My free SL350! - Page 6

MikeyT · 01-30-2008, 06:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff51

Manged to brave the blizzard and venture out to the shop a few times lately. This weekend I cleaned the slime out of the forks, replaced the fork seals, and put the front end together, and this morning - wheels! Sorta looks like a motorcycle. I managed to restrain myself from polishing the fork legs - I keep having to remind myslef that it's going to get dirty. It's amazing how fairly crappy crome can be polished up to look respectable. Kinda lousy picture, but you get the idea:

What's that old Chevy? 52? Oops. I see it's a 51. Looks nice given what I can see.

pnhd65 · 01-30-2008, 05:24 PM

Hey Jeff, it's on the bottom of page 5 right now. Thread is, 1973 SL 350, originally posted by huhwhye. Post #6 is by nachtflug, he has a before and after of a 1971, THAT'S THE ORANGE I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!!! Not no stinkin KTM orange.

Mr. Vintage · 02-06-2008, 10:56 PM

Since lately it's (still) darn cold in the shop, plus I have to wear snowshoes to get there, I've been trying to find projects to bring in the house. So I made air cleaner elements (well, one so far). I bought some filter foam, cut it to size, and glued it together with silcone adhesive:

I then set about fixing the speedo. The speedo itself works, but the trip odometer wouldn't reset. As far as I'm concerned this is the fuel gauge, so I split the ring and broke into it. The mecanism was rather rusty, and I ended up destroying the knob just to get it apart. I got it working, but it's a screwy deal. Correct me if I'm wrong but the trip odometer will only let you reset the tenths digit manually, so reseting this thing could take a loooong time. So I split open another speedo I had, this one off of a CB350 - note the different trip odo mechanism:

I figured I would swap in the different trip odo into the SL speedo, but it wasn't to be - besides the reset being in a different place, the face plates don't match up. So I rolled the odo back on the CB350 speedo to match, and I'll use that.

This is probably really dull, but I'm desparate... spring can come anytime.

drhach · 02-07-2008, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff51

spring can come anytime...

Amen to that. We got 14" of snow last night. Enough is enough already.

Mr. Vintage · 02-12-2008, 09:30 AM

It's been warmer lately (the 30s!), so I've actually been getting a lot done. I spent some time degunkifying the engine, so now it's ready for me to replace all the seals. I also retorqued the head.

I cleaned 35 years of chain goo out of the sidecover, only to add new goo in the clutch cam. I'm trying not to get too carried away cleaning (it's going to get dirty again, I promise), but OCD takes over sometimes.

This is a lousy picture, but it's starting to look like a bike again. I spent 2 hours over the weekend putting the taillight on, since that necessitated starting on the wiring.

brockster · 02-12-2008, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff51

Gorgeous ! Nice tuxedo stylin'.

Looks like you're giving it a good home!

I'm going to have to learn to weld. Then I can drag home (car) body parts that I see along the shoulder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mini Trail

I think it will pull around 40 - 45 when in full tuck which is about what is needed to run with the Cushmans.

Not exactly running with the bulls, is it?

Mr. Vintage · 02-14-2008, 12:20 PM

So I had a friend over last night to help me muscle the engine in, but it was not to be. Recall that this bike has a shade over 6k miles on it, and I just changed the oil and cleaned the filter. When I drained the oil during disassembly I thought the oil looked a bit funky, but I wrote it off to flushing out the bike after some years of neglect. My last task before engine install was to replace the seals, and the first seal I removed had a bunch of shiny metal in the oil trapped behind. Crap. So I pulled the oil filter again, and after only 50 or so miles, it's half full of aluminum. It's hard to get a good picture, but the snot on this rag is what came out of the filter.

Note the glitter on my hand - it looks like metallic paint.

I then pulled the right side cover to check the sump, and find similar shiny oil along with big chunks of timing chain roller rubber. Arg. Off comes the top end and I find this:

Note the big groove worn by the chain - it's that way on both sides. The roller is so out of whack that during my tune up, it may have actually loosened the chain rather than tightened it, depending on where it was sitting (it isn't round). Interestingly I have two basket 350 engines, both with nearly identical grooves worn from a flappin' and slappin' chain. So this isn't a problem specific to this engine.

On the up side, the wacky centrifugal oil filter was doing its job and none of the top end (where the cam rides in journal bearings) showed any signs of wear or the shiny stuff. The cylinders look great - there's some slight staining from water/rust in the left cylinder, but no noticable wear. Everything else looks brand new. I'm going to split the case and clean everything, and order a new chain tensioner. One step forward...

