Topic: CB550K Not turning on, faulty ignition module?

[baltimorebad]

Parked my '77 CB550K for 30 minutes yesterday and came out to a dead bike. When I turn the key, nothing lights up (and I also don't feel it click into place like it usually does). I've tested the battery, which is fine.. main fuses look fine. No obvious shorts or fraying wires, so I'm thinking the ignition module failed.

Any thoughts? Have yet to get a multimeter - but when I do how would I isolate if this is the problem?

[baltimorebad]

I tested the battery with a load tester at a shop, so I know the battery is holding a 12V charge. The actual fuses are good, but it makes sense that I should check there first with the meter.

Thanks for your input, definitely gives me something to work with

[BomberMann650]

Make any full lock left turns recently?  For whatever reason that tends to budge the connections in the headlight bucket just enough to shut the bike down.

[HondaMan]

This is a little more complicated approach: remove the fuses (and disconnect the battery) and take either a .22 cal gun bore brass cleaning brush (or one like it from Harbor Freight, $3) and spin it in the clips for those fuses, to clean off the dark color there. This is chromate, which had a 10-year life expectancy in 1974, now it is a good insulator. It prevent current flow or at best, heats up the contacts and makes the fuses slowly melt and self-destruct.

[BomberMann650]

I read "take a .22 gun b" and audibly chortled before reading the rest of the instructions

[strynboen]

pulln the konnektors behind the main key..and test for broken vires.and/or short the terminals at the solonid..to see if the starter turns ok

[Thekramer666]

I got issue with mine too only works when I hold the back part of the ignition white clip

[Bankerdanny]

Read this by the gone but not forgotten Two Tired: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,74213.0.html

ignition switches are a known problem on the 77-78 550K bikes. My own crapped out on me a few years ago. I fixed it with these instructions, but carried a jumper wire after that so i could hot wire it in case it happened again.

It's a pretty easy repair.

There's a couple good pics of a repaired switch on my old thread about the problem:http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,92602.msg1033687.html#msg1033687

[HondaMan]

I read "take a .22 gun b" and audibly chortled before reading the rest of the instructions

[BomberMann650]

I read "take a .22 gun b" and audibly chortled before reading the rest of the instructions