Topic: carb removal cb500

[scott jones]

Good morning. I can't believe how difficult it is to remove the carbs from a cb500 let alone putting them back on with a stock air box. Did away with my pod filters this weekend. You 750 guys have it made because the stock air box can be removed easily. You can't remove the stock air box from a cb500 with out removing the carbs first.   Well now that my rant it over is there anyone out there that knows of an easier way to perform this task? I would love to know how the Honda techs do it. Thanks!

[Honda3]

Good morning. I can't believe how difficult it is to remove the carbs from a cb500 let alone putting them back on with a stock air box. Did away with my pod filters this weekend. You 750 guys have it made because the stock air box can be removed easily. You can't remove the stock air box from a cb500 with out removing the carbs first.   Well now that my rant it over is there anyone out there that knows of an easier way to perform this task? I would love to know how the Honda techs do it. Thanks!

I have a K2 750 AND a CB500.  Im taking the carbs off the 750 this week and replacing them with new ones. I did the same with my CB500 but paid someone to do it. Didnt feel like wrestling with it.

[Scott S]

 New or soft air box rubbers are a HUGE help


 Loosen the clamps on the air box and on the carb side of the manifolds.  Loosen them a LOT.....more than you think you need to.
 Unhook throttle cable and fuel lines.
 Remove the top two bolts from the air box so it will slide back in the frame.
 Pop carbs out of manifolds and go down and out on the left side.

 Installation is the reverse,  but use a little grease in the manifold rubber. I like to remove the 2 outer boots on the air box. They can be squeezed back in after carbs are in the manifolds.

[Scott S]

Good morning. I can't believe how difficult it is to remove the carbs from a cb500 let alone putting them back on with a stock air box. Did away with my pod filters this weekend. You 750 guys have it made because the stock air box can be removed easily. You can't remove the stock air box from a cb500 with out removing the carbs first.   Well now that my rant it over is there anyone out there that knows of an easier way to perform this task? I would love to know how the Honda techs do it. Thanks!

I have a K2 750 AND a CB500.  Im taking the carbs off the 750 this week and replacing them with new ones. I did the same with my CB500 but paid someone to do it. Didnt feel like wrestling with it.

 So in other words, you have no experience with it and nothing to add, other than showing off your pics....again.

[Honda3]

New or soft air box rubbers are a HUGE help


 Loosen the clamps on the air box and on the carb side of the manifolds.  Loosen them a LOT.....more than you think you need to.
 Unhook throttle cable and fuel lines.
 Remove the top two bolts from the air box so it will slide back in the frame.
 Pop carbs out of manifolds and go down and out on the left side.Installation is the reverse,  but use a little grease in the manifold rubber. I like to remove the 2 outer boots on the air box. They can be squeezed back in after carbs are in the manifolds.

Wishing him the best of luck with his 500 carb install. Maybe he has friends who can help? Im so thankful a friend mechanic of mine is going to help out with swapping my carbs on my 750 this week. Saves me a lot of trouble. He lives 9 miles away and said we can have it done in 20 min. All my questions have been answered. Whew

And looking forward to the Distinguished Gentleman's Ride in NYC on Sunday. If any of you riders in NYC are unaware, come out to the ride! It will be a great time! This was taken last year - me at the ride with two venerable bikers.

[Deltarider]

  Loosen the clamps on the air box and on the carb side of the manifolds.  Loosen them a LOT.....more than you think you need to.
 Unhook throttle cable and fuel lines.
 Remove the top two bolts from the air box so it will slide back in the frame.
 Pop carbs out of manifolds and go down and out on the left side.

In my experience, it's out to the right side, that is on a CB500. Also it helps to squeeze the boots that sit in the air plenum and force them inwards a bit.

[Scott S]

 You can go out on the right on a CB500.  The clutch cable is in the way on a 550 and it's easier (for me) to go out the LH side.

[Honda3]

  Loosen the clamps on the air box and on the carb side of the manifolds.  Loosen them a LOT.....more than you think you need to.
 Unhook throttle cable and fuel lines.
 Remove the top two bolts from the air box so it will slide back in the frame.
 Pop carbs out of manifolds and go down and out on the left side.

In my experience, it's out to the right side, that is on a CB500. Also it helps to squeeze the boots that sit in the air plenum and force them inwards a bit.

This is a 550 but JUST AS YOU SAID, at 7:14 he says "slide them to the right:

[Scott S]

  Loosen the clamps on the air box and on the carb side of the manifolds.  Loosen them a LOT.....more than you think you need to.
 Unhook throttle cable and fuel lines.
 Remove the top two bolts from the air box so it will slide back in the frame.
 Pop carbs out of manifolds and go down and out on the left side.

