thanks Eric. That's interesting and confusing with all the numbers.
Even though the brakes are working...I think I'll be dismantling them,
checking and probably refreshing all the seals and then replenishing
with DOT-3 or probably DOT-4 will be fine as I don't think I'l ever be going mental on it.

Funny how if you give it some time before you go back to it, it doesn't seem such a chore.


Last edited by Hudtm60 on Sun May 18, 2025 3:49 pm; edited 1 time in total

Not every job that needs done is exciting.


Looks like the wires leading up to the ignition switch got a big pinching...so that needs to be fixed...


and needs new wiring sleeving so this connector block
has to come off taking note of which wire goes where first...


with the block in the vice like this...


inserting something long and thin in the top part of that 'top hat' shape...


it's possible to press down on these raised tabs and give the wire a little tug out the back...


give them a good clean....


...and then a dab of dielectric grease...


and then deal with tidying up the wires with a better joint...


I like using these heat shrink connectors...just search Amazon for
'heat shrink butt connectors"...just make sure you have some heat shrink sleeve slid up one of the wires first..


Before heat gun...


after heat gun...


then some shrink wire over it....yes it's a bit belt and braces...but it does no harm...


and then after choosing a large enough wire sleeve that all three wires
will fit thru and referring to your before pictures illustrating where each wire went....
you slide the blades back in with a satisfying 'click'
and that's done..



Last edited by Hudtm60 on Sun May 18, 2025 3:50 pm; edited 2 times in total

cleaning up the wire harness




Beginning to lay it in place...



Cleaning up the rear fender...



and making sure collars are in place before bolting on...





Grabbing the PGM-CDI...


Cleaning it and then getting out the new rubber mounts and bolts..


and into place...


tool box...



orginal turn signals...

Honda NSR250 Tools

Time to get this engine in...


The engine is not heavy (30kg or 64lbs in old money) but small scissor lift is a necessity...


to lift it up and line it up to it's mounting points...


of the front hanger points with this set up...


top left of photo...you can see how it looks when it's slid thru all the appropriate holes...


this one...


...goes in here...top left hanger




this one....goes thru the left bottom hanger arm extension...


...here...


bottom rear mounting next...


Last edited by Hudtm60 on Sun Apr 13, 2025 5:13 pm; edited 1 time in total

Over to the rear bottom engine mounting...


Cleaned up threads


Slid in long bolt...


This odd looking adjuster bolt goes in (12mm allen required) and you just snug it up to the engine and and then torque it to 1.0-2.0kg/7-15ft/lb


...then the lock nut goes on and tighten that to what you think is about 6-7kg/ms while holding the adjuster bolt in place


and then check it with the torque wrench...


final nut on...and that's done...the engine is in...





Last edited by Hudtm60 on Sun Apr 13, 2025 5:14 pm; edited 2 times in total

Random resto porn pics..














Made-In-Japan throttle cables. Not OEM but great reproductions..can't remember
exactly where it came from but WeBike! now has them and Googling the part number HB6225-10 brings up other vendors £20ish


New Ones are Slightly longer...hoping thats not an issue...you know how that it is...it might, might not be.


New Honda throttle tube and grips all set to go..


Cleaning up


PreLube


And lubing the old ones before storing them (not wrapped up like this though)
There are still in relatively good condition and will be good for emergencies.


Routing





Clutch cable routing..










Wisely using Bel-Ray Dot 4 for the front brakes...


...nevertheless the bleeding was a proper pain in the arse. Was filling, pumping, filling again,
very few bubbles but was not getting any resistance to move the pads. Thought about posting
here and asking a question but didn't want to bother anyone so decided to try something different. AI.
I described the problem to Chat GPT and amongst other things such as reverse filling the system
with a syringe from the calipers it suggested to loosen the banjo bolts at the master cylinder.
I did that and I've never been so happy to hear a quiet yet elongated hiss......big result....all good now.





