• Husqvarna Motorcycles Made In Sweden - About 1988 and older

  • Hi everyone,

    As you all know, Coffee (Dean) passed away a couple of years ago. I am Dean's ex-wife's husband and happen to have spent my career in tech. Over the years, I occasionally helped Dean with various tech issues.

    When he passed, I worked with his kids to gather the necessary credentials to keep this site running. Since then (and for however long they worked with Coffee), Woodschick and Dirtdame have been maintaining the site and covering the costs. Without their hard work and financial support, CafeHusky would have been lost.

    Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been working to migrate the site to a free cloud compute instance so that Woodschick and Dirtdame no longer have to fund it. At the same time, I’ve updated the site to a current version of XenForo (the discussion software it runs on). The previous version was outdated and no longer supported.

    Unfortunately, the new software version doesn’t support importing the old site’s styles, so for now, you’ll see the XenForo default style. This may change over time.

    Coffee didn’t document the work he did on the site, so I’ve been digging through the old setup to understand how everything was running. There may still be things I’ve missed. One known issue is that email functionality is not yet working on the new site, but I hope to resolve this over time.

    Thanks for your patience and support!

'72 WR 450 Project Photos

offyatindy

offyatindy

Husqvarna
A Class
Hello Friends,

Attached are photos representing this evening's work on my '72 WR 450.

I bought the bike in the early 90's. It was sitting out in a fellow's front yard, just as the higher powers that be, Steve McQueen and Husqvarna intended it. Being a huge fan of "On Any Sunday," (and a Suzuki TM 125 owner in my youth when I could only dream of exotic European motocross bikes), I had to have it. It was For Sale and cheap too.

Near as I can tell, it was ridden enthusiastically for a year or two then stored in the owner's garage. It's been in my garage for the most part since I bought it too. Started to restore it a couple year's ago. Took it completely apart, greased, cleaned and repainted it. Started it up a couple weeks ago and...it seized.

Had the bit in my teeth now, however, and really want to ride it. So, now it has a .20 over piston, a few scratches in the paint (I was a bit enthusiastic in removing the engine. Turns out you can't replace the piston with the motor in the frame as I had hoped. I only planned to remove the cylinder and didn't work as methodically as I might have. Parts were flying when I pulled the engine!

Anyway, the Husky is starting to go back together. A bit more methodically now.

I can see myself channeling Steve McQueen, bare chested with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of my mouth. Except that I probably weigh 80 pounds more than Steve and don't smoke, so probably I will keep my shirt on. I will be cool though!
 
4892235069_de32a9a172_m.jpg
...There we go...This was the starting point
 
Hello Friends,

I appeal to your expertise in helping me get my old Husky started. So far, it has sprained both of my ankles with a vicious kick back, but has yet to bark to life.

The bike has a new .020 over piston, so has great compression. Bing 54 carb has been rebuilt and when I pull the plug, white wisps of fuel vapor escape, but the plug isn't wet. Also there is a good spark.

All of which leads me to believe there is a problem with the timing. The bike has a FEMSA points ignition. I can see the (primary?) coil and points through access holes in the flywheel and can adjust the points in a crude fashion. There are also two screws holding the primary coil, but I can't get the coil to move (assuming that rotating the mechanism would adjust the timing).

Question - can the timing be adjusted without removing the flywheel?
If not, how do I remove the flywheel? I understand the bolt is a left hander, but do I need a special tool to pull the wheel? Can I get a substitute puller at Harbor Freight?
How do I adjust the timing after pulling the wheel?

And finally, could the problem be something other than timing?

All of your expertise is appreciated.

Thank you.
 
The Cause of My Woes

Haven't posted for a while because I have been having a battle with my Husky. The problem is getting it started. It's possible I could jump start it, but that isn't acceptable. It has to kick start.

Thus far, it almost always backfires, but will not start. I have tried every timing setting possible.

