Hey folks, I recently re-acquired my old bike, a 1977 Honda CB400F Super Sport (4-cylinder). I know how to do all the maintenance, as I used to do it 21 years ago, but I'm looking for the right "order" to do the following:

Adjust Timing
Adjust Points
Adjust Valve Clearances
Adjust Cam Chain Tension
Adjust Air Screws
Synchronize Carbs
Adjust Engine Idle Speed

Also, if I've left anything out please add in the correct order.

Thanks

 

I know this is an old post but no one answered.. So Just in case some one else comes looking for the same question.. Besides apparently I need 7 more posts for more freedom on the forum. :/

Order might change depending on the model but not much.
Order on some of these dont matter so much. Others things it definately does matter.

If you are doing a rebuild and have the heads off go for everything related to timing first.
But If the bike is together.. I say go for fuel mixture and everything fuel or carb related first.

So fuel and carb related: adjusting a carburetor is an art! It may need further tuning after timing has been done. After being reset to manufacturers specification, carb adjustment will be in the feel and sounds of the bike at idle midle and high rpms as well as on rpm deceleration.

First sync carbs, its the easiest to do and further air fuel adjustmens will be more fresh in mind when coming back to them later.
then Set Pilot or Air and or adjust float chamber screws.
(Whichever yours has, i suggest return to factory specification)
might make very small adjustment on your air/pilot/float chamber screw with an educated guess for elevation temp etc...
then set idle speed.

Once you do everything timing related and start riding listen and feel for bogging down and back fire and adjust accordingly for the propper mixture at all a rpms. Working on your own carbs and balancing the mixture yourself can be very bennificial, but again it is an art.

Timing related:

Internal chain tension adjustments should be done first. Cam chain and balancing chain.
Cam chain is the chain that connects the cam shaft(s) and therefore valves to the crank shaft. Adjusting the tension may change valve timing/clearance. The Balancing chain balances vibrations in the crank case. you want these to remain synchronized with the crank arms. So in my mind if you do cam chain tension. Do the balancer chain tension also, not all bikes have one.

(These are not to be confused with the Primary chain, connects the crank shaft to the clutch and therefore the transmission. This should not affect the timing. And being unrelated to timing, you may adjust primary chain/belt tension after)

Valve adjustment one might think should be done first.. But, without proper timing the valves will cause low compression and possibly damage.
and Timing check/adjustment cannot be done properly without a proper points adjustment.

So this means
Cam tension and Points adjustment, then timing, then valve adjustment.

V-Twins, and especially parallel twins, will be easier than 4 cyl, in a few ways.
Points and ignition timing may not be adjustable. Instead they are just checked for correctness.

After timing adjustments re adjust carbs pilot/air for proper mixture and idle speed, they should still be synchronized if you did it earlier.

If i am wrong on anything please do correct me. I am still learning myself.

 

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