Topic: Feeling lost during tear down of cb550f...advice?

[robdrobd]

I started to tear down my cb550f (first bike I ever owned) and I am now feeling pretty lost and overwhelmed. It seems like everything I need to take off requires me to take off five more things first. I am basically looking to paint the frame and engine and then put this back together. Right now I have the seat, tank, rear fender and tail light, chain guard, front sprocket, rear turns, and battery box off the bike. I want to tackle all of the wiring next, but have no clue what to start with. Do I start with gauges, throttle, headlight, master brake cylinder, I really have no clue and it looks pretty damn packed with wires up front.

[lone*X]

OK, now you have the process down pat.  To get one thing off requires your remove four or five others, and usually in a particular order.  Where you start doesn't make a lot of difference with the exception of always removing the battery before getting into the electrical wiring.  You already did that.

Biggest thing is to be able to put it all back together in reverse order and not have parts left over.  Pictures help a lot.  Keep your digital handy and use it often.  Also get a supply of zip-lock bags (quart and gallon sizes) to put complete assemblies in.  Label what you take off and where it goes back on.  When you remove the wiring harness put a piece of masking tape around each connector as you take it off and mark where/what it connects to.  Take your time, document, and all will be good when time to put it back together.

[Hush]

I use old plastic ice cream containers for holding bits as I work, you can write on the lids or sides with a felt tip marker.
For wiring, just unplug everything, it will all go back together the way Honda intended once you start replacing bits.
Unplug the lot, pull the loom out and clean that down too, it'll make the rest of your paint work look so much better.
The only thing you have to be really carefull about when you start rebuilding is the pathway for the throttle and choke controls so maybe take careful note of them.
Honda colour coded everything, it really doesn't matter which dark green goes to which in the headlight bucket as long as they all have one in the end.
All other parts like regulators and solenoids are colour coded too so putting them back is easy peasy.
A good wiring diagram will help if you get lost putting it all back, have fun......Hush.

[Ogri]

I know that feeling, or at least remember it. I cured it by looking, I mean really looking at the thing I was about to dismantle. For instance, the wires in the headlight. It's just multi-colored spaghetti at first glance but after looking at it for a solid 5 minutes & realising where each connector connects to and that the green wires are grounds and black wires are power, it gains a familiarity and the anxiety subsides.
If you're still nervous then get some masking tape and make a 'tab' around each wire at each bullet connector. You can number them, or letter them or just write words like CAT, TOM, EAT etc. on each side of the connection. So long as the tabs stay attached and the ink doesn't rub off (use an indelible marker - don't ask me how I know this) you can't really go wrong. Each block connector can only physically attach with its correct partner.

[Kframe]

.........
If you're still nervous then get some masking tape and make a 'tab' around each wire at each bullet connector. You can number them, or letter them or just write words like CAT, TOM, EAT etc. on each side of the connection. So long as the tabs stay attached and the ink doesn't rub off (use an indelible marker - don't ask me how I know this) you can't really go wrong. Each block connector can only physically attach with its correct partner.

What's CAT, TOM, EAT?
 
-K

[Ogri]

.........
If you're still nervous then get some masking tape and make a 'tab' around each wire at each bullet connector. You can number them, or letter them or just write words like CAT, TOM, EAT etc. on each side of the connection. So long as the tabs stay attached and the ink doesn't rub off (use an indelible marker - don't ask me how I know this) you can't really go wrong. Each block connector can only physically attach with its correct partner.

What's CAT, TOM, EAT?
 
-K

Just random words written on the masking tape to identify one connection from another. If you use numbers you risk confusing 6s with 9s and 1s with 7s.

[Hush]

On some I used the felt tip marker to make bands on the corresponding wires, when I went to rewire it all I just hooked up the wire with one band to it's mate etc etc.
I guess the headlight spaghetti is the most frightening bit of wiring, all those double green connectors but in reality they are all just earths, the black wires are only powered when the ignition is on.
Do not fear the spaghetti grasshopper.