Honda-SOHC

No, they fit fine afaik. It could be that you need to swap 1-4 to the other side but essentially if the leads reach from the left they’ll reach from the right, it may be that number 1 lead now goes to number 4 but due to the wasted spark system it doesn’t matter. The numerals just slide off the leads if it bothers you that they read wrong.

Straight HT caps on the inner cylinders and right angled on the outer cylinders. As per picture.

Left side is usually 1-4 Ted. As for wire colour, look at the points, whatever colour feeds the 1-4 points goes to the 1-4 coil.

I'd also advise turning the coils backwards so the leads come out of the rear, then route the leads over the top of the engine, there should be clips on the end breather cover bolts to hold them in place. The coils perform better backward, less chance of water getting forced into them by the wind so less chance of them arcing out.

You can see how I did it many moons ago.



Looks far tidier without the leads dangling across the front of the engine and no chance of a lead touching an exhaust and getting burnt through.

No Vacuum to that cylinder, which means a massive loss somewhere. Check the valves on that cylinder, remove tappet covers and check they are first of all going up and down as the engine turns over. Either there's a valve stuck or the tappet is way too tight or there's a bent valve. Do a compression test if you can.

Trouble with the manual is that it virtually tells you nothing. They don't appear to think anyone would ever take them apart.

Couple of pointers if you don't object.

You'll find Honda fitted screws that are in fact too short for the drilling, the carb tops are a perfect example. Most of the thread is left unused and corrosion of that thread left unused mean if you attempt to fit a longer screw if starts to grab and then strip away the thread. Clean the threads with a tap, measure how much thread is left unused and fit a longer screw, that why a lot of them strip out, they are only really gripping on a few threads. IIRC, the top screws are 16mm and you need 20mm, the float bowl screws are the same, look at the pic and you'll see the screws don't reach the top of the thread, the pressure of the spring washer tends to strip these threads out as only a few are getting used. If in doubt, fit longer screws and trim to suit the position. Don't have threads of the screw exposed as they corrode and when you try and remove them it can strip out the threads as it passes down them. Go for a flush finish.

Gary. Out of pure interest, is that a 550 motor in your 500 chassis?

Looks to be a 500 Phil, seal inside sprocket area looks to have a hole for the pushrod. The cam cover is pure 550 though, you can see the rocker shafts clamp nuts.

I can also see the engine number and it looks to say 500 not 550.

Says £19.40 on my screen.

Just looked at it was to the USA for some reason it thought I was there.

More red paint to get rid of, I have two chainguards, one I painted red so armed with paint stripper, gloves and goggles off we went on a voyage of discovery. I had forgotten how messy this job can get but eventually got there, and discovered wht I had painted it there is some rust on the top of it, so it could go black.

Or you could remove the rust like I did on my 550F2 guard and have it rechromed. It's not a structural part so even if you remove a little metal it will still do it's job.

Finally managed today to order some new cutters so I can attempt to make the choke mechanism washers. Not sure how long they'll take to arrive, I'll let you know when they do and how the attempt to recreate these washers go.

I have today done a couple of the brake arm washers that go between the brake arm and the brake plate on the 500. I have to hand make these as the sizes required mean they don't mount on the same tool at the same time, unlike the lifter arm ones. I had to order a special cutter to enable me to use both cutters on the same tool for the choke arm ones, whether this will work is up for debate.