Comments on: Cb450 performance camshaft

By: Abel

Abel — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 00:53:33 +0000

HELP! I have a cb500t, with VM32s and some mystery cams, they appeared to be longer duration with a clear sign of a regrind, measured 39mm lobe height and stock was 40mm. They are in nice shape so i took a chance and threw them in a stock head, stainless straight pipes and messner moto intake pods. Currently running #20 pilot jets, #140 mains, float height at 26mm, needle clipped at the top, and still running too rich, fouls plugs quickly at idle. What could be causing it to run so rich with only one step down left in pilot jets(17.5) ?

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 18:10:22 +0000

Thanks – here is the build thread at HT if you’re interested, and BikeBound picked up on it too

https://www.hondatwins.net/forums/1-project-logs/65305-cl450-project-reboot-street-legal-time.html

http://www.bikebound.com/2017/08/15/honda-cl450-brat/

By: Ed

Ed — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 14:45:12 +0000

@Tom
Sick man, thats awesome!

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 11 Aug 2019 14:05:42 +0000

Ed – just so you know, I now have the cams you had. You decided not to use them, sold them to Liam in Australia, Liam and I met on HondaTwins.net, we decided to swap cams between us (I had bought MegaCycle 120-x11/x12) and I got the ones you sold him – so they’re back in America, and running in my bike. There was a lot of rust inside them and the points side bearing journal was a bit pitted and under spec, so I had it turned down a bit, a bronze bushing pressed into the cam bearing/points base to bring it back to spec, and the street-legal bike runs 8.96 at 76 mph in the eighth mile. Here’s the run – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20jFPazXlvU

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 26 Nov 2017 14:39:08 +0000

So what did you do with the cams? Did you sell them?

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 19:10:26 +0000

@Tom
I ended up not putting them in.
But yes, the engine characteristics you describe are definitely the way an engine with higher duration cams will act. Thats how my Kawasaki z1 with cams is. 6.5k rpm it takes off until about 10.5k rpm.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 18:22:15 +0000

How did the engine run with those cams? I had a set of MegaCycle cams long ago and they ran great. Does yours run a bit flat under 5500 and then take off like a rocket after 6000?

By: Liam

Liam — Thu, 13 Apr 2017 12:07:46 +0000

You measure the lift at the valve, not on the cam. Use a dial guage in the same axis as the valve and measure the lift from seated to max lift while you rotate the cam.

Those are the exact cam grind I have been hoping to find pop up on ebay, wish I found them first! Let me know if ya wanna sell them!!

I’m still going through the process of building my CB500T with 74mm THR Pistons, I got the head ported and got new valve guides with viton seals and oversize valves plus Keihin CR33 carbs, just need the cams to go with it all.

Please update when you install these puppies! And if you haven’t installed them yet sell them to me 😉

By: Quinn

Quinn — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 12:14:26 +0000

Now all you need is some heavy duty shocks and that bike might be able to haul your ass

By: Adam

Adam — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 17:51:59 +0000

Cams are overrated.

By: Ted

Ted — Tue, 16 Aug 2016 17:26:14 +0000

Ed, that power-barn kit looks like a good deal. Am I correct that it includes a 2-1 cable and jets for tuning as well? Might be a good purchase for my Yamaha XS500. Every other kit requires you to buy all the pieces separately. I wonder if the kit with the manifolds would fit as well. It looks very similar.

By: Ed

Ed — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 03:47:39 +0000

@brian
Haha … Yea your 550 is a 4cyl from the early 80s and my “550” is a design from the late 60s, so yea your shit box is probably faster. But I’ll def still race you. I ain’t scared! Ya never know. I might surprise ya.

By: Brian

Brian — Sat, 13 Aug 2016 03:03:58 +0000

My shitty $300 XJ550 with stock cams and bad compression will still take you.

By: Ron Moore

Ron Moore — Fri, 12 Aug 2016 22:10:20 +0000

I think that’s the best looking CB450 I’ve ever seen. Nice job putting it all together.

By: Ed

Ed — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 17:28:13 +0000

Cool post!

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 20:51:25 +0000

I did measure it that way but the numbers weren’t making sense compared to the spec they list on their site. I called megacycle to ask them why the deal is. They said measuring that way is not accurate. I’m not sure.

By: Mike Ashleigh

Mike Ashleigh — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 18:44:57 +0000

I’m not super into camshafts, but

Measuring lift should just be the difference between the fattest part and the skinniest part of the cam profile. You can do this with calipers, but a micrometer would be more accurate.

Duration is a little more tricky, but you should be able to figure it out with a dial indicator and a degree wheel.

That’s pretty cool you found those.