REBUILDING MY ABANDONED HONDA CB250 | RUSTY ROADBLOCKS 

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Cutting disc would be easier than a grinding disc! Nice project im excited to see this play out

Aaargh. Let's try again. Get a service manual for the bike. Not the haynes book of fairy tales, but the honda service manual. It can be found on the internet, in pdf form, for nothing. It's worth immeasurably more than that. Get some soft jaws, or at least some jaw protectors, for the vice. As it stands you will mar everything you grip in it. When you hit something with a hammer, use an appropriately sized thumb detector, but hit it like you mean it. Hit it like it's Matt Hudson's head. Don't wave it in the general direction. Hit it *straight*. When you take apart something with multiple identical pieces, like that pair of carbs, don't just mix all the parts up. Put the parts back where they came from, that means taking care when separating stuff. You're working on Japanese motorcycles, get some quality JIS screwdrivers and impact bits, and hide or lock away the philips stuff. It makes a huge difference.on how easy it is to remove fasteners. Bin the brake pads. Pad material separation when you're trying to brake with that anaemic single disc is no fun. Ask me how I know. You should have tried to move the pistons with the brake system intact, before separating stuff. Might have got the pistons moving at both ends. As it stands, you need hydraulic pressure to get the piston out of the caliper, a grease gun and some gender bender fittings might work, but there's loads of work arounds if you know what you're doing. You don't. It's gonna be hard. The easy solution is to get a car or bike mechanic to do it for you. If your brother in law is a qualified welder, he should know about the heat affected zone when welding high carbon steel. When the nut snapped off on the first attempt, he should have taken a different tack. As it stands, your only hope now is a machine shop. When you're cutting stuff off, use a cutoff disc, not a goddamn grinding disc. you may have ruined the frame, and you've almost certainly ruined the stand. The thing to do would have been to cut (or grind, or file, even saw) off the mushroomed part, and then press the axle out with the hydraulic press you have. Your carbs will probably leak like a sieve. Use OEM rebuild kits. How the hell did you bend the slider pins on the caliper? Oh, that's right, you were punching them because you don't have a manual, and didn't realise they unscrew. Get a manual. Get a fucking manual.

You need an impact driver for the tougher stuck screws, it sorts them out 90% of the time

250 wet dream my first motorcycle after graduating from mopeds bought mine a year old in 1981 had it professionally painted in metallic black and covered nearly 35 thousand miles on it. All my mates went down the 350 LC route spending most of their time rebuilding them. By the time it was time to move on to something bigger I got married got a sierra and had 4 kids .

In the future for any caliper pistons that are stuck, get yourself a good grease gun and put a fitting on the nipple and screw it into your caliper (using the compressed grease hydraulically) They’ll pop out like a dream. P.S. check out the channel Brickhouse Builds. He gives some great tips on rebuilding bike carbs. Also, Alan Millard is a great resource for bike building tips.

I would try to drill that stud out, use a small carbide tipped drill and gradually use bigger drills until the metal is hopefully thin enough to turn out.

The engine bolt I would take it now to an engineering company who have precision drilling equipment and will drill and remove what is left of the stud. Another way is weld another nut on if you have enough material left, and use an induction tool which will apply heat to the bolt without overheating the case. Then quench in water which should brake any rust. Just be careful not to damage the case.

Fun project, but I'm not convinced the Superdream is worth the effort. My first bike in 1980 was a silver 250N, traded it for a Z1000 as soon as I passed my test! Next time you have to cut with the angle grinder, get a stack of 1mm discs and a full face shield. They make short work of cutting through steel, but can shatter.

get it "spark eroded" I did this on a Z400J back in the 80's and they did a great job of getting it out

PLEASE get some soft jaws for that vice!!!!! I wince every time I see you holding (relatively) soft metal things like brake calipers in those voracious hardened steel munchalot jaws..... But keep going mate, you're doing great!

You'll find the pad material seperates from the back plate. Bin and fir new pads,

I have had success removing studs/bolts that are snapped off close to the engine by drilling a hole that is the same diameter as the stud in a piece of copper bar about 6mm thick, place it over the stub and fill it with weld, I used a mig welder, because it puts more heat in than tig, then move the copper up, and repeat, then weld a nut on!

Cutting disc. Not a grinding disc. Lucky that didn't go wrong. Good luck with the rest of it

For brake pistons, connect a master cylinder, bleed it through quickly and pump the piston out.

Take the engine/gearbox to a machine shop, put one cylinder bolt back in and use it to true up the unit vertically on a milling machine - centre then drill out the seized stud. As for the caliper I can only suggest replacement or reconnecting the master cylinder and using hydraulic pressure to push the piston out.

