Author Topic: CB550 Cafe, back from hibernation. hopefully. (Read 18011 times)

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #75 on:** April 02, 2012, 08:48:43 PM »

that tank is from a cb360 twin...in case you didn't know...I had one that same color, I love that color too...

ocharlas · « **Reply #76 on:** April 02, 2012, 09:26:30 PM »

ah ok, I actually thought it was from a 400 - fits on there fine though. It sucks the petcock doesn't though...but yeah I'm bummed I'm losing the color. Maybe I'll be able to find someone who can do a nice job for cheap. Real cheap.

Anyway on to seat mounting techniques. I'd like to avoid any welding because a) I suck at it and b) I don't have any welding equipment. I found a couple alternatives, this one suited my fancy because of its simplicity and looks pretty solid. I'd swap out the pins for nuts, or maybe find a way to drop carriage bolts through the top. Thoughts? Not sure what the deal is with Gumby...

ocharlas · « **Reply #77 on:** April 04, 2012, 10:47:49 PM »

still waiting on some seat mounting insight!

Anyway today I stripped the tank down, getting it ready for bondo tomorrow maybe. Also started wiring everything up, just have the ignition coils to the points so far I'll do the starter/stator/rectifier/whatever next. Which brings me to my first question:

On the wiring diagram (the "artsy" one) I see that the three yellow wires go to the alternator. But isn't the alternator in the casing with the other electrical stuff, and if so shouldn't I not be seeing those three yellow wires? Where should they go? Here's the harness piece I'm looking at:

Also, as I put the tank and seat on for another gratuitous photo op I realized this bike totally could've been in the Road Warrior...

sick.

ocharlas · « **Reply #78 on:** April 06, 2012, 11:18:07 AM »

ok I'm starting to figure out that my electrical system isn't complete to begin with, hence me having trouble finding where things are going. I realize now that the points are under the right cover, and the alternator under the left, but there are still components outside of those compartments, which besides the ignition coils, I don't have. I'm only looking for the bare essentials for the bike to run right, and this is the list I've come up with:

1) Ignition Coils √
2) Points √
3) Stator √
4) Rectifier
5) Regulator
6) Ignition Switch
7) Starter √

Solenoid
9) Battery √

I don't know which of the parts I already have are functioning, but I'm going to try to get the missing parts first and then see where I stand. Are there any components missing from the list? Not including lights or anything, just the basics.

And it looks like the three yellow wires go to the rectifier, which I originally thought was in the casing with the alternator, and now realize isn't. So that makes more sense to me now.

ocharlas · « **Reply #79 on:** April 09, 2012, 12:28:50 AM »

ok I went by my parts guy's yesterday and picked up a harness and a half to work with, as well as some electronics components. He told me it was from a 550 but I'm not sure, as the harness seems to be missing a couple connections, specifically a 3x3 plug that hooks up to the alternator/stator plug. But I did get these, can anyone verify whether they are from/will work on a CB550. Doesn't necessarily have to be long term, just enough for a testing phase.

Rectifier:

Regulator:

Solenoid? Not sure about this part. It seems to be in a rubber casing.

seanbarney41 · « **Reply #80 on:** April 09, 2012, 03:09:05 AM »

none of that stuff looks too terribly familiar...although it may be electronically equivalent? Here is a pic that I don't know if it is detailed enough to help...

ocharlas · « **Reply #81 on:** April 09, 2012, 08:27:34 AM »

Yeah that's kind of what I thought. I'll try the wire them up anyway, the only thing I could damage is them anyway right?

does anyone know of any genetic parts that do the job? I don't feel like shelling out 100 dollars per part

Dyrden · « **Reply #82 on:** April 09, 2012, 08:55:50 AM »

I just used a ford style starter solenoid and a combo reg/rec to simplify things.

ocharlas · « **Reply #83 on:** April 09, 2012, 09:18:35 AM »

sweet - do you know specifically what they were? or where you got them?

ocharlas · « **Reply #84 on:** April 09, 2012, 04:42:09 PM »

well I tried using those parts I had, but without knowing which wires were what (didn't match the color scheme), there was no way of doing it that wasn't pure speculation. And I don't want to fry my ignition coils if they work. I think they may have come off a CM90, which seems like it would be much different in terms of power specs so I'm guessing it won't work. I'll try to find the proper parts for the 550, but if anyone knows of suitable cheap/easy to find replacements I'd love to hear them (I'm lookin at you Dyrden). thanks guys

rb550four · « **Reply #85 on:** April 09, 2012, 04:48:25 PM »

I was looking on craigslist just now. Have you considered a parts bike? You may think that they are not affordable but you may find what you need on a 75 550 for$275 or the77 in ok kind of condition for 3oo for less than if you went another route. I'd buy them myself but I can't get to Vermont this week and they will be gone soon. Just a thought. Someone on this site should get these. There is another one in pleasant valley ,that may be closer to you but its more $ and in pieces.

