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I love the look of a longitudinal twin.
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May 3, 2010 07:49
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I went to fire up the 77 Honda CB750 yesterday for an oil change and other maintenance and something happened. I turned on the key, hit the starter button, and then everything on the bike died. No lights, nothing. Fuses look fine. Battery is showing a 12.6 volts with the key off. Key on is..um... weird. I hate electrical crap. Any idea where I should start? I immediately thought it would be a fuse but would all three really pop? I visually inspected the fuses and they look fine. Is there an easy way to test them?
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Jun 1, 2010 15:05
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Do you have a different battery you can try?
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Jun 1, 2010 15:17
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I can take the battery to the store where I bought it. They offer free testing.
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Jun 1, 2010 15:37
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I double checked the voltage 12.6 with the key off and it drops to like nothing with the key on. Took the battery to Batteries Plus. It's a little low and they want to charge it for me. I'll take a look at the wiring while I wait for it be charged.
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Jun 2, 2010 00:45
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Crayvex posted:I double checked the voltage 12.6 with the key off and it drops to like nothing with the key on. Took the battery to Batteries Plus. It's a little low and they want to charge it for me. I'll take a look at the wiring while I wait for it be charged. Sounds like your battery might have an internal short, or you could have a break in the wiring harness. Can you jump it off of a car battery without the battery installed?
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Jun 2, 2010 01:03
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Battery place said the voltage was still weird when charging it so they replaced it because it was around a year old. Put the new battery in and all my lights worked and the bike started up with no issues. drat, I didn't follow own advice... Always make sure you start with a good battery. *edit to give Batteries Plus a plug. They replaced the drat thing for free even though it was a few days out of warranty. I'm very happy that they talked me into letting them do the charging. 
Crayvex fucked around with this message at 12:49 on Jun 2, 2010 |
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Jun 2, 2010 02:07
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I actually had a similar issue with my '72 CB350 I got not too long ago. Went for a short ride on the freeway, exited, drove it toward my house, and about a block away, everything died. No lights, to ignition, nothing. Battery tested fine, fuses were alright. Turns out that one of the leads on the ignition switched rattled loose, popped off a crappy solder job on a nearly 40 year old bike. Easy fix, but drat irritating. Glad you got it figuredish out, though.
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Jun 2, 2010 06:11
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There'll be a little flap near your remote positive terminal that's black and says FUSE on it. It's a little metal bar in the shape of a dog treat bone that acts as a main fuse between the battery and the whole bike. One of my buddies was backing his bike into a parking spot and bumped a curb and blew that fuse. It didn't look blown though, as the middle section of the dog treat had broken away from the ends and fused with the plastic fuse box.
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Jun 2, 2010 20:49
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Here's my 1979 Yamaha XS750 Special, 3cyl. Bought it as my first bike, and it pretty much went to poo poo immediately. I probably put like 200 miles on it before a got a hand-me-down Vulcan 1500 that I used for the next couple seasons. I think the 750 did a good job of teaching me how to handle a behemoth; it was tall, heavy, and awkward. Kind of the opposite of the Vulcan. Hell I got on the 750 not too long ago and I think my Vstar 1300 is way easier to handle. It's currently at my brother's house being tinkered with by his roommate. I guess he got it running and idling, but it needs a bunch of work for road-worthiness. Tires, brake lines, pads, and a tank re-coat. 
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Jun 3, 2010 02:22
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Those era Yamahas are hilariously bad for electrical problems. I know one person with an XS400 and another with a XS1100, both 78' and both have given up on fixing the original electrical setup and just start their bikes either with the kick or a switch wired directly to the starter.
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Jun 3, 2010 12:02
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thinking about picking up this sick little bastard 74' xl 175 guy wants 800 dollars but it needs new fork seals so ima bargain him down a bit
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Jun 4, 2010 06:42
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Here's what I got yesterday for $300. 1978 Honda CX500. The carbs are off and need work and the tires are crumbling. The front brake isn't functioning but hopefully it will after a bleed. But I still think it's worth what I paid. Does anyone know what the shocks/springs are missing from the back? They seems to have been replaced with hard links. Also, this'll be a first bike for me. [  Click here for the full 2048x1536 image. [  Click here for the full 2048x1536 image. e: should I be thinking about buying this? http://www.randakks.com/CX500%20and%20Variants%20Page.htm Empire Waffles fucked around with this message at 14:23 on Jun 6, 2010 |
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Jun 6, 2010 13:44
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I'd get it running first and see where to go from there...the only big failure in those bikes is the stator, which requires some work to get out. And yes, someone made that a hardtail for some retarded reason. Luckily, you should just be able to bolt up a set of shocks and be good to go, those bikes handle poorly enough without putting a drat hardtail on it.
