CBR 600 F3 Project

So, I can't seem to stay away from the F2/F3 platform. I found a '96 F3 local and got a great deal, clean Florida title included. Plan for now is to get it sorted and running, and go from there. Got it unloaded, up on the stands, and started initial inspection. I couldn't let it sit there looking so sad so I tossed on the plastics I have for motivation to see it through to the end.

 

Initial list of what it needs:
Replace ignition switch/re-wire
Fresh oil/filter
Carb cleaning/rebuild
Fuel pump/lines
Clean tank, new petcock
Sort out ram air hose routing (solenoid is gone, front air tubes also)
Brakes (pads, lines, master cylinders)
New rear shock
Rebuild front forks
Chain/Sprockets
Right/Left controls, levers, grips
Rear sets and pegs
Speed sensor
Bearings (both wheels, steering stem, swingarm)
Tires
Remove surface rust and repaint (swingarm, frame, triple clamps)
Front fender (the one I have is for F2, might just cut/modify to make it fit)


Plenty of things to do, but going to start with the ignition switch and go from there. The original ignition switch is smashed, and the wiring harness is chopped. I have a replacement ignition, but will need to sort out which wires go where. If anybody has a similar ignition and knows how to wire it, I'm thankful for the help, see attached image.

 

More pictures of the ignition switch for reference. On the original F3 wiring, it appears that the red wire goes to the main fuse, red/black goes to fuse box for powering signals, lights, horn, gauge cluster lights, ignition coils and starter, and blue/orange goes to fuse box for the fan motor.

Can't find any identifying marks on the replacement switch, so not sure how to wire it. Plan to go from the switch: red to red for main fuse, blue/yellow to blue/orange, and black to red/black. What am I going to damage besides fuses if this wiring is wrong? Any electrical gurus here?

 

First step out of the way. Got the smashed-up ignition switch out (Small sledge hammer and a chisel), wired and installed the new switch, replaced the blown main fuse, connected the new controls, and it turns over at the first touch of the start button. The rusty old horn even works! I'm really happy with results so far, have ~ 5 hours into this, including 3 hours for picking up the bike and parts. If anybody has a switch like this, black to red for main fuse, red to red/black and blue/yellow to blue/orange did the trick.

 

Also, if anyone has a line on parts, please let me know. I have inquiries through eBay, but the prices there are pretty high at the moment.

Items Needed:
Fuel pump with fuel hoses up to the carburetors
Speed sensor
Rear shock

Nice to haves:
F2 upper fairing stay
F3 front fender
Rear inner fender/tire hugger - F3
Battery cover

 

Too bad I just scrapped out an F3. I'll see what spare parts I kept. May have the OEM shock and fuel pump.
Also have my rearsets I made.

 

Carbs removed and disassembled, first batch of parts in the bath. This set was a royal PITA to remove, and to separate, but they were cleaner than I was expecting them to be. The o rings are shot, as are the float bowl and air box gaskets. It appears that they've never been apart, factory needles, idle/air mixture screw hasn't been cut, will find out once I pull the jets from the bath to get an ID on them. The carb heater hoses and thermo valve have been removed, think I'll remove the fittings also and run without those lines, as it's a Florida bike and won't see cold weather riding.

Quick question - Has anybody had success rebuilding carbs with one of the eBay kits? I've found kits there with everything needed for all for carbs at a whopping $40.00.

 

Any of those ching chow kits will be fine, just jets and gaskets.
BUT,, you have separated the bodies so now you will need those orings/seals which will **not** be included in most rebuild kits.
Check the contents or try oem.

 

Thanks for confirming. I've found individual sets for $15.00, have all of the o rings included, and 135, 138 and 140 main jets, along with the 40 idle/slow jets. 3 day shipping, so I can't argue with that.

Carbs indeed have not been touched, 135 and 138 main jets, stock needles, carb slides have not been drilled.

I don't have enough patience to wait for parts to arrive, so I plan to pull fuel pump, tank and carbs from the street F3 and see if I can get this thing running.

