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Motorcycle Forum / Country Specific / UK Group / September 2008Any advice on what to fettle first on a 400 4?
Just bought one because it was the right colour and probably not the right price. Anyway; it makes a strange clunk when you brake that sounds like its coming from the front wheel. The disk brake and its bits look OK and the steering head bearings seem to be all right. Something in the fork? It had been off the road for 3 years except for occasional start ups and rides round the yard.  SignatureMark Roberts > Just bought one because it was the right colour and probably not the right > price. Anyway; it makes a strange clunk when you brake that sounds like > its coming from the front wheel. The disk brake and its bits look OK and > the steering head bearings seem to be all right. Something in the fork? > It had been off the road for 3 years except for occasional start ups and > rides round the yard. Loose nut holding the handlebars. SignatureDave ex Motorcycle Maintenance Workshop http://tinyurl.com/4mhaw > Just bought one because it was the right colour and probably not the > right price. Anyway; it makes a strange clunk when you brake that sounds [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > It had been off the road for 3 years except for occasional start ups and > rides round the yard. Check that the swinging arm caliper, one of Honda's less bright ideas, is bolted to the left-hand fork leg properly. The two left-hand mudguard bolts actually perform a key function in holding the caliper on, dear Christ, and it's not unknown for people to shear off the bolts and ignore it because, what the f.ck, it's only a mudguard and there are two bolts on the other side, right? I assume the wheel spindle is nice and tight. Other than that, the key things include the camchain tensioner (always seizes, can be manually adjusted with the 'screwdriver down the blanking hole' trick. Carb balancing, or the clutch rattles like you would not believe. Squint at the camchain tensioner locknut bolt on the front of the block, down by the front engine mounting plates. If it isn't a tiny little 10mm headed bolt, but some 12 or even 13mm thing, start worrying, because some twonk's bodged it. Oil filter bolt, on the front of the crankcases. OE is 12mm, and always gets rounded off. 17mm headed aftermarket bolts are Good Things. Fuse box, behind the left hand side panel. Pop off the cover, and be prepared for a large hole where something has shorted out and burned through the plastic. Other than that, as long as it is running sweetly, given regular and frequent oil changes, it'll continue to do so. Tough engines. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." <advice> > Tough engines. Ooh. Doesn't sound so bad :) I'm picking it up in the morning so I should have a better idea by tomorrow night what is wrong and right on it. Cheers for the pointers. SignatureMark Roberts > <advice> > > Tough engines. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Cheers for the pointers. If it turns out to be a woof-woof, don't worry. They are worth fortunes as breakers. Absolutely everyone wants the parts. I've just bought a £500 one and sold every single component, including the rolling chassis and engine whch was all that was left by the time I'd taken off all the bits that are really in the want, in one load of 10-day Ebay auctions. In parts, it went for £1200. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." 1975 31k All the manuals, toolkits old mots etc. Sounds lovely. Doesn't appear to have any strange cam chain noises but tbh I have no idea what that would sound like really. Everything is original except the rear mudguard which is a fibreglass item; the front mudguard and the chain guard whilst sound have been sprayed to match the silver/grey finish on the rear guard and to cover up some pitting. Rims have been respoked but it all looks OK. >Check that the swinging arm caliper, one of Honda's less bright ideas, >is bolted to the left-hand fork leg properly. Check >The two left-hand mudguard bolts actually perform a key function in >holding the caliper on, dear Christ, and it's not unknown for people to >shear off the bolts and ignore it because, what the f.ck, it's only a >mudguard and there are two bolts on the other side, right? Check >I assume the wheel spindle is nice and tight. > >Other than that, the key things include the camchain tensioner (always >seizes, can be manually adjusted with the 'screwdriver down the blanking >hole' trick. Sounds OK to me. > Carb balancing, or the clutch rattles like you would not >believe. The pipes heat up together and again I cant detect any clutch rattle but once again I'm not sure I'd know. >Squint at the