Topic: So close..yet still far away - 82 CB650 SC

[jeepster]

So after a month or two of procrastination/stripped bolts/bruised knuckles/ebay trolling, I am finally in the giddy process of putting my bike back together. My carbs slipped back on with very little drama (4 hands are better than 2 and I have my air screws set at 2 & 1/8 instead of 2 & 1/4 turns out to compensate for the brand new air filter. Tank is freshly POR15'ed.

I still have to set my timing, adjust valve clearance, and maybe synch my carbs. Not so sure I will have to though as the bike was running pretty well before, and the carb adjusters were smothered in what looks like yellow locktite so there doesn't seem to be any way they could have gone out of whack. I guess we'll find out. 

Here's what's still holding me up:

The tach cable. How does this attach to the head cover?Clymer says to just plug it in there, but when I put it in the hole it never seems to go all the way in, and I have a feeling the gear on the end of the cable is not meshing with the one in the head cover. Is there a trick to get them to mesh? Should the end of the cable sit flush on the head cover? Seems like it should...

Oil pan. Can't find torque specs or this. I have them pretty damn tight but wondering if anyone had an idea of a safer tension for the bolts. Don't wanna strip these out as it seems like it would be damn annoying to try to put in a helicoil while lying on my back. 

Turn signal relay. A bit confused at to where this thing is/what it looks like. Is that it right under the fuse box? There seems to be another cylindrical thing deep behind the battery, but there are wires coming out of it and it seems very well wedged in there. Is that it? if it is, do I have to cut those wires? How do I test it? Sorry, super noob when it comes to electricity.

[cb650]

If you even moved the timing just set it in the middle of the adjustment and with the "CDI" youll be fine.
I dont see the specs for the pan bolts either. 
Yes the cam/tac gears need to mesh up and the driver and cable.  There is a slot.
Yes the signal relay is behind the starter relay.  Its a #$%* to get to.

[Hush]

Your starter relay (solenoid) is just sitting in a wee rubber cup, it can be pulled up and out to get behind it.
Cutting wires can be expensive if you cut the wrong ones, most Honda electrics has connectors that you can unplug.
To refit the tach cable I usually just twist it a little either way and it usually just pops onto the slot, once in if it's like my 79 there is a locking bolt that holds it in place so if you can't line that up yet you have a way to go yet in lining up the tach cable.
With sump bolts I use the "I'm happy that they are tight enough" strategy, if you ride it and they leak you can always tweek them up a tad, if you snap them you are in for a world of pain.

[jeepster]

If you even moved the timing just set it in the middle of the adjustment and with the "CDI" youll be fine.
I dont see the specs for the pan bolts either. 
Yes the cam/tac gears need to mesh up and the driver and cable.  There is a slot.
Yes the signal relay is behind the starter relay.  Its a #$%* to get to.

Ah, good point! My bike has been off the road for so long I keep forgetting that it ran fine until I got gunk in my carbs and stripped a head cover bolt. I turned the engine over manually a few times trying to adjust my valves...which uh, shouldn't effect timing. Not sure why I kept thinking it would. I'm kind of a slow learner when it comes to things mechanical I guess...

[jeepster]

Your starter relay (solenoid) is just sitting in a wee rubber cup, it can be pulled up and out to get behind it.
Cutting wires can be expensive if you cut the wrong ones, most Honda electrics has connectors that you can unplug.
To refit the tach cable I usually just twist it a little either way and it usually just pops onto the slot, once in if it's like my 79 there is a locking bolt that holds it in place so if you can't line that up yet you have a way to go yet in lining up the tach cable.
With sump bolts I use the "I'm happy that they are tight enough" strategy, if you ride it and they leak you can always tweek them up a tad, if you snap them you are in for a world of pain.

I've spent far too long is that world with a certain anally obsessed fairy.    So, I have them a few turns from "lightly seated" and a few turns away from "death grip". She's gonna hold. 

[cb650]

About the only thing you can do by just turning it over is push the pick ups away from the magnet. Unles something broke.

[leekellerking]

Yes the signal relay is behind the starter relay.  Its a #$%* to get to.

You speak the truth, sir.  I relocated the relay on my 82 CB650SC after I installed a newer-design starter solenoid.  The flasher now lives in the tool kit receptical, cushioned by styrofoam and tape.  

I am about to replace the thermal flasher with a solid state unit because the thermal ones are (1) susceptible to vibration, and (2) susceptible to voltage strength.  I may stick the solid-state unit back in the space behind the solenoid.  But, hey -- I only need flashers once a year, at inspection time, right?  

Oh, BTW, my daily commute went form 22 miles rountrip, to 56 miles on July 1st.  I am loving it and the Nighthawk seems to be holding up well to the new mileage.



Lee