 

First two carbs have completed their bath, everything looks good to go as soon as I get the rebuild kit. The only thing I screwed up was forgetting to remove the air cut-off valve before dunking the #1 carb. Will the Berryman carb cleaner bath kill that valve?

 

Finished cleaning the carbs, and as I won't get parts until the end of next week, I yanked the carbs, fuel pump and air box from my other F3, and it fired right up.

Now time to dig into the motor as there was a small rattle, sounded like the cam chain tensioner. I plan to do valve adjustment on it also, as it has ~50k miles on it.

 

Finished up the carb rebuild, and even though they may look nasty, they're clean, and the bike fires right up with them on there.

 

I'm sure some of my neighbors hate me, and others love me, as I fired it up around midnight. I pulled the D&D can off of it to align it and my suspicions were confirmed, there's nothing inside of it. Going to swap the exhaust and sync the carbs tomorrow if time permits.

I'm hoping that this project picks up some steam over the next couple of weeks as I sent off my 14K mile F2 engine in trade for the following: F2 fairing stay, F3 front end including forks, triple trees and stem, Vortex clip-ons, right and left controls, levers and cables, front and rear brakes, swingarm, shock, complete F3 carbs, fuel pump, OEM exhaust, two unknown aftermarket slip-ons, carbon fiber front fender, mirrors, two windscreens, a white F3 rear wheel and F2 front wheel and some other misc parts as a surprise. I'm paying for both shipments, but I'm way ahead on this deal.

 

And what should have been a smooth and easy deal rapidly turned to SH*T... Engine was delivered to recipient, but has a hole in the valve cover, rear engine mount broken off along with cooling fins from the oil pan. It looks like it was sent over a cliff....

Parts coming to me originated on two pallets. The first one that showed up was originally 125 pounds, but arrived in a box only weighing 40 pounds. F3 front fender is smashed into pieces, and all of the following are missing; carbs, carb boots/grommets, fuel pump and lines, front and rear brakes, Vortex clip-ons (levers showed up, unbolted from clip-ons and disconnected from the brakes), throttle tube, front controls, shock, top triple clamp and bearings... UPS has initially denied the claim, trying to sort it out now.

2nd pallet showed up today, with CBR 900 RR forks (not F3 as provided by seller/shipper), F2 wheels (scratched all to h**l) instead of F3, OEM muffler bent and scratched up.... Shipper claimed to have put insurance on both, UPS says no insurance and $0.00 declared value...

What a complete goat rodeo...

 

So, I have the RR forks, a fender, can fit either the F2 or F3 wheel to them. Pros/cons of using the RR forks over the F3 forks?

 

Found a great deal on a 2nd set of carbs along with a fuel pump, so I'll have some spares. The carbs are perfect, haven't seen a set this clean since my 1st bike. Put them on the bike and it runs perfect, idles incredibly smooth, not even going to bother with a sync at this point. The fuel fitting between carbs 1&2 has a leak, will need to replace the o-rings and go from there. Thanks to Honda engineers for requiring carbs to be removed and split to change the o-rings.

Has anybody come up with a replacement for that t-fitting? Would be nice to be able to put some type of adjustable fitting in there so a fuel leak could be fixed without pulling the carbs off and apart.

 

Noticed something odd with the lower air box. Anybody know why this t-fitting would be here? It goes through the bottom of the air box, but it's plugged off.

 

New carbs on after changing out the o-rings, fuel pump in, all electrical has been sorted out, bike runs perfect. Waiting for some parts to trickle in so I can tackle the front end, then will focus on rear suspension. In the meantime, I've been able to get my son's '98 wrapped up, really happy with how it turned out.

 

Gauges and ignition arrived, that's complete. (Thanks @YoshiHNS)

Started to clean up the forks and can see a slight crease in both fork tubes just below where the lower triple clamp would be. Front wheel was slightly skewed to the left with the bars straight, so I guess it's time to source some new fork tubes, or a complete set of F3 forks.

So, if anyone out there has a set of F3 forks, or straight fork tubes, I'm interested. And a '97-98 front fender.

 

Check the triples. They'll likely be bent also. Easy to bend back