Hi Steven;
Your Question:
What sort of trouble should I look for when checking out a "once
running" 600 that has been sitting for several years?
Is interesting and at the same time understandable if you have never
worked on a car that has not been driven for many years.
From the way you asked the question I am assuming the Honda 600 in
question was not put into long term storage but rather simply parked and
left. If "Parked and Left" is the correct assumption then you will have to
check everything.
Fuel - The gas tank will have rust and should be removed and cleaned
then a two or three foot of chain tied to a length of rope and shaken inside
the tank for 20 or so minutes to loosen the rust pockets, then use a good
tank cleaner and then an etch to prep the surface for a tank sealer, I like
to use Hirsch Tank sealer. The fuel pump may work but should be removed and
cleaned, this can be accomplished by removing the bottom plastic (where the
in and out ports are) and using a tooth brush clean it well because the gas
will have left a goo on the inner edges. Then clean all the lines, this may
be as simple as using compressed air and just blowing them out or locking a
length of old cable to a drill and running it through the lines, either way
squirt some carb cleaner in the lines and using compressed air blow them out
again. Then pull your carb, turn it over and remove the 3 screws to the
cover to the accelerator pump and check out the diaphragm, if it is cracked
it will need to be replaced and Honda still has them. Next remove the bowl,
and clean out all the gum, remove the pin holding the floats (watch that the
needle valve does not fall out) and float test it to see if it does not
leak. Then remove the needle valve and valve seat, clean the screen by
squirting carb cleaner on the out side of the screen first and using
compressed air to blow from the outside in to remove any build up of gum.
Use air to blow out everything and put it back together. Next remove the
solenoid check the OF ring and touch the wires to the battery to see if the
pin pulls back into the solenoid, if it does then it is ok, if not then
replace it. Pull the fuel filter and replace it, you should be set for
fuel.
Brakes; Caution, do not get in the car and try them, open your Master
Brake cylinder reservoir and look to see if there is fluid. If it has
fluid, top it off with fresh and bleed the brakes slowly until you have
clear break fluid coming out of all wheel cylinders. If it is dry, remove
the master cylinder and open all the bolts, clips and fittings, then place
the cylinder in a bucket of clear water and leave it for several hours.
Then, after all the crystallized brake fluid is liquid again, start tanking
it apart, dipping it back into the water to clean all the parts. Mark down
on a blank sheet of paper which parts go where. The difference between the
front and rear check valves is the size of the holes, mark them as such when
they are removed. Open the cylinder and try tapping the housing against a
block of wood to move the pistons out. If they will not come, place the
cylinder back into the water and try again. CAUTION: don't use anything to
poke around and cause the rubber cups to be damaged. Close off the holes
and use air at the closed end (there the two keeper bolts are) and using
compressed air (and pointing it toward the water) blow them out of the
cylinder. Then wash everything in water, use denatured alcohol to rinse
all the internal parts and rubber as a final cleaning agent. Use Lacquer
thinner to rinse out the cylinder and blow it dry with compressed air.
Clean all the other parts and check the rubber cups for cracks and chips or
nicks. Look at the inside of the cylinder and see if it is pock marked
where it corroded. If it is slight, use 1000 sand paper wrapped around a
length (8 inches of 3/4 inch hose) and turn it down into the cylinder and
keep turning it as you remove it. This should clean it enough to see if
there are any deep pits. If there are, it needs to be replaced and go to
all the wheel cylinders and calipers removing them and cleaning the same way
in water. Using water to clean everything is really the key, brake fluid
(DOT 3) is made to absorb water in your system. Water liquefies the fluid
and can keep the rubber in re-usable condition. If the pits are too deep,
then it will need to be sleeved in brass. Do the same with the rear
cylinders if they are pitted. The front calipers can be cleaned and the
rubber "O" ring replaced. Important issue here is the pistons, if they have
started to rust, they will have to be reechoed, yes even if it is in an area
that is not in the travel area of the piston and the "O" ring. When
reassembling use a rebuilding fluid on all the rubber and metal surfaces.
The power booster is another animal I take them to a local rebuild to have
them rebuilt.
Engine; Drain the oil change the filter and refill it with 10W30 oil.
Next open the distributor and change the points, check
all wires because Mice love to chew on them and a simple look will save all
kinds of time and frustration. Pull the plugs and see if they need to be
changed. If you clean them use a file or sand paper and reset them. Don't
use carb cleaner. (there are other things you could do) but these will
give you a good start. Put back to gather place a fresh battery in the car
and see if it will fire up.
If you need to set the timing look in the owners manual and follow the
instructions.
or/Bill
Re: [2cylinderhondas] Digest Number 240
Bringing an old Honda back from the beyond
Sounds like good advice, but I also like to remove the plugs and fill cylenders full of Marvel Mystery oil and replace plugs. Let set about a week, then remove plugs and turn over slowly by hand to get most oil out, then turn over with starter. I like to do this to remove rust that might be on rings and keep them from sealing. I usually turn motor over just enough to see it's not stuck, then no more until after the mystery oil. I had an old VW once that set about 5 years and didn't do this, and the thing had blow-by from then on. WD-40 sprayed in cylenders beats nothing.
