Newbie needs advice

[wink294]

Hello guys,

 I recently purchased an 85 fl350. It's pretty much a barn find.Been sitting for a few years with the last few months of that time outside.99% complete.Straight frame, all plastics and seat good. Light surface rust scattered as you would expect.The machine appears to be stock. No mods to exhaust pipe,airbox,etc. Has the (bad it seems from the posts I've read)straight fin cylinder head.The throttle cable is broken along with the paddle on the steering wheel.I have a cable, spark plug,keihin fuel pump kit,original replacement uni airfilter and rear brake pads on order.When I removed the fuel tank it is very rusty inside.The previous owner said he had the lower end rebuilt along with a new weisco piston/rings.I don't know the bore size.Ran a compression ck. using the pull starter(no battery yet) and it read 125 psi.One wierd thing I found when disassembling the stock keihin carb was the choke had the spring removed from between the choke valve and the threaded cap that screws into the carb.The choke valve also appeared to be possibly glued into the carb. I thought originally it was corroded in but the lack of a spring has me puzzled and I could see some clear residue around the top of it.Is this just shadetree or some mod? Why eliminate the choke? The cable is good.I am brand new to these machines and from reading your posts I am very pleased and impressed to have found this forum. I was able to remove the choke valve but broke it in doing so. Anybody have one? I would like to ask for your input as to what I need to do next as far as checking the machine over to prevent any worse problems than it might allready have.I plan on removing the exhaust and cylinder head for a look to make sure there is nothing odd there also.That's all I can think of for now and let me say thanks for any help given.

                         Chet

[hoodlum]

Hello guys,

 I recently purchased an 85 fl350. It's pretty much a barn find.Been sitting for a few years with the last few months of that time outside.99% complete.Straight frame, all plastics and seat good. Light surface rust scattered as you would expect.The machine appears to be stock. No mods to exhaust pipe,airbox,etc. Has the (bad it seems from the posts I've read)straight fin cylinder head.The throttle cable is broken along with the paddle on the steering wheel.I have a cable, spark plug,keihin fuel pump kit,original replacement uni airfilter and rear brake pads on order.When I removed the fuel tank it is very rusty inside.The previous owner said he had the lower end rebuilt along with a new weisco piston/rings.I don't know the bore size.Ran a compression ck. using the pull starter(no battery yet) and it read 125 psi.One wierd thing I found when disassembling the stock keihin carb was the choke had the spring removed from between the choke valve and the threaded cap that screws into the carb.The choke valve also appeared to be possibly glued into the carb. I thought originally it was corroded in but the lack of a spring has me puzzled and I could see some clear residue around the top of it.Is this just shadetree or some mod? Why eliminate the choke? The cable is good.I am brand new to these machines and from reading your posts I am very pleased and impressed to have found this forum. I was able to remove the choke valve but broke it in doing so. Anybody have one? I would like to ask for your input as to what I need to do next as far as checking the machine over to prevent any worse problems than it might allready have.I plan on removing the exhaust and cylinder head for a look to make sure there is nothing odd there also.That's all I can think of for now and let me say thanks for any help given.

                         Chet

Congrats and welcome...Probably what happened was that he stripped the threads on the plastic piece,which is easy to do....Glueing it in was the only option...As for the spring,it needs to be there for the choke to work properly....I don't have one,but I do have one that operates manually without a cable..It's just a knob on the carb that you pull up with your hand...It can be a real pain sometimes doing it this way,but it's better than nothing...
Get that thing running...The group is going to Durhamtown the weekend of Nov.7th....
Hoodlum

[wink294]

Thanks Hoodlum. That choke valve may be hard to find. I might have to end up springing for a mikuni. OdysseySalvage recomends a 38 I believe.
That seems a large step to me when Honda only saw fit to install a 32. How do you feel about POR15 in the tank?

                    Thx for the advice and the welcome

[hoodlum]

Thanks Hoodlum. That choke valve may be hard to find. I might have to end up springing for a mikuni. OdysseySalvage recomends a 38 I believe.
That seems a large step to me when Honda only saw fit to install a 32. How do you feel about POR15 in the tank?

