[brksb46041]

I've been reading here a lot lately and there is a lot of great information that has helped me immensely, but i seem to have hit a brick wall with this bike.

It is a 1976 CJ360T and when i bought it it would start/idle/ and run great but it would not rev up past 4 or 5 thousand rpm. I set the valves, cleaned/set the points and cleaned the carbs. While cleaning the carbs i saw that there was a couple slices in one of the slider diaphragms so i bought a new one ($90 - ouch!). I thought this was the problem since it seemed it was starving for fuel.

I got it back together and it ran a lot worse. I will spare you all the gorey details of my own personal hell, but basically i couldn't really get it to do anything consistently enough to actually diagnose the problem.

I ended up buying new points for it. The timing is set perfectly. I have taken the valve cover off to check the valve timing and it was spot on. The valve lash is spot on. The coils are good, i tested them on a good running CB350 last night. The carburetors are squeaky clean, i have been through them 3 times.

Last night, after testing the coils, i got it to start (takes a lot of ether and a sore leg) and the only way i could get it to run was by feathering the choke and the throttle (choke had to be at least half for it to run). I could not keep it running for more than a minute or so. I felt the pipes and only the left side was firing. I started it back up with the right spark plug removed and did not see any fuel vapor being shot out. I cleaned the carburetors yet again but this time i switched the jets/floats/and slides between the carburetors. After a lot of ether and a sore leg i got it to start but it seems like it ran the same way it did before, but this time on 2 cylinders.

That was about 3:30 AM last night, I will start it again tonight and see if it is running on one cylinder ot two.

Hopefully someone here has some insight, I am at the end of my rope on this bike.

Additional details:
the throttle butterflies look relatively synched, can't keep it running to vacuum synch them (and don't have the tools)
compression feels fine, though haven't tested it (don't really think this is the problem)
intake boots look fine
cam and rockers look excellent
when it does run, no smoke
Does the cam chain or rocker update apply to the CJ?

Thanks in advance

 

[tbpmusic]

Always check the battery first !!!

Check to see that it's "breathing" properly - meaning air cleaners and exhaust. Our rodent friends love to build hotels in air cleaners and mufflers on bikes that sit for a while.......

 

[66Sprint]

Yes, the update applies to the CJ..... No punch marks, ...it wasn't done ....
I'll echo Bill and suggest you jump it with a KNOWN good battery, using my "hotwire" method to eliminate the possibility of any other wiring/kill switch/electrical problems.
And,...Run a compression test.....
Plus, it may be the fuel supply problem you assumed was the carbs...
Does fuel flow properly from the tank?
Is the tank vent clear?
Are the carb floats set properly to fill the bowls to the correct level?
Since your coils work on another bike, are you SURE both sets of points are timed and gapped properly?

 

[brksb46041]

Wow thanks for the quick replies.

I have checked the air filters and exhaust and have tried to run it with these off (and a combination of filters on exhaust off, vice versa). The petcock is free and clear, i don't know about the tank vent, but i have tried running it with the gas cap open and it had no effect.

The float height is set properly, and i am positive the points are timed and set correctly. I have checked the points at least three times. It should be mentioned though that with the new points i put on it, i had to rotate the points plate so far clockwise that the stud for the left point is at the very bottom and although the points cover fits on, if i put it on it will arc to it and not produce a spark at the left plug. Because of this i have kept the points cover off to address the problem later. After seeing how far twisted it was i checked the valve timing to make sure that wasn't the culprit. The same part number points were put on the CB350 we have and they were the same way, except the CB350 cleared fine because it has a stamped points cover rather than the machined aluminum one that the 360 has.

I don't have a compression tester to use, but i am relatively certain that is not the issue. Like I said, just a few weeks ago it ran perfect up to 5k rpm. It started first kick and had great power (much more than the 350, btw).

I will test the battery when i get home, can you detail the "hotwire" method?

Also, where are the punchmarks and could not having these updates cause these symptons?

