My first bike, a 1979 CB750L

[Jmc1131]

Im moving apartments soon and will be getting a garage, going to wait until then to start working on her. First thing is probably a speedometer and a tachometer, those would be useful. Then work my way to Cycle-X 4-2-1 exhaust, new foot pegs, grips, turn signals, and fly screen. I know its the limited edition paint job but the previous owner spilt gas on it and now it looks real bad on the side I didn't take the picture of  So I was thinking of painting it dark blue with a light blue stripe outlined in thin white lines and doing the same to the fly screen. I actually like the seat so was going to stick with it so that the girl can ride if she so choses. It has been running great, only 19k miles (the guy had the pedometer just the whole housing fell apart when he tried and change the face in it) So other than changing the fluids I don't think I will have to worry about the engine for the time being.

[Jmc1131]

[Jmc1131]

Forgot to add text in the above post...any idea on what the pink stuff is in the right picture? Doesn't quite look like it belongs. And on the left you can see just the top of a tube in front of the battery, it leads to and from nowhere, just ziptide in place, and the horizontal red tube has mean stumped.

[seestheday]

Welcome to the forum.  Great looking bike.  Very clean.

Do you mean the pink stuff by the cam chain tensioner (in between the headers)?
Looks like gasket sealer or something similar.   It might have been leaking oil from there and the PO put it there to stop it.  Not sure if that indicates a problem or not.  I would just pay attention to the cam chain tensioner.  That year in particular had issues.  If you are getting cam chain slap deal with it immediately.

Not sure about the red tube.  Does your bike still have an autopetcock?  If it has been removed, then at least one tube is no longer needed (and a nipple on the carbs needs to be capped).

[TOOLS1]

That red tube looks like an old battery vent tube.
TOOLS

[Jmc1131]

Gotcha, there is a tube not pictured that is the battery vent and it looks allot newer. I'm kind of jumping into this head first but I've always loved these bikes and grew up working on farm equipment, hope it alll works out

[Jmc1131]

Cool, I am having a friend come over tonight who has been riding allot longer than I have to ride her and see if he heres anything funny, I was riding earlier and she seemed to be shifting weird between first and second, gonna have him feel for that as well, can't tell if its the bike or my newbness. Also going to check on the petcock.

[shinyribs]

Since your bike has pods now,that big black tube probably used to connect to the factory airbox. The (once) clear vinyl tube does look like a battery vent tube. If it still hooked up to the battery,point it down between the engine and the front of your swing arm.That way it wont put out acid vapors and wreck you pretty engine paint.If it is not attached to the battery,chuck it.

Darn nice bike,btw.Very clean!

[Jmc1131]

So after looking it over I am pretty sure the horizontal tube is the oxygen intake for whatever is under the battery, and yeah the once clear one is no longer relevant like you said, glad to know that im not crazy. How ever, i thought I would start out by simply changing the oil, GOOD GRIEF could NOT get the bolt underneath on the oil pan to give way! I read on her to use the box end on the wrench so as not to strip it but was afraid I was starting to strip it anyway. Gonna run to walmart and get a ratchet set. Also I guy walked by, was working on it in the parking lot, and he told me I was crazy to use synthetic, I live in Vegas and it is already hitting 105f in the afternoon so was gonna use SAE 30 like the manual says, but does the synthetic matter, figured if anything it would be better...

[Jmc1131]

My friend couldnt make it over but in my non expert opinion it almost sounds like a piston in the 2nd cylinder  might not be spaced right. As it runs I here steady fast paced "lug lug lug" coming from that general area, thanks for complimenting her, first thing I did when I got her was take a little degreaser to her cause she was lookin a hot mess :)

[shinyribs]

If your carbs are out of sync the bike can make very funny sounds.It causes the engine to run sort of off balance (airflow balance,not actual rotating balance). I would not worry about any funny noises if the carbs have not been synced any time recently.

Some people will say that synthetic can cause leaks in an older engine.personally,I have never had a problem. Shell Rotella T-6 is what a lot of us run around here. it is very good oil and is compatible with the wet-clutch in your bike. It will take the heat and much cheaper than synthetic. I get mine for about $22 a gallon at Wal-Mart

[sgtslag]

Get yourself an impact wrench to safely (usually...) remove that drain plug.  Use a Torque Wrench, and seat it properly (28 lbs.-ft., if I remember correctly).  Get yourself a copy of the FSM from the Home Page, here; pick up a Clymer, used, for less than $10, as a supplement -- it's good, but the combination of Clymer, and the FSM, is best.

