Author Topic: 1982 Honda CB DOHC  (Read 2583 times)

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Offline 900WOT

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1982 Honda CB DOHC
« on: June 26, 2018, 07:25:46 AM »
I bought a 1982 Honda CB 900F a month ago.

The seller warned me there was "some sort of charging issue."

Both he and the owner before him had batteries continually die on them.

Since then Ive noticed that at WOT the bike dies only to be brought back to life with choke. Friends say it needs a rejet, but with the correct period Vance and Hines exhaust which MANY ppl have on that bike, I am doubtful about rejetting.

When I got my hands on the bike, I got a Yuasa AGM battery and  I took off the stock charging system and put in the Cycle X charging system, which is basically the british Norton, Triumph deal 3 phase.

Ive been told these bikes dont get charging until 3k rpm which is not good for city traffic. Sure enough, my battery died at idle, with my multimeter, I got 12.5, at 3k i got around 12.9 - 13v and at 4k i got about 13.8 to 14.2 so I think the system is charging fine.

So the new rectifier i put on 10 days ago seems to be no good. according to my mechanic guy. How could a rectifier (Podtronics) brand new, fail after 100 miles of riding?

See below photo of my bike:

« Last Edit: June 26, 2018, 01:13:13 PM by 900WOT »

Offline Scott S

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Re: 1982 Honda CB 900F lots of questions
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2018, 07:40:48 AM »
 Welcome back, JWilde.

 This is your one and only warning to behave or you will be booted and blocked, just like the other half dozen or so times/profiles you used.
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Offline calj737

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Re: 1982 Honda CB 900F lots of questions
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2018, 07:53:25 AM »
Sell it.
'74 550 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126401.0
'73 500 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132935.0

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline 900WOT

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Re: 1982 Honda CB 900F lots of questions
« Reply #3 on: June 26, 2018, 08:13:09 AM »
Welcome back, JWilde.

 This is your one and only warning to behave or you will be booted and blocked, just like the other half dozen or so times/profiles you used.

Thanks for the fair warning Scott. Bygones are bygones! ON my best behavior.

Ive been back a dozen times because I now have 8 bikes! I need to slow down lol.

Offline 900WOT

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Re: 1982 Honda CB 900F lots of questions
« Reply #4 on: June 26, 2018, 08:14:07 AM »
Sell it.

Its too pretty. Only 9k miles. Excellent shape. No way Im selling. Im gonna have this sucker fixed!

Offline calj737

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Re: 1982 Honda CB 900F lots of questions
« Reply #5 on: June 26, 2018, 08:32:32 AM »
Then take it to a mechanic and pay to have it fixed.
'74 550 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126401.0
'73 500 Build http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=132935.0

"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of it's victim may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated, but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." - C.S. Lewis

Offline innovativems

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #6 on: June 26, 2018, 03:02:25 PM »
Rotor and brushes are notorious points of failure in charging.  If the system is proper it charges fine at idle. 


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2007 KTM 990 adv
2003 Honda RC51
2000 Yamaha YSR50
1978 Honda Express
1975 Honda CB400f
1974 Honda CB350f
1974 Kawi H2
1974 Honda CB550f
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Offline 900WOT

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #7 on: June 26, 2018, 05:12:46 PM »
Rotor and brushes are notorious points of failure in charging.  If the system is proper it charges fine at idle. 


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It has the aftermarket Cycle X charging system (which is really just the British charging system) in now. No brushes. Different kind of stator and rotor

Offline innovativems

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #8 on: June 26, 2018, 05:20:10 PM »
Reach out to cycle x.  Their tech support is top notch. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
2007 KTM 990 adv
2003 Honda RC51
2000 Yamaha YSR50
1978 Honda Express
1975 Honda CB400f
1974 Honda CB350f
1974 Kawi H2
1974 Honda CB550f
1971 Kawi h1
1973 Kawi h1
1974 gt 550
1974 gt550

Offline 900WOT

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2018, 05:21:58 PM »
Reach out to cycle x.  Their tech support is top notch. 


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The problem isnt related to the Cycle X parts. I had a good long conversation with Ken, the owner. The problem is somewhere in my charging system. A gremlin.

Offline innovativems

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2018, 05:24:29 PM »
If you’re running their entire charging system they sell, then what component is left that could be causing it that isn’t with their setup?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
2007 KTM 990 adv
2003 Honda RC51
2000 Yamaha YSR50
1978 Honda Express
1975 Honda CB400f
1974 Honda CB350f
1974 Kawi H2
1974 Honda CB550f
1971 Kawi h1
1973 Kawi h1
1974 gt 550
1974 gt550

Offline 900WOT

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2018, 05:27:20 PM »
If you’re running their entire charging system they sell, then what component is left that could be causing it that isn’t with their setup?


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bad ground, short circuit, bad connector, etc. This problem existed before the Cycle X parts went in.

Offline innovativems

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2018, 05:28:19 PM »


If this is what you’re running, that is the entire charging system outside of connections to the main harness. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
2007 KTM 990 adv
2003 Honda RC51
2000 Yamaha YSR50
1978 Honda Express
1975 Honda CB400f
1974 Honda CB350f
1974 Kawi H2
1974 Honda CB550f
1971 Kawi h1
1973 Kawi h1
1974 gt 550
1974 gt550

Offline innovativems

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #13 on: June 26, 2018, 05:28:58 PM »
If you’re running their entire charging system they sell, then what component is left that could be causing it that isn’t with their setup?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bad ground, short circuit, bad connector, etc. This problem existed before the Cycle X parts went in.
Easy pezzy, trace your connections


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
2007 KTM 990 adv
2003 Honda RC51
2000 Yamaha YSR50
1978 Honda Express
1975 Honda CB400f
1974 Honda CB350f
1974 Kawi H2
1974 Honda CB550f
1971 Kawi h1
1973 Kawi h1
1974 gt 550
1974 gt550

Offline 900WOT

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #14 on: June 26, 2018, 05:31:33 PM »
If you’re running their entire charging system they sell, then what component is left that could be causing it that isn’t with their setup?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

bad ground, short circuit, bad connector, etc. This problem existed before the Cycle X parts went in.
Easy pezzy, trace your connections


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep. Gonna start this weekend

Offline 900WOT

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Re: 1982 Honda CB DOHC
« Reply #15 on: June 26, 2018, 05:39:55 PM »


If this is what you’re running, that is the entire charging system outside of connections to the main harness. 


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Yes thats the one I have but the rectifier they show is not the one they send. The one they send is Podtronics 3 phase. And yes that whole setup is outside of the harness but it seems to be WITHIN the harness, there is a problem.