Topic: 75 CB550 Starter Problem!

[jsmbubba]

I have a 75 CB550k and the starter is working, but won't turn the motor, Just spins... The gears in the trans case are turning freely and the gears looks in good shape. Does anyone have an idea what I need to do?

Thanks, James

[pmpski_1]

Is the crank turning? You could tell by pulling one of the plugs and putting your hand over the hole while cranking the starter. If you feel air then the crank is turning.

I'm not sure if there is a gear on the end of the starter, but if the crank isn't turning and the starter is, I would pull the starter and start looking at where it connects and why it's spinning.

Thanks,
Brian

[jsmbubba]

Thanks Brian for your reply,

I've pulled the starter off and the gear on the starter and the gears that the starter turns are in great shape and I'm able to turn the gears that the starter turns with my finger. I assume the gears that the starter turns are suppose to engage to the flywheel, but I've never been inside the trans, and I have no service manual so I'm at a loss! I was hoping someone would know what I needed to do or what I need to get in order to repair this problem.

Thanks James

[Dennis]

If you don't want to spend money on a manual go to
honda4fun.com
they are available for download there
not the best quality scans, but for free, you can't complain!

[jsmbubba]

Thanks Dennis for the info! I'd spend the money on a manual, but it's not even my bike...lol It belongs to a 15yo 2nd cousin of mine who spent his last 100 bucks (i had to loan him 32 of it) on buying the bike this past Saturday and I'm just trying to help him.

Anyways I swung by a local shop here in town and the shop owner told me the "starter clutch" was bad. If someone knows where he can find one please let me know, also the bike came without a chain.... so he's also interested in a good used chain.

BTW My cousin just came in and said it kicked started right up (after tearing down and cleaning the carbs), so he's more interested in the CHAIN so he can ride it!

[Quail "Owner of the comfortable k8"]

http://www.loudfastugly.com/

[Dennis]

Plenty of cheap chains out there brand new. You can get RKM for about $20 and other so called standard chains for a little more. Most of the mail order houses sell house brand or standard chains for about that price. You can get the RKM and several other selections from Dennis Kirk for $20 to $25, add $6 for handling since your order will be under $100.
No I don't work for them, just letting you know what's available.
I have an old stretched out chain from my 750 laying around somewhere. If I gave you the chain and you had to buy the connectiong link and pay for packaging and shipping, I'd bet that it would cost you (or rather your broke 15 yo cousin) about $15 or $16. So what do you think is a better selection?

Be careful, I hope that your cousin has some instruction and supervision in this adventure. Motorcycle operation is not something to be self taught, even if that's the way a lot of us learned back in the dark ages - LOL!

[jsmbubba]

Thanks Dennis for the info!

The local shop here wanted to sell him a used chain for 25-30 bucks but I told him to wait to see what I could come up with first. I think the chain is a 530 from what I can tell, can you confirm this?

I've searched and having a problem finding exhaust collets and the starter clutch, if you know of a location where he can find these items, please let me know.

BTW he paid me my 32 bucks back last night, and  he only makes about 50 bucks a week bussing tables on weekends. 

I know what you mean about "self taught" lol... that's how I learned on auto's and I've done auto repair now for over 25yrs but I'm no cycle wrench that's for sure! My cousin has been working on junk bikes, 3 wheelers & go carts for as long as he's been able to ride them and he knows a he** of alot more than I do about them and I don't know how he's kept the junk he's got running. His so called father is in jail (for drugs) and he's a good kid, so that's why I'm helping him as much as I can, well also with everyone's help here of coarse.

I did come accross some servive & parts manuals (found on a post on this site) for him at http://ca.f1.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/taysan216@rogers.com/lst?.dir=/CB550F+Manuals&.src=bc&.view= compliments of taysan216@rogers.com, So I think he's set, except for being cash poor!

Thanks all for the help and sohc4.us for this great site!

James

[CHUNG]

You can get a new 110 link HD chain for 'bout $30. Although some #$%*s will want 40-50, $25 is par. The cheapest RK isn't that good but I can't recall the other name of the one I used to use. (tsubaca?)
DUCKWORTH is a fantastic "cheap" chain but I don't think they are still in Buss.
The starter drive is three rollers, pins and springs and an inner and outer hub. If the outter hub is grooved, you can sometimes file it flat so the roller can move freely. You can spin the inner hub with some emery and smooth it out. If the springs are collapsed, you can give um a yank and get buy for a while. My close frien Nelson from El Salvador has taught me quite a few new tricks to salvage existing parts.
Bush/Jungle Engineering is great.

[Dennis]

Chung, the chain you are thinking of is Tsubaki. Agreed the cheap stuff isn't that good, but who knows what the used chain is.
I can't get HD chain for $25 or $30 must have something to do with living in a high priced area (in the low rent neighborhood) that I can't afford. I think I was quoted about $42.
I bought the EK Sport for about the same, don't know anything about it except what I read in the catalog. The local Yammie dealer sells it also (for a lot more $$$ of course).
Chung, do you have an opinion on it?

As far as the Tsubaki, it's about $38 from DK, but from last years catalog, looks like it should be under $30 at Chaparral Motorsports, same + $6.
I just checked and they have a few chains including the Tsubaki for less than $30 and a few for under $40.
www.chaparral-racing.com
I buy from both Chaparral and Kirk, don't have any real preference. I think that Kirk might ship just a little faster. That is unless you can lay your hands on one of those $25 HD chains that Chung mentioned.
From the information I have available chain "SHOULD BE" 530 X 100 link with 17/34 gearing if it is stock. I do not have Honda parts lists for the 550 so double check if you can. It seems right.
When I was referring to "self taught" I was talking about riding them first.
We learned to wrench a little later.

