QuestionI have a 1974 CB350F and am rebuilding it, as it was disassembled by its previous owner and abandoned. When we started her up, it would squeal for about 10 seconds an seize up. A few minutes later, I could start it again, only to seize again. I found that alternator stator was fouling with the coil and would heat up and bind ( as the alternator is mounted to the drive shaft). There's a small witness mark of a point of contact, but no swarf.
Is this only an alignment issue? If so how can I assure myself a proper mounting as I didn't notice alignment marks?
What elso could cause this? PLEASE don't tell me a bent drive shaft...that can't be likely...can it?
AnswerPadriac, anything is possible. Leave the alternator cover off and turn the motor over with the kickstarter or the electric starter (ignition KILL switch to OFF) or with a wrench on the rotor bolt. There is an oil galley plug below the crankshaft that may pop out, if you start the motor up, running. Observe or measure with a dial indicator any kind of deflection of the rotor from a round and true condition. If there is runout, remove the rotor, using the special puller tool required, and check the end of the crankshaft for being bent. The crankshaft end is pretty well protected from damage, but a really hard crash on the left side could damage some of the whole stack of components.
If you disassemble the who assembly, you can look at each component and observe and damage to each item. Go to: http://www.powersportspro.com/partsfish/login.asp
signup, log in and select Honda Motorcycle, then use the CB400F supersport option, which is the same as the CB350F in this case. There, you will see that the field coil bolts into the center of the outer cover, then the stator outside of that, with the rotor sandwiched in between the two. There are a couple of dowel pins that locate the alternator cover to the crankcase, for correct alignment, otherwise the retaining screws and recesses in the cover do all the component alignment.
Bill Silver