These '79K/L engines run at 250 F, two-up, at 55 MPH...  That is the thermal limit of dyno oil.  Above 250 F, they break down into carbon deposits, and sludge, inside the engine, and the transmission.  Synthetic oils will break down at 400 F.  While synthetic oils won't break down in your engine, your seals will still take a beating from the heat, drying out, becoming brittle, if your engine goes higher than 250 F.  High oil temperatures are hard on these engines.

If you plan on racing it, at all, look into adding an oil cooler (1981/2 CB650 SC Nighthawk's came OEM with an oil cooler which will bolt on, directly).  An oil cooler will keep your oil at around 210 F, no matter what, if the bike is moving.  I installed a system using a similar radiator (possibly identical, don't know) off of a CB900 Custom, with an adapter.  My oil temperature gauge shows it holds at 210 F, under all conditions where the air temperature is above 70 F (hottest ride thus far, was 90 F, with oil at 210 F, riding for 2+ hours at 60 MPH, two-up, full saddlebags, trunk, and tank bag).

I've run Shell T6 for 2+ years, no issues.  I run it in all of my engines (two cars, one truck, two motorcycles, two lawn mowers, one snowblower, and an air compressor), one oil to stock:  5W-40, ~$21/gallon at Wal-Mart.  It is available nearly everywhere.  If you need oil on the road, just get a quart of Shell T5 (if T6 is not stocked), conventional, at any gas station, and you'll be fine.  Cheers!

[sgtslag]

Run some SeaFoam through the crankcase before you change the oil, and filter...  Follow directions on the can.  This will dissolve varnish, and carbon deposits, within the engine, and the transmission:  run it at idle, five minutes, on the center-stand, shifting through all five gears, letting the wheel spin freely.  The oil should get to 180 F, after five minutes:  warm enough to suspend crud to be caught by the filter.  Your oil will likely turn black, which is normal, and good.  Change oil, and filter, and never bother with it again, for 30,000+ miles, if ever.  Cheers!

[SECTION8]

Real nice looking bike there and welcome!

[Jmc1131]

Thanks, yeah a torque wrench would probably do the trick, wish I'd thought of that sooner  the good thing about me trying to figure this out is I am going to have quite the tool collection before to long. I have run some seafoam through the gas tank and will run it in the oil as soon as I get the torque wrench.

[Stig]

nice bike :) i got one of those too. cept i dont have exhaust or pod filters. and mine isnt running yet. the emulsion tubes are stuck in the carbs so im going to be drilling those out in the next few days. So consider me jealous lol

[Jmc1131]

 Was just trying to change the oil...3 hours and bolt breaker bar later I finally got to change my oil haha. Fun fact, cb750s and honda accords have the same bolt on their oil pans, had to replace mine after I went all muscle on it. Finally got it off when the 80 year old guy in bay next to me (was at a diy garage) came over with just a socket wrench and a tiny hammer and got the thing out in like 5 minutes, cant beat experience (although I like to think I loosened it up ) Move into a new house tomorrow with a huge garage, Going to get into some serious modifications soon. To be continued...

[seestheday]

Diy garage? Is it a tool sharing place? More details please :-)
I've always thought about this concept and am interested that they're starting to pop up.

Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

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From: "Jmc1131 [via Honda CB750'S]" <[hidden email]>

Date: Tue, 22 May 2012 16:45:02 -0700 (PDT)

To: seestheday<[hidden email]>

Subject: Re: My first bike, a 1979 CB750L

 Was just trying to change the oil...3 hours and bolt breaker bar later I finally got to change my oil haha. Fun fact, cb750s and honda accords have the same bolt on their oil pans, had to replace mine after I went all muscle on it. Finally got it off when the 80 year old guy in bay next to me (was at a diy garage) came over with just a socket wrench and a tiny hammer and got the thing out in like 5 minutes, cant beat experience (although I like to think I loosened it up ) Move into a new house tomorrow with a huge garage, Going to get into some serious modifications soon. To be continued...

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[Jmc1131]

The garage is at Nellis AFB, yeah they have all the tools you need you just have to ask for each tool and can only have a reasonable amount out at each time. A few real professional mechanics work there so if you have questions they help out. It's usually 5-10 dollars depending on time spent there. I dont knwo if its just an air force thing or what but it sure is nice.

[Jmc1131]

Moved into the new, got the garage, ready to get to work. So I wanted to get new turn signals in the front and back because the ones I have are pretty lose and dont match. I found some online I really like but are not at all like the origonal. I went to a store to look at them and the guy there said he thought it would be a mistake not use origonal looking ones. Now I am not trying to make it look like it did brand new... but also I dont want it to look stupid. Seeing as how I am new to this I was hoping to get your opinions.