                    Thx for the advice and the welcome

Is POR15 the coating? Some have had good luck,some haven't...It really depends on the depth of the pitting.....You can put some B.B's in it,wrap it in a blanket,and stick it in the clothes dryer for a couple of hours and this will clean out a bunch....If it's very bad,and your feeder tubes inside the tank are rusted,.I would get an aluminum gravity feed and be done with it....
As for the carb,my opinion is a 38 would be too large unless you are ported and polished and have a aftermarket pipe,and even then,it's quite large...I run a 36 on my pilot,and it's plenty...I am not too crazy about the Mikuni...I use a Keihin pwk 36 airstriker and love it....Another opinionated topic though...There are those who like Mikuni...
Hoodlum

[wink294]

That seems reasonable to me hoodlum.I guess mikuni-Keihin, windows-mac,ford-chevy....Maybe it's personal choice.I plan to use this Ody in stock or slightly modded form. Since I would prefer to buy only one carb. a 36 may work. I believe I'll remove the cylinder and evaluate the rest of the engine this weekend. I did receive my throttle cable which I'm glad of because for a newbie it took a while to find. In the end Bike Bandit had it
and it's oem. I think I'll folllow your recommendation on the tank too since mines rusty/pitted bad.

                 Thx...wink :wink:

[hoodlum]

That seems reasonable to me hoodlum.I guess mikuni-Keihin, windows-mac,ford-chevy....Maybe it's personal choice.I plan to use this Ody in stock or slightly modded form. Since I would prefer to buy only one carb. a 36 may work. I believe I'll remove the cylinder and evaluate the rest of the engine this weekend. I did receive my throttle cable which I'm glad of because for a newbie it took a while to find. In the end Bike Bandit had it
and it's oem. I think I'll folllow your recommendation on the tank too since mines rusty/pitted bad.

                 Thx...wink :wink:

You should still come visit us friday or saturday night...Bring the oddy...Most of us there have owned one at one time or the other and may be able to help...We love working on stuff......
Hoodlum

[wink294]

Since most of you guys have owned one at one time or another could I take it that you prefer the pilots. Are they more reliable? Hard to find? How about parts?
 
       Wink  :wink:

[hoodlum]

Since most of you guys have owned one at one time or another could I take it that you prefer the pilots. Are they more reliable? Hard to find? How about parts?
 
       Wink  :wink:

Yes,yes,and yes...As for parts,some are,but most are not hard....

[wink294]

Hoodlum I found the choke valve I needed.Also removed the head and cylinder. The cylinder looks good visually which goes along with what the guy told me about it being fairly fresh. I think he honed it and installed a new piston because it's got a lot of taper. But water got into the bore and down to the lower end. So I may have to split the cases and replace the bearings. Still evaluating . :roll:

            Wink

[hoodlum]

Hoodlum I found the choke valve I needed.Also removed the head and cylinder. The cylinder looks good visually which goes along with what the guy told me about it being fairly fresh. I think he honed it and installed a new piston because it's got a lot of taper. But water got into the bore and down to the lower end. So I may have to split the cases and replace the bearings. Still evaluating . :roll:

            Wink

how much water we talking about?

[wink294]

At the moment it doesn't appear to be that much.The machine sat outside with the carb installed but no air filter box and no clamp on the carb to intake joint. At least some water/moisture made it to the lower end which I can see by the slight amount of rust on one of the crank pin throws. What concerns me is I can't see the lower rod bearing very clearly or the crank bearings (obviously)since at this time all have done is remove the upper end. That could sure raise h**l with the lower end if one of the bearings is rusted.The crank/rod show no signs of play or binding/friction and spins super free. Don't know any way around disassembly though. I'll try and post pics. soon if you care to see.

                      Wink

[hoodlum]

At the moment it doesn't appear to be that much.The machine sat outside with the carb installed but no air filter box and no clamp on the carb to intake joint. At least some water/moisture made it to the lower end which I can see by the slight amount of rust on one of the crank pin throws. What concerns me is I can't see the lower rod bearing very clearly or the crank bearings (obviously)since at this time all have done is remove the upper end. That could sure raise h**l with the lower end if one of the bearings is rusted.The crank/rod show no signs of play or binding/friction and spins super free. Don't know any way around disassembly though. I'll try and post pics. soon if you care to see.

                      Wink

Yes....Please do....