1978 Honda CB400 TII Hawk Restoration - Work Begins
November 10, 2007: Step 1 - Get it running.
The week before I rode out to our dealer, Bob
Jo Cycle, and ordered up some basic mechanical items for the 78 Hawk. The
items are 2 complete gasket sets for the carburetors, 2 spark plugs, oil filter,
air filter and a battery. This is the same plan of attack I followed with the
other two bikes earlier in the year. Keep to the basics and the cost low in the
beginning. The parts did arrive during the course of the week so I was ready to
get started.
The given first move, remove the seat, side covers and gas tank. I tested the petcock to see if there was flow from the tank and there was. I did have the seat off before so I wasn't surprised at the evidence of an animal habitat near the air box. The big oops on my part in 1989 was that I didn't remove the battery. There were corroded leads and it was bloated. Not so bloated I couldn't get it removed, thankfully.
The animal habitat in the air box. A mix of insulation, robe mob, acorns, mouse
fur and what is left of the air filter. Yuck, it was ShopVac time.
I set my sights on the carburetors. It took some effort to get them loose, but nothing broke or stripped in the process. My first thought about the cause of the stuck throttle was a rusted cable set. That assessment was wrong. The stuck throttle is at the carburetor. Oh boy! I also must thank my father for giving me the right tools for job. The Matco impact driver served me well, as it usually does. It saved a possible ten stripped screw heads.
