Topic: Logan's Reward - CB500 and CB550 Cafe Projects

[Restoration Fan]

Great catch, cal.  I hadn't even thought about checking the flow on the regulator because I was focusing on all of the other stuff.  It was set on the minimum 5 L/min on the regulator.  The gauge goes from 5 - 30 L/min.  What would you recommend for the C25?

[PGF550F]

Hey Ron, are those Amazon controls threaded for both PUSH and PULL cables? Or just the pull cable? Did the threads match up to the stock cables?

[Restoration Fan]

They're threaded for both and they did indeed match up to the stock cables.

[PGF550F]

Right on thanks, I think I might try those out on a 750 I got that needs new controls.


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[lightsareout]

Awesome build, thank you so much for sharing I got a lot of inspiration from this build.

[Restoration Fan]

Awesome build, thank you so much for sharing I got a lot of inspiration from this build.

Thank you for the kind words.  I figure my most inspiring trait is the fact that people can look at my work and think, "If this dumbarse can do it, anybody can!" 

[Bankerdanny]

I have that same welder (Eastwood has a retail store in the south suburbs of Chicago, it is like a candy store). I bought it for the sill replacement work on my MGB. My welding skill remain very much a work in process, but the welder is very easy to work with.

[Restoration Fan]

I have that same welder (Eastwood has a retail store in the south suburbs of Chicago, it is like a candy store). I bought it for the sill replacement work on my MGB. My welding skill remain very much a work in process, but the welder is very easy to work with.

I concur.  The welder (the machine) works well.  The welder (ie me) who's trying to use the welder is the problem.

I got it so where there were only 4 or 5 very small holes and when trying to fix them, I found I was creating bigger holes, no matter what voltage I put it on.  So....I ground down the problem areas I created and then just went with Bondo to fill in those very small holes.  After sanding those down last night, it's almost perfect.

I'm going to go back and put a dab more in 2 areas to fix 2 small low spots and then it'll be ready for priming and painting.

[Bankerdanny]

I use a copper welding spoon to back the holes when i fill them. It gives the heat somewhere to go and helps reduce blowout.

[Restoration Fan]

I use a copper welding spoon to back the holes when i fill them. It gives the heat somewhere to go and helps reduce blowout.

Yeah, I went and bought one of those to try and use as well.  The problem is where the welds are being made....on dissimilar sized metals, on a curve.  So I found it to be pretty difficult to:  a) get the welding spoon far enough into the point where the 2 edges met to be effective and b) if I DID manage to get it far enough in there, there was no way to clamp it.  So trying to hold it in place and still weld wasn't working effectively.

I even tried bending the spoon slightly to see if I could get it into the area effectively.  But it just didn't want to work for me.

[Restoration Fan]

I have been working on the 500 pretty diligently over the past few days and have reached an impasse.  So here's my situation:

If I turn the key to the on position and hit the starter button, I can hear the solenoid clicking but the starter motor does not turn over.

I took the starter out and tested it directly to the battery.  It works fine.  So I need to determine if the solenoid is the issue.

I put the starter motor back in and hooked the positive lead from the starter to the solenoid.  Then I ran a wire from the negative pole of the battery and grounded it against the body of the starter motor.  When I turn on the key and hit the starter button, it turns the starter over perfectly.  So the starter is passing current through the solenoid down into the starter.  So the solenoid and the connections to the battery is fine.

Which means I apparently have a grounding issue.  Well, I removed the starter and took the dremel to the motor case in the area where the starter is housed.  I removed any/all of the paint in that area and any overspray that was showing on the starter motor.  I tested for continuity on the bolts that are holding the starter into the engine.  I get continuity fine on them and on the washers.  I put the starter back into the engine and tighten the bolts down and I get continuity from touching the 2 bolts (ie through the engine frame and/or starter motor housing.  I get continuity from the bolts to the engine case.  I get continuity from the starter body to the engine case.

What am I missing here? 

[madmtnmotors]

What am I missing here? 

Where is the ground cable from the battery normally connected? (I'm ignorant to the little Hondas  ) Is that connection clean?

Do a continuity test of the negative battery cable itself and check for excessive resistance (high ohms).

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Cal is going to have to quit his job and become a full-time wiring consultant!!

[Restoration Fan]

The starter on the 500 doesn't have a negative cable, Wilbur.  It only has a single, thick positive cable that runs to the solenoid.  It's supposed to ground itself to the engine body but it's not doing so.

The negative cable I was connecting to the negative terminal on the battery was a jumper to make sure it had ground and prove that I'm getting enough current through the solenoid down to the starter.  And that jumper negative proves that it I am...when the starter is grounded.  The problem seems to be the ground connection from the starter to the engine.  I just can't figure out what that problem is.

[Restoration Fan]

Excellent.  Thanks, cal.  I'll check that in just a few minutes.  Right now, I'm stuck on a phone call with these people I created the app for...trying to make sure everything is completed so I can get paid the final amount and go buy my BMW R1200GS. 

