Bill's CB77 Retirement Project

[ZillahBill]

The copper washers came in so now that Thanksgiving is over I decided to jump in and put some of it back together. Rewatched Brian Matson's Keep on Wrenching video on the 305 top end, reread Bill Silver's pages, watched a couple of You Tube videos, and got started. Absolutely ruined my fingernails getting the piston rings in the cylinder but it sure felt good when they were both in. Had some trouble getting the head on. It was hanging up on the stud threads. I tried to finesse it on (while thinking about Zen, etc.) but finally resorted to a rubber mallet, which worked, landing with a solid "thunk" on the jugs. I may have got the head bolts on a little tight, somewhere between 15-20 ft. lbs. I found out that I can't hear the "click" on my new torque wrench so I may have gotten them a little too tight. Do you think it will cause a problem? Not seeing or hearing as well as I used to is a problem but I have a lot more patience now so it evens out. Other than that everything is good and I'm making progress.

[Michael Stoic]

So nice to see your progress, Bill! The assembly of clean stuff - always a great event!

Look for an electronic torque wrench to add to the toolbox. Some have a "vibrate" feature as well as a loud beep, which is useful.

[ZillahBill]

Well, I'm plugging ahead. It's got a chain on it! Closed up the left side. Waiting on a gear shift lever that should be hear tomorrow. I think all I need for the right side is a clutch cable which I hope will be here Friday. This is the third one I've ordered and so far the first two have had the wrong threads even though the seller said they would fit. Hopefully, third time will be the charm. Same story with the battery. Vendor said it's for a 65 CB77 but terminals were reversed and they don't have the right one. The battery does fit in the compartment so I'm keeping it and do a little rewire. I actually hooked it up and sent power thru the starting circuit. The solenoid just quietly clicks but the starter does engage when I short across the terminals so it makes me think solenoid is bad. I am attempting to take apart but it looks pretty crusty and service unfriendly. Checked on Ebay, and as you know, sticker shock ensued. If any of you have a solenoid you would sell please let me know. Since a solenoid is a pretty simple mechanism on a CB77 I might just get a $9.00 one off Amazon and hook it up. What do you think? Any reason why it wouldn't work? Here's a couple pictures taken by flash in my cold garage. Didn't clean up for a glamour shot but "real life" you know. Plugging away with my next step the initial install of the ignition system. Right now my challenge is the brake stop switch. How does that thing work? I don't know if it is frozen or not. Should the little pin slide out when you pull on the chain or does it need electricity? Thanks in advance. Bill

[deuce_7]

Great progress and thanks for the photo updates. Really like the patina-on-white effect.

The sliding rod on brake light switch is mechanical. When pulled down by the spring-dampered linkage, the brake light circuit is switched On. Some electronic contact cleaner can free up and clean the sliding rod contacts.

High resistance in the starter switch button/wire can translate to a balky starter solenoid. Check for clean connections and grounds.

Yuasa battery for CB77 is 12N9-3A or equivalent. Didn't realize until checking on it; the pos. and neg. terminals are reversed when compared with CL77.
https://www.yuasabatteries.com/battery/ ... e_id=28901

[ZillahBill]

I've been agonizing over knock pins. Did I put them in or didn't I. I heard from several knowlegable members and I was convinced that I had probably messed up. I did. I finally decided I had to find out so I pulled the engine and opened it up. Sure enough, I didn't put the knock pins in between the jugs and the cylinder head. Front middle section of the head gasket was oil soaked. Why do you think? I know I put the head bolts on too tight due to my not understanding how my new torque wrench worked. I got one of the digital torque wrenches with a built in beep so I hope I am a better torquer in the future. So maybe all this is fortunate because I don't think it would have ever run the way it was. The only real casualties were the head gasket and the copper washers so until I get replacements I will work on something else. Determined to move ahead even though I've taken a few step backwards. Posted this in the engine section but also wanted to include here on my restoration log.

[Michael Stoic]

Bill,

The one thing to really pay attention to is the units of measure for the torque values. Be absolutely sure you know what a given manual is specifying, ...Foot Pounds, for example, or Newton Meters. They are different animals.

Also, be weary of Inch Pounds (very low torque situations) - an order of magnitude away from Foot Pounds.

An all around torque wrench will have both the Ft/Lbs. and Nm scales, but you need to be 100% about the setting you are selecting.

And, nice work! on the white Superhawk. Great to follow your progress!

--
Michael

[ZillahBill]

I'm starting to run out of parts to put back on the CB77 but there is still lots of work to do. I quickly discovered the starter clutch was toast. I am awaiting an Ebay replacement and I hope it will be in good shape. Carbs cleaned, new kits, and reinstalled. All cables hooked up and the throttle is very snappy. Electrics have been sorted out and the bike has headlight, running light, and brake light. New points and points plate (along with some $12 screws), timed, and set valve lash. Took off the shredded paper filters on the air filters and epoxyed on some foam filter material. Don't see why that won't work. Waiting on new knobs from Amazon so I can attach the side covers. Tank is as clean as I can get it but I'm going to install some in line fuel filters to catch the gunk I have undoubtedly missed. NOS gear shift lever installed. New down pipes installed. I'm doing some fabrication to adapt some old slash cut mufflers off a HD I had saved. Now that I've got it almost ready to run the question is, will it? i I've attached a couple of current pics along with one from when I brought it home. I've touched the majority of parts on this bike since then.