Hi all, I purchased a 1971 Honda CB350 (K3) barn find about 8 months ago. It was in OK shape, but hadn't been on the road for 13 years (since 1997). We actually got it up and running well just by doing a carb clean (bucket dip) and new jets and a new battery. I took it for a test run and it went like a champ, idled fine at 1200, went through the rpm range with no hitches, drove it 20 miles at about 55 mph and was quite satisfied.
The only thing was, it was shitty looking. So I proceeded to take the whole thing apart and put on new tires, get all new cables, and sandblasted the frame and all associated steel parts and repainted them. Also POR-15'd the rusty gas tank and run inline fuel filters.
After I got it all back together, for awhile I had a problem with a stuck float/ incorrect float level and leaking gas out of the overflow tube, and the bike started to run really rough. We filed the points down to see if it would help and finally got the floats adjusted correctly. Then we realized the POR 15 job had gotten a bit of gunk in the gas tank.
I ended up driving the bike about 200 more total miles, but many of them were really rough. It would usually run OK for about 5 miles then end up drawing some excess uncured POR 15 residue into the petcock screen and get all choppy. Even with this fuel flow problem fixed though it still doesnt run right. It's wicked hard to start and idles all way too low or way too high. Sometimes it will start fine and idle steady but a bit too high. Then when riding there's no difference when you switch gears they all seem to be in the 3000-5000 rpm range. Sometimes it slowly loses power and can hardly make it up a small hill so then I will up the acceleration and then randomly it will suddenly kick back in full force and take off on me.
I know there are several things I should check out in order to get it in better running shape, but I'm just wondering what problems I should attack first. I'm not sure what kind of compression it has, I was just assuming it was OK based on the super great first test ride I had with it. I probably need to adjust the valve clearances and do the timing and sync the carbs better than I have.
Any ideas what caused it to go from a great running shitty looking barn find to a shiny black bike that I can't even drive? Is filing the points what did it in? Or just a combination of everything? How can I most quickly get it back up and running so I can use it?
Any advice is appreciated! Thanks.
The only thing was, it was shitty looking. So I proceeded to take the whole thing apart and put on new tires, get all new cables, and sandblasted the frame and all associated steel parts and repainted them. Also POR-15'd the rusty gas tank and run inline fuel filters.
After I got it all back together, for awhile I had a problem with a stuck float/ incorrect float level and leaking gas out of the overflow tube, and the bike started to run really rough. We filed the points down to see if it would help and finally got the floats adjusted correctly. Then we realized the POR 15 job had gotten a bit of gunk in the gas tank.
I ended up driving the bike about 200 more total miles, but many of them were really rough. It would usually run OK for about 5 miles then end up drawing some excess uncured POR 15 residue into the petcock screen and get all choppy. Even with this fuel flow problem fixed though it still doesnt run right. It's wicked hard to start and idles all way too low or way too high. Sometimes it will start fine and idle steady but a bit too high. Then when riding there's no difference when you switch gears they all seem to be in the 3000-5000 rpm range. Sometimes it slowly loses power and can hardly make it up a small hill so then I will up the acceleration and then randomly it will suddenly kick back in full force and take off on me.
I know there are several things I should check out in order to get it in better running shape, but I'm just wondering what problems I should attack first. I'm not sure what kind of compression it has, I was just assuming it was OK based on the super great first test ride I had with it. I probably need to adjust the valve clearances and do the timing and sync the carbs better than I have.
Any ideas what caused it to go from a great running shitty looking barn find to a shiny black bike that I can't even drive? Is filing the points what did it in? Or just a combination of everything? How can I most quickly get it back up and running so I can use it?
Any advice is appreciated! Thanks.