72HK1 For CJ

69ST

Well-Known Member
Give the rest of the valvetrain a cursory inspection, whilst you're in there. See of the cam moves inside the journals more than it should, or in a direction it shouldn't. Do the same with the rocker arms; they can rattle around, especially if the lash studs develop an uneven wear pattern at the contact ends. Also look for witness marks on the flywheel, stator coil armatures and stator plate. It could be something as simple (yet bizarre) as a loose flywheel...I've seen that happen a couple of times over the years.
 

69ST

Well-Known Member
Interesting that the tunnel roller would get chewed this quickly. Hopefully, it was a one-off, the result of the timing chain having excessive whip...until it was adjusted. It's also a teachable moment, demonstrating (once again) the importance of paying attention to unusual noises, tracking down the root cause quickly, as well as acquiring the experience to notice them in the first place. IMO, the best mechanic/diagnostician is a knowledgeable & attentive owner.
 

cjpayne

Well-Known Member
I was thinking about what could possibly cause that jug wheel to fail and remembered that the original was used and had sat for probably over 40 years. That motor had some serious exposure issues. I think that some moisture got it and killed it a long time ago. I don't think the Tchain was THAT loose, but it did need adjusting and probably aggravated the situation.
 

69ST

Well-Known Member
Tunnel rollers get hard and brittle over time. New rollers are soft and pliable.

That was a brand new, Honda, part...still wearing the factory wrapper when that engine was rebuilt...and it was nice & pliable at that time. Hence the surprise at the early demise.
 

cjpayne

Well-Known Member
Still running like a top. Rode it for around 15miles yesterday.
IMGA2744.jpg
 

cjpayne

Well-Known Member
Well guys, I dont know how to say this, but the frame has started to crack and work its way to about 4in from the stamped VIN number. I checked things out and, apparently, the battery that was in it leaked onto the left side of the back wheelwell, causing it to rust out. I noticed it when it was in the back of my truck. Word to the wise...get those damn leakers out of your bike!!!! I am totally broken hearted over this seeing my beloved HK1 turn into a parts bike. It stil looks great and drives like a top flight machine. I cant believe this sh&tt!!!! I feel like when I had to put down a beloved dog that came down with distemper. I would rather have that dog back, but I still feel kinda the same. I cant even bring myself to strip the bike down. All I want to do is fix it, but it cant practically be done. Its structural integrity is gone. I feel like I've been kicked in the balls.
On the bright side, I guess if there is one, I have all the major parts needed for the potluck bike, bars, fork tubes, new seat, ect., but this is a crappy way to get it. I guess I could sell/trade the tins for other parts, but I'm not in the mood.lol. PLEASE .......no buzzards!!!! I already know where the extra parts are going too, free of charge, to fellow HK1 owners/restorer's that have helped me. I think I'm going to finally borrow a gopro or smartphone and take her for one last ride, barring the frame doesnt give out. Wish me luck
 

69ST

Well-Known Member
I'd replace the frame, if this were mine. You could simply use a non-"numbers matching" frame to hang all of the same parts and you'd have a structurally sound version of the same bike. Only real difference is the SN. I don't recommend transplanting VINs, that's just asking for trouble. OTOH, it IS perfectly legal to use the VIN on an unstamped, service replacement, Honda frame. That was done back in the day, when it was necessary to reframe a bike. Those NOS frames are scarce. Alternatively, you could take your time and shop for a suitably-number replacement over the winter...or someday, and just enjoy the "mis-numbered" resurrection of your beloved bike.

As for the battery acid causing the damage, it's certainly possible. It's also on the unusual side. That's an odd location for a major rust-through. And Battery electrolyte dries out quickly, in the open air, after which it doesn't do much. I'd bet that there's more rust erosion inside your frame than just what shows in the pix. Most of the acid damage I've seen over the years has been to the internal heat shield and perforations are rare. It's horizontal surfaces that are most vulnerable; vertical surfaces dry quickly and "see" less exposure. I've run across a few heavily rusted battery carriers, never one that was unusable, even the worst. Most of them just get pitted along the bottom. Even with vintage cars, rotted-out battery trays resulting from battery leakage alone aren't that common. In an automotive setup, the tray acts like a shallow pool and car batteries hold more than enough liquid to keep the metal wet, with unused (any given quantity of sulfuric acid can only dissolve so much metal before it's "used up". The missing elements...moisture and time. If this is the same frame that held the 4-speed engine, it saw eons of prolonged moisture exposure. Your engine had the most rust & oxidation damage I've ever seen, that could still be brought back to life. At one point, I wasn't sure there was enough metal left to recut the valve seats properly. The stator O-ring sealing surface was really bad, too.

Doesn't mean I recommend using an OE-style leaker battery. There's no good reason, other than display, for that circa 2020.
 

cjpayne

Well-Known Member
Yeah I havent looked at it real close, but when the bike was found, it wasnt on the ground, but leaning heavily to the left side. The bottom of the kickstand looked like a pirate's wood leg. Rear wheel assembly was missing, but the swingarm was in nearly perfect shape. I have an idea that the rear wheel assembly was removed soon before I got it. The carb was missing and thats what really got me worrying about the head. I was also worried about the stator system when I noticed the flywheel cover was off. The guy gave it to me saying he found it around the bike. However the damage happened is really not important me now, but it is what it is. I'll keep my eye out for awhile for another frame, but finding a close #'s frame is probably next to impossible and take a long time. From what I've seen on ebay, frames have really gotten high. Dont know if I'd have that kinda money to burn at a moments notice if the right one came along.lol. Who knows, maybe I'll get lucky.
 

69ST

Well-Known Member
OOracing has a ''RED 12V Dax frame'' for sale that you can legally use with no stamped numbers yet. I would JUMP on it!
They won't ship to the US.

BTW, I'd want to verify the seat latching setup, not sure if the AB26 era Dax frames were exactly the same as `91-`94 CT70, or not.
 

kirrbby

Well-Known Member
I'm very sorry about your frame CJ. That sucks for sure.
I'd hate to see that bike become, just parts... when you actually only need ONE part to save it. I know that a non matching bike is not the same...especially to YOU.
And...I think maybe you're kinda excited about the prospect of using the parts to finish your potluck bike...another non matching bike...but a VERY nice bike...new paint, etc. So, I think that would be pretty cool too.
IMO...you win either way.
But I'd still lean toward just swapping ALL of those good K1H parts onto another frame. It could buy you some time for finding the right frame, at the right time, and basically saving your beloved CRR HK1.
Any good CRR frame could work. I think I have one decent red K0. red69 might have a red K1.

You're right about the price of frames lately. But, have you seen the prices of complete bikes too.!? A K1 with a H engine is still a great bike...and a great bike to ride.

But again...I would think that you'd love the potluck bike too if you decided to just use the parts, and engine, to finish that bike up.
Let me know if I can help.
 
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