Honda C90 - finding TDC on the compression stroke

Honda C90 - finding TDC on the compression stroke

As explained in this extract from a Honda manual, valve adjustment measurements must be taken at top dead centre (TDC) on the compression stroke.  This short article explains how to check your engine is in the right spot to measure the valve gap. valve adjustment instructions from the 1978 C90 Z2 owners manualTo understand Honda’...

As explained in this extract from a Honda manual, valve adjustment measurements must be taken at top dead centre (TDC)...

Washita Oilstones

Washita Oilstones

Washita oilstones are used by woodworkers around the world and they all come from a small area east of Hot Springs in Arkansas, USA. Origins Washita, and the closely related Arkansas stone, are both forms of a rock geologists call Novaculite.  As this research shows, Novaculite was used by Indians to make tools long before...

Washita oilstones are used by woodworkers around the world and they all come from a small area east of Hot...

The Record 74 Auto Vice

The Record 74 Auto Vice

The Record 74 is an excellent little vice, it weights 26lbs , has 4 inch jaws and opens to about 4 ½ inches. It was pitched as an inexpensive[1] vice for the amateur mechanic or the woodworker who has an occasional need to do a bit of metalwork (where the fact it can be popped into...

The Record 74 is an excellent little vice, it weights 26lbs , has 4 inch jaws and opens to about 4...

Yankee 1003 bench drill

Yankee 1003 bench drill

The North Bros Yankee 1003 bench drill – and its larger sibling, the 1005 – is one of the finest bench drills ever produced.   They were only made for about 15 years and are now something of a rarity.  I was lucky enough to get hold of one a couple of years ago (you can read about...

The North Bros Yankee 1003 bench drill – and its larger sibling, the 1005 – is one of the finest bench drills...

Honda C90 - valve clearance

Honda C90 - valve clearance

Once you have the engine back together an important job is to adjust the valve clearance (sometimes called “valve lash”). The clearance you are adjusting is the gap between the “tappet” and the tip of the valve. Tappet is an Engineering term meaning: a moving part in a machine which transmits motion in a straight...

Once you have the engine back together an important job is to adjust the valve clearance (sometimes called “valve lash”...

Honda C90 - valve seals

Honda C90 - valve seals

The valves are held in place by metal guides installed in the cylinder head and on some C90s (including the c90 z2) there is a synthetic rubber valve seal on top of the exhaust valve guide, as is shown in this diagram from the 1978 CT90 service manual: Honda tried a number of different valve...

The valves are held in place by metal guides installed in the cylinder head and on some C90s (including the...

Honda C90 - valve lapping

Honda C90 - valve lapping

Doing an overhaul of the engine involves dismantling the cylinder head and inspecting the valves.  They will need to be cleaned of any accumulated oil and carbon, but do they also need lapping? Lapping If the valves are worn or pitted due to wear or because they have been poorly adjusted in the past it...

Doing an overhaul of the engine involves dismantling the cylinder head and inspecting the valves.  They will need to be...

Honda C90 - valve inspection

Honda C90 - valve inspection

Here are a few posts on the topic of valve adjustment.  Happily, since the c90 is such a simple engine, it is a good place to learn about these automotive fundamentals.  Here goes! Disassembly Here are the cylinder head parts for the c90 z2.  As you can see the z2 has contact breaker points and...

Here are a few posts on the topic of valve adjustment.  Happily, since the c90 is such a simple engine,...

Honda C90 - tool kits

Honda C90 - tool kits

Looking at the CMSL microfiche parts diagrams, the older Kowa tool kits – for example the c100 from the 1960s – contained: * an open ended 10/14mm spanner * 17mm and 23mm ring spanners * a set of pliers Pliers * a spark plug socket * a screwdriver handle with one slotted and two cross head bits. The kit also included...

Looking at the CMSL microfiche parts diagrams, the older Kowa tool kits – for example the c100 from the 1960s – contained:...

Kowa tools

Kowa tools

Kowa Seiki has made tools for Honda since 1956, initially making their special workshop tools and going on to make the tool kits for all their bikes from the 60s until the early 2000s. From the 1970s they also made tools for the Japanese government, Mazda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Mitsubishi. Add all that production...

Kowa Seiki has made tools for Honda since 1956, initially making their special workshop tools and going on to make...