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Jun 7, 2010 16:35
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I've seen quite a few bikes from the '70's with the home made hard tail on them. One even had the twirled iron links like you'd see on your grandparents porch railings. Neato! I wonder what the reasoning behind such silliness could possibly be? At least you won't have to worry about your swing arm bushings being worn out I guess.
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Jun 8, 2010 03:22
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I took the carbs into a motorcycle shop. The guy opened them and noted that they were clean and recently rebuilt. Then he said that the floats were upside down and the jets were swapped. So, I took everything home, fixed them and spent a while putting the carbs back on. It took a while because I was trying to put them on upside down for 2 hours. So I got them on and messed with trying to get the throttle cables and choke cable on. But I was pretty sure it should start without them so I tried. I hooked up the gas tank and turned a valve to on. I turned a red dial from off to on. I turned the key, pressed start and there was nothing. Should I try charging the battery and trying again? I'll have to go out and buy a charger or I would be doing it now.
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Jun 9, 2010 02:17
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See if there's any electrical power first. Try just turning the key to on and seeing if the headlight comes on or if the neutral light comes on (obviously make sure it's in neutral). If there is power, see if you can hear a clicking noise when you press the starter. That means you may need a new starter solenoid.
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Jun 9, 2010 03:54
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You'll also hear a clicking noise when you hit the starter, sometimes rapidly, if the battery is dying or dead.
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Jun 9, 2010 06:16
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Thanks for the replies guys. I had the battery tested and replaced. I hooked everything up and now have headlights/other lights. When I try to start it I hear the standard starter noise, then it sounds like it tries to turn over but never does. My next thought went to the spark plugs so I went and got new ones. Now I'm having problems getting the old plugs out. The 5/8" plug socket is to small and the 13/16" seems to big to fit in the hole. I'm stuck, any ideas? e: I googled it and I need to find an original tool kit or a thin walled deep ~18mm socket. e2: I got new plugs and put them in. It sounds the same so I pulled the plug and plugged it into the wire, outside of the cylinder. There wasn't any spark on the plug when I did this so where do I go next? e3: I put a screwdriver up the boot that goes over the spark plug and tried to start it. Spark was arcing from the screwdriver to the metal on the bike so I'm back to it being a gas problem. Empire Waffles fucked around with this message at 01:19 on Jun 12, 2010 |
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Jun 11, 2010 15:56
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I got it running! The PO closed both air/fuel mixture needles. I had to pay the shop to remove one since it was sheered off. It started right up after I got everything put back together. Now I have a bunch of other stuff to fix.
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Jun 12, 2010 22:24
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Edit: Whoops, misread things. Completely closed off the A/F screws? Interesting, haven't heard that one before.
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Jun 13, 2010 07:46
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I did some minor work on the points over the weekend. According to my brother, neither he nor my father had touched them in seven or more years. I was then instructed to, "leave them the gently caress alone." So I immediately took off the points cover. Yup, those are points alright. They do...um...things!  This is before I cleaned them up with an actual points file and electrical cleaner. I also put some high temp grease on the felt thingy.  Actual terrible video of the points "working" after I hosed with them! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Hq_urIm69c I don't have a timing light so I didn't mess with the timing adjustments or gap settings. I guess I should do that. 
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Jul 6, 2010 14:19
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If you used a file on them and cleaned them up, they more than likely need adjusted. Not being touched in 7 years would also contribute to that. In case you don't know what points do, they complete the circuit that makes the spark plugs spark. Adjusting them changes at what time the plug will spark. They're also called "breaker points" because they are point at which the circuit breaks.
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Jul 6, 2010 16:50
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PokeJoe posted:If you used a file on them and cleaned them up, they more than likely need adjusted. Not being touched in 7 years would also contribute to that. In case you don't know what points do, they complete the circuit that makes the spark plugs spark. Adjusting them changes at what time the plug will spark. They're also called "breaker points" because they are point at which the circuit breaks. I was just pretending to be stupid. I'm well aware of what they do. They just seem so... archaic. Nonetheless, I'll adjust the gap and do a static timing adjustment and see what that gets me. Someone mentioned that a dwell meter is critical for getting max performance out of these old bikes. Anyone have any experience with them?