Re the brake caliper piston, just like you I struggled for years trying to remove caliper pistons, but then I got a motorcycle brake piston removal tool set. It works by grabbibng onto the inside of the piston, and has a slide hammer action. The more you use the slide hammer the tighter it grabs the piston. Quite cheap from eBay, works every time.

You're using a grinding disc. You need a cutting disc,a lot thinner, and keep up the good work fella

cool to see doing more bike restores, i use to watch often, i had an accident last year on military cannels in rye and was air lifted to kings hospital.

First 3 minutes of the video, how did you manage to go from bad to worse, holy cow...

Replace the engine cases, the crank is roller bearing not plain bearing. Hook up a functional master cylinder and pump the brake piston or pump grease through the bleed nipple.

Another great Sunday with BOR!! 👍💪🏍

Can I offer a couple of tool tips? Firstly, get yourself an impact driver. It will really help with stuck screws. Next, you were using a grinding disk not a cutting disk. These are much thinner and will cut much more quickly with much less heat too. You're doing well, keep at it.

Finding this interesting 👍

I’d have used a pair of Stilsons on that stud and a much hotter and direct flame right around the base of the stud. That flame looked a bit pointless.

Few things for the shopping list Soft jaws for the vice so you don’t damage ally items Cutting disks for the grinder more accurate less work and for stuck pistons either piston pliers or expanding piston tools hammering the pistons in just makes more work to remove them

Dril it out and Helicoil it yourself. I've done it many times when I was field service engineer for forklifts, with the engine insitu. I only used a decent hand drill, but I see you have a pillar drill. Use good quality drill bits. Also, learn how to sharpen drill bits, a handy skull to have. You need to use just Propane or acetylene gas as butane mix gas doesn't give enough heat. Plus use less brut force, just slowly slowly catchy monkey.

I've successfully used the 'sockets in the caliper piston' method of removal on 2 totally seized pistons. It kind of boogers up the inside of the piston but that part doesn't matter...and you'll probably end up getting new pistons for the rebuild, anyway.

Fairy liquid in the ultrasonic is a cheaper alternative, and probably a better degreaser for carbs

Had a similar issue to your stand with a bolt not moving on my old Suzuki suspension. In the end I got it free with an air hammer/chisel, it started to mushroom as well but then forced it through luckily. Would recommend now that you have your compressor!

Really admire your perseverance/determination/stubbornness! ….what’s that old novel of inspiration- zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance.

Id strip then engine down replace all the internal bearings , get the bolt drilled out then get the casings vapour blasted

Need more vids bro and your channel will boom . 💥 ino u busy with other commitments though i understand love the channel

The centre stand will need more than a good heavy hammer to get that moving, my 1978 XS250 swingarm bolt seized it took 20 tons of force to push it out. I wish people remember to service the swingarm pivot bolt regularly.

I use a deep fat fryer - looks more or less the same as your sonic cleaner. My bike doesn't work but it smells great.

Re-attach the caliper to the master cylinder and use hydraulic pressure to remove the cylinder

Wrap the end of the duster with PVC electrical tape so that it makes a decent seal against the caliper - it might make a difference!

In my expirence, we thread a zerk fitting into the bleeder hole, and use a grease gun to pump out the brake pistons, it works.

With brake pistons, which are ALWAYS a problem on neglected projects, it will be worth investigating in a piston removal kit. They aren’t massively expensive, but they’ve never failed me

Definitely black for the frame, IMO black is best or maybe sometimes silver, some people do frames weird colours and they always look wrong I think.

Hi Rye,For that stuck head bolt,use a Center punch,hit the stud bang on center and drill a 4mm or 5mm hole into the stud,then bang a torx bit into it and then heat it up and use a 3/8 Breaker bar to brake it loose and hopefully that works,also use cutting discs for you grinder there are many types of blades out there,cutting disc are normally a lot thinner and will cut through a lot easier,keep up the good work 👊

Those small rocket shaped parts you removed from the carbs are called, float valves. Always use OEM parts for your carbs were available.

I bet it took all afternoon to grind that centre stand out - haha! I had some sympathy for you with the crank bolt as the one on my 250 stripped its thread when I undid it. One tip for the carb strip is to keep the parts for each side completely separate so they go back in the same side they came from as each carb wears differently. 10/10 for effort and enthusiasm though!

Always make sure with your carbs the components out of each one go back into the same one they came out of 👍

Nice passed my test on one.

youre cutting with a grinding disc

Get some map gas on the back of the brake calliper, and at the same time, blast with air and it will come out.