However, I have (possibly) diagnosed the problem and would like your (everyone's) feedback before throwing more money and time at the..well, I will call it a motorcycle, but would rather use a curse word or two.

I believe the problem is the bearing behind the timing plate, which is certainly shot. It is (may be) causing the bike to give the appearance of seizing and may in fact fooled me into thinking the bike originally seized. (The first piston was scored and compression was low. But it backfired too!)

Anyway, I cleaned out the bearing best as I could and stuffed it full of grease. Still the bike wouldn't start (and still occasionally locked up.) But I believe it will start with a new bearing. My thought is that when the engine fires, the scored bearing bits jam and keep the crank from rotating. (Or it has nothing to do with the problem and when I replace the bearing, I will now have a motorcycle with a new piston, rebuilt carburetor and New Bearing !)

Anyone have a similar experience or can shed new light on my problem?
 

Attachments

More Photos

Now that I have figured out how to upload photos properly, have added some.

Some of you might be interested in last photo, which shows a brace that I made to hold the flywheel. Removing the flywheel nut was a bear. It took all of my bolt removal skills to pull that one off.

(The impact wrench technique did not work for me.)
 

Attachments

One week ago...ok, maybe two....Joe at MotoTricks calls. The bike is ready. Well, that is the engine has been rebuilt. New bottom end bearings. crank and other bits from donor motor. Joe was able to keep my original cases so numbers match. Bearings and other bits purchased from Vintage Husky. Kudos to John LeFevre at Vintage Husky and to Joe Fernandez at MotoTricks.

Carb has been rebuilt too (Bing Agency for parts) and top end bored one over too. (Have to get name of shop. They did a nice job too.)

We try to start bike wearing hiking boots. Both of us. No Go. Joe puts on a motocross boot. Bike starts in one kick and sounds great.

I take bike home. Saying at our (sign) shop is that the last 10 percent of the job takes 90 percent of the time. True with Husky restoration too.

I need a chain (520 by the way), clutch cable and a few bits and pieces, then I am on my way.

Get the parts and get to work. Nothing is simple. For example, old clutch cable didn't fit right and new one isn't right either, but it's close and I am dangerous with a tap and die set. Also found other stripped and/or damaged bolts here and there. Thought I had gone through this thing, but the restoration never ends. Chain guard needs polishing, number plates should be mounted (not that I am going to race it), do the forks have oil...don't remember if I used that expensive bottle of Yamalube fork oil, bike has a thin patina of oil and dust from sitting while mechanical work is going on...maybe I should polish it...There are a dozen things to attend to...Oh, heck no. It's ready to run. I'm pushing it outside.

Ambient temperature 95 F. Condition of kicker/owner - old and out of shape, though in his mind, he is 20 years younger and still working out daily.

Kickety, kick, kick, kick. Nothing. Drenched in sweat. Wife comes out from office (I'm at my shop).
Says, "You are more fun than my cat. More expensive though."
Turns around and returns to office, which is air conditioned.

I disconnect kill switch, but keep the wire exposed so I can cut off the engine. Incorrect connection, grounding the electrics.

Still don't have motocross boots, so had placed about half inch of hard plastic in my boot.
Kick, Pop, Ouch, Kick, Pop, Ouch, Kickety, Kickety, Kick, Ouch, Ouch, Ouch.

Kickstart seems to be bouncing off my hiking boot.

Replace hard plastic in boot with lots of foam and wrap kickstart lever with foam.

Really, really drenched in sweat now.

Look to sky. Invoke the name of Thor Hushovd, though he is Norwegian. Tor Hallman would probably have been the more appropriate god of Thunder, but I've been watching the Tour de France and Hushovd came to mind first. Don't know why I didn't invoke the name of Steve McQueen. He and On Any Sunday are the reason I bought the bike 15 years ago when I drove by and saw it sitting in some guy's front yard.

Anyway, back to the bike...

I look to the sky, kick with all my might and....It's Alive!

Fearing it will die on me again, I put it in gear, still helmetless, and ride a couple hundred feet around our small parking lot.

