No longer a virgin.

[rollingthunderx2]

Well, 25,000 mls and trouble free, until..yep Front cct went.

My ex was out on it just previously and she has a habit of changing down too soon, which reverses the load on the tensioners, .....an hour later but thankfully only 9 miles from home, and pulling out of a junction onto the motorway, clatter, killed it immediately, autopsy revealed the valve timing was out, .Took CCT apart..the bent end of the spring had broken off, letting the tensioner unwind.
Luckily I had a spare old CCT, so did stopper mod on both cylinders.Reset the timing,
Set tps, it was at 980 ohms, now at 500.
Put tank back on, started, stopped..checked all round, the vacuum pipe and the other small bore one were different lengths, obviously the longer to the furthest away and shortest to nearest....checked..no it was the other way round...! Have now marked them.

Started up ok, so valves ok....

I was lucky, if I had been on the motorway it could have resulted in bent valves or worse.

So, don't be like me and say..I'll do it tomorrow..

The CCT mod is basically measuring how far the CCT plunger sticks out while in the engine, and how far it sticks out when retracted, make an 8mm bolt/spacer the difference in size, pop it in, replace CCT, check with a screwdriver you still have some free play, job done, and no worries about exploding engines.
What I did notice was when I checked the tension of the broken spring it was only able to give half the tension of the other unbroken spring, when fully wound up.....
Gave my wallet quite a fright it did!
Off to buy an oil change now, as an apology....

[VTRDark]

Sounds like you was lucky there and caught it just in time. Like you said if you was travelling at speed it would have been another story. Lets hope the valves made no contact and have not been damaged. The only way to know for sure is to physically check them for straightness and any play. How far out where the cam sprocket timing marks when inspecting. If under two teeth out your probably just about OK. Even without the heavy gear changes the Honda CCT's are prone to failure just in the design alone. Especially the front as it don't get much if any oil fed to it the way it's positioned.

(:-})

[AMCQ46]

good reactions and a happy outcome suggest you do the Lotto this week as well

[NHSH]

That was just about the correct miles by the manual for CCT replacement, that is if you running the OEM one, if you decide to keep using OEM, you will continue be trouble free, but just have to replace them on time.

[rollingthunderx2]

Thanks.
Oem CCTs
1 tooth out, but the engine was at really low revs, and I killed it straight away., I did turn the engine over gently after replacing the CCT,with the plugs out, prior to redoing the timing, and the compression is good, in fact very good.

I think the importance of oil in the front cct, or lack of it isnt to do with lubrication, its the cooling of the oil that helps, the front doesnt get cooled by the oil like the rear, so the spring breaks with heat stress. I was surprised at how thin the spring was, and how much tension the failed one had lost, I think lack of tensionbecause of heat, makes the CCT vibrate a bit which causes the spring to flex at the bend, and snap.

Lottery ticket may be a good idea, haven't played for 10 yrs, ever since I missed every single number by one number higher IE 2/3 6/7 etc

Close shave tho...

[VTRDark]

1 tooth out, but the engine was at really low revs, and I killed it straight away

You should be fine then. Well done for recognizing there was a problem and killing the engine. That saved you butt so to speak.

(:-})

[rollingthunderx2]

Saved my wallets butt too!
After adjusting the TPS...What a difference, no more spitting back, really smooth on pickup, smoother acceleration and more power low down and thats with standard carbs with straight through scorpion pipes..
I just bent the bottom tang on the throttle, to give more movement, about 10 deg.then swung TPS round, no problem.
Great tip from this Forum

[NHSH]

That was just about the correct miles by the manual for CCT replacement, that is if you running the OEM one, if you decide to keep using OEM, you will continue be trouble free, but just have to replace them on time.

Opps, Sorry guy's, I gave out wrong info', the correct miles per the manual for OEM CCT replacement is actually 32K miles, which makes this an early breakdown... Good you got it before any damage happen.

[Wicky]

Where's that in the manual that CCTs should be replaced every 32k? Haynes or the Honda Service manual?

Anyhoo they've been known to go on bikes with as little as 7000 miles so leaving it that long will probably still bite you in the elbow.

