Well, I wouldn't say it 'idled' exactly.
I obviously have some issue with the clutch. When the bike started it was in gear. Since it was on the center stand it wasn't an issue, but I couldn't find neutral. The clutch lever was very easty to piull in- almost no resistance, So I loosened the 10mm bolt on the clutch adjuster and turned it about a 1/5 turn clockwise. There was a VERY small area of play between waaaay too loose and waaay too tight.
In any case, it seemed to me that I was unable to fully disengage the clutch. Again, I feel confident that I did everything correctly in my reassemble, but that confidence is wavering.
This bike has never been on the road while in my care so I can't say for sure how the clutch worked before. I DO have a suspicion that the cables need lubing at the least. Neither the front brake nor the clutch are the correct cabled from what I can tell. I was going to order a new set of cables from Tim McDowell, but it seems that he'll be out of town until mid-Oct.
EDIT: I just thought of something- I didn't install the copper exhaust gaskets! Possibility?
Anyhow, I'm trying to keep my chin up here. I AM enjoying the journey, but I'm itching to ride. I'm sure with the help and good advice of you guys I'll get to the bottom of it.
Oil From the Exhaust Ports?Turn the clutch adjuster all the way clockwise for now and lock it down. You should be pulling against the clutch springs now and it should take some effort. The plates are probably just frozen together and that may clear up on its own. Try to find neutral while spinning the rear wheel slowly.
The copper exhaust gaskets missing would chirp some exhaust, but wouldn't cause an oil leak. Just to be clear, exactly where was the oil coming from? Head-to-header joint where there was no copper gasket? I'd drain the oil to the correct level 48 oz, or just use the dipstick (not screwed in). Check that the breather is breathing and do over. The oil was leaking from the head; the point where the pipes attach. I'm absolutely sure that was it, not between the cylinder head and the valve head.
Where there SHOULD be copper gaskets. I was hopeful that that would be the solution! Anyhow, I'll install them, check the breather, and drain out a bit of oil. Maybe that'll do it- who knows? Then I can start pestering you all with my clutch problems! '63 CA77 - Giving me all kinds of headaches.
'64 CA77 - Patiently waiting it's turn '65 CB77 - A 'great winter project' I'm a dummy, but at least I have inexperience on my side.
Today I popped over to where the bike is and started it up with the hopes that it magically cured itself. It didn't. BUT- I had my friend stand on the right side of the bike as I watched the left and we came to the same conclusion- it ISN't leaking from the exhaust as I previously thought- it's leaking from the PLUGS! I don't know what this means, if this is a better or worse scenario, but at least I'm clearer on what's happening. And the bike's starting right up, which is at least something '63 CA77 - Giving me all kinds of headaches.
'64 CA77 - Patiently waiting it's turn '65 CB77 - A 'great winter project' Well that's one of those good news/bad news things... You probably put everything together the right way, but you may need a new head. It's pretty common for oil to weep a little around the spark plug holes, and sometimes it just plain leaks. Somewhere in one of your Silver books (I think it's the one with the bikes on the cover, not the engines) there's a Honda service bulletin about it. The steel combustion chamber dome separates a little from the aluminum casting and the only penetration to the outside world is at the spark plug hole. They talk about using a punch to tighten it up, but if the leak is as bad as you're describing, I'd get a new head. They're pretty common on ebay, or put query out here on the forum.
-48
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