Greg
william colford wrote:
Greg
william colford wrote:
> Hi Steven;
> Your Question:
> What sort of trouble should I look for when checking out a "once > running" 600 that has been sitting for several years?
> Is interesting and at the same time understandable if you have never > worked on a car that has not been driven for many years.
> From the way you asked the question I am assuming the Honda 600 in > question was not put into long term storage but rather simply parked and > left. If "Parked and Left" is the correct assumption then you will have to > check everything.
> Fuel - The gas tank will have rust and should be removed and cleaned > then a two or three foot of chain tied to a length of rope and shaken inside > the tank for 20 or so minutes to loosen the rust pockets, then use a good > tank cleaner and then an etch to prep the surface for a tank sealer, I like > to use Hirsch Tank sealer. The fuel pump may work but should be removed and > cleaned, this can be accomplished by removing the bottom plastic (where the > in and out ports are) and using a tooth brush clean it well because the gas > will have left a goo on the inner edges. Then clean all the lines, this may > be as simple as using compressed air and just blowing them out or locking a > length of old cable to a drill and running it through the lines, either way > squirt some carb cleaner in the lines and using compressed air blow them out > again. Then pull your carb, turn it over and remove the 3 screws to the > cover to the accelerator pump and check out the diaphragm, if it is cracked > it will need to be replaced and Honda still has them. Next remove the bowl, > and clean out all the gum, remove the pin holding the floats (watch that the > needle valve does not fall out) and float test it to see if it does not > leak. Then remove the needle valve and valve seat, clean the screen by > squirting carb cleaner on the out side of the screen first and using > compressed air to blow from the outside in to remove any build up of gum.
> Use air to blow out everything and put it back together. Next remove the > solenoid check the OF ring and touch the wires to the battery to see if the > pin pulls back into the solenoid, if it does then it is ok, if not then > replace it. Pull the fuel filter and replace it, you should be set for > fuel.
> Brakes; Caution, do not get in the car and try them, open your Master > Brake cylinder reservoir and look to see if there is fluid. If it has > fluid, top it off with fresh and bleed the brakes slowly until you have > clear break fluid coming out of all wheel cylinders. If it is dry, remove > the master cylinder and open all the bolts, clips and fittings, then place > the cylinder in a bucket of clear water and leave it for several hours.
> Then, after all the crystallized brake fluid is liquid again, start tanking > it apart, dipping it back into the water to clean all the parts. Mark down > on a blank sheet of paper which parts go where. The difference between the > front and rear check valves is the size of the holes, mark them as such when > they are removed. Open the cylinder and try tapping the housing against a > block of wood to move the pistons out. If they will not come, place the > cylinder back into the water and try again. CAUTION: don't use anything to > poke around and cause the rubber cups to be damaged. Close off the holes > and use air at the closed end (there the two keeper bolts are) and using > compressed air (and pointing it toward the water) blow them out of the > cylinder. Then wash everything in water, use denatured alcohol to rinse > all the internal parts and rubber as a final cleaning agent. Use Lacquer > thinner to rinse out the cylinder and blow it dry with compressed air.
> Clean all the other parts and check the rubber cups for cracks and chips or > nicks. Look at the inside of the cylinder and see if it is pock marked > where it corroded. If it is slight, use 1000 sand paper wrapped around a > length (8 inches of 3/4 inch hose) and turn it down into the cylinder and > keep turning it as you remove it. This should clean it enough to see if > there are any deep pits. If there are, it needs to be replaced and go to > all the wheel cylinders and calipers removing them and cleaning the same way > in water. Using water to clean everything is really the key, brake fluid > (DOT 3) is made to absorb water in your system. Water liquefies the fluid > and can keep the rubber in re-usable condition. If the pits are too deep, > then it will need to be sleeved in brass. Do the same with the rear > cylinders if they are pitted. The front calipers can be cleaned and the > rubber "O" ring replaced. Important issue here is the pistons, if they have > started to rust, they will have to be reechoed, yes even if it is in an area > that is not in the travel area of the piston and the "O" ring. When > reassembling use a rebuilding fluid on all the rubber and metal surfaces.
> The power booster is another animal I take them to a local rebuild to have > them rebuilt.
> Engine; Drain the oil change the filter and refill it with 10W30 oil.
> Next open the distributor and change the points, check > all wires because Mice love to chew on them and a simple look will save all > kinds of time and frustration. Pull the plugs and see if they need to be > changed. If you clean them use a file or sand paper and reset them. Don't > use carb cleaner. (there are other things you could do) but these will > give you a good start. Put back to gather place a fresh battery in the car > and see if it will fire up.
> If you need to set the timing look in the owners manual and follow the > instructions.
> or/Bill
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steven Michelsen"
> To:
> Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 11:03 AM
> Subject: Re: [2cylinderhondas] Digest Number 240
> > Any worries about old gas gunking up the carb?
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From:
> > To:
> > Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2002 1:20 PM
> > Subject: Re: [2cylinderhondas] Digest Number 240
> > > check the brakes, and if the gas line is clear. Listen for the fuel pump > > when a good battery is installed and the switch is turned on.
> > > Mike
> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> > > 2cylinderhondas-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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