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Jul 6, 2010 17:09
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They may be archaic but it's pretty cool that the timing is done all mechanically just using a cam and some springs. Never used a dwell meter, but they are apparently more useful with used points because they can wear unevenly. I'd imagine a set of feeler gauges would get you good enough if you didn't want to shell out for a new tool.
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Jul 6, 2010 17:20
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Crayvex posted:
errr, like my calipers, pads, MC, tires... I say f with them until the end of days or 100,000 miles, whichever comes first.
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Jul 6, 2010 20:18
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Marv Hushman posted:errr, like my calipers, pads, MC, tires... My brother and I have completely different interpretations of what is "good enough" in regards to maintenance. I like to think I sit somewhere between crazy perfection "Marv" and just barely safe "Alex."
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Jul 6, 2010 20:21
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wallofwords posted:Here's what I got yesterday for $300. 1978 Honda CX500. The carbs are off and need work and the tires are crumbling. The front brake isn't functioning but hopefully it will after a bleed. But I still think it's worth what I paid. Does anyone know what the shocks/springs are missing from the back? They seems to have been replaced with hard links. Outstanding find. It's sort of immaterial if this is a Standard or Deluxe, as they differ in trim pieces mostly; what matters is it isn't a Custom, so you have around 2 more gallons of go juice and a bike with a range approaching 200 miles, depending on whose capacity/economy #s you use. Replacement shocks should be easy to locate from the usual sources for $20-40. Wouldn't invest any more than that until you're certain you've got a viable ride. Good luck and have fun.
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Jul 6, 2010 22:34
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Crayvex posted:I was just pretending to be stupid. I'm well aware of what they do. They just seem so... archaic. Nonetheless, I'll adjust the gap and do a static timing adjustment and see what that gets me. Someone mentioned that a dwell meter is critical for getting max performance out of these old bikes. Anyone have any experience with them?
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Jul 7, 2010 00:12
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the_reject posted:Dwell, or on-time of the coil, is not as important on a 4-cylinder motorcycle as it is an 8-cylinder car. Proper point gap will easily get you in the ballpark on dwell. This is a two coil, wasted spark ignition, right? If so, dwell won't really come into play until you start spinning that motor north of 15,000rpm. Before you get there, you'll have other, slightly more important obstacles to overcome. Good to know, especially considering that the bike red lines at 8500 rpm's. I'll adjust the gap and static timing sometime this week. I also have to figure out this front brake. It's just not giving me decent stopping power.
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Jul 7, 2010 00:41
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In the next couple of weeks, I will be recieving a free CB350 that a friend of a neighbor just wants out of his yard. I'm fairly handy so I think that (from what he described) I can make it run, pretty it up and turn it into a neat little first bike for my girlfriend. Points of interest: This little deal transpired over beers on the 4th. Gotta love drinking with old bikers. I'll need to get a salvage title first. I'm in MD, so this may not be as big of a deal as it is in some states, but it can still be a pain. If I can't get past this step, I'm either going to keep it for parts and get another CB350, or part it out. I've not seen the bike at all. According to the owner, it should start up with a new battery and a good cleaning of the fuel system. He said he had it last running about 4 years ago, since then, it's been under a tarp on his back porch. I have no clue what year it is. He said he thinks it's a 70-71. Any tips or tricks from you more experienced guys? This will be my first attempt at restoring a bike, I've worked on and restored cars, raced, pit crewed, and have been riding for a few years, so I've got a pretty good basic understanding of engines and the like. So I'm pretty sure that if I can get it to turn over, I can make it run. But I've never attemted to tackle something like this on my own. Any advice is welcomed and appreciated. I'm hoping that if I can make this work, I'll be able to find another UJM bike to restore for myself. So I'm kind of testing the waters with this one, I guess just to prove to myself that I can do it. Jay_Zombie fucked around with this message at 17:12 on Jul 7, 2010 |
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Jul 7, 2010 17:09
