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That looks pretty good as it stands now Maintenance wise I’m sure the experienced mob will be doing to point you in the right direction Look forward to seeing how you progress
There are a couple of things I can spot that I'd change or correct but as you say originality isn't what your looking for so maybe you'll leave them.First off yes it's an F1. Green clock faces and flat paint are F1, blue clock faces and metallic paint are F2. The F1 had fork bellows and the F2 didn't. Your missing the reflectors off the side of the fork ears, saying that your also missing the correct headlight. The shell should be black plastic not chrome and I suspect the OE headlight is bigger as well, should be 7" IIRC. Always better to be seen and be able to see IMO so maybe revert to standard on that one. The tacho cable appears to be broken, casing has split from the housing near the engine, someone clearly been mucking around in that area as the metal part of the cable shows pliers/grip marks. Be VERY careful removing the cable as it's very easy to break the housing on the engine it locates into, DON'T use an impact driver on the screw holding the cable in place. There is a thread on site made by Ashimoto on repairing the HT leads on the original coils. Read it and see if you can do it. I've said this before and I'm going to say it again, turn the coils back to front so the HT leads come out of the back, you may need to swap sides on the coils but if your replacing the leads anyway just make them longer and trim down after. Get the leads running over the engine not dangling in the breeze like they are now, saves them shorting out in the rain and also of course getting melted on the exhaust. End cylinders use a long angled HT cap exactly like you got fitted, the inner 2 use a straight long cap. Should look like thisFlush hydraulics, yes, always a good idea, you've no idea how long it's been in there. Rebuild kit, see how it works first. Remove the caliper and see how the arm it mounts on swings first. Might need some attention as they tend to stick causing brake bind.Remove rear wheel and check drum lining for cracking, known problem with these bikes. You can get the liner replaced but check first is my advise. Someone has replaced the left hand switchgear and fitted the wrong one, the UK version has an headlight flasher incorporated into the horn button, yours has the USA version fitted by the look of it, very faded as well so maybe source a new correct version, flasher does come in handy. Remove the carbs and refurb, use original brass unless damaged. Lots of tips on how to do that on site, just have a good read first. Change oil and filter, yep, change air filter, check to see how dirty it is first, change points, not unless they are pitted, use original points if possible as aftermarket can cause some timing issues. Check tappets, yep. Also check camchain tensioner is working. How's the engine sound on tickover? lumpy? a bit noisy like a low down thumping noise?Lots of advise on here, just heed the experts and you'll soon have her running sweet. Provided of course your prepared to spend a bit of money, parts ain't cheap these days.Nice example BTW, a very good start by the look of it.
Download the proper Honda manual, you have to start with the 500 and then the 550 "supplements"Points gap is 0.35mm(14 thou) get feeler gauges with that size in there and spend a lot of time getting the points gap and timing spot on.DO NOT put a screwdriver in the slot on the end of the camchain tensioner bolt.If its been stood that long a new drive chain may be a good idea NOT an O ring type.Rest is easy------honest
I have a 500 which has been converted to all the electrics off a CB550F2. The F1 and F2 are virtually identical on electrics. I've just bought a brand new L/H switchgear with passing switch so I'll post a pic of it for you when I can find it again. It may be for sale as I've completely restored my old one and I'm happy to use that for now. Be aware that some parts are cheap and others seem to be vastly inflated, it depends on how many are still sat on shelves I think. If it's very rare be prepared to pay over the odds for the part, petrol tanks NOS are very expensive and a genuine new 550 silencer will set you back and arm and a leg IF you can find one. The black headlight bowl is readily available but be sure it's off a 550 as the 500 is deeper and won't fit due to the handlebar mounted ignition switch on the 550. The 550 is shallower as the handlebar switch wires go down under the tank and not into the headlight like on the 500. Headlights are easy to find as a rule, try and find a good 7" Cibie if you can as they are really good. I had one around a while ago brand new but no idea where it is now. If I find it I'll let you know.Tacho cable is easy to find and replace.Some bad and good reports on the David Silver coil replacements, I prefer to stay standard and it's cheaper to fix the old ones than buy