Mr. Vintage · 02-14-2008, 02:37 PM

I went to the local Honda dealer today at lunch and ordered a new guide (the wheel above is the guide, not the tensioner as I had thought) and they had a new timing chain in stock ($84!). I talked to Russ the service guy, who's been working on Hondas for as long as I've been alive. He stated that as long as the proper service interval for chain tension is followed, these things will last forever. But since no one ever bothered with them, the chain get slack and begin to flap around, destroying the chain, guides, and the insides between the bore. Makes sense. What's another hundred bucks?

Luckily a gasket set came with the bike, so this could be worse. Maybe the loose chain made for retarted cam timing and the lousy off-idle power in the thing before...

kta · 02-14-2008, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff51

This thing is looking awesome.

Congrats on the cool project. I never see too many of these SL350s around. Lots of CB and CL's are available, but the SL's are harder to come by. Does anyone know approximately how many of each model were produced and sold? I'd love to get my hands on a vintage dual-sport like this. I'm glad you're doing it justice Jeff!

leewildwater · 02-14-2008, 09:51 PM

great project!!!!!!! big thumbs up. please keep posting.

Stagehand · 02-15-2008, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff51

I went to the local Honda dealer today at lunch and ordered a new guide (the wheel above is the guide, not the tensioner as I had thought) and they had a new timing chain in stock ($84!). I talked to Russ the service guy, who's been working on Hondas for as long as I've been alive. He stated that as long as the proper service interval for chain tension is followed, these things will last forever. But since no one ever bothered with them, the chain get slack and begin to flap around, destroying the chain, guides, and the insides between the bore. Makes sense. What's another hundred bucks?

Luckily a gasket set came with the bike, so this could be worse. Maybe the loose chain made for retarted cam timing and the lousy off-idle power in the thing before...

would make sense about the timing. was the mark all over the place?

Mr. Vintage · 02-15-2008, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stagehand

would make sense about the timing. was the mark all over the place?

I never did anything other than static timing on it, but my guess is yes...

I decided that it's stupid not to put a set of rings in the thing while I'm in there too, so I have those coming. The very slightly rusty cylinder tested a bit low on compression before, so now is the time. I'll do a real light hone. This thing will be brand new by the time I'm done with it!

EvilClown · 02-16-2008, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff51

This thing will be brand new by the time I'm done with it!

They always are. They always are...

Keep posting!

Mr. Vintage · 02-21-2008, 08:59 AM

I got some shop time last night, and finished splitting the case halves - check out the sump:

I think it's a good thing I decided to clean it out. Not a lot of evidence of routine oil changes either.... I suppose this is progress:

Stagehand · 02-21-2008, 10:26 AM

every step further away is really one step closer to the end.

Good job, love the pics.

Sympathize

Oh, yeah, any idea what the slurry is from? anything in particular coming apart> or just neglect?

02-06-2008, 10:56 PM	#78
Mr. Vintage ^OP Family Dude Joined: Jan 2007 Location: The Palouse Oddometer: 807	Since lately it's (still) darn cold in the shop, plus I have to wear snowshoes to get there, I've been trying to find projects to bring in the house. So I made air cleaner elements (well, one so far). I bought some filter foam, cut it to size, and glued it together with silcone adhesive: I then set about fixing the speedo. The speedo itself works, but the trip odometer wouldn't reset. As far as I'm concerned this is the fuel gauge, so I split the ring and broke into it. The mecanism was rather rusty, and I ended up destroying the knob just to get it apart. I got it working, but it's a screwy deal. Correct me if I'm wrong but the trip odometer will only let you reset the tenths digit manually, so reseting this thing could take a loooong time. So I split open another speedo I had, this one off of a CB350 - note the different trip odo mechanism: I figured I would swap in the different trip odo into the SL speedo, but it wasn't to be - besides the reset being in a different place, the face plates don't match up. So I rolled the odo back on the CB350 speedo to match, and I'll use that. This is probably really dull, but I'm desparate... spring can come anytime. __________________ - Jeff (Mr. Vintage) - Quota, SL350, MW250, MT250, CT90

02-12-2008, 09:30 AM	#80
Mr. Vintage ^OP Family Dude Joined: Jan 2007 Location: The Palouse Oddometer: 807	Progress It's been warmer lately (the 30s!), so I've actually been getting a lot done. I spent some time degunkifying the engine, so now it's ready for me to replace all the seals. I also retorqued the head. I cleaned 35 years of chain goo out of the sidecover, only to add new goo in the clutch cam. I'm trying not to get too carried away cleaning (it's going to get dirty again, I promise), but OCD takes over sometimes. This is a lousy picture, but it's starting to look like a bike again. I spent 2 hours over the weekend putting the taillight on, since that necessitated starting on the wiring. __________________ - Jeff (Mr. Vintage) - Quota, SL350, MW250, MT250, CT90

