'81 CB750C "Rock-It"

[Hoosier Daddy]

Last night I learned an 80 Suzuki GS750LT uses the same battery as a 81 Honda CB750C calls for.
So I took the battery out of the Zook and it's on the trickle charger at this very moment... 4 qt's of oil are in the bag next to the bike. Soon as I finish this pot-o-coffee I'm headin out to the shop.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Oil... check
Battery charged and installed... check
Key on and verify power... check
Rear Turn signals and tail light wired up and all lights tested... Check
she cranks well... check
Gas... DAMN! I need to run to town and get friggin GAS!!!

[Cabreco]

Hoosier Daddy wrote

Oil... check
Battery charged and installed... check
Key on and verify power... check
Rear Turn signals and tail light wired up and all lights tested... Check
she cranks well... check
Gas... DAMN! I need to run to town and get friggin GAS!!!

[Hoosier Daddy]

SHE IS A RUNNER!

Just came in from firing her up. Actually it went really well. I had it on the test bottle for fuel. Pulled the choke and hit the button... She fired right up, Exhaust is quiter than I expected, waited a minute and started pushing in the choke... Raise the idle speed screw... feel the pipes... All 4 warm!

Let her idle there a bit, cracked the throttle a tad and she responded. (I'm now getting excited) Pushed in the choke in half... adjusted the idle.... rumble, rumble rumble.... check all 4 pipes again, getting warmer evenly... NICE... Push the choke all the way in... smooth!!!

Twist the throttle slightly a couple quick times....Rowl...Rowl... rumble, rumble, rumble. THERE'S the exaust tone I was expecting! (Hearts beating a hundred miles an hour) then give her a quick once-over no leaks, no knocks, no rattles... Whew.

By now the exhaust was starting to get really warm enough I was worried about its paints first heat up and shut her down to let it cool and cure the first session. Next time will be a bit longer.

Then carb #1 started dribbling in little spurts out the drain, checked the bowl drain screw and it was tight. I threw a rag under it and shut off the fuel bottle. Tapping it with a screwdriver handle wouldn't stop it. DAMN, gotta pull the bowl back off and recheck the float / needle / seat.

Good news is SHE RUNS, smoothly, and sounds GOOD! It's hitting all 4 and the carb that is pissing is one of the outboard units, easy to get to. All-in-all I am sporting wood hard enough to drive a nail !!!
 

[barelycompetent]

Congrats Hoosier!!!!!  Everytime I look at your bike I will know that a part of my bike is on it!  It looks amazing and I bet it sounds amazing as well!  Cant wait to hear how your first test ride goes!

[Hoko]

Way to go Hoosier, perseverance pays off!

[Hoosier Daddy]

Pulled #1 float bowl, float and needle. sprayed carb clearner up into the seat and reassembled. Turned on the fuel, no dribble! Fired her up now #4 won't fire. Checked spark... good.
Then got called into work.
Already been out there this morning, still no #4. Well she didn't heal herself overnight. I'll be working on it but have a Family reunion this afternoon so shop time is limited.

AND at some point last night the lid mysteriously came off my fuel bottle and the small amount of gas that was left washed off some of the uncured header paint!

CHOICE WORDS.wav

[Hoosier Daddy]

Got it!
 I pulled the float bowl off #4 and found a chunk of crap in the jet, beats the hell outta me how something that big slipped by my meticulous cleaning and reassembly... ok "big" is the wrong word, but I could see it. Actually looked like a bit of sealer they had used to hold the gasket / o-ring in the groove on the float bowl, thought I had that all cleaned out when I tore them apart.
 No matter I guess It's all good again. Upon restart #3 was mis-firing and popping once in a while but it sorted itself out in short order. This run was a little longer and I kept having to turn the idle speed down as things settled in. Once she was warm I started to play with the throttle... Oh BABY this thing sounds GOOD!
  Broke out the meter, 12.8v  at idle and 13.5v at about 2750-3000, then 14.5v max at short bursts above 4000... YEAH!

[Beekeeper]

Roll her out in the sun and get another picture for us!

[Hoosier Daddy]

I am going to try to record and post a video of it running on the lift before then.
Hopefully tonight.

[shinyribs]

WooHoo!  Glad it all worked out good! Any finished pics yet?

[Hoosier Daddy]

She's not quite "finished" yet, but how about this...

<nabble_embed>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvaZZAZlz3A</nabble_embed>

Don't know why it won't embed, tried every combination I could think of... Oh well, here's the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvaZZAZlz3A

[Cabreco]

HD

Once you're done don't forget to send a video or pix to the PO for "ENVY FACTOR"!
As an '81 owner myself I gotta say YOU ROCK!

NICE!

[Truck]

Awsome bike! I'm really likeing the tail lights set up.

[Beekeeper]

That's what I'm talkin about!

[shinyribs]

Here ya go buddy.




Awesome. Nice vid. Pipes sound great. Bike is gorgeous. Great job dude! You're soooo close now!!!

[Hoosier Daddy]

How in the hell? (Groan)
Thatks Pal, I know I have linked a video here in the past but could not figure out what code to put inside the <nabble_embed></nabble_embed> tags to make it work this time...
Anyhoo,
Tonight I took it for the first leisurely ride around the block (country = 3 miles) and it went went great! She really started running smooth and not a bog at any of the 4 stops. I brought her home a suited up for a longer ride and it restarted and idled fine, but the time I got to the end of the driveway it died.  
 Some quick checks showed no fuel in the (clear) fuel line. So I turned around and got it restarted, goosing the throttle kept it running long enough to get back in the shop. Damn, that most not have been enough fuel. So I drove the truck to the gas station and fill the gas can, came home and topped off the tank... opened the petcock and nothing.  
 She seems to be vapor locked tighter than a Nuns puss in the vent of the carbs. Good flow out the petcock, fuel filter and line to the carbs but it wont feed past that. Acts like the vent is plugged even though all the pipes for it and the "T" was cleaned well in the carb O/H.
 I tried pressurizing the tank with compressed air but no use. I can remove the line at the carbs, turn on the petcock a flush all but a few tiny bubbles out but when I start the bike it acts lean, popping and won't idle on it's own. Then the fuel hose is empty again...
DAMN!
Think I am going to try removing the tank and hooking up my vacuum pump to the vent "T" and sucking fuel through to eliminate the vapor lock. See it I can get fuel to flow that way..

[shinyribs]

That is strange. Does fuel flow freely with just a line on the petcock-nothing else hooked to it?

[easyrider12]

Yeah, hooter, you know I've been following your build.  I was also thinking that it might be an end of the line fuel problem.  DOH!.  Bike looks great, and your commentary on the youtube was witty..... HA,    b est of luck from M(81c)

[Hoosier Daddy]

Yep,  Tank, petcock, filter are not the issue. If I take the fuel hose off the carb connection and open the petcock it flows like crazy.  I did pull the small bowl off the petcock and the new filter screen I had installed still was clean. Something past that in the carbs is not letting fuel flow. After sleeping on it I am wondering since this is the first time running with the actual fuel tank if something made all 4 fuel valves stick.