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Jay_Zombie posted:In the next couple of weeks, I will be recieving a free CB350 that a friend of a neighbor just wants out of his yard. I'm fairly handy so I think that (from what he described) I can make it run, pretty it up and turn it into a neat little first bike for my girlfriend. Tools = Impact driver - Get one. Old bikes have soft rusty screws everywhere. Also, a rubber mallet comes in handy for getting engine covers off. First things first: 1) get rid of any old gas in the tank. Make sure the tank is fairly clean before you do anything. With any luck the carb bowls were drained before the tarp was thrown over the bike. With the tank empty, see if you can remove the petcock (fuel valve) and clean that up as well. Put in brand new gas. Seriously, brand new stuff!  If you're brave, go ahead and pull the cabs and clean them. Personally, I try to avoid working on carbs unless I know they are the source of the problem. They are pretty simple but they never come off the bike easy for me and there's always going to be a screw or three that will be stripped or broken or whatever. 2) Pull the spark plugs and look at them. I have great luck in cleaning old spark plugs with one of those compressed air spark plug cleaners. I'm super cheap and I'll only buy new plugs when I know the bike will run. 3) Start with a brand new battery. All sorts of poo poo is caused by a bad battery but it will be masquerading as other issues. 4) Before you try to start it, make sure there's OIL in it. (Sounds dumb but I've forgotten this step before) If it starts or sounds like it wants to start and you have money, change the drat oil. You're already in for $40+ for a battery. Might as well drop the bones on oil now that you know it will probably start. If it won't start, make sure the engine switch is to set to run. (DUH) Then check for spark, and then fuel, blah blah blah. Just my two cents. Crayvex fucked around with this message at 17:55 on Jul 7, 2010 |
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Jul 7, 2010 17:52
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Crayvex posted:Tools = Impact driver - Get one. Old bikes have soft rusty screws everywhere. Also, a rubber mallet comes in handy for getting engine covers off. Cool, thanks! I never even thought about an impact driver. Do you find that battery powered or air powered works better for these kind of things?
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Jul 7, 2010 18:27
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Jay_Zombie posted:Cool, thanks! You're gonna want the kind you hit with a hammer.
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Jul 7, 2010 18:33
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Ahh I gotcha. First thing I thought of was the impact gun style drivers. Looks like I get to buy more tools! (Never a bad thing)
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Jul 7, 2010 19:52
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I have a 1976 Honda CB550f super sport II special championship edition. I've had it for I think a couple years now, it's been my only vehicle for a while and I'm now finally getting around to doing some work on it. I just did the valves and replaced all the cables, still need to do carbs, speedo cable & electric start etc. I know you guys like pictures, Click here for the full 1368x1026 image. Jealous of my sweet rear end canvas seat?  Anyway I do have a question but it seems retarded, don't hesitate to call me out on it if it is. You can see in that pic the blinkers are wonky, that's cause I had a shop work on the electricals and they were incompetent idiots. How the heck am I supposed to access the bolt on the inside of the fork tubes? Seems to be the only way I can tighten them up but it's like a puzzle or something. Otherwise they just spin in place and turn retarded every time I hit a bump... thoughts?
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Jul 7, 2010 20:06
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Synonamess Botch posted:I have a 1976 Honda CB550f super sport II special championship edition. I've had it for I think a couple years now, it's been my only vehicle for a while and I'm now finally getting around to doing some work on it. I just did the valves and replaced all the cables, still need to do carbs, speedo cable & electric start etc. I know you guys like pictures, The parts schematic makes it crystal clear you just...um...do..something to the nut... I guess.. http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/1976-honda-motorcycle-cb550f-turn-signal/o/m9445sch401519
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Jul 7, 2010 20:16
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I thought those just threaded into the fork and there wasn't a bolt on the inside of the headlight ear. I think that bolt head that you can see on the signal closest to the camera should tighten the assembly. I could be wrong though. Looks like bolt "22" in that part diagram.
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Jul 7, 2010 20:22
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Bolt #22 attached the blinker assembly onto part #7. Part #7, which you can see is a hex nut on the inside, screws onto a bolt which sticks out of the fork tubes (this part is not on that diagram). This bolt is spinning freely inside the fork tube. I can take another picture if it's still unclear.
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Jul 7, 2010 21:13
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Synonamess Botch posted:Bolt #22 attached the blinker assembly onto part #7. Part #7, which you can see is a hex nut on the inside, screws onto a bolt which sticks out of the fork tubes (this part is not on that diagram). This bolt is spinning freely inside the fork tube. I can take another picture if it's still unclear. Interesting arrangement...apparently this was one of the diffs between the SS and basic 550--the reflectors and signals were swapped. I don't have an answer for you, but if anyone does, it'd be this guy: http://forums.finalgear.com/post-your-car/my-honda-cb550-bike-restoration-project-19365/ He's tearing down and refurbing a '76 Supersport down to the last nut and doing an admirable job of it. Might be a good source for you, if not now, then for some other bugaboo.
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Jul 7, 2010 21:51
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