[im


Last edited by Hudtm60 on Sun May 18, 2025 3:48 pm; edited 1 time in total

Looking sweet - going to have a proper read when I get on a PC and can see the pictures properly

Thank you sir. It seems to be taking forEVER...there's been many little time consuming
curveballs such as the rear Master Cylinder and it took me a while to re-learn how to
reassemble the carbs...(more of that later) and now the clocks which came back from
London looking pretty good...

BEFORE:


AFTER: and note that the speedo has been re-calibrated to MPH with the appropriate backing plate but....spot the issue.....
we're already flying along at 35mph....Peter at https://www.guagerepairs.com/ said shipping must have caused the
needle to move off point. Even though they were well packed...the needle sits on a non-splined tapered shaft so it
wouldn't take much to knock it out of position. Not particularly looking forward to fixing it myself- but there's no point
in sending it back as it could easily happen again. His advice to me: "It's a press fit onto a taper shaft. Don't use heat!
Use two teaspoons either side of the boss to pop the pointer. It rests just under the stop. Then very carefully lift it over the stop."


Don't say it.


The trip knob has a screw attaching it...glad I thought there might be one...some are press fit


got the spoons out and hey presto....needle pops off..


and back to zero...


putting the rubber mounts back in...


Speedo in first...


checking on the electrics...


even got these no-longer-made little rubber bits...


one of the illuminating bulbs needed replaced...


more rubber bits


Honda at their best...making it easy to put things back together with noting which wire
goes where on the temp gauge..mind you...what is the color L? process of elimination found it's place.




With fancy carbon bits....


or without..


Not that dramatic...but pretty cool...


In position...


I ordered a new foam surround from Jauce...someone appears to be making them....have have one of those Tyga
carbon fibre surrounds but not sure why I got it because...I'm not a big fan of stick on carbon fibre...
Jauce item looks good...not exactly cheap or the right colour but I think it's also there to stabalize
the clocks which it does quite well. https://www.jauce.com/auction/n1181014422



Quite happy with how they look- can't wait to see those needles climb in anger...


Here they are with the foam in place....I actually found someone who makes the plastic inserts...so ordered a new set...



http://bit.ly/4msufye

UPDATE: I got these and there was a question amongst as to the exact color....they are black....but at the same time slightly grey


so this stuff helped a bit to get them a bit darker..


And the proof in the pudding is seeing them in place. The top two are OEM and the bottom ones are the replicas. Close enough?




Last edited by Hudtm60 on Sun May 18, 2025 4:00 pm; edited 9 times in total

Leaping onwards to the oil pump..

Gave it a good clean then flipped it over and took out the small oil seal and polished up it's seat.
New oil seals are not listed in the parts manual but you can get them from places such as T2 Racing and the like
https://t2-r.ocnk.net/product/33



new seal and shaft in place...


and the important 8mm thrust washer....Part# 90443-844-000 goes on top...grease holds it in place
while the larger thin o-ring slides over the sleeve and to my knowledge that's really all you can do
to the oil pump to refurbish it. Replacement of the oil seal is important because they have been known
to perish and drop down into the motor and then there's nothing stopping the 2T tank emptying
itself into the crankcase. I have read on here that some owners will double check their 2T tank
before starting it up to make sure that hasn't happened.


New oil pump cable from T2 https://t2-r.ocnk.net/product/154...it doesn't look long
enough but it simply goes around up over the front of the engine with it's highest point just passes
underneath the power valve controller and attaches to the same cable wheel as the throttle cables


Cable is well made but something seems not correct...you have to know what you are looking at
here for the picture to make any sense. It took forever to get the pump pulley pointer
to line up with the pump pointer with the throttle a WFO....


and then...where the cable attached on the carburettor side my low intelligence is once again challenged-
this doesn't look right- exactly what will hold that adjustment in place? There's not a lot of tension there
and there is no lock nut on either this T2 repro cable or the OEM but there isn't any other way I can adjust
the cable tension so both the carb and the oil pump wheels start moving simultaneously...


to me this is the only smart way the carb side of the cable can be connected but in this configuration
it does not allow any adjustment and on when the throttle is WFO the pointer on the oil pump
pulley pulls way past the mark of the oil pump body..