Thanks a lot everybody

 

[tbpmusic]

and i am positive the points are timed and set correctly. I have checked the points at least three times. It should be mentioned though that with the new points i put on it, i had to rotate the points plate so far clockwise that the stud for the left point is at the very bottom and although the points cover fits on, if i put it on it will arc to it and not produce a spark at the left plug.
I don't have a compression tester to use, but i am relatively certain that is not the issue.
Also, where are the punchmarks and could not having these updates cause these symptons?

Did you use this procedure?? http://www.hondatwins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=883
Did you take the advancer apart and put it together 180 degrees off??

The punch marks are on the engine number area......http://www.hondatwins.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=1836

 

[66Sprint]

If you have to rotate the points plate THAT far, either the advance unit is not working or installed correctly, or the cam/crankshaft timing is off... The points and plate should be almost vertically symetrical to the centerline of the cylinder if the cam/crank timing is correct... A couple of degrees off is OK, but you are talking 20+ degrees... Did you disassemble the advance unit to clean it?....It is possible you put the center (the actual breaker cam) on upside down.....

Oops!...Just noticed Bills post..... Steve

 

[Bone]

Concerning punch marks: later models of 360 (like my 76 CB360) had the recall modifications performed on the production line. The recall PDFs linked on this site verify which VIN #s indicate the fix integrated into the production line. I called two separate Honda shops to verify my VIN and engine serial: they have no recalls for my bike.

 

[66Sprint]

Thanks for that clarification Eric,.... I'm glad the pdf has the vin numbers of the "factory improved" models as a reference.... Good thing to check......

 

[66Sprint]

Here it is:

If you want to get fancy and electric start the bike, you'll also need one more small jumper (3 ft of 16 ga wire with small alligators on each end).... Hook one of the small wire's alligators to (both) coils black and white wires and the other end of this small jumper to the "automotive jumper's" red alligator...... Hook the other end of the large red jumper to the battery positive (B+)..... Hook the large black jumper's ends to the frame (engine bolt, etc)and the battery negative (B-).... Touch the "auto" red alligator to the starter bolt terminal at the top of the starter motor/front of the engine to roll the engine over.....

 

[gs1327]

CJ360 is kickstart only, no?

 

[66Sprint]

Tom...I believe it is, however the part about isolating only the coils/points to the battery still applies......(I've gone over this several times recently and that was the first "copy" I found...LOL....)

 

[brksb46041]

Sorry for the late reply, work has been very hectic lately.

I took the advancer off but did not take it apart any further. I am not sure how it can be installed 180 degrees off. When looking at the picture below, what exactly are these arrows pointing at? Some clarification would be very helpful,,,

Also, the posted 360 bulletins don't address the CJ360 VIN's for 1976, perhaps all the CJs were done at the factory?

Thanks again, will take er apart this evening

 

[66Sprint]

If the pic is of yours, the breaker cam is correctly installed... the arrows point to the springs that control the fly-weights, the base of the actual breaker cam , and the rubber (return) stop on the flyweight..... Some advance units have the "keyway" that sets on the "pin' on/in the camshaft cut across both sides and can be installed 180 out.... Or, their breaker cam can be on the unit 180 out......

 

[brksb46041]

So I just took apart the advancer and switched the lobe 180 degrees and once timed the points plate is still in the same position (about 20 degrees CCW from center). Tried to start it anyway with no luck. Just for the hell of it, i rotated the points plate so that it was vertical and all it would do is backfire through the exhaust every few kicks.

Just a side note, that picture was taken from the timing thread. In that picture i see that the timing plate says CB450 on it, should mine say cj360? I'll have to go check,,,

I'm really at the end of my rope with this bike, I've never had anything that has given me this much trouble.

 

[66Sprint]

I believe yours might have 369 stamped into it.....

 

[brksb46041]

IT FINALLY RUNS!

It ended up being a plugged petcock. I checked that petcock everytime i took the tank off and it was always fine, but this last time it would only drain for 5 seconds then cut off. It flowed fine before so i think the bad running was just a combination of things but the petcock was the very last thing.

Gotta love the way these old hondas howl at 8 grand!

Thanks a lot for the help everybody, i'll probably stick around and pop upfrom time to time, i've got bigger plans for this bike.