camchain tensioner locknut bolt on the front of the block, >down by the front engine mounting plates. If it isn't a tiny little 10mm >headed bolt, but some 12 or even 13mm thing, start worrying, because >some twonk's bodged it. Still a nice 10mm >Oil filter bolt, on the front of the crankcases. OE is 12mm, and always >gets rounded off. 17mm headed aftermarket bolts are Good Things. Original 12mm ever so slightly rounded >Fuse box, behind the left hand side panel. Pop off the cover, and be >prepared for a large hole where something has shorted out and burned >through the plastic. Ah! New fuse box :) Bad stuff just seems to be the clunk in the fork area, wont tick over very well and takes a bit of starting if it stops when hot. Other than that I think I'm happy :) http://tinyurl.com/6y6dg4 So...Paid 660 quid for it; was I robbed? SignatureMark Roberts <snipo> > Ah! > New fuse box :) Heh. Told you! > Bad stuff just seems to be the clunk in the fork area, wont tick over > very well and takes a bit of starting if it stops when hot. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > So...Paid 660 quid for it; was I robbed? No, you did very well. That's tidy. Original exhaust in lovely nick - tha's £400 these days. The chrome guards - par for the course to repaint 'em. New front guards are available at around £150. New rear ones are unobtainium. I just sold a superb condition used one for £200. Re the poor starting - that'll be clogged pilot jets, probably. It could benefit from a complete carb overhaul but that costs. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." Well looked it all over and decided it might be good for an MOT. It failed only on the rear shocks which was a surprise as I expected the crack in the top of the left hand slider (it appears as if someone tried to use a piece of railway line to change the seal?) where fork oil weeps past the seal to be the one that failed it. Ah well ne'er mind; I'll be changing the slider when I do the fork oil, seals and greasing up that funny swing arm thingies hinge pin. Any recommendation on what weight fork oil? The brake fluid is very dark so that can be changed along with the engine oil. The chain looks OK but you can push it from side to side a loooong way. Are there any 'O' ring chains I can use or do I need to get the old school type? I need to sync the carbs but I think I've sorted the idling out by increasing its speed to 1200rpm; was a bit slow before :) Sorry for babbling but TBH I'm a bit chuffed with it. P.S. Anyone want to sell some forks? SignatureMark Roberts > Are there any 'O' ring chains I can use or do I need to get the old > school type? Any old crap will do. > I need to sync the carbs but I think I've sorted the idling out by > increasing its speed to 1200rpm; was a bit slow before :) 1200-1400rpm is about right. Below that, and the clutch chunters like mad. A set of carb gauges is a good investment, mind, as they do go out of synch with depressing regularity. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." >> Are there any 'O' ring chains I can use or do I need to get the old >> school type? > >Any old crap will do. Talking of chains and doing up old bikes TOG. Apparently the PO of my GPz550 had a new 'O' chain and sprocket set put on about 100 miles / 3 years ago. Looking at the rear sprocket and feeling most of the chain that's probably about right. However, one link (and not the joining link) feels very different? If you try to bend any other part of the chain sideways it's all pretty stiff. This one link feels like it's hinged by comparison? In fact while I'm typing this I'm wondering if the guy that fitted it needed an extra link and used one off the old chain (which the MOT guy had declared 'bad'). Fit a new chain anyway and if so would "any old crap chain" also do for this 550 do you think please? > Fit a new chain anyway and if so would "any old crap chain" also do > for this 550 do you think please? Yes. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." >> Fit a new chain anyway and if so would "any old crap chain" also do >> for this 550 do you think please? > >Yes. Ta ;-) I thought it was too good to be true :) It's not charging. I've got me multimeter out and the stator and field coils read knackered :( It could possibly be the wires themselves chewed up behind the sprocket/starter cover I suppose. I cant see anything adrift behind the alternator cover. I guess alternators for cb400 four's are pretty rare now? SignatureMark Roberts > I thought it was too good to be true :) > It's not charging. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > alternator cover. > I guess alternators for cb400 four's are pretty rare now? Nah, they're easy to find. Cheap too. Check the connector block first, though. