[Jim]

I have a 1973 Honda CL350 K5, it was left in the barn at my parents place by a friend of the family over 10 years ago, and has sat there since. He apparently rescued it from a dumpster or scrap or something and gave it to the family for a project bike. That didn't happen... Until now. I dug it out and cleaned it up as best as I could. I don't know what the initial issue with the bike was, why it was not used more, it only has about 1800 miles on it. There was no title accompanying the bike, but I went through the paper work with the provincial insurance agency and it is now in my name. The bike was stuck in neutral, and the oil had gone bad, I believe with gas in it. I've got the motor out of the frame, and the gearbox taken apart... The shift drums and forks were all seized up with rust and gunk, but the rest of it seems to be ok, the motor will also turn over. We had to cut the shift drums out with a grinder, and I've got a new set off ebay. Now it is a slow process of cleaning everything, and putting it back together. Hopefully it will run. Most of the bike is there, I only need a few small things, new cables, levers, etc, and I also need a set of mufflers and pipes I believe, hopefully I can find some that aren't too pricey because I don't have much money to put into this project right yet. Anyways, here's some pictures, I will try to keep this updated... Though, I will warn ahead of time, progress probably won't be too quick, but we will see how it goes. I'm not overly mechanical and this is the first engine I've ever had apart, though my Dad is able to help me out too.

 

[Bird76Mojo]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

You've got your work cut out for you.. Looks like everything might just buff out. Good luck!

I just found a 71 model and I'm trying to get ahold of it too.

GB :mrgreen:

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Hopefully

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this...

I'm trying to remove the oil "seperator", that plate on the right side of the image, it is all cleaned off on top now (sorry no current picture yet), and there was 2 bolts holding it in, which we removed, but it still seems to be stuck... It looks like there are a few more points that may be holding it, but they aren't bolts, or anything that appears to be able to be undone from the topside... I was wondering if you have experience with this part and an idea how to remove it? The manual doesn't seem to mention it's removal, and I don't have a clear diagram with this part.

Thanks.

 

[tbpmusic]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Jim -

It cannot be removed without drilling out the "weld" points you saw.
It's just like the 450 and most of the Twins of that era, in that context.

I do know guys who have drilled out those spot welds, then re-attached with screws and Lok-Tite.
I cannot recommend or discourage this, as I have never done it myself. I always just soak for a LONG time, then get a flexible brush up there under it and scrub it out real good.

The choice is yours, of course........

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Bill, thank you very much... I guess it will just spend some extra time in the parts washer, too bad I ruined the screws taking them out :lol: :lol: :lol:

Thank you very much

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

I was wondering if someone knew about the shift drums...

These are the replacement parts I got
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... &viewitem=

Put them in and it shifts (motor is still apart, but it does appear to work)... But the part on the end, with the star where the shift stopper is different then what mine had... The piece in the bottom left of the image below, mine did not have that, the stopper on mine is different... We are thinking we can just swap the star and the nut off the end of the old drum with the one on the new drum... Does that sound right? Would the drum itself be the same? This ad says that the drum should work with all CB & CL350 1969 - 1973.

Mine looks like in the diagram attached...

Thanks.

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Well I finally got around to it, this project takes longer now that I no longer live in the same place as the bike... It makes it much easier to neglect...

Anyways, we got the parts we needed off the old shift drum and put them on the new drum and it looks like it should all work...

Now some more cleaning and start putting things back I think.

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Got it cleaned up inside a bit more...

I went back into the barn and found the old pipes... The bottom muffler has no numbers stamped on it, and that one has the muffler clamped onto the pipe... Neither are great but those should clean up and be usable if I don't find anything better... Should there be a number on the muffler?

The upper pipe though, the muffler has a huge hole in it, it is stamped HM345, the muffler is welded onto the pipe. I suppose I need to replace the whole upper pipe / muffler then?

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Well I got sidetracked for quite a while...

I recently got back onto the project... Pictures to follow.

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Ok, got the motor back together, looks like it should all work. Sealed the tank with por 15... Not sure how well I did, I got a bit of a puddle in the front because I didn't manage to drain it all out.

Started tearing the rest of the bike down, for sanding and painting, then once that is done I'll get to the polishing...

