honda305.com Forum

Okay...will do!

LOUD MOUSE wrote:Valves first then run and check for noise. ......lm

sarals wrote:I will do all of that, thank you!

LOUD MOUSE wrote:Don't pull on the exciter turn it counter clockwise with enough pressure to break it loose then adjust it so you are just a bit closer to "F".
I would check the valves before I did that. ....lm

sarals wrote:Hi, Ed!

I haven't moved that exciter, yet. Yes, I did use Blue Loctite on it - absolutely! If I pull it off to adjust it, which way should I go with it?

I have't looked at the valves yet. The top end is a little quieter since I adjusted the cam chain, so there was some slop there, I guess enough to be a bit noisy.

By the way, I was just out terrorizing the neighborhood (as much as I can terrorize anyone) on her, and wow, does she run good! You know, I don't remember her accelerating quite that briskly before! She can really move.

LOUD MOUSE wrote:As I hope you used Blue Lock Tite you can break the exciter loose and move it.
Not much movement there is required.
The points cam and springs were good when I did the head.
Did you look at the valve clearance?.......................... ..lm

sarals wrote:Hmmm.

I talked to Ed last week and he indicated that he thought the top end was a little noisy, and it was probably the cam chain tensioner. I adjusted it, but it was fine. The plunger wasn't moving at all when I turned the engine over (with a wrench). Hmmm.

Then I took a look at the timing. It's firing on the "T" mark, and there isn't enough adjustment to move it to the "F" mark. Electronic ignition. It advances perfectly, 40 degrees, as it is supposed to. I wonder if the trigger on the cam is in the wrong place. It looks right, the line on the cam end is in the middle of the window.

I don't want to go melting down a new engine.

Hmmm.....

The valves were all quite loose. They're now right. I think.

I looked everything over on the engine, and in other places, and all looks really good. The engine is completely dry, no sign of any oil leaks so far. All of the wiring is now nice and tidy, except for the negative lead on the battery. The lights all work, the brake light switch is properly adjusted, and the horn works perfectly. The cable routing is as OEM, and the cables are all lubricated and operate smoothly. I checked various bolts for tightness, and all is fine. I do want to put a squirt of lube in the clutch actuator and the swing arm pivots. I should check the tire pressure, too. I do NOT like the enormous lug I put on the ground cable at the battery end - the thing is just too big and too close to the gas tank and seat pan. I've got to get a proper lug for that.

Oh, the little details.

I'll put the tank back on on Tuesday (I have to work tomorrow) and then fiddle with the exciter position to get the timing right.

Then, I'll start working on my nerve to go to DMV....

I did get the tank back on and got her started up this evening. She just fires right up, and settles into a purr like a kitten! She is MUCH quieter...so the noise Ed was hearing was definitely the valves. Tomorrow I'll move the exciter on the electronic ignition and get timing set properly.

Great work Sara! Really rewarding to see!!

Looks lovely and sounds sweet, although it did sound a bit 'tappy' in your video but, as you state (and thanks to Ed's highly-tuned ears), you've addressed that issue.

I just hope mine sounds as good when I get there....

This was about four years ago before I did the powertrain tear-down; I was testing out the lowest rpm that I could get it to idle smoothly -- about 450. You can hear the little ends merrily rattling away when I rev it!

And I still haven't painted my spare tank.... :-/

e3steve wrote:Great work Sara! Really rewarding to see!!

Looks lovely and sounds sweet, although it did sound a bit 'tappy' in your video but, as you state (and thanks to Ed's highly-tuned ears), you've addressed that issue.

I just hope mine sounds as good when I get there....

This was about four years ago before I did the powertrain tear-down; I was testing out the lowest rpm that I could get it to idle smoothly -- about 450. You can hear the little ends merrily rattling away when I rev it!

And I still haven't painted my spare tank.... :-/

Steve, thank you! Hey, your bike sounded very good! I couldn't hear any unusual noises, but then I don't have Ed's nack for that, either. Your tach is really smooth. Mine doesn't work at all, right now. When you get her done, I am CERTAIN she'll run beautifully.

I've got a video on the way to YouTube right now that I'll link to. It shows the Old Girl this past Thursday afternoon right after I got the timing set. She's nice and quiet! I keep the idle up on her, around 1000 RPM or so (with no tach, it's hard to tell for sure).

I can't wait to get her registered!

Here's the latest video...

http://youtu.be/vgQH6o4fBhk

sarals wrote:......Your tach is really smooth. Mine doesn't work at all, right now......

I was lucky with that. My original instrument pooped its pants on my delivery ride, within my initial resto topic in 2008, if you're bored one evening.

I spotted a NOS instrument on eBay. I mean NOS! I had to have it at US$105!!!

If your tach cable is spinning with the motor, and it's engaging successfully into the square-drive recepticle, then do yourself a favour and completely remove the inner cable to avoid possible damage to the needle or the facia. Mine got completely ruined when the needle suddenly popped its pips and flipped round the dial, jamming itself against the speedo needle's tail!

Get it to San Diego asap, once you've done the DMV thing. Maybe before, as you won't want to not ride it once it's good to go!

Lovely, lovely work you've done there. Sounds really sweet now.