Rusty downpipes

[waynester]

As mentioned in an earlier thread:

I have obtained a free CBR400RR '88 plate. It seems in quite good condition, though the down pipes are rusty...due to lack of use as much as anything.

I plan on maybe rubbing them back and painting black heat resistance..errr something. Does anything like this exist for this job?

TIA

[tycho]

You can get exhaust paint from motor factors which is designed for exactly the job you want. Make sure you get all the rust off first as it will look sh*t if you don't.

[d3ano]

Do it before you ride too. You may find that you're rinding along one day and then a hole appears in the pipe then it turns in to a large crack in about 10miles then your bike sounds like a tank.
Well thats what happened to mine and i have tried to patch it up, but it keeps coming apart. Sounds good for the moment as all the drivers now hear that i am behind them, but i think i will have to get it sorted soon.

[DennisTheMenace]

Motad do stainless replacement down pipes for a couple of hundered quid

[Steve_T]

Will have to do the downpipe on the SV again, truly the crapiest, cheapest, nastiest bit of metal suzuki could use. Still she goes alright after 20k miles, so can't be all bad.

Steve.

[Robbo SPS]

Last months RiDE magazine showed how easy it is to do, painting your exhaust.

The Motad items look great though. ANd at £200, good value.

[waynester]

I have another issue with this bike:

The bike is revving rough above 4000rpm..if at all. Also when blipping the throttle it causes the bike to cut out, almost as if it's not running on all 4. All 4 downpipes are hot though.

The bike was stood for a year, and had a race can fitted which i have now replaced with the original.

Any ideas, what should i check 1st?

[Incorrigible]

Carbs are bunged up I'd imagine

I would run it on choke for a few minutes and then get it out on the road, the likelyhood is it will clear up in a mile or 2

Failing that it's a card stripdown, I'm guessing you'll find the main jet's the problem

[waynester]

Incorrigible said:

Carbs are bunged up I'd imagine I would run it on choke for a few minutes and then get it out on the road, the likelyhood is it will clear up in a mile or 2 Failing that it's a card stripdown, I'm guessing you'll find the main jet's the problem

Thanks, riding didn't help or clear anything though...i think your probably right about the jets.

[verysideways]

Leave petrol in a carb for 6 months or more and you'll come back to not liquid but jelly (a bit like vaseline, kind of).

This stuff is nasty to get out - if you can burn it through, you will get a varnish smell from the exhaust because of the degradation of the fuel.

If you fancy trying to ride it through, get some optimax or octane booster to bring the octane back up to something vaguely reasonable and then ride the thing dry.

VS

[Mad Dave]

Incorrigible said:

Carbs are bunged up I'd imagine I would run it on choke for a few minutes and then get it out on the road, the likelyhood is it will clear up in a mile or 2 Failing that it's a card stripdown, I'm guessing you'll find the main jet's the problem

I'm with Ben on this one - one of my bikes had the same problem when I got it. I stripped the carb down and soaked it in carb cleaner. This was only a single cylinder jobbie though - your CBR with be an IL4 so carbs will all need to be balanced after a stripdown. If it runs fine on choke, but crap off choke, thats another hint that its the main jet.

HTH

[Incorrigible]

And Dave couldn't even find a carburetor this time last year

>> bugger search doesn't work, I was going to dig out the thread.

Quality that was

>> Edited by Incorrigible on Tuesday 8th March 16:05

[Mad Dave]

heheh, yeah yeah. I do believe it was you who gave me the most pointers actually mate

On the other hand, even back then I could spell Carburettor even if I couldn't fix one

[Mad Dave]

Found it!

Not sure I should post it though as it makes me look like a proper tw@t.

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=74&t=70750

[Incorrigible]

On the contrary, just a good story about a bloke who knows a lot more now than he did then

Far too many people wouldn't even start

Although the "how do I check the oil level" bits still make me laugh

[Mad Dave]

Yeah I did cringe a bit when I read those bits. In my defence though, the bike was totally cacked up with oil and all kinds of other rubbish so the sightglass was less than obvious.

That project was fun actually, I really must kick that bike over again actually, it's not run in about a year.

[waynester]

Great thread Dave..just read it start to finish

I've owned more bikes than i care to remember, but have never done more than oil change + chain adjust before.
This bike is in quite good condition for it's year, but having been stood for a year seems to be its main problems. I.e carb jets gummed up and front callipers bound on.

So nows the time for me to learn

[Mad Dave]

Definately - it's great fun. I had the advantage of having a free and pretty worthless bike to play about on, so I didn't have to worry too much about breaking it. It's also not very fast, so if my handiwork failed, the worst case scenario really was crashing into a muddy bank at 30mph!

Refitting the forks and brakes to my Bandit, however, is a little more nerve-wracking - careening into an articulated lorry at 120mph doesn't appeal!

[waynester]

Flippin eck....i'm having problems.

I've bought a new air filter for the CBR400RR/NC23...which is..wait for it..wrong! The shop said it was the right one too, so it's going back.
I also bought 4 spark plugs at £8.43 EACH And how the hell do you get them out? They are set so far down in the cylinder head!special tool mate..special tool

Does anyone know a website/shop/dealer i can order a new air filter from?

TIA

>> Edited by waynester on Wednesday 9th March 18:11

[Mad Dave]

www.busters-accessories.co.uk

Always been helpful to me and saved me a packet too.

re Sparkplugs - I imagine you will need a tool to get in at such an angle. My bandit is the same, though i've never changed them! (if it ain't broke....).

Any bike shop should be able to order you genuine Honda bits, but if you want some advise, call these guys:

Honda of Salisbury: 01722 341200

HTH

Dave