Author Topic: CB550 Cafe, back from hibernation. hopefully.  (Read 18010 times)

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Offline fitz101

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac
« Reply #100 on: April 11, 2012, 09:30:57 AM »
It is pretty tight at that spot. But, if you know someone who has some good welding skills, you could plug off the original petcock location and then add your own. You can order a fuel bung from jegs or summit racing. If I were in your shoes, I would move the pet cock back to the corner of the tank. It will be tight, but doesnt look like you have too many options.

This is the one I used for my project: INSERT LINK (Apparently I cannot post links...). So, you will have to go to Jegs.com and search for fuel fittings. Then locate the jegs 'Female' bungs and get a 1/4 NPT.

Fuel Petcock: Once again, cannot post a link..... so, go to dime city cycles web site and search 'petcock'. Click on the one that has the 1/4 NPT to 1/4 line.

If you have a buddy who can TIG, great. If all they have is MIG, pick up a spool of .023 wire as this wont burn through the tank as easily.

Offline ocharlas

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac
« Reply #101 on: April 13, 2012, 10:25:53 PM »
hmmm...I may know someone that can help me.  In any case I'm back-shelving the gas tank project for now, the electronics came in today so they can resume being my white whale.  It looks complete, starter, solenoid, rectifier (I think - doesn't look like what I thought), and fuse box, as well as all the wiring for it.  It came disgusting though, so the first thing to do was take it apart and paint the frame and clean the nuts and bolts up, although I'm not sure if I'm going to wind up using it or not.  It depends if I can find an easy way to mount it. 

Questions, questions, questions....I know I had some but I can't for the life of me figure out what they are.  Tomorrow I'll re-figure out what I need to figure out.

Offline rb550four

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #102 on: April 15, 2012, 06:33:03 PM »
So the electrics came in , that's good. too bad you cut off the mounts....but it is an isolated system so you can still hang it temporarily with zip ties in it's original position for a engine test and change it later. The wiring will go easy, it's all color coded,no biggie.do you have a keyed ignition switch? no? brown to brown and white , red to black in the four prong should lite it up , you can put temporary switches in or disconnect when finished testing.
« Last Edit: April 15, 2012, 06:49:08 PM by rb550four »
A few Honda 500's, a few Honda 550's, a few Honda 650's, '72 cb 450, a couple 500/550/650 hybrids, and 2001 750. 
  550 Snowbike -Somebody had to do it.
  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,101678.0.html             
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,137317.msg1550907.html#msg1550907

Offline ocharlas

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #103 on: April 15, 2012, 07:32:02 PM »
awesome - I do have a keyed ignition switch that I took off the parts bike.  I was actually just looking at the connections trying to figure out what goes to what. 

This is a little confusing though:
brown to brown and white , red to black in the four prong should lite it up

Does this only apply if I don't have keyed ignition?  And do you mean I should just connect these four wires to each other to bypass the ignition?  And where do they go from there?  I'm not in front of the bike right now, trying to remember how I was setting it up.  This may be totally incorrect but I believe I had red going to battery +, two ignition coils joined and going to black, and I think that's as far as I got.  In the diagram I'm looking at it seems that almost everything passes through the solenoid, but also that the solenoid has five connections, where mine seems to only have two posts and two cables, so four in total.  Thanks again for the help, this is turning out to be more of a trial than I originally thought

Offline rb550four

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #104 on: April 15, 2012, 08:05:33 PM »
Yes I meant only if you have no keyed ignition. and no not all of them together. Are you using a wiring harness or doing your own?
A few Honda 500's, a few Honda 550's, a few Honda 650's, '72 cb 450, a couple 500/550/650 hybrids, and 2001 750. 
  550 Snowbike -Somebody had to do it.
  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,101678.0.html             
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,137317.msg1550907.html#msg1550907

Offline rb550four

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #105 on: April 15, 2012, 08:57:51 PM »
If you are using  the stock harness, orient it over the frame so that the end with all the single wire plugs go into the headlight through the left fork and steering head. Work from the shifter side of the bike loosely laying the harness on your side of the top rail of the frame using loose zip ties so the harness doesn't keep falling. The first wires that you will run across going toward the rear from the front on an F model I think is light green(horn)  large green is ground for the coils accompanied by Y,BLue, Black+white. After that a 4 prong block for the ignition,tie it off loosely and run the remaining wires under the frame @ rear tank mount,,4wire Y,B,BLK,GR to points and brakelight sw. The wires in blocks should fit right into the sockets on the temporarily zip tied stock electric parts that you sent a pic of,seleniod to the top,regulator to the rear and rectifier to the bottom. Look at the # of pins in each block of plugs,note the opposing plug that the same colors will be plugging into each other . Plug them together,check your fuses. finish up the tail light and rear light same color to same color. That's the main part,then it's just a matter of handlebar switches , gauge lighting,and other handlebar controls being stuffed in the headlight bucket , sorted, plugged in color to color. The brown female should be the only one left without a mate. Hook up your battery red wire to red wire post on the selenoid the other post is your starter, Neg  battery post to top rear engine mount ground and you should be good. Turn the key check with a light tester at the first intersection from the points BLue ,kick it once  if it lights up you got juice and somewhere to start. Not that bad right? Go get em! but have fun!
« Last Edit: April 15, 2012, 09:04:33 PM by rb550four »
A few Honda 500's, a few Honda 550's, a few Honda 650's, '72 cb 450, a couple 500/550/650 hybrids, and 2001 750. 
  550 Snowbike -Somebody had to do it.
  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,101678.0.html             
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,137317.msg1550907.html#msg1550907

Offline apehanger 550

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #106 on: April 16, 2012, 05:10:59 AM »
Tomorrow I'll re-figure out what I need to figure out.
 
