What now?

You know the old joke about the dog that's always chasing cars and then one day he catches one?  Now what's he gonna do with it?  That's me with this motorcycle. Now what?  I don't know if I ever really expected I'd get her torn down, put back together, and running or not but here I am...and there it is. 
By the way the juke box (zune) was playing random songs when she started and the song that just happened to be playing was, Joe Ely "The Road Goes On Forever."

I edited this video...cut the first 5 minutes or so out..  Didn't think it would be too interesting watching me try to start it, scratch my head, try to start it, scratch my ass, try to start it fiddle with something on the left side that you couldn't see from the camera angle over and over for five minutes so I edited it.
The spark plug wire on the left cylinder is not in very good shape and not making good connection.  That is the primary reason it wouldn't start at first.

Once it started every time the engine kind of paused it made a funny noise.  It didn't really sound quite the same on the video, at least I didn't think so...does that noise sound bad?
I let it die at the end because I noticed that it was starting to smoke.  It's not real visible but if you watch carefully you can notice about 2 minutes into the video there is some smoke coming up by my right leg.  It appeared to be coming from or around the pre-chamber between the pipes.  Maybe just normal from solvents burning off or a symptom of something bad?
If anyone has any ideas about the noise or the smoke, speak up please, I'm looking for advice.

The coming

The parts I orded came today.
All of them.
I am dying to get back to work on the bike but I may wait until this "hammie" is feeling just a bit better.

Charge!!!

Well, it's been a week since I ordered the alternator parts.
I haven't exactly been waiting by the mailbox, but I have been checking my inbox...for the dreaded, "Sorry, we no longer stock that part" e-mail.
And so far that hasn't come either.
But, I have also been checking the charges on my credit card to see if the charge for  the parts shows up which I would take as a good sign.  Last time I ordered from this place I got the parts about a week after the charge showed up.
Just checked my credit card charges again, and guess what...the charge for the parts showed up.  The full charge so I'm hoping that means all parts available and shipped and I'll have them in about a week.

Trusting your gut

One of the initial problems I had with this bike was the alternator rotor.  The key was missing, and the holes were so wallowed out that the screws attaching it to the starter clutch wouldn't stay tight.  As a result, the hole for the pin which was supposed to lock everything up nice and snug was also worn out, and way out of round.  I never found anyone who could fix it and I couldn't find a replacement.  (My son found one and gave it to me.)
Anyway, when I put this all back in, I tried using the original pin (rhymes with original sin) even though I could tell it was worn.  Not nearly as bad as the hole it was supposed to fit but it was worn and I knew it.

When we originally tried last year to start her (I'm starting to lean towards "Sadie" as a name) the sound of the engine turning over sounded differently as the alternator screws worked their way loose.  I thought I had a hint of that the other day when I tried to restart her.
I knew I was going to have to pull that alternator to be sure it wasn't coming apart again...I didn't want to go backwards but I didn't want to screw up that new rotor either.
Sure enough, things were starting to get loose.  Not bad, not yet, but it wouldn't have taken a whole lot more.
I called around to some local places to see if maybe they'd have at least the pin but no one had it.  I decided to try the place where I ordered the retaining plate for the starter sprocket.
They seemed to have it, so I ordered some new screws and the plate that goes between the starter clutch and the rotor that holds all the little goodies inside and the little spring caps for the clutch because one of them seemed to want to hang up and let the roller kind of flop at times, and I'm hopeful that the order confirmation e-mail I got means that they really did have the parts.  Now I just have to sit and wait by the mail box every day till they come.
It's a real downer to have gotten so close only to have to wait on parts again but... it is what it is. 
I feel good that I had enough sense to check it out rather than to just push blindly forward and screw something up again.
By the way...here is a link to the dealer that I've had some luck with as far as finding parts:
http://www.westernhillshondayamaha.com/

Before and After

A few examples of before and after.  Most of the difference is time and energy...the only new parts in these shots are the handlebars and the mirrors.

IT'S ALIVE....

When I walked through the garage after dinner I couldn't help but notice that the "charged" light on the charger had lit, so naturally I simpy couldn't resist sticking it it and giving it one more try.

And before you comment on my improper attire, I had no intention of actually driving it tonight.

Well, that didn't last very long, did it?.  Still, you'd have to call it progress.  I tried to restart it for a short while but it was sounding a little a lot weird so I stopped.  I guess I'm going to have to pull the alternator and see if that noise was coming from in there.  That's been a suspect area on this bike from the get-go.

