On Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:56:44 -0600, Wayne
wrote:

Gunner Asch formulated on Monday :
On Mon, 5 Jan 2009 05:33:22 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Gunner Asch wrote:
Ive been trying to get that '74 Honda XL 350 to run properly...with no
luck.

Pulled the carby tonight checked everything, Replaced idle jet seals,
made sure float was at proper height.

Timed it, adjusted valves, point gap..the whole encilada.

Will idle just fine Coughs and runs ragged and will stall if adding
throtle. The idle screw seems to do very lttle if anything. Bike
seems to not care if choke is on or off.

All passages were cleaned, all seals replaced...still doesnt run
right.

I also found while settiig the points, that the camshaft where it
comes out the side of the engine, with the points cam on it, has
about .05-.08 of wobble in it. That explains some of the popping
and inconsistant idle..the damned thing is wobbling around, the point
gap can be .015 one moment, the next .125

Ive not gotten the manuals that I purchased on Ebay, so done know if
there is a bearing, a bushing or what not in there. Ill have to pull
the head and check...sigh..I hope the camshaft is not blown out.

Anyone know what is used to keep the camshaft lined up? Bearings on
both ends or ???

Sigh...

Gunner


If it's like the CB750's , that cam runs in bare aluminum in the head .
Not sure how they recondition them .


Plain aluminum bearings...with that much slop....Crom sob....

I guess Im going to have to pull the valve cover tommorow and see what
kind of damage is in there. Ive been searching the net for any
info..and not turning up much other than hip slick and cool new racing
camshafts with needle bearings, which apparently need a $150 line boring
job to install The bike isnt worth putting $300 in camshaft
stuff....****.

That much play means the journal is likely to be egg shaped. I just
found a picture of the exposed guts of a head on Ebay...and yup..no
bearings in there.

Now the big question is how to repair the existing head, reweld the egg
shape and clamp the head an angle plate and rebore it on the mill? Mill
the hole round and make up a steel split bearing to go in the larger
hole and hone it to size? Pin the split bearing in place in the cover
and head? With the appropriate oiler hole? ****..this is getting more
complicated as time goes on.

Maybe Ill try to find a used head..though its gonna be tough unless the
'74-75 heads were used on later bikes

Still dont know if thats connected to the running problem. Maybe try to
find a 38mm Mikuni carb like the racers use, or a used carby

Labor (mine) I can afford...buying stuff...thats not in the budget.

Maybe its time to change over to the BMW and get her on the road....

Sigh

Gunner

"Upon Roosevelt's death in 1945, H. L. Mencken predicted in his diary
that Roosevelt would be remembered as a great president, "maybe even
alongside Washington and Lincoln," opining that Roosevelt "had every
quality that morons esteem in their heroes.""

What's your impetus for getting this bike going, other than you have
it?
Does it have sentimental value?
I can see where it would be good for local trips. But it really isn't
any good for off road or highway use.

Why isnt it any good for off road use? The 350 thumper wont putter
around in the desert?

My impetus is I have it. It almost runs, its all there, so why not?

Shrug

Got another bike of similar CC that will haul my 215lb corpus around,
that I can stick a rifle scabbard on that you will sell me really cheap,
or swap for? Dirt roads and off road in the desert, lots of hills.


Try posting your questions on
rec . motorcycles . dirt
or
http://www.thumpertalk.com/

I'd guess you get more help on thumper talk.

Wayne D.


"Upon Roosevelt's death in 1945, H. L. Mencken predicted in his diary
that Roosevelt would be remembered as a great president, "maybe even
alongside Washington and Lincoln," opining that Roosevelt "had every
quality that morons esteem in their heroes.""