First time Honda owner - looking forward to the Experience

[doin]

Howdy folks!
I just bought my first Japanese bike - 1974 CB750 and I am excited about it. Actually a banner week as my wife also bought a Subaru Outback this week! All of this may not sound like much, but we have have been die hard all American (and British) machines all our lives - and two Japanese vehicles in one week is a revolution for us!

I will always love my Harley's but I respect Honda very much and I see the benefits of overhead cams for sure. These machines seem to be bulletproof and run forever! And no need for a drip pan underneath? I am on board with that concept!

I also love the fact that parts are widely available, and these engines can be put in rigid frames to make cool choppers - so many great options!

I plan to run mine mostly stock, at least for a while . . . once I actually take delivery of it, I can post pictures. She's not a looker - rattle canned flat black, but she runs strong and looks cool to me!

I thank you all in advance for answering the inevitable questions I will have . . . as I plan on doing all the work as needed myself.

Peace!

Doug

 

[Staubig]

Nice buy! You're lucky about the drip pan scenario though!

 

[doin]

Thanks! Why? do these old CB750's tend to leak oil?

 

[Staubig]

I'm not going to say they all do, I've got a DOHC that gets better gas milage than oil milage lol haven't been able to isolate it either. Regardless, still a Metric lover. All of my left shoes are oil soaked though lok

 

[doin]

Hmmm....I put up with a lot of oil puddles with all the Harley's I have owned. I guess I thought I could avoid that here, but then again my Honda is 41 years old, so perhaps my expectations should not be too high. Good news is I am used to it - so no worries! Any chance the SOHC's leak less?

 

[Staubig]

I would not expect to hear many complaints about Japanese oil leaks. I'm working on a 72 cb350 that's motor is tip top despite sitting in bad conditions. I don't think I'd expect oil leaks to be a "thing" for any Honda, especially not when compared to HD bikes. I'm a special case lol

 

[tommycarl]

I'd bet that you didn't find any oil under that '74... but if you did, I'm sure there's a gasket or seal to fix it.

 

[doin]

That's good to know. That motor looked tight and there was not even a hint of oil anyplace underneath - frankly I am not used to that and I love it.

 

[motogtp]

I have seen several that develop a leak around the head gasket. There are 4 rubber donuts between the head and the cylinders that seal the oil passages. I am betting that they get dried out or cracked. On mine I have no oil underneath, but it does leak onto the cylinder fins and eventually my left shoe.

 

[dirtdigger]

The issue with the head gaskets is a result of the weak cylinder studs. They stretch easily which allows the head too loose a little tension on the head gasket. Honda also had a small issue with head gaskets that tended to weep oil out to the surface. Modern gaskets and heavy duty studs eliminate the head gasket issue. The only other thing that is a common leak on the 750 is the rubber pucks under the cam towers in the head. Old age and loosening of the tower studs are the main culprit in an oem motor. In a rebuild the main reason for leaks is builder error when putting it all together. Just a hint of Hondabond and new orings and gaskets makes these motors dry.

 

[Staubig]

I can't even really location mine. I think its coming from in between cylinder one and two, there's a small aluminum pipe(?) That goes up to the cams. I'm assuming it transports oil

 

[dirtdigger]

Yes the tube on the DOHC motor is a oil line. Totally different animal from the sohc motor.

 

[Staubig]

I know it is. Just sharing my current frustration lol

 

[Dave]

Love my '74. (my profile pic) I rescued it from a snowbank in MI. No joke, it was buried in snow up to the bars and I just asked if I could have it and the owner gave it to me.

Engine oil leaks? Sorry, I don't know what that is but, it does tend to drip gas from the overflow tubes when parked. I live in CenCal and the temperature varies 30 to 40 degrees between night and day.

Sorry about the Subaru LOL She should've bought a Honda too

PS You can find a manual here 69-78 and 79-83 Service Manuals

 

[dirtdigger]

Subarus made me alot of money as a tech! Got to where I could cut the timing belt replacement time by about an hour under book time! I like American vehicles also but you cant beat the Japanese when it comes to bikes be it reliability or HP... they are not afraid to innovate.