ocharlas · « **Reply #86 on:** April 09, 2012, 06:12:59 PM »

good idea, unfortunately a) I don't have any way of getting it home and b) I already have a parts bike with a good amount of meat on it - but like my bike it's been stripped of most electronics. I also don't have that much space, so I'd like to try and keep it kinda lean if possible.

rb550four · « **Reply #87 on:** April 09, 2012, 06:31:16 PM »

Sorry that idea didn't work for you. Ebay sells parts, used parts, sometimes cheap, sometimes they even work, specific to your machine . Easier than fooling around with unknown parts, you could get a whole used harness if you liked or just the little stuff, could make life easier. Just another thought.

ocharlas · « **Reply #88 on:** April 09, 2012, 06:36:37 PM »

true dat. Just picked this up actually, hopefully it gets the job done

I think I see all the necessaries...actually now that I'm looking at it, is there a regulator? I think I see solenoid (left side, middle), and rectifier (off the right side), and to me the top two just look like relays. Is it missing?

rb550four · « **Reply #89 on:** April 09, 2012, 06:57:30 PM »

Good! It looks complete to me, is it specific to the '76? Do you have all of the harness' plugs or have they been cut off? By the way , this site has a listing of parts/suppliers in FAQ. In case you didn't know, see what is available, you never know what you'll need but at least you'll have an idea where to get it..

ocharlas · « **Reply #90 on:** April 09, 2012, 07:32:35 PM »

It actually is listed as a '75, but I figured they should be pretty much identical. I hope. I like to leap before I look for this kind of stuff...

thanks for the tip. If I can parts NOS at decent prices I'm all over them, but often times you see those kinds of items with nice inflated numbers. So it's usually off to ebay or craigslist for me. Of course then you run the risk of buying parts twice.

ocharlas · « **Reply #91 on:** April 09, 2012, 07:43:18 PM »

Well since my electrical work has been put off at least a few days, I'd like to tackle a new problem that has come up, the tank.

Here's a couple pictures:

from the back:

upside down:

It appears the spine is too narrow to sit all the way down on the frame. I'm trying to avoid using my usual hit it with a hammer approach because I don't want to put a hole in it, but I'm not really sure how else to go about it. And I'm not sure that would even work, since it's probably stronger in that area due to the angles.

Unfortunately, I also don't have any welding equipment, which was my second thought: heat up and reshape.

Is there a third recommended option or does it look like I'm not going to be able to do this in house?

Dyrden · « **Reply #92 on:** April 09, 2012, 09:54:13 PM »

If it does come down to blows Id use a rounded 2 by or something to spread the loads out as you massage the shape to take the backbone better. Could you try to slide the take back a bit to gain more clearance?

ocharlas · « **Reply #93 on:** April 10, 2012, 07:49:43 AM »

Quote from: Dyrden on April 09, 2012, 09:54:13 PM

If it does come down to blows Id use a rounded 2 by or something to spread the loads out as you massage the shape to take the backbone better. Could you try to slide the take back a bit to gain more clearance?

What do you mean slide the take back?

Dyrden · « **Reply #94 on:** April 10, 2012, 08:31:17 AM »

Sorry, I see its a 550 not a 750 so sliding the tank back wont buy you the room I thought it would.

LesterPiglet · « **Reply #95 on:** April 10, 2012, 09:52:49 AM »

Make sure the tank is as far forward as it can go.
Does the tank drop further than that? There is meant to be a rubber support between the tank and the frame, if that doesn't take up the space then either your frame is twisted or your tank is damaged.

ocharlas · « **Reply #96 on:** April 10, 2012, 10:51:44 AM »

I have the rubber support somewhere (although I can't find it right now). But that's not the problem, if I look at just the right angle, I can see the collar resting on the frame, but much too high up. It's just too narrow to sit all the way down. Just to re-clarify though, this is apparently a tank from a 400, so I'm not surprised that I'm having problems, just trying to make it work. If it doesn't I'll get another tank, but I like the shape of this one, I'd like to try and get it to fit.

LesterPiglet · « **Reply #97 on:** April 10, 2012, 10:53:58 AM »

It's hammertime.

rb550four · « **Reply #98 on:** April 10, 2012, 07:35:45 PM »

I went back to a picture of your bike with the seat and tank on it, There is no petcock on the tank ,it looks like a thread on type just above the carbs...just above the carbs! Gadzooks man, will it even work if you were able to beat the spine out of it?

ocharlas · « **Reply #99 on:** April 10, 2012, 10:22:50 PM »

Well, hammer time came and went, and after copious amounts of reckless bashing, I finally got the tank to sit right....

...right above the carbs! As pointed out my rb550four, I'm not going to have room to put a petcock on in there. I probably could fit a hose, but that prospect doesn't thrill me. Right now it's my only option though.

On the plus side, I'm about 75% sure I didn't put a hole in it, so that's something I guess. I'm an idiot.

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Author Topic: CB550 Cafe, back from hibernation. hopefully. (Read 18011 times)