My 550's Revitalization

[Blake]

Well, so it seem's i have a nack for buying motor vehicles right before they decide to have "health issues" my bike decided to take a dump today. Literally. I walked out the door of my girl friend's house to leave and found a foot and a half wide oil pond under the bike. So it's that time fella's. The plan was to make it though the summer and build it over the winter, but that would be too convenient. Next week the tear down will begin. I'm not just talking about an engine rebuild. No, this will be a complete overhaul. From the drive train to the wiring to the paint, it will all get the re-work.

I'm not sure where to start on the rebuild but i have a week to figure it out. Will work on cleaning everything up tomorrow. Also i have no shop or garage so this will be a Front Porch Custom. Should be and interesting experience to say the least.

still only have the same three pics from my intro thread. will take some new/better ones and post them, and of course new pics on progressive days.

And so the madness begins.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Are you sure your drain plug wasn't screwed in all the way? I have a hard time believing that much oil drained out of anything that fast or easily. Might want to check that and then just ride it some more until winter time.

 

[Steve]

Are you sure your drain plug wasn't screwed in all the way?

You should also check the oil filter cover. Small-ish bolts and nuts there, rather easy to strip.

.

 

[Blake]

Are you sure your drain plug wasn't screwed in all the way? I have a hard time believing that much oil drained out of anything that fast or easily. Might want to check that and then just ride it some more until winter time.

You should also check the oil filter cover. Small-ish bolts and nuts there, rather easy to strip.

.

the bike sits so low so i didnt get a good look under it and i was p*ssed off so i didn't take the time to lift it up and see exactly where it was coming from. I'm cleaning it up tomorrow and will check what you guys suggested. but i don't see how all of the sudden those could come loose. Either way I know for a fact I need to replace some gaskets topside. Tomorrow will tell me a lot once i get it clean. but like i said i will check what yall suggested.

 

[Blake]

what is the best way to remove the engine? just muscle it out?

i want to get it out to replace some gaskets can so i can clean up the frame and paint it.

 

[mike_of_bbg]

Many threads on the subject of engine removal. I did muscle, with help. Also suggestions out there to lay the bike over.

 

[mmmansur]

I have removed some CB engines by laying the bike on its side and lifting the frame off. Found it pretty simple to do after pulling all of the suspension off, loosening all of the mounts, and laying it down on an old unmounted truck tire. May take some wiggling, but alot easier than hefting it out.

 

[Blake]

Many threads on the subject of engine removal. I did muscle, with help. Also suggestions out there to lay the bike over.

i did a search but cant find a specific "this is how i did it." i may just suck at searching.

I have removed some CB engines by laying the bike on its side and lifting the frame off. Found it pretty simple to do after pulling all of the suspension off, loosening all of the mounts, and laying it down on an old unmounted truck tire. May take some wiggling, but alot easier than hefting it out.

the engine doesnt fall into the tire?

 

[Gonzo]

I've read of some guys using a jack and a floor dolly. Not sure exactly how that goes, but I can't imagine it would be too hard to figure out.

 

[Blake]

i'll probably just call a buddy and slide it out the side. maybe stick a jack in there to help. i dunno haha. i guess there really isnt any good way to do it. i'll figure it out tomorrow i guess.

and since I'm pulling the motor i feel like i should clean up the frame and paint it. only problem is i dont have any color ideas. the tank, fender, and frame is all flat black right now. Tired of seeing black bikes. But like i said i'm not sure where i want to go with it. so paint ideas would be nice

 

[FiremanBob]

I put a square of plywood on top of a motorcycle jack and raised it just enough to take the weight off the mounting bolts, then removed them and lowered/moved the jack forward to remove the engine from the frame while a friend held it steady so it wouldn't fall off the board.

 

[Blake]

how does that work? my frame goes around the engine.

 

[Blake]

yesterday i decided to just replace the oil pan gasket and live with the slight top end oil leak till it gets too cold to ride and then worry about pulling it and cleaning it up.

so here's where i stand now: waiting on pan gasket. should be here middle of next week. and i decided to paint the tank and fender. it was rattle can flat black crappy job so i figure i couldnt mess it up any worse than it was. now its in the process of rattle can red and what i thought was silver but its more of a grey/white. but if i dont like it ill sand it down again and go back black till i can have a better thought out paint scheme.

 

[Blake]

so here's the before.

and the during

and the after. just set em up there. not bolted down or fit in any way. just wanted to get a look at it.

 

[Blake]

so while waiting on that pan gasket. i'll continue cleaning it up and tying up loose ends and get back on the road. then this winter will be the full overhaul. re-wire the bike so i dont have a rats nest everywhere and get the frame painted and just an all around super clean up.

 

[Guest]

That's not a bad paint scheme actually, I like it!

 

[Blake]

thanks man!
i think i have the stripe on the fender a little too wide but over all i feel it turned out good to be painted on the front porch and taped off in the living room haha.

 

[bleed gasoline]

nice paint i like it. i was going to say keep the tank flat and polish up the frame but what you have going definately works

 

[Blake]

thanks! the red is a "satin" finish. the grey is a gloss. frame will get a rework over the winter. i think im going to go gloss black on the frame. i was gonna keep flat black and ratty but i like the way its cleaning up.

 

[Guest]

I think there's an unwritten rule that says a frame has to be gloss black if it's going to be black... anything else just doesn't look "right" usually...

I don't think that stripe's too wide, although I do see why you think it might be... it doesn't quite match the width of the bottom stripe on the tank, but I really don't think that's an issue at all.