The /5 phoenix project

It'll take a 9 1/2 " stroke.



.

Long over due update

Oil pan all clean and painted



Cylinder's all clean and painted









Holy oxidation batman !!!!!! Looks like I'll be needing a new valve cover some day







The difference in the new bearing design



Heating up the case to put in the new main bearing. No such luck I had the case up to 200 F and the bearing frozen and it sill didn't want to go in looks like I'll need to have it pressed in. That's the only thing holding me up from putting the engine back together.

The bike is looking great! That paint is the best and most natural-looking paint I have seen used on airhead aluminum parts - what is it?

I almost went that route myself, but instead cleaned everything very well and applied silver Rub N' Buff (a wax-like substance with color pigments used in crafting). I really like the way your paint looks though, good job!

You're doing a fantastic job - I love the before and after photos. You're really saving this poor old girl and I'm sure the sense of satisfaction when you are done will make each ride memorable!

That's patina.

VTH engine enamel 550 degree. Cast Aluminum ( SP995 ), it's hard to find in stores you may have to ask for it specifically.

Looks great, Captain. What type/brand of paint are you using on the engine?

TINK

Checking stuff



This was a huge pain in the ass, both the thrust washer bearings didn't fit properly. The steel dowels that hold the thrust washers were flattened and the rear one by the rear main seal were basically gone. The thrust washer bearing in the case needed to be drilled out a little so it would fit on the steel dowel and the rear most thrust washer needed to be both drilled out and siliconed in place so I could get the flywheel on. Probably should have had taken the case to a machine shop and had the steel dowels drilled out and replaced.



Make sure those dots are lined up



Coming together

Did you change those gears, the timing gears? Did you change them both or just the crank gear? Is a new timing chain and the rest new being installed? New crank nose bearing?

Awesome rebuild. Thanks for sharing. And yes, your comments about the SoCal DMVs are spot on.

Yeah new crank sprocket, timing chain, and ball bearing nose crank bearing

Very Good. Just checking.

Looks like my new cylinder base gasket isn't as thick as the original one. So I'm guessing there might be a compression increase? Hopefully there wont be any conflict with the pistons hitting the valves



Also, I guess I didn't take enough pictures of disassembly does anyone have a picture of where these bolt to????

The top one is the starter relay and the bottom is your regulator. They both bolt to the most forward brackets on the frame backbone; starter relay on the left, regulator on the right...

The original base gasket is the thin one. There were thicker gasket/shims that could be used to lower compression. Was especially popular on bikes going down Mexico way or anywhere that they might have lower grade gasoline. You should be fine with the one OEM gasket.

Sometimes the concern with going to thinner gaskets was that the rings would then hit the ridge in the cylinder, if there was a wear ridge. But I remember you had these parts honed. No ridge, no problem.

The gasket is not a problem with the valves. High compression pistons is another story.

Cool good to know thanks

Captain Yesterday,

What you've done with this bike and the short amount of time that it has taken you is nothing short of amazing. I'm working on a similar project and am a bit ahead of you in the process..... But I started 2 years earlier than you! :eek1

And, looking at both of our "before" pictures, it's clear that you started with a much rougher bike. I had a pretty solid, albeit it dirty and corroded, example to work with and I've spent more time than I care to remember cleaning and polishing, and working late hours in the garage to save what was salvageable. Your project looks like it has taken more work than mine did. I think most people would have run away from your original bike, but you saw potential and you're following through with your vision and giving the old girl a new lease on life in the process. Much, much respect, and I'm on board for the rest of the project. I can't wait to see it completed.

Thanks for the kind words, I guess I'm just young and dumb with too much time on my hands, unemployed recent college grad, so I got tons of time on my hands. Actually, I've been juggling restoring 4 bikes at the same time, a ct70, ct110, cx500/650 and the R75/5. Here's a picture of the ct110 and cx.






Actually looking back on this project, maybe I shouldn't have restored this bike. Not because it couldn't be done but because it has gone over my foretasted budget, do to mainly how many parts weren't reusable. O well to late now, hopefully it should be done in February.

By the way the restoration on your R60/5 is looking great!

More electrical questions.

1) Coil- from the engine wiring harness does the black wire go to the negative terminal? It's not clear from the wiring diagram, it only shows a black connecting the coils and a ground off one of the coils. From how it was set up before I have a black from the engine wiring harness to the - on the left coil. then + on left coil to - on right. and a ground on the + terminal. For some reason this doesn't seem right.

2) do the fuses go in the headlight bucket?

3) Starter - Does the starter solenoid have two poles/ connectors on it? Mine only has 1 and the harness shows two wires going to it. black and green/black.

Thanks