new. The coils are usually fine, it's the leads that fail.Some controversy now, everyone says DON'T fit an O ring chain on the 500/550 but I ran one for years and it was fine. The problem is that the O ring chain is wider than the standard chain and the link pins gouge into the crankcase where the front sprocket fits. This is true, however it's really only true IMO if you use a 530 O ring chain, the pins are longer. The standard chain supplied from new was a DID 50 chain with split link, this had a pin length of 21.9 according to the DID website, this is 0.8622 inches, (for some reason DID list the existing chain dimensions in inches and the old style chain in MM), a 530 chain has a pin length of 0.963 for an O ring and 0.931 for an X ring chain (O ring and X ring chains are the same except for how the rivet is riveted) so you can see it's much wider, however the 525 O ring chain has a pin length of 0.886 for O ring and 0.866 for X ring, so almost identical to the standard 50 chain. The O ring chain I ran was off a CBX550 which is the same chain as the CB650, the odd thing is if you try and buy an original chain off CMS you can only buy an O ring chain now, funnily enough the same as the CBX550/CB650. Take for that whatever you want, I'll be running an X ring on mine when it's finally restored. Odd but DID list a vintage bike chain in O ring and it's the 525
Not all headlight bowls for the 550 are the same. The early 550 K0,K1,K2 are the same as the 500/750. There is a 500F1/F2 headlight bowl >>> https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-CB550-F1-F2-SOHC-Headlight-bowl-61301-375-003B/164134785053?epid=675479719&hash=item263732101d:g:tn0AAOSwOM5edy6A
It's really difficult to hear engine noises properly on a mobile phone video but it doesn't sound like it's firing on all 4 cylinders and it sound like either the cam chain is rattling, or the primary chain or both. But like I say, videos can be really deceiving.
You can get all the O rings for the carbs in a kit from Julie on here, the paper gasket is usually OK
If no headlight available from the forum, these are good alternative https://www.autoelectricsupplies.co.uk/mobile/product/986Take H4 bulb of your choice, I use phillips white vision in them.
Now i have a diamond file to cure those points, you used to be able to get disposable flexi contact files.It takes quite a bit of time and practice to get both the points gap(0.35mm) and the timing spot on the F as the gap alters when you move the plate and the timing alters with gap but getting it spot on is worth it.As to the screws you get the standard answer "they are all like that sir" BECAUSE people use phillips screwdrivers instead of jis ones!
What's worrying about the pics of the points plate is that the wires are exposed on the condensers, they must be aftermarket as genuine Honda ones are potted on the end where the wire comes out. There is a risk of getting a shock with the wires exposed like that and I have to say as someone who's had more than a few belts from a charged condenser it's not a little belt either.I'd imagine all the threads are now ruined on the 2.3 plate screw holes as those are most likely imperial screws and probably bigger than the original threads. I found a complete points plate the other day lurking in a box in the shed, screws are in reasonable nick, PM me your address and I'll send it down as soon as I can get to the Post Office, genuine condensers and the points are in better condition as well. Plus it has a proper felt pad for lubing the advance/retard mechanism, that looks to be a piece of carpet.
A lot of failures reported with Dyna on US board
Might be a couple of days or so before I post the points plate, need to clean it up a little as it's full of oily crap from the box it was in and I want to replace all the screws with new ones as even though they are pretty good it would be better if they were new. Won't have the electrical lead on it as I want that so muck around with but you can transfer your old one over no problem.
Found a left hand switchgear if your interested.This is what you currently have.https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Handlebar-Switch-Turn-Signal-Left-For-Honda-CB-750-Four-K3-K6-550-360-400/184298717193?hash=item2ae90f4009:g:E1IAAOSwS8heyinxAnd this is what you should have https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Handlebar-Switch-Turn-Signal-Left-For-Honda-CB-400-500-K2-550-750K3-K6-Four/184285762361?hash=item2ae8499339:g:KQwAAOSwhrFeyipyYou can see the difference in the horn button arrangement.Those are both copies BTW, they sell pretty cheap because of the quality of the switches inside IMO, not knocking them for what they are and if that's all you can get then they are worth having.I have a genuine Honda one, in good condition, paint is still pretty black ( they do fade after a while even if kept indoors) all the bullet connectors are in good nick, no cut or soldered wires etc. I can test all the switches work etc. £45 inc P&P.