When I return, my wife holds out the new helmet I purchased for the grand event. I take the helmet, she turns without a word and returns to the office. Glad she married me.

Bike runs smoothly, but has a 15 tooth (large) front sprocket now. Doesn't accelerate as quickly as I recall. Before when it was running right, the front end would come up on a thought. Glad for the gearing change. I don't want to lift the front end or even try to lift the wheel. Don't even take it on to the grass.
Need to re-learn to ride. Should be fun!
 
She looks Great and Great story/event .....Its amazing that as I read your posts they brought a smile to my face & I was right there too, having experienced all the same stuff. Enjoy!!!

BTW is your shirt looks wet. Tell me was it an "On Any Sunday" Photo op with you riding thru a small creek & having your friends splash you!! Or has it been raining?...
 
Spark Arrestor / Muffler : I have noticed that the classic bullet muffler on my WR 450 doesn't muffle (and so has everyone for miles around), nor does it arrest sparks because there is nothing inside of it. I am looking at adapting a muffler / spark arrestor from some sort of 250 (that I am bidding on for a few bucks on eBay). It looks like the pipe on this item might be a bit smaller than the 450. Still, I figure that I can make an adapter.

My question is, will a restriction in the exhaust system cause any damage to my engine, other than reducing power a bit. If this item doesn't work, no great loss, but I still would like to muffle / spark arrest my engine without bolting a garbage can to the exhaust. Another alternative is a spark arrestor / muffler insert to fit inside the bullet. Anyone have experience with inserts?
 
Be careful of to much back pressure in the exhaust. Can cause excessive heat on the piston and it will ultimately sieze, Muffler should be at least the diameter of the stinger (tail pipe) or larger.
 
There are plenty of silencers out there that will work fine with your bike.Did you sort out the starting problem?Next time you go to start it treat it like a big four stroke.Nough it past TDC,recock the kick start lever and kick.I put a 76ish GP kick start lever on mine.It give you a bit more kicking power.
 
Re Muffler: Thank you Ron. I will make sure to either hog it out so it fits the existing pipe or toss it. Don't want to burn up my expensive engine over a six buck eBay muffler !

Re Starting: Howdy Auto. I am sure a longer kickstart lever would help, but I am resigning myself to building up my leg muscles. (Starting with my left leg.)

Also, I adjusted the float height. Then a vendor and friend - who happens to also be a vintage Husky owner - visited. He started it in two kicks in street shoes, using his right leg. Show off! (I warned him about the kickback and he told me Husky kickback is why his ankle no longer moves ! Perhaps a little exaggeration.) I am down to about five kicks. Probably wasn't the float, just an inept novice (me) ! The bike is breaking in and so is the owner.

My pal emphasized that you have to let the Bing really drool all over the engine before kicking. Also, I find that the bike starts best if I rock it from side to side first, let it sit for about a minute and then push through the kickstart slowly a couple of times. My theory is that this lets the fuel vapors waft through the Bing, then draws them into the engine. (And I read about this technique in another forum.) But on the other hand, it might just be a meaningless ritual that I will give up after more Husky kickstart experience.

In short, I don't know if it was the float, improved technique or the starting ritual, but the old bike is starting up just fine now. As mentioned in another post, these bikes give you just one flight of the piston past TDC, to start. It's a wonder they start at all !
 
I have the bullet silencer on my '71 400 & put a screen that is retained by an aluminium housing over the end of the silencer. It will pass as a spark arrestor. I got the 'screen' set up from a trials rider.. I will post photos. My 450 has a silencer, I just need to find what I did with it!..LOL
 
Just got my $6 spark arrestor from eBay. It's about as big as the 450 cylinder. Inlet will probably fit inside the pipe, but big as it is, this might still be restrictive. Will tinker a bit. Perhaps adapt a bigger pipe to the end of the arrestor or cut it apart for the screen.

Mike: I will be interested to see how you set up your screen.
 
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