[jsmbubba]

Thanks Chung,

You we're close... it's Tsubaki , I can now find chain (tks to Quail & Dennis) new from 10-30 bucks but I need to know if it's 530?

I'll give my cousin the info on the starter clutch fix, now that I've got that part of the manual for him to go by. When he gets out of school... he comes by here everyday (Mon-Thur) working on it so I'll bet he'll have that going in a day or two. lol... I guess he can't hurt it!

Any Ideas about the exhaust collets? The pipes has the flanges on them and he told me what the gaskets look like (and he was right), but he said he needed the spacers, and after trying to find them I think they're actually called collets.

Thanks again for everyone's help!
James
 

[jsmbubba]

Thanks Dennis for the chain info, I searched and came up with 530 or 520, and that's why I was asking. I can get the parts manual from the link I posted earlier but it's taking time to download all the manuals and then printing them and the parts manual comes in 6 different parts (around 2mb each), and i'm doing 1 part of it everyday for him.

He turns 16 on May 10th, so I was going to buy him a chain for his B-Day, so that's why I'm rushing to find the right chain type. Dennis, I do worry about him riding... he's already been introduced to "road rash" and he's a dare devil, jumps 4-5 foot barb wire fenching with a little 100cc kaw dirt bike when the county sheriff see's him riding on the road and hits the woods. I've told him he can't do this with this bike, it's NOT A OFF-ROAD bike at all and there's a BIG difference between this bike and a dirt bike!! He'll have his license within two weeks and a Street Legal,Tagged, Inspected & libality insured bike, so all I can do is try to steer him in the right direction... the rest will be up to him!

If anyone wants a Tsubaki chain go to http://www.loudfastugly.com/chain/chain.htm , 530 100 link chain from 10 to 28 bucks.

Since I'm bike illiterate, maybe you can help me pick a chain, cause I have no clue which to get.
My choices from loudfastugly are:
Regina standard.............$10
ADI heavy duty.............$14
D.I.D. X   .....................$12
D.I.D. GX......................$14
Tsubaki QR...................$12
Tsubaki HQR (104 links)..$28
Tsubaki HS ..................$18
Tsubaki QR NP*............$20

I'm also paying and hauling the bike to get it inspected, so he can buy a better chain at a later date. His Grandmother is paying the title transfer, tag and insurance, so it'll be a nice surprise 16th birthday present, that is if we can get the exhaust collets for the exhaust in time!

Thnks again for the Help all!
James

[SteveD CB500F]

taysan is a member of this forum. PM him for a CD copy of the manuals (100mb+) for a few dollars.

[bryanj]

Hi there, the chain is definately 530 and the starter bits you will get from www.davidsilverspares.co.uk or www.westernhillshonda.com you need 3 of 28125-323-000; 3 of 28126-323-000 and 3 of 91103-259-000 AND 06111-374-000 Bottom end gasket kit as the engine has to come out and the bottom case be stripped to fit the bits. Here in UK from Dave silver thats about £50 (nearly $100 to you) so if the kicker works I would suggest developing the right leg muscles. I can do you a CD copy of the manual for $10 to cover the airmail and maybe a copy of a 500 parts one. Not all the parts are the same but i havent had time to scan the 550 yet

[Dennis]

Regina standard.............$10
ADI heavy duty.............$14
D.I.D. X   .....................$12
D.I.D. GX......................$14
Tsubaki QR...................$12
Tsubaki HQR (104 links)..$28
Tsubaki HS ..................$18
Tsubaki QR NP*............$20

I am not familiar with most of these designations.
The ones that I do recognize are:

Regina standard would seem to be an average chain. I have no additional information.
ADI - do not know this company
The DID brand of course but I do not know what the "X" or "GX" indicates.
Tsubaki QR is a standard type chain with formed bushings. A pretty average chain. Personally I would try to find a chain with solid bushings and quad staked
Tsubaki HQR is some type of high performance chain with a high tensile strength, seems to be an unusually low price.
Tsubaki HS and "QR NP" I am not familiar with.

Some of these may be older designations. These seem to be some of the cheapest prices I have seen for chain, looks like a close-out, but that shouldn't bother you. Did you ask about shipping cost? Are you going to have to pay that cutting fee I saw?
Ask what the total cost is!!
Why don't you call there and ask about the different chains. Brian will talk your ear off. I personally don't really get along with the guy, but that's just me. From my conversations with him it seems that he is generally a pretty straight shooter. I have never purchased anything from him but the people here who have seem to think they were treated fairly from what I have seen mentioned. Ask him about the different chains. I think he will tell you.

Strictly from the abuse standpoint, I'm thinking that the Tsubaki HQR might be your best bet, if it is not too wide, you will have to check with LFU. As you know it is not sealed and will require frequent cleaning and lube.  Most sealed chains are a little to wide to fit on the 500 or 550's. 
As my friend BryanJ mentioned it is definitely 530 chain, I was suggesting that I was not sure of the number of links. You might want to count the old chain prior to ordering.

Maybe I'll call him for a couple of those "HQR's" myself!!
I paid more than that for the "plain" chain I put on my 750 last year and my 500's will be needing chain and my 350 Yammies. All use 530 chain.

[phylo101]

Hi and hey dont sweat it on the starter clutch issue. It dies young on 550s, and any parts youll get secondhand are likely to be well on the way to heaven.

And if its his first bike, you couldnt get a nice softer compression for him to learn the fine art of kicking a bike over on. I could treadle mine into life with my hand years ago.....after the clutch died lol Was always good for winning beer in a bet, that!

If the kickstart pawl ever breaks THEN you have a problem lol lol

Phylo