That was just about the correct miles by the manual for CCT replacement, that is if you running the OEM one, if you decide to keep using OEM, you will continue be trouble free, but just have to replace them on time.

Opps, Sorry guy's, I gave out wrong info', the correct miles per the manual for OEM CCT replacement is actually 32K miles, which makes this an early breakdown... Good you got it before any damage happen.

[NHSH]

Where's that in the manual that CCTs should be replaced every 32k? Haynes or the Honda Service manual?

Anyhoo they've been known to go on bikes with as little as 7000 miles so leaving it that long will probably still bite you in the elbow.

That was just about the correct miles by the manual for CCT replacement, that is if you running the OEM one, if you decide to keep using OEM, you will continue be trouble free, but just have to replace them on time.

Opps, Sorry guy's, I gave out wrong info', the correct miles per the manual for OEM CCT replacement is actually 32K miles, which makes this an early breakdown... Good you got it before any damage happen.

It is not on the Honda manual, I think at the time of the manual release Honda didn't think it will be an issue...
The 32K miles service intervals I did see somewhere, can't remember where, but I can find out if this is necessary. In any case, as you mentioned they do have tendency to fail before that interval.

[lumpyv]

i thought it was that honda had never acknowledged that auto cct,s were problem.
hence no recall ?

[sirch345]

Yes you were very lucky, your quick reactions were also helping I'm sure

The original CCT's seem to last longer than any replacements, probably due to the fact that replacement CCT's come in a fully retracted position meaning the spring is under more tension than they ever are once fitted. Who knows how long they have been in that state, tensioned up like that!

It would be much better if they were stored with the plunger fully extended.

Chris.

[VTRDark]

The original CCT's seem to last longer than any replacements,

Do you mean the later newer model storms, the ones that have a IIRC either green or Orange dot on them. They are supposed to be improved by Honda but this has yet to be proven.

t is not on the Honda manual, I think at the time of the manual release Honda didn't think it will be an issue...
The 32K miles service intervals I did see somewhere, can't remember where, but I can find out if this is necessary. In any case, as you mentioned they do have tendency to fail before that interval.

I seem to recall a post by Hawk mentioning something along these lines as he still uses un-modded Honda ones. I believe either he or Mik got the service interval from Roger who also mentioned something along the lines of taking the nut off the end and dropping a bit of oil in them every so often also not to run the bike on idle on the sidestand for too long as these are one of the things that can cause premature wear.

Either way get them modded with a stopper, fit manuals or change for new ones at regular service intervals.

(:-})

[NHSH]

The original CCT's seem to last longer than any replacements,

Do you mean the later newer model storms, the ones that have a IIRC either green or Orange dot on them. They are supposed to be improved by Honda but this has yet to be proven.

t is not on the Honda manual, I think at the time of the manual release Honda didn't think it will be an issue...
The 32K miles service intervals I did see somewhere, can't remember where, but I can find out if this is necessary. In any case, as you mentioned they do have tendency to fail before that interval.

I seem to recall a post by Hawk mentioning something along these lines as he still uses un-modded Honda ones. I believe either he or Mik got the service interval from Roger who also mentioned something along the lines of taking the nut off the end and dropping a bit of oil in them every so often also not to run the bike on idle on the sidestand for too long as these are one of the things that can cause premature wear.

Either way get them modded with a stopper, fit manuals or change for new ones at regular service intervals.

(:-})

Oh yes yes, I beieve you right, it was from Roger, as he doe's not like the manual cct's

[sirch345]

The original CCT's seem to last longer than any replacements,

Do you mean the later newer model storms, the ones that have a IIRC either green or Orange dot on them. They are supposed to be improved by Honda but this has yet to be proven.

No Carl nothing to do with the colour of the dot's or earlier or later models. I just think (and others on here have thought the same thing) the originals have never been fully retracted and stored for weeks, months or even possibly years before fitting them to an engine. When the CCT's as spares leave Japan (they may have even been sitting in the factory for a while) they will be shipped in containers, then stored by motor factors/garages until somebody needs one. That could be a fair old time from being manufactured to being fitted to a bike.
In all that time the CCT spring is under full tension with the plunger being in a fully retracted position.

Chris.