• Enter the March CB750 Supply gift certificate giveaway! It's easy... Click here, post something, and you're entered into the drawing!

CB750 K5 Restoration

Yes beautiful weather here too! I can finally reorganize and clean the garage/shop. That seems like a fair price for the work done. Looking forward to seeing it together.
 
Making more progress here. I got the jugs back from the machinist, cleaned, painted and baked them.
IMG_20150418_120900608_zpso8i8hzho.jpg


Got the rings on pistons and the pistons mounted up.
IMG_20150419_133411474_zpsytpohuzu.jpg


IMG_20150419_135823655_zpsgwyay2tk.jpg


Got the top end together.
IMG_20150419_155736264_HDR_zpsvfeiyhzl.jpg


Waited a couple of days and torqued the head again.
Then tonight I got the cam assembly together.

IMG_20150423_210645634_zpsnmhdnd6i.jpg


Before calling it good I wanted to make sure oil will get to the top end and I'm getting oil pressure. So I hooked up the oil tank, put the filter on, got a few quarts of oil in, the hooked the starter up to a battery.

IMG_20150423_210714669_zps4wkrrfqj.jpg


After cranking over for a few minutes I got oil oozing out of the top end.

All ready to mount it up.
 
Last edited:
Got some time in the shop last night and got the engine mounted up.

First got it on a moving dolly so I could roll it down the ramp on my bike building table.
IMG_20150430_184353665_zpseeeeqenk.jpg


Note, the exhaust spigots, oil filter, cam top cover and the little bracket for the carb drain tubes are off, anything to get the engine smaller..

Got Everything ready to do the Lay Down method.
IMG_20150430_184933933_zpsmetinvlx.jpg


I found the moving dolly to be a bit high, so I had to put the engine on a couple of 2X4 scrap. Note the old rug to protect things..

Laid the bike down on over the engine. A few wiggles, pulls and pushes and I got a couple of the mount points lined up.
IMG_20150430_185942217_zpsvd6ittaw.jpg


Get a couple of the mounting bolts in and she's ready to tip back up.

Got about everything bolted up except the exhaust, carbs and Ignition.
IMG_20150430_220202933_zpsvleskpva.jpg


Hopefully get to those this weekend.
 
Well, early this month I did get it put together. I was amazed that it fired right up!

I adjusted the cam chain, reset the timing, and balanced the carbs.
Then upon its first ride the oil light started to come on after it warmed up. Crap!

So, I pulled the pump and replaced the o-rings, something I neglected to do before. I also went with 20w-50 oil and a new filter. Sill, once it warmed up the oil light would come on. Crap!!!

So, I started reading, and of course all the worse case scenarios haunted me. But, first things first. Get an oil pressure gauge on there.

I order a 100 psi 1 3/8 diameter, 1/8 npi gauge off of eBay, $15. Got it in the mail yesterday.
Went to the local hardware store, got a 90 degree brass fitting, a tap and drill bit.
IMG_20150519_082209701_zpsvqc2vjpo.jpg


Pulled the oil gally plug above the points cover, put it in the vice with some wood blocks as to not damage it.
IMG_20150519_082620830_zpsdwlna9zb.jpg


Drilled a small hole to start.
IMG_20150519_082740786_zpsqgcmilhr.jpg


Then the 11/32 hole.
IMG_20150519_082846072_zps9slk2i8k.jpg


A little tapping oil, my tap holder was too small so I had to improvise, and nice and slow, tapped the hole.
IMG_20150519_083315240_zpslle6hkge.jpg


IMG_20150519_083411788_zps2h0w4wa9.jpg


De-burred it and cleaned it up a bit. Plus a little teflon tape and a new o-ring for the cap,
IMG_20150519_084023537_zpsvyl3rwhr.jpg


Mount it back up.
IMG_20150519_084553524_zpse6261wc5.jpg


IMG_20150519_084707417_zpsap0wwplx.jpg


Fired the bike up, and got about 70 psi. But that wasn't the problem, once it was warmed up the the light would go on.
e5399016-192b-4a99-ab5c-d6d797d76bbb_zpsjxcaht4b.jpg


Took her for a short test ride to get her warmed up. Sure enough the light started to flicker. But Good News! I have oil pressure!
 
You just have to watch the thickness on those caps. Some of them are very thin and I have heard of the gauges blowing out of the stock caps when they are too thin and have too few of threads.
 
Wow, I love that idea. Wonder if that is doable on a DOHC motor (1979 to be exact). Might have to look into that as my chopper is very very bare bones and have zero dummy lights or gauges. lol
 
Today I put a new oil pressure switch on, walla! No oil light issues.

Also adjusted the can chain and valve clearances, checked the timing, re-synced the carbs and adjusted air mixture.

Running great!

I plan to ride it like it is through the summer, next winter it will get paint.
 
Yeah, it's been a while since I updated the build thread. I did end up riding the bike over the summer, my wife road it a few times too. Last march I dropped the tank, side covers, a fairing and saddle bags off to a custom painter. Well, the guy dicked me around all summer, giving excuses why he hasn't worked on my project. A few weeks ago I did get some pictures of his progress.

HEIDI%20013_zpsym7urzvf.jpg

HEIDI%20010_zps79druia1.jpg

HEIDI%20008_zpskyxfqrek.jpg

HEIDI%20006_zps05g4xn0h.jpg

HEIDI%20005_zpsokg5sg38.jpg

HEIDI%20004_zpsnz3sfxag.jpg

HEIDI%20003_zpslrlnqr54.jpg

HEIDI%20001_zpswwwhjnl8.jpg

007_zpsq8dcv9m8.jpg

004_zpsun7l17mr.jpg

002_zpsjxkfx0zp.jpg

Cherry%20006_zpsmsmfikev.jpg

Cherry%20005_zps0z6vvqqg.jpg

Cherry%20004_zpsa0d7emen.jpg

Cherry%20003_zpsvteghcy1.jpg
 
Well, after a long wait and a lot of harassing the painter, I finally got my parts back. I still have a few things to button up.. Wire the rear turn signals (on bags), mount the headlight, clean up the badges and more mounting. Here's a preview.
IMG_20170124_193715401_zpsx6bq7ewr.jpg

IMG_20170124_193858362_zpszx9yzfcb.jpg

IMG_20170124_194007886_zpsjwwf61fh.jpg

IMG_20170124_194019224_zps06vugw4m.jpg

IMG_20170124_194101427_zpsae15gkay.jpg

Yeah, my son looks real enthusiastic
IMG_20170124_194113248_zpsozsn2yhs.jpg
 
Still pretty slow moving on this build, but the end is in sight.

I was able to mount the headlight to the fairing, then the fairing to the bike. I had to strip and repaint the tank badges with model paint. I have the badges on the side covers and tank. As for the saddle bags, they didn't come with keys, so I disassembled the locks and took the pins out so they just turn with any key. We call that "Security by Obscurity" in the IT biz. Mounted the bags, rubber trim, locks and hinges. Sorry no pics of the bags on the bike. I also wired up the lights on the back of the bags. The tail lights on the bags are 1157 bulb type, so I wired them as Running and Turn signals, no room for the stock signals anymore.

Here's some pics.
IMG_20170129_175814791_zps4ctf655k.jpg

IMG_20170129_175826798_zps0cytono4.jpg

IMG_20170129_180057649_zpswi2lvlne.jpg

IMG_20170130_143052_787_zpsknvufxvd.jpg


About all I have left is mounting the windshield to the fairing.
 
Back
Top