Motorcycle Repair: ca95 honda 150, cylinder head gaskets, gasket leaks

Question
Hi Bill. this is my first bike: 1963 honda 150 ca95. I put a new set of plugs in my bike yesterday. rode awhile and parked the bike. an hour later the bike won't start. eventually I took the plugs out and they were black(oil). replaced with new plugs today...ran great for an hour riding around town. parked it for an hour bike and it wouldn't start again. didn't have tools but I am sure oil is the offender. what do i need to replace. i do have an engine gasket kit coming so will replace them all but what part of the engine is failing-or where do I look first? cylinder head gaskets? "o" rings? thanks-also...any idea on where to get an air filter for this o'l boy? part# is 17211-202-000  
THANKS

Answer
Todd:

You need to get a full tune-up done to determine what you have to work with, first. Check compression to see if it is over 120 psi, with the throttle held wide open. If both sides are close to that and close to each other, then you can proceed to valve adjustment... (.004") COLD on both intake and exhaust valves (compression stroke). If the clearances are way off, either recheck them after you turn the motor over 1 turn or if done correctly, recheck compression to see if it has increased. Low compression means worn out rings/pistons and/or valve sealing problems.
If you have a shop that can do a leakdown test, that will tell you where the compression loss is going (air coming out breather tube/oil filler hole is going past the rings).
Air going out the carb or mufflers indicates leaking valves.

A gasket kit is a fine thing to have, but that only will address gasket leaks, not loss of compression. Head gaskets almost never fail on these small bikes.

Assuming you have good compression, you need to clean and adjust the points. Gap them to .014" when they are at the widest gap, as you turn the crankshaft over. After the point gap is set, you can move the backing plate until you get the points to just open at the F mark alignment on the flywheel/stator. There is a mechanical spark advancer, that is part of the point cam, located behind the point plate. If it is sticking you will have more problems with driveability.

Once the ignition timing is set, THEN you can check the carburetor settings. Float level is 19.5mm with a 1 and 1/4 turn out on the air mixture screw, NOT the idle speed screw that raises the carb slide.

Standard plug should be a D8HA NGK spark plug. If your bike was using lots of oil, then it will be smoking out the mufflers and the crankcase breather tube will be showing a lot of fumes. If that is not the case, then the carburetor settings are off and the plugs are gas fouling, not oil fouling.

This bike MUST have a fully charged battery and functioning charging system, in order to run properly....

Air filter...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Honda-Dream-CA95-CB92-CA160-Element-Air-Cleaner-N...

or check with www.ohiocycle.com www.apexcycle.com has odds and ends for them, from time to time.


Check the info in this site, if you are just getting your feet wet with motorcycle repairs...  http://www.dansmc.com/mc_repaircourse.htm

Bill Silver www.vintagehonda.com