Of course, the frame is the main piece to start sanding on, the only thing left on here is the race track for the steering bearings (if that is the correct term?).

Here are the rest of the pieces I need to sand and paint. All attached pieces removed.

Here you can see a bunch of the pieces piled up on the bench, and the bolts for everything stuck into cardboard boxes and labeled.

Carbs, Airbox and hoses and so on, this stuff is not needed for quite a while now.

The forks seem to work good. I need a new grab bar if anyone has a line on one with decent chrome that won't cost a fortune...

And the rest of the pieces... I got a really nice set of handlebars on ebay for a great price... The chrome is great.

When I pulled the steering head apart, I may have lost some of the ball bearings, does anyone know how many are supposed to be in the top and bottom?

Hopefully I can get this looking as nice as NE350's, but theres a lot of work I have to put in before I get anywhere near there...

 

[JeyLux]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

replace the stem bearings with a kit form allballs, only ~$40.00

losing those bearings on the floor will be the best thing that every happened to them.

unfortunately the rust on the muffler is the norm, and finding a replacement will be expensive.

 

[NE350]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Jim, Thanks for the compliment. Your progress is right on track with what I did. Although your motor is in a lot rougher shape than mine was. :lol: At least you'll know you'll have a nice clean working motor when your finished. I'll keep following your updates and would be happy to answer any questions you have.

Matt

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

JeyLux, are these the ones you're referring to? http://www.goallballs.com/SHOP/shopexd. ... Ret&id=582
I was considering it, though I found them on eBay because I didn't know where to look I was just curious how many there was supposed to be because my manual didn't mention it. I think I found them all but I came up with an uneven number, which seems wrong. I believe I have 47 for the top and bottom. They were covered in gunk, but otherwise look ok, the bike has very few miles on it, but I was likely going to replace them anyways. So the replacements will be the tapered roller bearings like pictured? Or are they still ball bearings? Thanks for the information

Matt, your bike looks amazing, and looking through your topic and the great progress you were making when you were doing it was what made me really want to make my bike shine. I originally just wanted to see if I could get it going! I just want to know how you got it looking so good, but if I recall correctly you detailed your polishing technique in your topic, so I am going to be reading it over again, thanks.

I have one piece, that I don't think came from my bike that wound up on my bench, I'll try and get a picture of it just to verify it isn't a part of the bike.

 

[tbpmusic]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

I think I found them all but I came up with an uneven number, which seems wrong. I believe I have 47 for the top and bottom.

You have 37 balls'o'steel, just like all the rest of us :? :?
They all use the same parts, mostly.......

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Ah right, 37 sorry, I knew it ended with a 7 So then I have the right amount... Do you know how many go in the top, and how many in the bottom? Thank you very much tbpmusic

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Ok, made a bit of progress today.

The question remains, if anyone knows how many of the 37 bearings go in the top, and how many in the bottom?

On to the piece that has shown up on the bench and I can't remember if it belongs to the bike or not, if anyone recognizes this could you please point it out, thanks!

When sanding the frame today I noticed a number of some sort engraved on the steering stem, I was wondering if anyone knew what it means?

Got the frame sanded and primed today.

 

[tbpmusic]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

The etched numbers are something from a previous owner, no telling what they mean.
I think there are 19 balls on th bottom, 18 on top - but I could have it backwards.
It will be obvious how many go top/bottom when you fit it all together....

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Thanks

 

[trublu]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

On to the piece that has shown up on the bench and I can't remember if it belongs to the bike or not, if anyone recognizes this could you please point it out, thanks!

I dont have a 350, but my vote is no. It just doesnt look familiar for anyhting I recognize anyways. And, it looks to have a different "patina" of rust, like its sat by itself, out in the open for several years. Also, There are no bright, worn spots like from where a washer covered around the mounting holes would be if it was just recently unbolted. It looks as if its been off whatever it came off of for awhile in other words.

Keep it around though you never know, and you might figure it out when you reassemble the ol gal. Im still going with no though.

Just My $.02

 

[Jim]

Re: 73 CL350 K5 Barn Rescue (Warning, lots of pictures!)

Thanks Trublu, I agree... People tend to put things everywhere, even though it is specifically for something else.