  Quote Worthy, and Oh,so true

Offline ocharlas

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #107 on: April 16, 2012, 09:54:31 AM »
Tomorrow I'll re-figure out what I need to figure out.
 
  Quote Worthy, and Oh,so true

yeah that's pretty much me on a daily basis...

Offline ocharlas

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #108 on: April 16, 2012, 11:04:03 AM »
If you are using  the stock harness, orient it over the frame so that the end with all the single wire plugs go into the headlight through the left fork and steering head. Work from the shifter side of the bike loosely laying the harness on your side of the top rail of the frame using loose zip ties so the harness doesn't keep falling. The first wires that you will run across going toward the rear from the front on an F model I think is light green(horn)  large green is ground for the coils accompanied by Y,BLue, Black+white. After that a 4 prong block for the ignition,tie it off loosely and run the remaining wires under the frame @ rear tank mount,,4wire Y,B,BLK,GR to points and brakelight sw. The wires in blocks should fit right into the sockets on the temporarily zip tied stock electric parts that you sent a pic of,seleniod to the top,regulator to the rear and rectifier to the bottom. Look at the # of pins in each block of plugs,note the opposing plug that the same colors will be plugging into each other . Plug them together,check your fuses. finish up the tail light and rear light same color to same color. That's the main part,then it's just a matter of handlebar switches , gauge lighting,and other handlebar controls being stuffed in the headlight bucket , sorted, plugged in color to color. The brown female should be the only one left without a mate. Hook up your battery red wire to red wire post on the selenoid the other post is your starter, Neg  battery post to top rear engine mount ground and you should be good. Turn the key check with a light tester at the first intersection from the points BLue ,kick it once  if it lights up you got juice and somewhere to start. Not that bad right? Go get em! but have fun!

Ahem...no, not that bad.  Except this is what my harness looks like:



Basically it was incomplete to begin with, so I was taking pieces from it and trying to re-create a very basic setup that would allow the bike to start.  That didn't really work since I didn't really know what was missing and what wasn't so now I'm hoping that I'll be able to create one from pieces of the original, which will then be replaced by all new wiring.  So basically I need to figure out what wires go where.  Now I do have connecting blocks for most of the parts that are on that plate, but many of them just lead to nowhere, meaning the other ends were cut off.  I also have the 4 prong ignition block, but it was cut as well (ok this one was cut by me...).  So I have the brown, brown/white, red, and black cables, but I'm not sure specifically what each is supposed to attach to.  Basically there are alot of colors missing...

« Last Edit: April 16, 2012, 11:26:44 AM by ocharlas »

Offline Gman

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #109 on: April 16, 2012, 04:56:35 PM »
That seems less a wiring harness, than a rainbow snake orgy... ;D

Sorry - couldn't resist.  I commend you for tackling it.  Wiring is one thing that I think I'd prefer to avoid and dread the day I have to deal w/it.  Good luck!

Cheers,
G
'76 CB550K
Stock airbox, MotoGPWerks 4-1, HondaMan ignition, Lesters

Offline rb550four

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #110 on: April 16, 2012, 05:21:18 PM »
That is not a wiring harness. That is a dozen broken wires,unless you can feed a thousand people with two fish you ain't gonna make this work!
  Why not take it easy on yourself and get one for around $40 on Ebay?
Be sure to get a harness From an F not a K or you'll end up with a 5 prong ignition located up by the bars.
« Last Edit: April 16, 2012, 05:29:31 PM by rb550four »
A few Honda 500's, a few Honda 550's, a few Honda 650's, '72 cb 450, a couple 500/550/650 hybrids, and 2001 750. 
  550 Snowbike -Somebody had to do it.
  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,101678.0.html             
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,137317.msg1550907.html#msg1550907

Offline ocharlas

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #111 on: April 16, 2012, 05:57:46 PM »
this is a K though...at least I though.  Isn't the exhaust one of the telltale signs?  I got a 4 in 4.  Also, I'm trying not to use a stock harness because if the end product is new wiring, I'm just going to run into this same problem down the line.  I'd like to figure out how everything is run now, get it functioning, then when the time comes to put the new wiring on I don't have to mess around messing up until I get it. 

Plus I have lots and lots more wires.

Offline rb550four

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #112 on: April 16, 2012, 06:32:00 PM »
Check your ID tag on the steering neck,throttle side, the #'s will start CB550_ #########, The _ will tell you what it started out as. F or K.
 I have the same pipes on a 76 F.

 Lots of wires you say? Can you take lots of pics? I could use a learning experience.
A few Honda 500's, a few Honda 550's, a few Honda 650's, '72 cb 450, a couple 500/550/650 hybrids, and 2001 750. 
  550 Snowbike -Somebody had to do it.
  http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,101678.0.html             
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,137317.msg1550907.html#msg1550907

Offline ocharlas

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Re: CB550 Cafe, Codename: Insomniac - Wiring Phase, Part I
« Reply #113 on: May 01, 2012, 05:37:20 PM »
ok well after a couple weeks of having no real successful activity I caved and got a harness off of ebay.  Looks complete, and in decent shape.  I'm a little miffed on the wiring front, but I haven't given up, I just want to get it going first and then hopefully tackle it again when I've made some headway.  So I'm going out now to try and hook it up, then I guess it's just a matter of hooking up the fuel lines and the tank and trying to fire it up.  As far as the tank goes I still want to use the 400, but I think I'm going to get another 550 tank (I knew I'd regret selling it) just so I can have something to throw on and use.  So I'm turning this into a 2-step project, which I probably should've done in the first place...