...or not.
I bought this non-running 82 CB750K with the sole intent of parting it out. After I got it home though, I was having second thoughts. It really wasn't half bad and I was guessing that all it really needed was a carb clean.
I've done a fair amount of work to it PRIOR to addressing it's running issues, mainly making it look presentable. I know that's putting the horse before the carriage, but I wanted to feel that it was a bike worth going down that path.
I pulled the carbs, dropped the bowls, and found that the jets were actually clean. The floats also appeared to be in good shape. I believe I have a float needle that may be bad on #3 as it will let some fuel overflow, but it should not be reason for it to prevent it from running.
I swapped out the solenoid (which wasn't stopping it from running, but it was flaky and driving me insane), a coil, a plug wire, and dropped in new plugs. After an afternoon of tinkering with it and was able to get it running. Running, but not running well. In fact, running pretty bad. All four cylinders are hitting, all head pipes are getting hot, but it sounds like a rattly bag of bolts.
The video makes it sound worse than it it, but you get the idea....
http://youtu.be/orgdy46CgLo
To me, this now appears to be a timing issue. So I pull the ignition cover, check the timing, and see that while it does not appear to be way off based on the timing marks, it is advanced as far as it will go. So I back it off and make it ever so slightly retarded. I'm now unable to start it up because it's late at night and I don't want to wake the family.
This afternoon, and go at it again. I can get it to sputter, but it won't start. I move the timing around a bit, anywhere from slightly retarded, to being right smack in the zone (or what I believe to be dialed in), or even backed to being advanced. Other than a couple seconds here and there, it's just not running. To add insult to injury, I've cranked it over so much over the past couple days, the starter is now beginning to slip and rattle.
I've been planning on pulling the valve cover and checking the valve clearances as that was one of my original suspects as well, but at this point I'm just getting frustrated. Even if the valves are tight, I'd think I'd be able to get it running better than what it is (albeit a difficult start).
I also know that these CV carbs are notorious for needing the airbox to run 'Right', but I'm not even to that stage of fine tuning yet. I just want to get it running well enough that I can say, "Yes... this is a bike I want to put back on the road." and then spend the time to make it right, or "No, this bike is destined to be parts.".
I'm to the point where I need to make a decision. Do I push on and invest even more time to get this running? Do I cut bait, and sell the bike as it sits right now, running but not running right? ...or do I fall back on the original plan and part it out?
I bought this non-running 82 CB750K with the sole intent of parting it out. After I got it home though, I was having second thoughts. It really wasn't half bad and I was guessing that all it really needed was a carb clean.
I've done a fair amount of work to it PRIOR to addressing it's running issues, mainly making it look presentable. I know that's putting the horse before the carriage, but I wanted to feel that it was a bike worth going down that path.
I pulled the carbs, dropped the bowls, and found that the jets were actually clean. The floats also appeared to be in good shape. I believe I have a float needle that may be bad on #3 as it will let some fuel overflow, but it should not be reason for it to prevent it from running.
I swapped out the solenoid (which wasn't stopping it from running, but it was flaky and driving me insane), a coil, a plug wire, and dropped in new plugs. After an afternoon of tinkering with it and was able to get it running. Running, but not running well. In fact, running pretty bad. All four cylinders are hitting, all head pipes are getting hot, but it sounds like a rattly bag of bolts.
The video makes it sound worse than it it, but you get the idea....
http://youtu.be/orgdy46CgLo
To me, this now appears to be a timing issue. So I pull the ignition cover, check the timing, and see that while it does not appear to be way off based on the timing marks, it is advanced as far as it will go. So I back it off and make it ever so slightly retarded. I'm now unable to start it up because it's late at night and I don't want to wake the family.
This afternoon, and go at it again. I can get it to sputter, but it won't start. I move the timing around a bit, anywhere from slightly retarded, to being right smack in the zone (or what I believe to be dialed in), or even backed to being advanced. Other than a couple seconds here and there, it's just not running. To add insult to injury, I've cranked it over so much over the past couple days, the starter is now beginning to slip and rattle.
I've been planning on pulling the valve cover and checking the valve clearances as that was one of my original suspects as well, but at this point I'm just getting frustrated. Even if the valves are tight, I'd think I'd be able to get it running better than what it is (albeit a difficult start).
I also know that these CV carbs are notorious for needing the airbox to run 'Right', but I'm not even to that stage of fine tuning yet. I just want to get it running well enough that I can say, "Yes... this is a bike I want to put back on the road." and then spend the time to make it right, or "No, this bike is destined to be parts.".
I'm to the point where I need to make a decision. Do I push on and invest even more time to get this running? Do I cut bait, and sell the bike as it sits right now, running but not running right? ...or do I fall back on the original plan and part it out?