Oh, and the battery is at 13.2 and is hooked up to the battery charger full time.

[madmtnmotors]

Ron - Wilbur was inquiring about the battery NEG cable. Wilbur, its sandwiched between the upper right rear motor mount, and frame and motor.

Exactly. Is this connection clean and free from paint and corrosion? Did you paint the cases? If so, you need to clean the point of connection where the battery ground cable connects to both the engine and the frame. 

[Restoration Fan]

The negative connection to the battery was indeed the problem.  Got that fixed earlier today and the starter now works. 

I didn't yet get to check for spark or try to start it though because my buddy Mike and I went over to his 83 year old mother's house tonight to use her sewing machines to sew the seat.  Rather than make me embarrass myself trying to sew them, she sat and did the sewing while we all talked and decided what we wanted to do.  I have to say that I could not be more pleased with the result.  And it was a real pleasure talking to a fine, quality lady who has a passion for helping others...absolutely a quality lady.

I have one more little area to touch up with welds (visible where the 2 pieces meet in the bottom photo) as well as probably welding a new crosspiece to the rear for mounting the tail light and I expect to get primer and paint on the seat pan this weekend.  That should let me get the seat permanently mounted on the bike and be one step closer to riding it.  If all goes well, that initial ride will happen this weekend...weather and time permitting.

[madmtnmotors]

The negative connection to the battery was indeed the problem.

What was it about that connection that was problematic? 

[Restoration Fan]

The negative connection to the battery was indeed the problem.

What was it about that connection that was problematic? 

Wilbur,
I'm not 100% sure which corrective action fixed it, as I did more than one thing.
First, I removed the bolt and used the Dremel to make sure that all of the paint underneath the cable was clear. 

Then, I put some dielectric grease on it and reinstalled the cable and bolt.  But the old anchor cable I had was brittle.  And when testing for resistance, I was getting some pretty high numbers (over 23, I think) so I went and purchased a new battery cable from the auto parts store and replaced that one.

Once I reconnected that wire to the newly cleaned area, everything worked as it should.

[Restoration Fan]

Are you installing a butt pad on the vertical portion of the seat too, Ron?

Not on this one, cal.  The pad we made last night is stapled to a wooden board with flat head machine screws extending down through the bottom that go through the metal sheet pan and metal panels that are screwed to the frame.  That holds the pan and seat firmly into place on the bike but allows it to be fairly easily removed to get at battery and/or wiring.

And while I considered a slightly raised portion at the front to match the curve of the tank and one at the rear, I thought it might be beyond my technical challenge and I really didn't want to impose on Mike's mom to try & improvise such while we were there.

[Restoration Fan]

I'm not offended at all.  At some point, I may try to do an oval pad that mounts on top of the other but is a separate pad...but appears to be a connected piece by having them align closely together.

But for now, my focus is on getting it running and riding.  Since I didn't rebuild this engine, I'm anxious to see if we're going to have any oil leaks.  If we do, then I'm going to pull the engine and do a top-end rebuild before trying to sell it.  But since this one is a bike I'm going to sell, I'm hoping not to have to do the engine rebuild unless necessary.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Happy 50th Birthday Ron, from your SOHC4.net family!!

Here's to hoping you have some 2-wheeled fun today!!

[bleach8484]

Im so glad someone lead me to this post! I just purchased a 74' 550 project and this is answering ALOT of my questions. I love the modern wiring harness, I certainly want to go that route. Good thing your right up the road

[Restoration Fan]

Thank you belatedly for the birthday wishes, Don. 
Work has been nuts but it's finally starting to slow down and I've made some progress.  I'll be posting pictures in the next day or two.

Essentially, on the 500, I decided to redo the wiring inside the battery box and clean it up.  I'm much more pleased with the overall layout & cleanliness of the set up now.  This week, I'll be finishing up the wiring and cranking the engine.  I still have to work out the proper spacers in the wheels as the ones I'm using now aren't lining everything up properly and there is still a bit of a wobble in the wheels.  Once I do all of that, I'm hoping to get it out on the road for some road testing this weekend or next week at the latest.

On the 550, I purchased another 550 engine yesterday.  I had to drive an hour west of Atlanta out in the country but I bought a complete 550 engine plus carbs and headers for $150.  Based on the engine's serial number, it's a 1974 K0 CB550 engine but I have no idea how many miles are on it, as it had been being used as an engine on a go-kart. 

Once I finish the 500, I'm going to get the 550 engine running and do a compression and leakdown test on it to see if it needs a rebuild or not.  At the very least, it needs cleaning up and repainting and the carbs will need to be cleaned.  And I won't be using the headers on this bike, as I plan to buy the entire exhaust setup for this bike which is going to be a keeper.

[PirateB]

I bet that was one helluva go kart how did you come across the engine? I've been browsing atlanta Craigslist for 500/550 stuff and results have been slim

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