A one putt day

I was kind of thinking today might be the day... and in a way it was.
Went to work on the Honda (I really have to come up with a name) this morning.  Put the oil in first.
Put in the battery (which had been sitting since last year, but I hooked it up to the charger a couple of days ago and thought it was charged), turned the key, and nothing happened.  I hadn't even wired the starter yet so I wasn't expecting anything huge to happen, all I was intending to do was make a preliminary check of the wiring to be sure I hadn't missed anything and that everything worked...well nothing worked.
So I'm pulling apart connectors, stabbing around with a meter, "checking continuity" like I know what I'm doing, and  not having much luck.
Get out the schematics and start probing around again with the meter, trying to make sense out of what I'm doing and what I'm reading.  Finally I find a blown fuse, that helps.  Then I realize that the solenoid is not exactly wired correctly.  That helps too.
So I reconnect the connectors and put things back together, and hook up the battery and turn the key and all the lights are working, brake switches are working, horn is working, so that's all good.  Check for spark at the plugs, right plug...good spark, left plug...no spark.  The wire had separated from the connector.  Fix that...spark on the left.  Everything is looking good!
I decide the time is right for the big test.
I wire the starter, get the camera, set it to take a video, find the tripod, set it up to record the historic moment, start the camera, mount the bike, turn it on, touch the wires together (I still don't have a starter button, and don't like the make-shift button that I got with the bike, so I'm hot wiring it for now) and the engine turns over...slowly at first, then maybe a little faster, then slower.  It coughs, sputters for a second and sounds like it may catch...and that's pretty much it.  Not enough juice.  And just as well I guess because the camera for some reason (like maybe I just bought it haven't read the manual and my not know how it works exactly) stopped recording after 10 seconds.  It got me walking over, getting on the bike and digging in my pocket for the keys.
Battery is charging.  I also rewired the starter.  The starting system on this bike was pretty sketchy when I got it and the wire to the starter seemed like maybe it didn't need to be that huge cable and maybe a lighter gauge wire would not be such a drain on the system...I could be wrong about that, we'll see.  I can always change it back. 
So maybe I'll try it later tonight if the battery gets charged if not it'll probably be Thursday because "you can't roller-skate in a buffalo herd" and I'm baby sitting grandkids tomorrow.

One day closer

Not a lot to say, still have some fine tuning and some electrical work to do before I try it out, but it is getting real close now.  And don't forget, there is no oil in the crankcase yet.  (I have to keep reminding myself of that every chance I get.)

Do it right the first time...or do it over

I was kind of embarrassed to admit it the other day but...
I did mention that it took me the best part of an hour to figure out how to get the first air box on the other day.  What I didn't mention was that I wound up taking it back off the next day.
Friday I put on the left side of the air cleaner.  Then I started to install the carburetors.  I put the left side on first since I was already on that side having just put the air cleaner on, and I found it rather awkward to work on.  The whole time I was tightening up the inside mounting bolt on that left carburetor I was thinking to myself; "How am I ever going to be able to get the other carb on, there's not going to be any room to work."
So I tried it for a while before I reluctantly admitted that the only way I was going to be able to get in there to tighten that inside bolt and hook the right throttle cable up was to take the right side of the air cleaner back off and bolt the mounting flange on first.  Then the loosely assembled carb and air cleaner went back on with no problem and it wasn't nearly as hard getting the air cleaner back on after I'd had all that practice.
Maybe that is the way it's supposed to go....maybe that's what the manual says and I just missed it...most likely the  manual says "installation is the reverse", and since it's been three months or more since I took it apart...
I'm actually amazed that I haven't had more trouble finding everything after all that time what with boxes of parts getting more or less randomly moved around and shoved into various cabinets and closets during little fits of tidying up the garage now and then over the last few months.

...step by step...

Another good day...alright, not as good as the picture.  I did accomplish a good chunk of work today before I decided I had to quit, but I was close enough that I couldn't resist setting the tank and seat in place just to get a glimpse and inspire me.  There's still some wiring yet to be done (but not much) and a few  miscellaneous cables and hoses to attach, and the exhaust system and the pedals and ... you get it there's still a good day at least, but hey, it's shaping up and at least looks like a motorcycle again, at least for the time being.

Air supply

After a quick spin on the Schwinn to Wal-Mart this morning to pick up some sundries....(I spent almost $50.00 on light bulbs and Band Aids, odd combination I know but I think maybe it was so dark in the house because there were so many burnned out light bulbs that we kept getting hurt and used up all the Band Aids)...I got down to business on the Honda.
I kind of thought that getting the engine back in was a major hurdle, and it was, but it was only the beginning of the real work.
I was pretty careful about labeling wires and such as i was dis-assembling it but I guess I got a little careless when it came to the air boxes.  Who knew air filters could be so complicated. 
I mean when I pulled out the box with the air boxes, I looked at all that junk and thought "how in the h--- is all that going to fit back in that space."

Anyway, I worked for about 4 hours (that equalled about 4 quarts of sweat 'cause it was really hot today) and I got about 1/2 the wiring and cables reconnected, the engine firmly mounted, the chain on and tension set, and one side of the air filter system reinstalled.  And I hate to admit it but I'm pretty sure I spent at least 1/4 of that time figuring out the puzzle of the air boxes, and only got one side done.

I would have thought otherwise before today but based on the progress (or lack of progress) I made today I'm guessing at least 8 hours maybe more involved before I get to the big pay-off, but I am making progress and I'm a lot closer than I was last week at this time so on the whole I'd have to say it it's really going pretty well.

Together again..

When we were at the beach someone asked how much longer I thought it would take to get the Honda running.  I just kinda threw out a random guess of 3 weeks.  Well, it's obvious that I didn't make that, but it's starting to look like that estimate may not have been too terribly far off.
It certainly looks a lot more promissing now than it did week or so ago.
I spent the afternoon finishing up the engine assembly and after dinner this evening Anna pitched in and the two of us managed to get the engine back in the frame.  (there was a spring left on the workbench that I didn't remember, was't marked, doesn't show in the parts explosions and I can't find any mention of in the manuals...)

A part at last

After a week of expecting to hear back from the place I found that seemed to have the part I needed that they didn't really have the part I needed and that they would be issuing a credit back on my card I got the part I needed.  Kind of a rip-off maybe when the shipping cost is like 3 X the price of the part, (which by-the-way didn't weigh as much as a typical Hallmark card so why does it cost so much to ship?) but what are you going to do after you've checked everyplace you can find, including inquiries to six places that say they specialize in salvaged parts from Japanese bikes and you've scoured page after page of random motorcycle parts on e-Bay and nobody has what you need?