New Member

[SteveW]

Hello from Bucks, Just bought a 1974 CB550 US spec, non runner.

Ive had it 2 weeks, carbs full of crud and numerous electrical issues.

Borrowed an ultrasonic cleaner, cabrs are now gleaming and bike starts and runs.

Now the fun begins, trying to sort all the electrical problems and getting an MOT on it.

Steve.

[Nurse Julie]

Welcome Steve. Where in Bucks are you?

[Trigger]

Welcome to the mad world of the SOHC, loads of helpful members on here that know a lot about electrics, I am not one of them 

[Moorey]

Sounds like your of to a flier . Welcome and have fun.

[paul G]

Welcom on board Steve.

[mike the bike]

Welcome to the forum Steve.   Loads of helpful advice on here, you come to the right place.   What's up with electrics them, previous owners being too clever?

[Green1]

Welcome we like pics.
Not many of these old girls have been lucky enough to escape the DIY Sparky four years on I'm still removing crappy red crimps.

[SteveW]

I'm just by Junction 5 of the M40

Pic attached.

Someone has moved the ignition switch from the side to between the clocks. They have extended the wires by cutting the existing loom in half and inserting randomly coloured bits of wire from god knows what. wires twisted together and a small bit of insulation tape.

Same with the horn, more random wire twisted together.

Best one, i've just found. The main cable to the starter crushed between the engine case and the chain cover. No wonder i was getting whisps of smoke when i tried to start it 

[Green1]

No crappy red crimps at least   

[petermigreen]

Welcome, sounds like you know what you're doing anyway.

This is what I found in my US 500's headlight bowl.

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[Johnwebley]

welcome to the sohc,

 as the others say,its fun here,love of bikes and life in general.

[Trigger]

Welcome, sounds like you know what you're doing anyway.

This is what I found in my US 500's headlight bowl.

(Attachment Link)

Looks like a BT engineer has been in 

[matthewmosse]

Ooh electrical horrors, I just love an old vehicle a previous owner has modified the electrical on - Not! I guess you'll just have to work through the loom slowly, fixing each horror at a time, or you could try building a new loom from scratch using new connectors, I had to resort to this once with a cb550k3, only bit of its wiring to survive was the idiot light cluster, a year later I had wiring issues, spent ages taking my home built loom to bits wondering where the fault lay in my loom. Guess what, it was the ****ing remaing bit old old loom up in the idiot lights. Doh! I found vehicle wiring products had everything needed including the correct coulor wires except the multi block connectors by the charging system are worth holding onto originals and just 're fitting new terminals. Don't bother with their high performance wire either, it's not as nice to use and too stiff really. Oh and I too have been driven nuts by those horrid pre insulated terminals, they attract rot and in my books any vehicle sporting any looses a few £100 off it's value as they always spell trouble. Sounds like you are well on the way to sorting the bike out though.

[SteveW]

This was part of the extended loom to the ignition switch:

[hairygit]

Ooh, quality bodge, perfect for starting a fire!

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