Topic: my first project / bike... 72 cb500

[nibenon]

Well I bought two bikes with a friend. We got them (and extras) home and started to make sure they were fully assembled and running before tear down and modifications ensue.

Bikes are a 72 CB500 with 73 engine and a 75 CB550.
Parts are unsorted and some unidentifiable, help will be needed.

[nibenon]

Word of warning, neither of us have any experience, though we have the owners, repair and parts manuals for the bikes. Just two kids between college and university for mech eng.

The cb500 starts and runs, but needs help via the throttle. Mind you the airbox boots are MIA and the carb pisses fuel when the engine stalls out.

The cb550 has no key and with the short of the black and red to simulate a key. It still has no spark... Try again later, tracking down a full wiring diagram.

[messeduptriple]

Sweet!!!! Looks like a fun project you got for sure!!

Sent from my MB855 using Tapatalk 2

[nibenon]

Yeah its a learning experience and get a bike in the end
 The budget is less than one course at my university. About 750.

[dawdish]

Way to score Parts is parts, get all you can. Best of luck

[nibenon]

Yes, got lots of parts, not many of which I need. Once I have the bike running nicely and am ready for a tear down I will start parting out slowly.

Update for yesterday, got the bike running and not leaking from the carbs anymore. Pulled the carbs and opened the bowls, relatively clean. Polished the needle valves with some very fine steel wool (solved the gas leaking from carbs problem) So essentially now they move. Put them back on the bike and fired it up. Need to get the airbox boots and the filter installed to richen it up (of all the parts, dont have either).

Next step is the boots and filter and assuring that the bike starts and runs smoothly (especially at idle) and installing a new blinker relay and a couple bulbs before complete tear down, clean, polish, scrub, paint and mechanical maintenance/repair.

[nibenon]

Well I am pretty sure the idle issue was the filthy carbs. Pulled everything apart and soaked in simple green pro HD (purple kind) over night and have been assuring all the passages in the jets and emulsion tube and such are clear.

[nibenon]

Here are a couple of updates.

 Followed this guide to repair my broken petcock.  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=48627.0
Needed a new reserve tube and fuel line nipple.   http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=110263.0


I cleaned the rust off the seat pan and hit it with some selfetch primer and paint.   Dad has been bugging me to get the pan to him so his friend can work on it when he has time (upholsterer).


Furthermore I have completely dismantled my carbs. Soaked in simple green and cleaned some nasty stuff out of the elmulsion tubes and other areas.  Reassembled and did my best attempt at bench setting.