1973 Honda CL350 K5 Project
 

I've got a 73 Honda CL350 project bike, I'll use this thread for discussion on it.

I have a question regarding the petcock I was wondering if anyone could answer. I don't have a picture of mine right now. I spent part of the day cleaning it up, it looks good and there is clear passages through everywhere there needs to be. It was packed solid with what looks like grey clay, in some spots it was more like grease. I guess this is what happens to gas after 30 years? Anyways, that is all good now, it was all picked and scraped out. There are 2 things it needs now. I need to replace the bowl screen, #6 in the diagram, this isn't a problem. The problem is the reserve screen is destroyed, torn or rotted off... It is circled in red. Is this something that can be replaced, jerry-rigged, or am I out of luck...

Thanks.

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...ck/petcock.jpg

You might be out of luck.......but I *think* the fuel petcock is the same pretty well through the entire Honda line in those years, meaning: if you feel it is important any Honda petcock will work (100, 250, 350, 450 etc).

I have an "old time" Honda dealer within throwing distance, there might be something "on the shelf", would you like me to check?

I appreciate the offer, there is also a ton of them available on the internet too... I'm simply trying to reuse what I can from the bike.

Either gas source, regular or reserve still feed into the bowl through the screen #6, so I'm guessing the reserve screen is simply there, because the inlet is at the bottom of the tank where crud may settle? I'm sure I can find some screen and jerry-rig something. I think they do anyways, I'll have too look at it again to be sure.

Thanks :)

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h3...0/HPIM0090.jpg

The only thing I have to note about that 350 series of Honda bike is:

WATCH THE OIL.
Even within "range" on the oil stick, the first thing to oil starve is the overhead camshaft, I have, over the years, repaired over 100 that "ate" chamshaft, followers, andÂbearings. Keep the oil level to the "full" mark.

The cam chain guides, and adjuster, are some sort of plastic. Plastic that gets VERY brittle with age. I can only guess at the expected life of these parts (it would depend on the number of heating/cooling cycles) BUT if I expected to get anywhere near the red line (lowered in 1974) I would call it a service part every 5 years MINIMUM. I bought/took apart a low mileage example (CB350), maybe 6,000 miles, @10 years, and the timing chain stuff was bad, real bad.
I would expect catastrophic failure (on a par with a Honda 450 twin) if any of this stuff let go.

Small lawn mower engines use a screen like that also, Might be able to hit up a shop and find something You can rig to work...PLus they're dirt cheap for those motors.....They are attached to the drain cock so You might have to "remove it" from the lawn mower version.

http://tewarehouse.com/7-023004

Thanks for the info guys :)

On tuesday I'm going to check with the local dealer for the replaceable screen, and also an oil pump gasket (not in my gasket set sadly). I have some screen I can use to make something for the reserve screen (from the old oil pump screen, I have a new one).

I'm sure that Darwin down at 3D-Cycles will be able to hook you up. In the meantime, I think that the reserve has a screen for two reasons: I think that it further filters any crud as you say, but it also allows all of the fuel in the tank to be drawn out, unlike the solid tube for the main fuel selection.

Yep, but I don't know that it is replaceable, I'll check, I couldn't figure out how the remnants came off the main part.

3d Cycles was my plan, because they are in walking distance of my place, but to tell you the truth I have never had good service there and they have always been pretty rude from my experience. To the point I would rather go out to Holeshot for most things.

Darwin isn't necessarily warm and fuzzy, but his inventory and prices are good. I use my manners (as I do for everyone), and he responds in kind. It probably helps that I rebuilt my XR with parts from him. He's really smart, and he'll help you work out a problem if you've done your homework. Try this site: http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-motorcycles_model2/ The part numbers that I found on this site were always something that Darwin could work with.

Holeshot seems even more expensive now that they moved to their new location. Somebody's gotta pay for the fancy decor.

In retrospect, you could probably run the petcock as is without the strainer tube. Reserve should still function. It would be wise to run an inline filter as chap insurance.

I haven't compared prices, but I suspect you may be correct... I don't think I wasn't using manners or acted in a way that deserved the rude treatment at 3d, and to be clear it wasn't only in parts, it was also in sales. Maybe they just don't like me.

I apologize if I implied that you weren't respectful. My only point is that Darwin responds well to respect, and I'm sure he's tired of goofballs coming into his shop.

I'm sure that you don't deserve rude treatment; again, they're not exactly warm and fuzzy. They're all family, and that likely accounts for the consistency.

No apology necessary, I just wanted to clarify.. I will likely go there, and maybe it will be different. I just need to get the time, work picked up a bit and I haven't been home before they've closed the last few days :P

WeldandGrind, I went in and ordered the screen I needed today, and no complaints this time around... Sad news though, it looks like they aren't going to be around anymore, Honda's power house crap, not sure when, but he didn't seem too happy about it, wasn't taken out on me though, so now I feel kind of bad about it...

Honda's power house crap

Just cleaning out the perceived "deadwood" in their dealer network to make way for "new guys" (with deep pockets) to push their products. Honda is not messing with current dealers with "the numbers", but if you don't have the numbers, and someone is willing to step up to the plate with the price of admission, you are down the road kicking stones.

Kawasaki did something similar in the early 80's, and lots of guys waved bye, bye, to Kawasaki.

It's a positive move, both for Honda, and the guys they cut loose, because those guys will be searching for product to sell bringing Honda quality service maybe to Chinese product, which is sadly lacking.