Author Topic: 1976 CB550F - making it good, one step at a time (Read 121035 times)

minimo · « **Reply #325 on:** September 28, 2015, 02:17:44 PM »

Gorgeousness.

Stev-o · « **Reply #326 on:** September 28, 2015, 02:28:30 PM »

Love that 550 blue [so much I had to buy one!]

flatlander · « **Reply #327 on:** September 28, 2015, 11:43:14 PM »

thanks guys! have a good look now as it won't stay this clean very long. planning a camping trip this weekend, if weather permits...

SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan · « **Reply #328 on:** September 29, 2015, 08:19:49 AM »

That's quite a looker you got!!

strynboen · « **Reply #329 on:** September 30, 2015, 09:50:59 AM »

have to update mine 550,,after have seen this photoes....you kosts me a lot of Money....

flatlander · « **Reply #330 on:** September 30, 2015, 01:37:37 PM »

thanks for the comments, CRF and strynboen!
strynboen you still have my old rocker cover... if you find a trick to fix it you can make money by reconditioining all the damaged ones

Quote from: Stev-o on September 26, 2015, 08:57:17 AM

And/or heat shrink.

did the heat-shrink-trick. let it extend a bit over the flat connection piece, to push against the coil body. that should seal it pretty well.
now i need another big downpour to test.

calj737 · « **Reply #331 on:** September 30, 2015, 03:13:09 PM »

Quote from: flatlander on September 30, 2015, 01:37:37 PM

now i need another big downpour to test.

Stop on by... we are about to have a Tropical storm dumping another 5-8" of rain in the next 2 days

If your electrics withstand the storm coming, you can ride it underwater with confidence.

dbbrian350F · « **Reply #332 on:** September 30, 2015, 04:36:36 PM »

Great work on that bike, looks so good you can be proud for sure.

flatlander · « **Reply #333 on:** October 01, 2015, 04:47:55 AM »

dbbrian: cheers! it's now pretty much what i had in mind when i first started looking for candidates in the classifieds...

cal: i'm planning a ride/camping trip over the weekend that i don't want to miss. can you make your storm last another week or so?

calj737 · « **Reply #334 on:** October 01, 2015, 05:24:25 AM »

from the look of the forecast, it seems as though it will last until Christ comes back to earth $:-\$ You should have plenty of time-

flatlander · « **Reply #335 on:** October 01, 2015, 06:20:06 AM »

perfect. then i can even choose between visiting your never-ending storm or wait until the sea levels rise enough to flood amsterdam

calj737 · « **Reply #336 on:** October 01, 2015, 06:30:16 AM »

or ride it here once the sea overwhelms Amsterdam and streets become the new bottom of the ocean! I wonder what jetting changes you'll need to make breathing through a snorkel? $:-\$

flatlander · « **Reply #337 on:** October 01, 2015, 06:36:21 AM »

don't mention the s-word!
there's a snorkel already on my air filter cover so you'd think it's prepared but i might need to extend its reach a little, also hook up the exhaust to it. will the pressure under the sea get me more compression for free?

Stev-o · « **Reply #338 on:** October 01, 2015, 07:06:01 AM »

Quote from: flatlander on October 01, 2015, 06:36:21 AM

don't mention the s-word!

Maybe Scuba then?

flatlander · « **Reply #339 on:** October 08, 2015, 12:03:55 AM »

yesterday i got cought in some rain on the highway again. this time the coils had no hiccups whatsoever.
stev-o, thanks for the idea with the shrinkwrap, it seems to work.

Stev-o · « **Reply #340 on:** October 08, 2015, 06:28:06 AM »

Quote from: flatlander on October 08, 2015, 12:03:55 AM

yesterday i got cought in some rain on the highway again. this time the coils had no hiccups whatsoever.
stev-o, thanks for the idea with the shrinkwrap, it seems to work.

Good to hear....

RAFster122s · « **Reply #341 on:** October 08, 2015, 11:16:46 AM »

Would filling the connector with dielectric grease keep water out and protect from oxidation as well?

strynboen · « **Reply #342 on:** October 08, 2015, 11:20:42 AM »

on heigh volting like this.,,.elektric grease..just make more problems.
.it holds on dirt..and can not hold against 15,000 volt..it great on light/turn handel /kontakts,,vho run 12 volt

flatlander · « **Reply #343 on:** October 08, 2015, 01:14:35 PM »

my first thought was dielectric grease of which i'm not too big a friend as it does attract dirt as strynboen says. i wasn't even considering its "voltage resistance". we're talking here about the input to the coils, however, which is 12V.

stev-o came up with the suggestion to use shrink wrap which sounded better for the longer term and less messy. it survived the first test and looks like it won't give up very soon. of course, time will tell...

RAFster122s · « **Reply #344 on:** October 08, 2015, 01:50:56 PM »

I thought the solution was to shrink wrap the electrical connections on the coils, not the high tension plug wire connections. I am not a big fan of dielectric grease but it can sometimes work.
I was suggesting that the wires from points to coil connections have a bit of dielectric grease to keep moisture out of that quick disconnect terminal.
David

flatlander · « **Reply #345 on:** October 09, 2015, 12:04:10 AM »

RAF you are right, it's the input to the coils from points or in my case, CDI unit - not the HT wire connections. i shrink-wrapped these, an only put a tiny bit of grease at the end of the shrink wrap where it touches the body of the coils.
i think i'll take some pictures, that will make it more clear.

RAFster122s · « **Reply #346 on:** October 09, 2015, 12:46:08 PM »

Death Valley in the US is also below sea level.
It is hot and dry there
Holland isn't quite so hot, being so far north.

Beautiful bike. Love that blue, imagine ladies will also compliment it.

flatlander · « **Reply #347 on:** October 10, 2015, 04:07:18 AM »

ok here's what i did.

here's the right-hand coils, 12V in on the left, and HT out on the right. the HT wires that came with the ignition kit, came with boots that keep the connections dry. the 12V connections didn't have any protection. in the picture, the shrink-wrap is already installed.

view from top

after shrink-wrapping the connectors i slid a piece of un-shrunk shrink-wrap over them.
the un-shrunk bit can be slid over the part where the connector leaves a small gap to the coil body, to protect it better from humidity.
then i called a shrink to de-shrink my shrunken mind.

like this, everything seems to stay nice and dry.

RAF i spent one night in death valley. couldn't sleep as the heat didn't leave even during the night, i was just lying there sweating!
that blue is the original colour - or at least as close to it as possible. i got it repainted as some OP had changed it to a muddy brown.

Stev-o · « **Reply #348 on:** October 10, 2015, 08:02:32 AM »

I cannot see pics, just a large "-" with a circle around it. Odd....

flatlander · « **Reply #349 on:** October 10, 2015, 08:56:39 AM »

oops i guess i messed up the links. will fix it later when back home.

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Author Topic: 1976 CB550F - making it good, one step at a time (Read 121035 times)