02-14-2008, 12:20 PM	#82
Mr. Vintage ^OP Family Dude Joined: Jan 2007 Location: The Palouse Oddometer: 807	Houston, we have a problem. So I had a friend over last night to help me muscle the engine in, but it was not to be. Recall that this bike has a shade over 6k miles on it, and I just changed the oil and cleaned the filter. When I drained the oil during disassembly I thought the oil looked a bit funky, but I wrote it off to flushing out the bike after some years of neglect. My last task before engine install was to replace the seals, and the first seal I removed had a bunch of shiny metal in the oil trapped behind. Crap. So I pulled the oil filter again, and after only 50 or so miles, it's half full of aluminum. It's hard to get a good picture, but the snot on this rag is what came out of the filter. Note the glitter on my hand - it looks like metallic paint. I then pulled the right side cover to check the sump, and find similar shiny oil along with big chunks of timing chain roller rubber. Arg. Off comes the top end and I find this: Note the big groove worn by the chain - it's that way on both sides. The roller is so out of whack that during my tune up, it may have actually loosened the chain rather than tightened it, depending on where it was sitting (it isn't round). Interestingly I have two basket 350 engines, both with nearly identical grooves worn from a flappin' and slappin' chain. So this isn't a problem specific to this engine. On the up side, the wacky centrifugal oil filter was doing its job and none of the top end (where the cam rides in journal bearings) showed any signs of wear or the shiny stuff. The cylinders look great - there's some slight staining from water/rust in the left cylinder, but no noticable wear. Everything else looks brand new. I'm going to split the case and clean everything, and order a new chain tensioner. One step forward... __________________ - Jeff (Mr. Vintage) - Quota, SL350, MW250, MT250, CT90

02-14-2008, 02:37 PM	#83
Mr. Vintage ^OP Family Dude Joined: Jan 2007 Location: The Palouse Oddometer: 807	I went to the local Honda dealer today at lunch and ordered a new guide (the wheel above is the guide, not the tensioner as I had thought) and they had a new timing chain in stock ($84!). I talked to Russ the service guy, who's been working on Hondas for as long as I've been alive. He stated that as long as the proper service interval for chain tension is followed, these things will last forever. But since no one ever bothered with them, the chain get slack and begin to flap around, destroying the chain, guides, and the insides between the bore. Makes sense. What's another hundred bucks? Luckily a gasket set came with the bike, so this could be worse. Maybe the loose chain made for retarted cam timing and the lousy off-idle power in the thing before... __________________ - Jeff (Mr. Vintage) - Quota, SL350, MW250, MT250, CT90

02-14-2008, 09:51 PM	#85
leewildwater rrrrRide Man rrrrRide Joined: Dec 2004 Location: out riding my two legged horse near Bryson City NC Oddometer: 385	great project!!!!!!! big thumbs up. please keep posting. __________________ RRRRRide man RRRRRide

01-30-2008, 05:24 PM	#77
pnhd65 renaissance man Joined: Oct 2007 Location: central pa Oddometer: 303	Hey Jeff, it's on the bottom of page 5 right now. Thread is, 1973 SL 350, originally posted by huhwhye. Post #6 is by nachtflug, he has a before and after of a 1971, THAT'S THE ORANGE I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!!! Not no stinkin KTM orange.

02-21-2008, 08:59 AM	#89
Mr. Vintage ^OP Family Dude Joined: Jan 2007 Location: The Palouse Oddometer: 807	Moving forward by moving backwards I got some shop time last night, and finished splitting the case halves - check out the sump: I think it's a good thing I decided to clean it out. Not a lot of evidence of routine oil changes either.... I suppose this is progress: __________________ - Jeff (Mr. Vintage) - Quota, SL350, MW250, MT250, CT90

02-21-2008, 10:26 AM	#90
Stagehand +/- V TDSPP Joined: Oct 2004 Location: "Poughkeepsie?!?!" Oddometer: 20,357	every step further away is really one step closer to the end. Good job, love the pics. Sympathize Oh, yeah, any idea what the slurry is from? anything in particular coming apart> or just neglect? __________________ Dont try to out-weird me, mister. I get things stranger than you free with my breakfast cereal.

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