not so sure. Cash is extremely tight here, and I can't see any time soon where funds will be available to pay for the conversion, so I wondered if I shouldn't keep her as a 500cc??
Some good reasons are; I can press on with the bike, save a bundle of dosh, less hassle at MOT time, and 500cc is a classic volume for Brit singles of the 60's, which is what I'm hoping Abigail will look like when done. Also if I'm completely bored with the performance, I could always chuck the Dommie motor in once shes a working bike again.
So, after2 days mulling things over, the motor is on the bench and ready for a complete strip down :-) First job will be to make a motor stand and then onto the photo session. Don't know what I'll find when I pull it all apart, but whatever I've got to fix, it will be done properly.
Wish me luck :-)

[guest27]

Good luck - and as my mate Sean says - get what you have looking good and working well and then make changes when it is up and running - he has a number of classic cars on the road.  ME I have great plans and a shed full of boxes.

A clean and shiny working 500 sounds loads better than a box of cobwebs and plans for a 600 that depend on unlikely income.

R

[Steve H]

Pat, if it were me I would strip it down, check everything, cost it and then decide whether to rebuild it. Not sure about Honda parts but a genuine head and base gasket (I wouldnt use pattern parts for head and base gaskest) are pretty expensive, add in a few valves and followers, camchain and piston and it adds up. You may find it more economical to but a Dominator motor and drop it straight in. Availability may be an issue but you can save whilst your waiting, and as its free get the cases cleaned anyway.

[squirrelciv]

Wise words Mr H. We delve in at dawn!

[guest27]

So Abigail after Dawn....

And where is Dawn that you have to delve down to her?

R

[squirrelciv]

Hmmm! that was scary!
Been for my poke about in Abigails innards and came across some fragments of metal in amongst the clutch side casings. Also quite a lot of oil in the generator, something I'm sure isn't supposed to be there! Wifey called me in, so haven't finished, but things aren't looking good so far.
More to follow.

[guest7]

If you remember, the bike was one of the dead scrappers I bought in pre-Ebay days when things like that were cheap. I believe that one used to commute from Newport to Clevedon every day until it stopped.

However, I've forgotten the full details, nice fella who sold it to me though... but I'm guessing that doesn't help.

I've got one here that can't be kicked over, the motor is completely solid. I bet mine's more shafted than yours

GC

p.s. if you go the NX motor route, can I have the remains of the 500 lump back?

[002]

Hmmm! that was scary!
Been for my poke about in Abigails innards and came across some fragments of metal in amongst the clutch side casings. Also quite a lot of oil in the generator, something I'm sure isn't supposed to be there! Wifey called me in, so haven't finished, but things aren't looking good so far.
More to follow.

The oil is normal.
'cause it runs in oil !   Silly Boy !
But the loose metal stuff in the clutch isnt.
Pull the head and barrel off......tell us what you find there...

Jethro

[guest27]

I have my money on a piston and a con rod - or is that not what you meant?

R

[squirrelciv]

Hmmm! that was scary!
Been for my poke about in Abigails innards and came across some fragments of metal in amongst the clutch side casings. Also quite a lot of oil in the generator, something I'm sure isn't supposed to be there! Wifey called me in, so haven't finished, but things aren't looking good so far.
More to follow.

The oil is normal.
'cause it runs in oil !   Silly Boy !
But the loose metal stuff in the clutch isnt.
Pull the head and barrel off......tell us what you find there...

Jethro

Well you learn something new every day :-)

Other things I didn't say yesterday are;
1)plug sheered off when I attempted to removed it
2)refuses to kick over on the kickstart, but free spinning by rotating the flywheel (kickstarter possible source of metal fragments???)
3)head gasket completely shot as I discovered by pouring some 3 in 1 down the plughole before attempting to spin anything and watching it piss out all over the bench

Should complete the stripdown tonight and have a box full of bits ready for washing.

[guest7]

So, do you want to borrow my Honda tool for undoing the cam chain tensioner? (or whatever it is, Jethro used to use a modified allen key, but I found out the tool itself only cost £8).

If yes then I will leave it with wifey and you can call in for it on your way home.

Cheers
GC

[squirrelciv]

No thanks GC not a problem at the moment as the cam chain tentioner slipper blades are snapped! They seem to be the sourse of my little fragments of metal.
Another problem is more pressing at the moment and that is how to undo the two front barrel bolts which are completely rounded (not by me I hasten to add) As most reading will know they are sunk into the casting of the barrel and due to the design, cannot be got at completely by a hacksaw. It might be possible to but a nick in them and attack the head with a cold chisel, or I thought maybe drill a hole through the head of the bolt and insert a torsion bar?? Can't see how you could weld a bolt onto the old head and make a sort of extention. Any ideas how to get these bolts out??

Looking down the barrel things don't look too bad :-) no signs of scoring and the piston crown is pretty clean. Cam is completely shagged though and the centre support/bush has burred over, but no signs of any cracks around the plug, which is nice :-)

[guest7]

Centre 'bush' for the cam is unimportant, just dress it back to flat and it will be fine. It's a short cam with two big roller bearings either end isn't it? (My memory is going you know)

GC

[guest27]

Rounded bolts / nuts.

Do you know anyone with any snap-on tools?  If so give the Snap-On surface drive socket of the right size a go - possibly an imperial which is a hammer fit.  I have been stunned about how rounded a nut can be and these babies still get them off.  The Halfords etc ones are good but not as good.  Remember on occasion trying to turn nuts down in the lathe until the socket will not grip - and it is really close to round.

However I would not suggest buying the right size as they are about £1,000,000 each and if it does not work...

R

[guest7]

And don't forget heat. It's amazing how easily things come out after a session with the torch.

I'm with Roger, try and find a hex socket that can be hit onto the remains.

Failing that, chuck it in the car and get it down to the engineer in Cardiff I use. He's cheap and it's magic watching him remove stubborn bolts.

Cheers
GC