I think it's a wise move to at first install some clear pump-to-carb lines...so even though you might
have the engine first running on a 30:1 premix you will be able to witness the oil being pumped into the carbs.




Last edited by Hudtm60 on Wed Jul 16, 2025 2:38 am; edited 2 times in total

I don't know why the hideous sight on the left didn't have me toss the whole lot in a skip...
but I soldiered on....but it was this sight that made me think there was no real way I could
consciously put the existing pipes back on because I couldn't imagine anyway that I could
re-assemble them with only the components that came with them and prevent that horrible
oily situation happening again....so I splashed out and got some
Tyga pipes which I hope to put on this week!



Last edited by Hudtm60 on Sun May 18, 2025 3:51 pm; edited 1 time in total

Getting the Tyga pipes on..
https://tyga-performance.com/product_info.php?cPath=72_1036_78_100&products_id=545


besides the two pipes....this is the kit that comes with it...


In addition to all that you need these hangers...https://tyga-performance.com/product_info.php?cPath=72_1036_78_100&products_id=3467...



Note OEM gaskets...Tyga had them too...


Not wanting the oil covered cylinders of the past I did some research
to find out it you could help seal the headers with some liquid gasket.
The frequently asked questions section on the Tyga website suggested a particular ThreeBond that is no longer available so I reached out to them
and within a few hours got this great note from Matt Paterson which said "For the record, HRC recommended that we use Threebond 1207B on the joint
directly at the manifold, and then ShinEtsu KE45 for any other, lower temperature joints, as the 1207B was overkill" Can't beat a recommendation
from HRC themselves AND Tyga. I got both....

BUT LOOKING BACK AT THIS POST MONTHS LATER I FEEL LIKE I'M MENTAL.
THERE I AM HARPING ON AND ON ABOUT HOW TYGA RECOMMEND 1207B BUT I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE PICTURED: 1217H!!.
I CAN'T SAY I'D HAD TOO MANY BECAUSE I GAVE UP DRINKING YEARS AGO.
REGARDLESS I CHECKED OUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 1207B AND 1217B AND THE NOTES BELOW INDICATE
THAT SOMEHOW I PICKED A GOOD ONE WITH 1217H AS LONG AS I DON'T WANT TO TAKE IT APART TOO OFTEN.

The primary differences between ThreeBond 1217H and ThreeBond 1207B lie in their intended applications, curing properties, and oil resistance:

🔧 ThreeBond 1217H
Type: Silicone-based liquid gasket
Color: Gray
Application: Flange sealant for engines, transmissions, and gearboxes
Oil Resistance: Excellent — specifically formulated for engine oil contact
Curing: Room temperature vulcanizing (RTV), skin over in 10–20 min, fully cured in 24 hrs
Temperature Range: -60°C to +250°C (peaks to 300°C)
Key Feature: High oil resistance + high adhesion, designed for metal flanges
OEM Use: Commonly used by Honda, Yamaha, Subaru, etc., for sealing cases and covers

🛠 ThreeBond 1207B
Type: RTV silicone-based sealant
Color: Black
Application: More general-purpose, but also suitable for engines and transmissions
Oil Resistance: Very good, but generally considered slightly lower than 1217H
Curing: RTV, similar to 1217H — skins over in ~10 min
Temperature Range: -60°C to +250°C
Key Feature: Easier to disassemble parts sealed with it due to slightly lower adhesion
OEM Use: Often found in European and American applications


https://www.ebay.com/itm/315973845697
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXFP2W5?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1


As you have seen the pipes are incredibly pleasing to the naked eye..but there's more to them....
these nitron o-rings that are embedded on the inner side of both ends are in my mind incredible.



Gasket...flange and clamp...they go in this order



Warning, unless you have very strong thumbs the Threebond 1217H needs one of the household glue gun contraptions....