I can see you have a pillar drill. Use this to drill out the broken bolt.Assirted Helicoil kit from amazon isn't too pricey and will last for years. By far the best releasing agent on corroded screws etc is 50/50 mix of atf and acetone. Keep up the good work.

I was always told, when you are working with old bikes or even parts that are going to be stubborn, hit them with a good ole fashion WD40 and leave them overnight LOL Do with it what you will. But I am so glad things are moving forward with this bike!

Next time you clean a carb,take out all the jets out and push a fine wire through them. Use one of these they're brilliant for jets Tip Cleaner, Needle file Jet cleaner, Gas Nozzle Cleaners, Mig Tip. it'll make sure there's nothing blocking any of the holes

I was thinking your hydraulic press might’ve worked good for getting out the center stand bolt. Just a trick getting it up there though lol. Loving the videos Rye👏 Wait, you do have a hydraulic press?

When the snapped bolt is hot, melt a wax crayon into the threads. Lubes it up and should come out fair easily. Always worked for me.

Il say it again you should never of opened the engine up!! I really don’t know what you was thinking there bro 😂 she was mint A F, you should have stuck with just restoring her and then only messed around with the engine if it didn’t run right and you needed to. Regardless Keep up the good content ❤

You most prohqbly need to get heat on the inside of that case to get that broken stud out. Id be trying every method possible to extract that stud before relying on a helicoil.

@TAYM you were fancying one of these earlier.

See if you can find a grease nipple to fit the bleed nipple. Then use a grease gun to pump grease into it. That may work. Best of luck

I would not re use those pads. They WILL be contaminated, and most likely the friction material will separate from the backing - seen it loads of times. Not worth spoiling the ship for a ha'p'orth of tar. And use a grease gum on the caliper - works 99% of the time. If its still stuck after that, replace it with new as likely way to far gone anyway.

I don't know if you can get it done but, spark-erosion will get that bit out from the crankcase. Best of luck!!

getting those long studs out ,you shouldn't use long leverage bars.its a no no. should of used penetrating lubricant. undoing just a little then retightening .keep doing this it will eventually come unloose. if it doesn't then no amount of heat/lube is going to get it out.so bare this in mind next time you come to do this. to get this bolt out ,drill it in dead center .starting with a small drill bit working your way up to larger d/bit. the shaft looks to me could be 8mm or ten. if its 8mm don't use a drill bigger than 6.5mm -7 max. like wise 10 mm no bigger than 9mm .by this time the wall will be thin.jus tap the side of the wall with a small fat head screw driver,care full not to damage the engine threads. I've done this a few time with no ill affects.

I'm a foundry fettler, you should of hired a 9 inch grinder with a cutting blade, would go through that like butter mate

A standard grease gun end will push onto the bleed screw ,just open it half a turn and pump the grease in ,job done .

A Spark Erosion machine would remove the old stud without the need for a Helicoil

If you are going to bash with a hammer, secure the object so it does not move when struck. Even slight movement dissapates the blow.

Spark erosion will remove the broken stud - but I'm not sure if they can do it in situ - just ask them. The stuck brake piston can sometimes be pushed out by using a working master cylinder connected to the caliper. Credit to Superbike Surgery. Brake master cylinder - drill and tap a hole into the end of the piston - attach a puller and see if it will move. Of course you may need to repair the piston or buy new especially if the surface is badly pitted - same for the master cylinder body ! Good luck

The 250 sold by the boatload, the 400 however was a much better bike. Drill that old bolt out and fit the hellicoil

The rocket shaped things are the float jet neddles

Drill the bolt with a smaller drill and then use an extractor. I would not have taken apart the engine however, i also bought recently a suzuki gs400 1979 and it's running, so i change and adjust without cracking the engine apart. Everithing on the frame is taken apart except for the engine.

Spark erode the broken stud out is the way forward

Try some brake piston pliers to see if you can break the piston free

Could you not cut a flat head slot on the rod and then impact hammer?

Please don't try stud extractors. You will be in a world of pain if it snaps off.

Have you watched Ryan's garage?? He had the very same problem with the head bolts

A few people commenting about what you have done wrong and being a bit negative. Yes you need some help and you have said plenty on your videos that you’re not a mechanic. Everyone has to start somewhere and we all make mistakes and that’s the best way to learn. You may well totally destroy stuff and need to replace it but better to have tried and failed than never to ah e tried at all. Keep on making your content and learning as you go. Shame that centre stand didn’t come out. Are you gonna try and get a replacement? Also I’ve used grinding discs instead of cutting discs if that’s all I’ve had. Sometimes it takes longer to go and get the right tool than it does to use the wrong one 🤣🤣. Good luck with the engine stud.

