Honda CB400NA Superdream - new money puddle.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Here are a couple of photos of the new arrival - delivered this morning.
It's going to take me a few days to catalogue the boxes of parts that came with the bike.
It starts on the button having had a new battery fitted a couple of weeks ago.

A two cylinder does sound strange at first.

.Boxes of spares by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr
 

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

400NA by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

That seat was on backwards, it's come with a better seat plus a new cover & , strap.
In the boxes were not one, not two, but three spare starter motors!
Not sure yet how many of them still work.

[Johnny4428]

Nice to get a look Ted! Looks like quite a bit of spares too! Is that an original colour for that model? Not so many of the 400 around back in the day.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Nice to get a look Ted! Looks like quite a bit of spares too! Is that an original colour for that model? Not so many of the 400 around back in the day.

No there were never made in white , I commented that I liked the colour on the SD website next thing the guy who had only owned the bike for a month or so offered it to me at fair money.
He had a Yamaha FJ? 1300 that was his priority.

The owner was a really nice bloke who asked me for first refusal if I ever wanted to sell it.
A great bonus is it's easier than the 400/4 to pull onto  the centre stand. Photo with seat on the right way around.

The engine has suffered from a slight persistant  oil leak for the last nine years & two owners from the cylinder head/block area.

.PXL_20241005_110311905 by Macabe Thiele, on Flickr

I'm off to Stafford Show with my BiL in the morning.

[Laverda Dave]

A good basis for a winter resto Ted. That engine looks a bit on the heavy side, it's a big lump.
Enjoy Stafford, I was contemplating going but the wife is working this weekend and needs the car. I'd go on the Viffer but that limits what I can buy and carry back.

[AshimotoK0]

Looks a decent project Ted. Are you keeping it that colour?

Went to Stafford today as my son always pays and drives me there.

Bit disappointed... poor turnout of autojumble a p*ssed down all of the time we were there, although we left about 1pm. David Silvers rummage area was disappointing too ... eBay prices rather than his normal autojumble prices.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I've been reading a series of old invoices  dated June 2014 to August 2019 by a firm named RGS Motorsport (Wellingborough)  who have charged a PO £200.20, £817, £1171.02, £177.00, & finally £352.80 during that period the bike covered only 1.078 miles - little wonder the owner sold the bike and gave up trying to stop an oil leak. That's a total of £2717.84.

RCS stated on the last invoice in 2019 "this engine is delicate and would not advise being taken apart again".
Seems an odd statement on face value by a repairer.  I can sense the money puddle turning into a Lake.

Yes Ash I'm planning to keep the colour as it is mainly to keep down the costs & it's not bad enough to justify a re-paint although one of the decals is a tad bubbly at one end.

[Orcade-Ian]

Wonder what 'delicate' means?  Threads in alloy about to give way after they had bodged stuff perhaps?  No big deal surely, nothing insurmountable.  As you say, an odd statement.  That bike looks somehow familiar - perhaps a few folk had them done in white, I've certainly seen on done in those colours.  There are a few Super Dreams here in Orkney - one 400 owned by a mutual friend of Johnny and myself.  I bought a brand new one in Sept 1980 and did 3000 miles in 3 months and chopped it in for a new CX500A - transferred the number RAT 300W onto that.  Also I have a contact down in Lancashire who has quite a few and might have spares lying about but you seem to have plenty! 
If the puddle is turning into a pool, just drill a hole in the lowest part and Wendy will not spot it!


Ian

[Honda enthusiast]

Looks a nice project Ted 🤠 always nice to do something different, enjoy buddy 😁

[Rozabikes Tim]

Well done Ted. You really are a prolific restorer Sir!

Re money puddle / lake / pit etc. Just keep in mind its a twin and your others were fours. Half as many cylinders etc to consider cost wise.

Many many years since a rebuilt  my motor (40+) but don't recall it being difficult to work on. Good luck mate.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Just back from Stafford Show, it was dry but there were lots of empty stalls inside with a lower attendance it seemed. We did not find a Honda stand or see a 400N with just one 250 Superdream.

Ran the engine when I got back, the oil looks as though it's leaking mainly  from the very  top  cover, oil then runs along the top fins on the cylinder head down the valley between the two cylinders. It made me wonder if the vent pipe is trapped.

I can see that the invoices included fitting two Time Serts as they do not use long studs but very long head bolts that reach through the head & block screwing into the upper engine case.

[Bryanj]

That rocker gasket can be a pig Ted as its a T shaped cross section and needs glueing into the cover(evostick)

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

You have endorsed what Ken told me this afternoon.
Ken was saying it's easy to knock the gasket out of position as you fit the cover.

As a bonus the oil ends up dripping onto the collector box so you get free smoke as well.

[Bryanj]

At least it stopsthe collector rotting!

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

The genuine seal at DS is £19.70, aftermarket part £9.00 is the cheaper option as good?

The top seal/washers are £7.70 each, so it's a total of £35.10 or £24.40 - just to cheer me up there might be a second leak lower down!