Topic: Cold Temperature Starting

[CB500_k2]

My CB 500 ran just fine all summer and fall long.  In New England it in now getting warm enough to ride (45 deg F) and I got my beast going again.  Now I have to keep the choke a bit on even after the bike has warmed up.  Are the 500s that cold blooded?  The mancine has stock jets and a 4 to 1 exhaust system from LFU.

[ProTeal55]

All of these bikes are cold blodded.
Mine does the same thing, but after even a short ride, will kick over the
first time and run like a champ. Just the nature of the beast.

Things like having the right oil , and the keeping bike in good tune will help it warm up/run/perform
better as well...

[TwoTired]

Are the 500s that cold blooded? 

No way!  Unless you put in Cb750 spark plugs (D8EA) which is too cold a heat range for running the engine in cold weather.  In fact, you should only run these plugs in the CB500 if you're running flat out in the desert heat.  Use NGK D7EA.

Did you do a winter storage proceedure. Stabil in the fuel?  Or, just park it and let the carbs gum up?  Could be you have one or more slow jets plugged/ gummed up.  Also, you should check for fuel contamination in the carb float bowls.  Drain them and look for bits larger than .016 inch as this is the slow jet size.  Perhaps a flushing will take care of any sticky bits.

Check your head pipe temps (flash touch).   Any that idle cold are the cylinders that have a slow jet issue.  Address those carbs.

Cheers,

[csendker]

I couldn't wait.  I've been out a couple of times in below-freezing temperatures.  It's a little tougher to start (starting in ~40 deg. garage) but warms up in a couple of minutes and runs very happy with the choke wide open.  And once it's warm, it starts just like it's summer out.  I'm running the D7EA's with foam air filter and aftermarket 4-1.  No clue what's in the carbs, but they're still 022A's.  I never properly winterized it (bad boy), but then I've ran it a couple of times every month this winter (yahoo!).

By the way, if testing for high temps or electrical stuff, use the back of your hand.  It's much more sensitive then the front or fingers, and the natural reflex to heat and shock is to close your fist.  Never a good thing with hot pipes or live wires.

[hymodyne]

i'm wondering how to eliminate the oil that leaks through the aluminium between the head and valve cover until the metal heats up and expands...reminds me of what I've heard about SR-71's when fueling for take off

[csendker]

Hmmmm.  The 550 & the 500 are kissin' cousins, and I don't have your oil weep problem.  Not even when I'm running below freezing.  This may be a sign of something more sinister.  I wonder if the experts might chime in on this?

[TwoTired]

A thread hijack but..

Are you guys running the recommended 10-40W oil?

Thicker weight oil will have higher galley pressures when cold.

Just a thought.

All my 550s weep at cylinders end a bit, except one.  But, then they have 30 year old hardened orings there, too.

Cheers,

[csendker]

15W-40 Shell Rotella-T with no weeping.

[Terry in Australia]

What's a cold temperature? It's fall here in Oz as I type this, and it's still in the high 80's, man I'm looking forward to winter and those chilly mid 60's again................. 

[GeoffT]

What's a cold temperature? It's fall here in Oz as I type this, and it's still in the high 80's, man I'm looking forward to winter and those chilly mid 60's again................. 

I'm looking forward to summer and those warm mid 60's. 

[Terry in Australia]

What's a cold temperature? It's fall here in Oz as I type this, and it's still in the high 80's, man I'm looking forward to winter and those chilly mid 60's again................. 

I'm looking forward to summer and those warm mid 60's. 

Well you know how to fix that mate! 

[clarkjh]

What's a cold temperature? It's fall here in Oz as I type this, and it's still in the high 80's, man I'm looking forward to winter and those chilly mid 60's again................. 

I'm looking forward to summer and those warm mid 60's. 

60s, right about now I would kill just to have nice warm mid to high 40s.  But then again anything above 32 is shorts and t-shirt weather

James

[GeoffT]

Cold started bike today. Its been sitting for a month. Tried kicking a few times as someone suggested just to circulate the oil. Bit of persuasion on the starter and vroom. warm up engine then off we went.

Temperature 6 - 7 above freezing Strong NE wind. Itsa good to be back riding again. But now its good to be back in the house with hot tea and trying to stem the number 11 on the upper lip 

[dusterdude]

you cold weather guys are nuts,i dont even think about riding until its 60 f.

[GeoffT]

you cold weather guys are nuts,i dont even think about riding until its 60 f.

There is no such thing as cold weather - just the wrong clothes 

[clarkjh]

If your cold you can put more on, when its hot, you can only take so much off then you get arrested

James

[howardstapley]

That’s why I love Florida, the only time you can’t ride here is when it’s too HOT or a hurricane and not that I would, but no helmet or attire laws. You could ride in your underwear and the only thing someone would say is, "What are you six? Who wares tightie-whities?" As a rule thou, if you don’t think you need a helmet, you probably don’t (for reasons only obvious to those that ware them).

[Terry in Australia]

That’s why I love Florida, the only time you can’t ride here is when it’s too HOT or a hurricane and not that I would, but no helmet or attire laws. You could ride in your underwear and the only thing someone would say is, "What are you six? Who wares tightie-whities?" As a rule thou, if you don’t think you need a helmet, you probably don’t (for reasons only obvious to those that ware them).

That's right Howie, there are some dumb buggers around! (by the way mate, that word is spelt w.e.a.r...........) 

[howardstapley]

Thanks Terry, I love the guys that have little more to do that correct spelling in posts, remember, language was designed to allow two or more people to communicate and nothing more so if you understood my meaning, why correct me unless you were trying to be a dick. Also, its Howard, not Howie...see, that’s being a dick too.

[Terry in Australia]

Thanks Terry, I love the guys that have little more to do that correct spelling in posts, remember, language was designed to allow two or more people to communicate and nothing more so if you understood my meaning, why correct me unless you were trying to be a dick. Also, its Howard, not Howie...see, that’s being a dick too.

That's it Howie, er, Howard, sorry, and the smiley face on the end of my comment was meant to suggest that my comment was in jest, but then again, if you can't even spell "wear", you probably don't understand humour either. To use an old Aussie expression, "Get a mullet up ya!" 

[CB500_k2]

Well, to rehijack my thread back for a moment.  I found out why my CB 500 appeared to be cold blooded.  It was perhaps too much beer over the winter;  I forgot which position the choke lever should be in to choke.  I started it with the choke off ( I thought it was on) and when it finally started after about a billion kicks I put the choke on ( thought it was off) as soon as it warmed up.  Well it was real hard to start and ran badly when it was warmed up and the choke was full on. This was discovered as I was checking each float bowl level.  I finally saw the arrow on the choke lever.  I won't forget this next spring.

[MetalHead550]

TT  HAHAHAHAH!

[dusterdude]

cb500,thanks for getting back into this.