CBR400 NC29 - restoration

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blade1
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CBR400 NC29 - restoration

Post by blade1 » Mon May 14, 2018 12:37 pm

Hi there,

I have a 1991 CBR400 NC29 that has been laid up for the past 5 years or so without so much as turning a wheel. I am looking at getting it back up and running nicely. Stored outside but under cover.

I am thinking initially of the following:-

Give her a wash first of all!!
Oil & Filter change
Air filter
New spark plugs - do you think its worth putting a shot of oil down the bores while the plugs are out?
New tyres
Strip and clean the brakes, replace seals and new pads

The petrol tank was full of fuel so hopefully I won't have any rust issues but I suspect the carbs will be completely gummed up.

Being so old I am thinking of just taking the carbs off and rebuilding them with new seals and jets etc as I doubt they have ever been serviced.

I am comfortable having a go on most things bike related but have never touched carbs before -is this a job that can be done at home easily enough?

Any recommendations on where to get rebuild kits from?
Any tools that you think are useful for carbs? I've been looking at the morgan carbtune to help get them synced up after servicing.
She is completely standard so the suspension will need refreshing at some point. Is there anything else that you would consider doing to the bike?

thanks
Chris

pptom
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Re: CBR400 NC29 - restoration

Post by pptom » Mon May 14, 2018 3:19 pm

Carb kits from here: http://litetek.co/Carb_Kit_Honda_CBR400RR_NC29.html
Good quality and price, he's a member on here, don't let the location put you off, my last set took about 10days to arrive
I always buy genuine brake seals, it's a no brainer for the price, aftermarket can be troublesome not letting the pistons retract etc, David silvers or Wemoto both good.
Wemoto sell lots of genuine honda parts, I buy 80% of my spares from them.
Carbs are easy enough, just do one at a time so you have the others for reference. If using carb cleaner don't get it near any rubber parts or they will melt.
I always balance my carbs using vacuum gauges.

Well worth a good look with a torch into the tank. With ethanol in fuel it can absorb atmospheric moisture which is heavier than fuel and therefore sit at the bottom.

pptom
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Re: CBR400 NC29 - restoration

Post by pptom » Mon May 14, 2018 3:29 pm

Oil down the bores wouldn't hurt, not too much though, keep the old plugs in, so the new ones don't get contaminated then either turn the ignition off or unplug all the ht leads and turn the engine over on the starter motor until the oil pressure light goes out, this means you have oil pretty much everywhere in the engine and it's good to go.
Drop the new plugs in just before you're ready to start

dunkenb
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Re: CBR400 NC29 - restoration

Post by dunkenb » Mon May 14, 2018 3:58 pm

Think I read a bit of diesel in the bores is better


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pptom
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Re: CBR400 NC29 - restoration

Post by pptom » Mon May 14, 2018 5:04 pm

Exactly, maybe best to turn it over with the plugs out and a rag securely over the plug holes to catch the oil. You don't have to worry if you put too much oil in then.

jd400rr
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Re: CBR400 NC29 - restoration

Post by jd400rr » Fri May 25, 2018 7:20 am

@blade1 What a coincidence, I have a 1991 NC29 I am restoring as well! Not sure of it's history because I just got it, so I'm going through everything and doing some upgrades/updates. Replacing tires, rotors, pads, coolant hoses, brake lines, caliper & master cylinder rebuilds, carb rebuild, chain & sprockets, cush drives, etc. Vapor blasting motor & carbs. Upgrading front & rear suspension. I'm debating on whether to do a fuel injection conversion. It's a little more work to find some parts in the U.S., but I'm finding good sources in UK, Australia, & Japan. Good luck with your restore and feel free to hit me up if I can help with anything.

@pptom Thanks for the carb kit link. I may have to place an order soon.

Suzuki416
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Re: CBR400 NC29 - restoration

Post by Suzuki416 » Sat May 26, 2018 9:16 am

Don't forget to prime your fuel pump..
It tells you how to do this in the Haynes manual Which will help you


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