Honda-SOHC

I eventually took it apart anyway, barrels well and truly stuck on, pistons and rods still in the bores. I stupidly popped a ring out, I had to weasel it back in with my fingernails, which took ages.

Entry, risking the garage roof again with a ratchet strap. Note Trigger's stand coming in handy. Also the Aldi work bench's compressed cardboard top has been replaced with some proper wood after an, er, accident.



First glimpse of a main bearing:



Strangely although all the mains are toast, shells and crank, the big ends are fine, so I don't need any rods, Ash, I may need a rotor and ring gear yet, though, that big bolt isn't for shifting.



Oh, the horror!



I should cable tie up the rods, so they don't flop around and ding the pistons.

Hi Oddjob, in desperation I took the studs out last night, I didn't mark them as I used 2 head bolts tight against each other on each stud to wind them out. I had put penetrating oil down first, but I saw no corrosion on the studs, There were a couple of 'pings' that made me think things were tight down there,  but I'm no better off. I pushed the loose studs through a card so I can keep track of which is which.

The head and rocker gaskets totally delaminated, leaving half on each surface. I think the base gasket wants to do the same, but can't.

Stripping with the barrels on is a last resort, but I wouldn't fancy reassembling it that way. I've doe a bit of prying here and there but bottled it before I do significant damage.

You could always get someone with strong arms to lift the engine by the barrels about a inch off the ground and then tap the crank case with a plastic/rubber mallet.

Sounds like a job for Big Leigh, from the photo at the top. Just come in from more ineffectual tapping and prying, no joy, that bugger is stuck - I was even considering using man's red fire.

Well I got the head off. Number 3 exhaust pipe has always been a little bit straw coloured, but I thought I'd fixed any air leak when I tightened up the inlet rubbers. Obviously not. I need to look at that carb - partly blocked main jet or fuel feed passage? Any other suggestions? The tappet gaps were right, btw.



The head gasket delaminated as it came off, while all looked clean and new in there, I think it was all put together a long time ago. The bores and pistons all look good so far, no visible wear.



The big PITA at this stage is that the barrel is reluctant to come unstuck. There doesn't look to be any jointing compound, but I'm nervous about using force. Tapping with a rubber hammer hasn't worked, I gave up and came in after a while. Any good suggestions?

I'll see where I'm at when I've got it in bits, I take the point that it all wants to come out for a good clean. From experience I'm very aware of 'mission creep', I don't want to get carried away if I can help it.

From the external condition, and the lack of mechanical noise (other than the death rattle when hot!), I think the motor had been rebuilt when the bike was restored, so I'm hoping that most of it will be good. I checked the oil pump out at the weekend, it all looked OK. I could do with fixing the wet sumping though, Trigger you said on the other oil pressure thread that you do the stopper kit yes?

Another 'while I'm in there' job will be to fit the heavy steel 'case protector' around the drive sporcket, which is absent - anyone got one?

@ Ash, your mate might be a good way to go, but I need to see what rod(s) I'll need first, in the hope that you have one (or more) the right grade to make a matching set. I'll fit new shells and mains after miking all the journals up, that doesn't look to be a cheap undertaking.

Any recommendations on gasket sets? some don't have all the O rings, yamiya do one at great cost, but I'm sure good quality.

Very neat Greebo, they look like the ones I have now. A mechanic I do work for tells me I could have had mine made up by a local firm using my ends.

My original kinked pipe looks more like the 'molded' one in Ash's service bulletin, the bend they put in it is where it kinked. Unfortunately the feed pipe is the one that's hidden behind the return hose and oil tank - it's something everyone should check at least once.

Once bitten twice shy, as Ian Hunter said.

I've been in touch with Ash, it looks like his F2 crank will fit OK and we can look in his parts box for a matching rod (assuming only one is fubar). Can I split the cases to get the crank out without disturbing the clutch, gears and gearbox sprocket, or does it all have to come out so I can get the crank free of the primary chains? I'm guessing so.

Having seen them make a meal of it, I'll try the lifting the bike off the motor when I do mine. Guessing I might want to remove the points cover to stop it getting squashed, but protect the case edges there with some padding, don't want to damage them with the weight of the bike on that area. I wonder which scatter cushion she would least notice the disappearance of? 

I noticed that when they went to see Colin Seeley, one Mr D Silver made an appearance.