In place....Matt from Tyga recommended the exhaust spring holes go to the bottom but I inadvertantly put them at the top....
but as you'll see in the pic after the one below...the springs look good...


Right hand pipe connects to the rear or vertical cylinder and...just looks amazing...


Quite the improvement from this...a lot of hours went into getting it to the picture up top.... that's my investment..


....getting ready for the left.


These...


...go here.....you have to be careful note to overtighten these bolts and go as far as puncture the skin of the pipe...
there's a spacer that came with the bolts I had installed in the inner side of the swingarm...
but 1) the end of the bolt got too close to the pipe and 2) the pipe got too close to the chain...


....so I flipped the spacer over to this side...(spacer not pictured)


.....as you can see the other side had the pipe uncomfortably close to the chain...


Can't wait to hear the sound..



....look closely and you will see the spacer in the what I think is the correct position this side of the mid anchor point of the exhaust..






Last edited by Hudtm60 on Wed Jul 16, 2025 2:42 am; edited 5 times in total

Loving your documented rebuild journey

Can I ask, are these clips black or grey

https://www.ebay.com/itm/146502612502?_skw=Honda+VFR400+NC30+Meter+Panel+Clip+Set+-+OEM+Quality+Plastic+Clips+Meter+Panel&itmmeta=01JTGBG5ZPPP41WNCACEW5VS61&hash=item221c3c7616:g:VvUAAOSwbiln9APP&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABMFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1duEXYlOjxH7Qz%2Bh80DNQ1%2Bs4AQU%2Fh15An3bbBmAksuEBIJbGpr8IM96jrkJIOjpmjEJmzjA3BbwFAgq8OjXsWM09UbKVihe3C%2FHGXscrbVZjUmsyXO%2BtOGFiNOwM0VKVn8ArPKIhRrkPvM63fxiYdKwF%2FqB%2FZcmjvtQt7GMHlewTR295ePZuZK5hg5TxsHVtPocnzD42D5HkQIT7lWPFXfrBcO3ZuKtjqc1EdKsq%2Fwx6xrhPQEt2s%2FSGhWY81KXc11puez2FGBuVRBvrLZxGX1WUZlPfkcqX234kQhpsZ1KFdB%2FsNIBxqSzwiKCoiTX%2F2Km3HyU9%2BIe%2BmLMgjieq3tsfQ306GDW0c9Kb4EJYB3WOgzg5g1%2BVUdAB6WYNyQbuE%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4jgwIvUZQ

Cheers Nick...THAT is a good question...the ebay pics show them in many shades of grey....traveling home today and I hope to find them there and I'll post a real pic.

Well I was home for a week and those meter stopper things haven't turned up yet, so Nick no word on the actual colour.

I DID get another oil pump cable so I'm going to fit that and see if it makes a difference….
the one I have from T2 racing doesn’t adjust so the carbs and the pump are perfectly synchronized...
it’s close but the pump seems just a little behind the carbs and I don’t think anyone would want that.

I’m doing some cross continent traveling and have a chance to update progress. This time it’s all about the plumbing.

Going to hopefully get rid of this horrible mess…



The box of new cooling bits...


First of all this….clearly does not connect….


...to this….


I realized that you need a new OEM thermo sensor in the shape of this guy…37750-PCI-004….also common to the ’86 Honda Accord. Whatever works.


Plugged it in to the thermostat housing and threw some heat on it and that temp gauge responded


Before I did that…installed a new OEM thermostat…


And the o-ring…


…fits nicely around the edge of the thermostat.


Expansion tank had a bath.


Silicon hoses came from T2 Racing…via Web!ke for 8255¥…


And they compare with the originals very well…


Only this one needed a trim…


I transferred the extra loops of rubber onto the new pipes.


Decided the old radiator…


…would be best replaced with this…again from T2 Racing for nearly 30,000¥




Not sure if you can get in the UK but a longtime pro mechanic and 2 stroke fanatic recommended this coolant which I use...




Last edited by Hudtm60 on Sun May 18, 2025 5:03 pm; edited 4 times in total