Weigh up the cost of getting an engineering company to remove the bolt and rebuilding the engine against sourcing a new engine

You said you have a blast cabinet, why did you use a wire wheel to clean the brackets?

The rocket - plungy thing is a needle.😄you can test wether it is sealing by blowing air (mouth) thro the fuel supply, while holding the needle against the seat. BTW did you blow out all carb passages with compressed air?

Helicoil the broken stud yourself, it's not difficult. Just buy a helicoil kit for the specific thread and crack on!

Just grab the piston with some molegrips and try and get it out, It will probably need replacing anyway.

You could helicoil the thread though personally I’d always be paranoid of it letting go, personally I’d repeatly spray it with WD40& grease and heat cycle the bolt & grease/degreaser maybe hit the bolt a few times after a cycle for a week or so then try welding a bolt onto the rod and trying again! :) the brake pad situation personally if you can’t see any splitting or rusting then they’ll be fine though I know older pads were made of asbestos so don’t go cleaning them with abrasives haha I’ve worked on a lot of bikes that look like they’ve been stored in the sea 😂 wishing you luck with your project!

You had wrong disc in your grinder , you had a grinding disc in it not a cutting disc , cutting discs are very thin and cut very quick with less sparks

I cant be sure but i think the disc you are using on the grinder is for grinding and not cutting, you need cutting discs

Cylinder studs like that, you can run a die round them as close as possible to the engine block, then use the double-nut method to get 'em out.... ...too late now... 😔

There is a tool for removing brake caliper pistons but like ur man says grease gun is a tried and tested method

Be careful a sonic cleaner does not get around all of the carbs

A pair of rounded jaw mole grips clamped around the edge of the caliper piston,then some twisting motion and heat should soon get it moving and free it up. measure the diameter old piston and order a replacement. I got one for a BMW a couple of years back for about £10 from a bloke who makes them in stainless steel and sells them on ebay. PS you were lucky that the bleed nipple came out ok

Rocket 🚀 plunger = Float Needles 😊

Def drill stud out

Use a cutting disc, they are thinner and cut quicker. You were using a grinding disc!

Why take it to a shop. Get a center punch and some bits and drill it out. Common Rye! Live a little 😊 Maybe do a vid of you practicing first as that would be a good watch. Then go for it 💪💪

Don't need a helicoil, thread is to good if anything 😂. Drill it out funtimes. Try tap n die set next time and use 2 nuts 😉. Better yet crack them all one by one and do them all back up so all the pressure isn't on one bolt.

Machine shop or drill it out smaller drill bit

Just me, but I reckon I would use a 1mm cutting disk, just saying.

Cutting disc would work a lot better...

Try David silver for spares

Back in the 1980’s when the bottom fell out of the 250 market due to the new 125 limit for learners , These Honda 250 ‘s could be had used for around 20O to 300 quid ,depending on condition . My mate got a used one in mint condition with few miles for 375 quid in 1986 . The main problem was the balancer box on the zorst system rotted ,but was replaced with better aftermarket job for 35 quid . the down pipes were double skinned & tended to last longer ,& good pattern silencers & aftermarket 2 into 1 systems could be had . One of the other issues was the nut on the oil filter housing was too small & tended to chew up , an aftermarket one with larger nut was obtainable ,most bikes will have probably had these fitted by now . Never seen a brake piston so badly seized in the calliper looks like the chrome piston has welded by chemical reaction to the alloy brake calliper cylinder . I would try & get hold of another one ,there were plenty of super dreams flogged so should be easy to get hold of . As for main stands all those old Honda stands were prone to rusting ,seizing if not regularly removed Hameritted black ,greased & refitted . The stands could get so bad , the rear wheel was touching the ground ,while the bike was on main stand . If I remember correctly the carbs were CV jobs & will need new diaphragms slides & needles plus carb & gaskets by now & all other rubber parts & pipes renewed . The good thing is there were loads of good aftermarket parts for these bikes & millions of 250 & 400 superdreams flogged . I knew people who toured France & Spain two up on these 250 & 400 Honda superdreams & they ran as sweet as a nut , all the way there & back . Good luck 👍

Soak your brake calliper in brake fluid for 24 hours 👍

You really need to get a gas axe !

Next time try cutting disc buddy 🤪

How's the back holding up?

Centre punch the bolt, drill a hole, extract with a stud extractor