NEW PROJECT (BUT NOT A THUMPER)

[xbally]

Here's my winter project which landed today.

[Moto63]

Excellent news Martin. What’s your plans with it, have you got anything specific in mind yet?
Cheers, Michael

[xbally]

It's just to get me out of the house and from under the wife's feet over the winter when I can't be riding as much or doing other things I normally do in the warmer months really Michael.

My mechanical abilities are somewhat limited so initially it will be just to smarten it up, change corroded fasteners make sure it's got a good chance of passing an MOT etc.

The PO has had it about 12 years but the last MOT ran out 2 years ago so it's been stood.

He's done some work : new tyres, chain and sprockets, painted the wheels, tank and frame, recovered the seat, changed the oil and filter etc.

It seems to run OK. Most but not quite all of the electrics are working-I'm hoping just a couple of bulbs are blown! This model like many of its contemporary Hondas suffer with reg /rect failure as I found out to my cost on my VFR750 and Hornet 600 so I'll need to check it's charging.

I need to check the brakes are OK, fix a leaking oil seal on the forks (not a good track record here I'm afraid but I can ask my mechanic mate to look at anything I can't confidently tackle).

I've tried for a 3rd time to sell my GPZ on Ebay as I need the space to accomodate the new bike really.

[Propellor]

Bet that's a nice motor.

[xbally]

Have started it up but only ridden up and down our small drive.

Red line is at around 14K so it won't be a thumper!

After quite a few twins and singles recently I fancied a 3 or 4 but triples are generally expensive, except the early Hinkley triumphs which are a bit too heavy for me nowadays.

[Propellor]

There's fun to be had at 14k, so long as the thing revs freely up to it.

A thumper? Well, given that things are relative, compared to my electric frankenscoot with its copper windings and magic lithium dust, it's defo a thumper 😂😂😂

[themoudie]

A nippy wee whizzer! 

Enjoy it, Bill

[iansoady]

I had a CB400 "The BIG One!" a few years ago and really didn't get on with it. It too had a stratospheric red line and was completely gutless below 6K or so. It didn't suit my style - if I can be said to have one - at all. But best of luck with it Martin.

[Moto63]

Yes.. def good luck with it Martin. Look forward to reading any progress reports 🤞👍
Cheers, Michael

[xbally]

Thanks all posters..........
One step backwards today-electrical issues...
The loom is showing its 36 years of age with evidence of butchery..
The indicators and horn have packed up but the battery charged in double quick time. Fuses are all OK.
Engine now running on only 2-3 cylinders but the fuel is old and stale.
Attempts to undo the float bowl drains unsuccessful due to poor access-frame rails very close. At least there's no fuel leaking from the carbs.
A dodgy replacement Chinese fuel pump has been fitted. It looks super shiny but who knows what lurks inside?
Don't you just love these projects!
And finally as it's a grey import some spares can be hard to track down but I'm in no rush.
Most manuals seem to be in Japanese too.

[xbally]

The PO alerted me to a Russian website for this model and there's quite a bit of stuff on there.
It's cleaning and polishing up quite well so I'm hopeful of a positive out come although it's still very early days.
Aiming as usual to try to keep costs down but we shall see.

[xbally]

All was going well, parts ordered from WE Moto: new fuel and air filters, fasteners etc.

Electrics 99% OK...

Putting it back together to check now running on all 4- one of the HT leads wasn't fully screwed in to the plug cap...

I can't say for sure whether this is an old or new problem but upon carefully tightening up the plug on the cylinder I discovered had been misfiring (number 2)the plug sheared in the head leaving the plug thread in the head!

Don't you just love projects....

[iansoady]

I had recurrent problems with my 400 4 grey import which I finally tracked down(!) to an intermittent open circuit in a plug cap. It would start and run fine for a while then die - once on the M42/A435 roundabout which was quite scary till a kind chap on a 1950s Triumph shepherded me off to a layby. The problem is that if one cap fails it also disables the associated plug on the complementary cylinder as both fire at the same time. Or so I was told. Anyway a new cap fixed it.

If you need someone to remove the remains of your plug, Simon at Nametab Engineering round the corner from me in Redditch is very helpful and reasonably priced. No website but the number is 01527 60395.

[xbally]

I had recurrent problems with my 400 4 grey import which I finally tracked down(!) to an intermittent open circuit in a plug cap. It would start and run fine for a while then die - once on the M42/A435 roundabout which was quite scary till a kind chap on a 1950s Triumph shepherded me off to a layby. The problem is that if one cap fails it also disables the associated plug on the complementary cylinder as both fire at the same time. Or so I was told. Anyway a new cap fixed it.

If you need someone to remove the remains of your plug, Simon at Nametab Engineering round the corner from me in Redditch is very helpful and reasonably priced. No website but the number is 01527 60395.

Thanks Ian, much appreciated.

I'm going to have a go at the plug thread with the aid of friends'  in the first instance. I know worst case scenario is a head off job...but hope it won't come to that! Good to know of an engineer if I need one.

Interesting info about the plugs. Mine seemed to be running on 2 pots but then went on to 3 judging by the heat in the exhaust headers.

I then got the offending pot sparking externally at the plug.

I know the island you refer to. It's scary enough in the car. I used to have a mate who worked at Wythall station. We dabbled in Kawasaki triples so I was visiting him at work from time to time swapping parts etc.

[xbally]

With the help of mates we managed to get the old remaining  plug thread out using  an easy out and loads of releasing fluid and care.

We cleaned up the thread in the head and very carefully put in a new plug.

Using a remote fuel supply, lots of Easy Start and Redex we got in running on 4 pots