1976 CB500K2...

[ST1100]

If you want the interlock get a US 550 loom

Well, mandatory for the MOT... safety relevant and that...
Only that I've yet not found the little control box for that... probably removed by any of the POs...

[Bryanj]

Don't have a contol box on all of them frequently just a diode

[ST1100]

Don't have a contol box on all of them frequently just a diode

That one I located and wondered, familiar with such circuitry on my ST1100, why there is no switch present... till I found the empty bore in the switch pod...
According to the parts list and evidence present on the bike, the CB500K2 also utilized a turn signal buzzer, plus the 2-step ignition lock, enabling the parking light function (tail-light on with key out).

[MeilakJ]

re w

Air breather from cam cover never went anywhere except to atmosphere as there were no emission regs when bike was built, drain from air box has a split end to allow water to drain out.

Hi Guys ,

At the moment I have just got a CB550 K0 (built date 7/73 from DK which I have started working on .

The engine air breather does go to the air box .and on my Cb750 K6 USA Built (1976) does not go there !!

Interesting work going on in this tread and I am reading to see for any tips for my Bike . Hopefully will start my own tread too!!

[Bryanj]

The 550 did recirc the gases the 500 never did

[ST1100]

Well, my friend finally rolled his z750 off the platform, so I placed the K2 on it to get some real work done... (hate having to crawl on the floor...)

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Bottom of engine shows seepage...
Possible the outdrive seal, maybe also the oil-filter housing, will deal with that later when dropping the engine out.

Fork bottoms are in not so good conditions, especially the RH shows severe lateral clearance...
The wheel moves so far, that when pushing the bike around with fully tilted steering, the rotor seizes in the calliper... 

Any way to overhaul those forks? Like getting them milled out, cold-shrink a stainless steel pipe into them and having that honed to factory specs?
Tips appreciated (will have to use an other front end anyway, but still need the repair option)

Placement of electrical connectors, respectively the shell for the fuse box seems out of place; will have to search for pics showing the proper setup,

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Fastening point for the seat lock base is cracked and in need of fixing, will have to brake out the electric welding kit for other minor repairs anyway.

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[ST1100]

Anyone knows what that welding spot/mark origins from?

K2 frame:
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K1 frame:
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spare frame:
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Too far forward to having been the helmet holder...

BTW: did all bikes/years have those? How to recreate best?

[ST1100]

Keyster bolt-sets and rep-kits arrived; also thanx to Honda Classic Restoration Services for providing the brilliant tool-set.

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On such old, neglected rigs carb restoration isn't a plug and play job...
Ended up with taking the two best looking banks apart; at times quite a challenge...

Float axles stuck, took a while of gently tapping them back and forth till they finally broke loose and slipped out.
Tip of a slow jet broke off in the housing while unscrewing, managed to drill the remains out with a 2mm bit.

In one Keihin the slide was completely gummed up, wouldn't bulge, wouldn't move for even one millimetre.
Took me a while, but eventually managed to get it out without braking things.

Pre-cleaned all in my small parts cleaner (the Chinese steel tank thingie with circulation pump for €35,- comes quite handy...), then took all the bits and pieces home, to...

...well, currently am I running a dishwasher load full of carbs 

Once everything is neat and dry I'll throw together one working carb set, to see if the engine will fire and run, and to warm it up for a first proper oil-change.

[royhall]

How did the carbs come out after the dishwasher. Did that with mine and the alloy was almost black afterwards. Had to have them vapour blasted to get the shine back. Probably should have run it without detergent?

[ST1100]

How did the carbs come out after the dishwasher.

Not a blind believer of instructions given by the industry/marketing, I generally use only 1/2 a tab 

So no discolouration, the dark grey carb bodies got evenly dull, the (chromed or painted now? ) top covers and bowls clean and degreased on the outside, but kept all nicks and scratches, so will require some polishing later on.
The base plate, rod, belly-crank and linkages turned out really nice, would have taken a lot of time and efforts to get them this Q-tip clean by hand.
The dried up goo and crusts in the chambers did not go away, but I didn't expected that; will have to detail that manually with throttle body cleaner this afternoon.

The parts did loose the stench and remains of the petroleum based engine cleaner, nicely degreased with the 70°C cycle, of course are all shafts and joints now in need of disassembly for lubrication, as done during any full overhaul anyway.

[ST1100]

So, today's work unit started with a pile of parts from two carb banks...
Did some detailing with carb body cleaner, gasket remover and a small brush, another rinse, washing down with brake cleaner and blowing out every bore and channel.
Then scrambled the most useful looking items for building my test carbs.
Quite some work, sliders got new needles, all linkage points (springs, pans, ball-joints) a tiny dab of BelRay marine grease (probably the first lubrication they saw again since leaving the factory...), choke axle & lever on #1 required removal and adjustment (bend handle...), a few drops of engine oil on the surfaces of the sliders prior installation, same on the axles of the choke flaps.
The actuators, washers, springs, spacers, felt rings, etc... all cleaned and lubed before installing them.
Did a "bench sync" by using the shaft of a 3mm drill-bit as feeler-gauge, all is moving smooth and effortless again now.
Started to install jets and nozzles, to ensure damage free fitment all O-rings got a tiny dab of silicone grease smeared on...
Will have completed that tomorrow, and probably try to start the engine then...

The quality of the materials used by Honda keeps astonishing me... 4 decades of neglect and abuse, just clean and adjust, fully operational again...
Like the top covers and bowls, a little rub with a tiny dab of Autosol (probably spit would have served just as well  ), a brief buff with a soft cloth and suddenly you've got bling on the bike 
Seems a genuine Honda doesn't break by itself, it requires ignorant people to ruin it...  (except those build in Atessa which already rusted away while still in the showroom, but that was a different story anyway...)

[AshimotoK0]

sound likeyou are getting stuck in ST

[ST1100]

Occupational hazard I guess... and respect for the ingenuity of those bikes...
Also my ST1100's always receive that aviation-like attention to details... pays off when you're abroad for two weeks, far from home, like somewhere up north in Scotland or deep in the south of France... the rig never let me down... the least you want is a spoiled ride/vacation over some neglect...

[ST1100]

... ITS AAALIIIIIIIVVVVVVVEHHH!!! ... 

But, first things fist...

Tinkering with the bits 'n pieces...

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Planning to use jubilee-clips for air-box rubbers or holding those fancy pods?
Please don't... 

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...a real PITA to straighten those dents again 
the MFG designed those steel bands for a reason...

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A little before and after comparison

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[ST1100]

all pretty much set up

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Note the different gasket-groove on the carb bowls from different sets.
LHS features small grabbing-bulges enabling the use of O-ring type gaskets as delivered with the Keyster sets,
RHS (probably earlier years??) instead do require the pre-shaped seals

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All buttoned up, ready to be thrown at the bike

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I did not want to use any new bolts at first, but all the old ones are so corroded and rounded off, I just didn't have the heart at the end...