In my experience, it's out to the right side, that is on a CB500. Also it helps to squeeze the boots that sit in the air plenum and force them inwards a bit.

This is a 550 but JUST AS YOU SAID, at 7:14 he says "slide them to the right:

 How many times have you done this?

 He removes the clutch cable. As *I* said, you go out the left on a 550 and don't have to remove the cable. I always go in and out from the left.

 The clutch cable is on the left on a 500, but if you remove the sprocket cover and leave the cable attached, you can swing it out of the way. Or go in from the right on a 500.

 The more important information is about the clamps, air box boots and manifolds.

[Honda3]

  Loosen the clamps on the air box and on the carb side of the manifolds.  Loosen them a LOT.....more than you think you need to.
 Unhook throttle cable and fuel lines.
 Remove the top two bolts from the air box so it will slide back in the frame.
 Pop carbs out of manifolds and go down and out on the left side.

In my experience, it's out to the right side, that is on a CB500. Also it helps to squeeze the boots that sit in the air plenum and force them inwards a bit.

I couldnt deal. On the 500 I just paid the mechanic $200 to do it. In my opinion it was money well spent.

[Scott S]

 Damn, at $200 a pop, I could make about $1500 a day doing this!

[Deltarider]

How many times have you done this?

Enough times to know that, where it concerns a CB500, like in this thread, you bring them out to the right side, so you won't have to deal with the clutch cable at all. A CB550 has the clutch cable routed to the right side however. The good thing about these oldstyle carbs is, that for most chores you don't have to remove them at all. Let's take the slow jets for instance that often clog up in a long period of inactivity. Just remove the floatbowls and you can screw them out easily without having anything else to remove. Did it many times. Replacing the 16 crossheads by allen help a lot (see pic).

[Scott S]

 That quote wasn't directed at you.

 I clarified the difference between 500 and 550. And you're 100% correct about the Allen head screws. Only the super original 550F I had kept the cross head screws.
 Heck.... I find it easier to R&R the carbs for jet work vs. pulling the bowls, but that's just my preference.
 I've even changed needle clip position with them in the bike. To me, I'd rather work on them on the bench.

 And I've found that after any initial troubles, they NEVER have to come out again. Just use a good in-tank filter and non-ethanol gas or a staibilizer.

[Honda3]

That quote wasn't directed at you.

 I clarified the difference between 500 and 550. And you're 100% correct about the Allen head screws. Only the super original 550F I had kept the cross head screws.
 Heck.... I find it easier to R&R the carbs for jet work vs. pulling the bowls, but that's just my preference.
 I've even changed needle clip position with them in the bike. To me, I'd rather work on them on the bench.

 And I've found that after any initial troubles, they NEVER have to come out again. Just use a good in-tank filter and non-ethanol gas or a staibilizer.

Yep thats why i went ahead and bought a new rack. the original carbs are just that...original. its time for them to go. Now I dont have to worry about carbs for ages!

[Deltarider]

Very nice! Work of Art.

[Shtonecb500]

500/550 carbs stopped being a hassle when I started using  heat gun to get everything soft before removal.

[scott jones]

Another question I had was can the slide needle be changed position with the carbs still in the bike? #2 & #3 look like the frame is in the way. Just asking. Thanks!

[scott jones]

Another question I had was I put a larger main jet in. Went from #100 to #110 because of the exhaust I have on the bike. I didn't change the Idle jet. I have a hesitation off idle but when I open or crack the throttle it's fine. Should I go bake to the stock main jet or replace the idle jet with a larger one? BY the way the timing & points settings are dead on. I have the slide needle set in the stock position #4.

[calj737]

110s are way TOO big for a 500, especially with the stock air box. At most, 105s maybe if you have a truly open 4:1 pipe but that is a hypothesis not a recommendation. Only plug chops will tell you the true needs.

[Scott S]

 Needle clip position can be changed on the bike but it's a PITA.

 Exactly what exhaust do you have? Is it baffled? More than likely,  you'll be fine with stock jets.

[scott jones]

4 into 1 baffled exhaust made by Winning. Ok I'll put the stock jets back in. The only good thing about this is I can pull the fuel bowls off without removing the carbs. LOL

[Scott S]

 If you've done the full tune up, put the stock jets back in and do a vacuum sync. You may have to adjust the mixture screws slightly.

[scott jones]

Thanks. Will do.

[Bobarama]

I have found that removing the battery, battery box, air box and freeing the electrical panel on the left side of the bike by taking out the two 10 mm head screws gives me the extra room that I need I can have my air box out in about 20 minutes

[scott jones]

Without removing the carbs first?