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." >Nah, they're easy to find. Cheap too. Check the connector block first, >though. Dismantled things; took readings that again indicated 'broken' field and stator coils. Brother turns up who fixes cars informs me that readings on coils can be very misleading and can he have a look. Put it all back together again and by 'eck its charging! 3 years standing mean bad connections I guess. Crikey should be on the road legal by next weekend :) SignatureMark Roberts > 3 years standing mean bad connections I guess. That's usually the case, yes. Told you! SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." >> 3 years standing mean bad connections I guess. > >That's usually the case, yes. > >Told you! Ok, if you are in the prediction mood TOG <g>, what are the chances of getting all 8 exhaust clamp dome nuts of this 550 without shearing something do you think (I'll give em a good soak of PlusGas first, use some heat if necessary etc)? > Ok, if you are in the prediction mood TOG <g>, what are the chances of > getting all 8 exhaust clamp dome nuts of this 550 without shearing > something do you think (I'll give em a good soak of PlusGas first, use > some heat if necessary etc)? What 550? Yes, you're doing the right thing. Plus Gas and lots of heat and you'll be OK. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." >> Ok, if you are in the prediction mood TOG <g>, what are the chances of >> getting all 8 exhaust clamp dome nuts of this 550 without shearing >> something do you think (I'll give em a good soak of PlusGas first, use >> some heat if necessary etc)? > >What 550? Em, the GPz550 ;-) >Yes, you're doing the right thing. Plus Gas and lots of heat and you'll >be OK. Ok cheers. I don't really want to touch the exhaust atm but it's going to be the easiest way to get to the Neta silencer to brackety bolts out / replaced that are blind and currently going round and round. Having said that re-hanging the system might not be a bad idea in any case (for the sake of 4 gaskets, a few nuts and some PlusGas). >> Ok, if you are in the prediction mood TOG <g>, what are the chances of >> getting all 8 exhaust clamp dome nuts of this 550 without shearing [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] >Yes, you're doing the right thing. Plus Gas and lots of heat and you'll >be OK. Yep, exhaust came off a treat. ;-) There seems to be some rust between a couple of the gullies where the 4 goes into the 1 and what looks like the remains of some Gun-gum (or similar)? I'll pull all the pipes out and see how tidy it looks and see if it's good enough to weld. I'm gonna go and get one of those nut splitters to get the nuts off the rear mounting bracket (any excuse for more tools and easier than a hacksaw and quieter than the air cut-off tool). The heads of the bolts are in a captive slot on the back of the silencer and I don't want to pull any of it about too much. Did I see mention of the flared retaining collars being available in stainless now or just the split shells? > There seems to be some rust between a couple of the gullies where the > 4 goes into the 1 and what looks like the remains of some Gun-gum (or > similar)? That sounds familiar. That's where they always corrode away. >I'll pull all the pipes out and see how tidy it looks and > see if it's good enough to weld. The right thing to do. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." It's all ready for its MOT free retest now. Bloody computer system means it has actually got to be booked in because the system waits 40 odd minutes before spitting out the certificate. Tester only needs to see the new shocks on the back... Anyway, I have managed to find a sound albeit scruffy rear mudguard :) I'd quite like to get it rechromed along with the chainguard and the front mudguard. I've never had anything chromed before. Beyond cleaning the rust off is there any other prep I need to carry out? Can anyone recommend a place that can do this work? I live in Brunstrom land...................... Cheers. SignatureMark Roberts > front mudguard. I've never had anything chromed before. > Beyond cleaning the rust off is there any other prep I need to carry > out? Yes. It really needs to be taken back to bare metal and polished properly. If you just scrub the rust off, it'll be rechromed but every little bump and imprefection will show. The actual chroming isn't the time-consuming and expensive bit. The metal polishing and preparation is. SignatureBMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Yamaha XT600E Honda CB400F chateau dot murray at idnet dot com "What you're proposing to do will involve a lot of time and hassle for no tangible benefit." |
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