Honda-SOHC
SOHC.co.uk Forums => CB350/400 => Topic started by: Oggie400F on June 04, 2019, 09:55:45 PM
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I'm carrying out a restoration to the front end of my CB400F and: -
1. I want to fit a halogen headlamp conversion. Do I need to fit a relay to prevent circuit overload and if so does anyone have a simple wiring diagram or explanation of how to do this?
2. I am carrying out a complete restoration of the front brake and want to use dot5 silicone based fluid. Is silicone grease OK to use on the calliper piston O ring for reassembly?
Any help or suggestions would be gratefully received.
Many Thanks
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Provided that the high beam filament of the bulb is 60W or less, no need for a relay, standard switchgear will cope fine. Only use clean brake fluid to lubricate the piston seal, not grease.
Sent from my X6pro using Tapatalk
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I don't think that the original halogen conversions used a relay, but you need too make sure the current switches, wires and connections are in good order to be ok.
Relay if you want to fit is simple. Supply direct from battery + (fuse inline to be safe) to input of relay, output of relay to headlight +, this is the route direct to bulb and stays open on relay until you put power through the other two terminals from your headlight switch. There's usually a little picture of this on the relay case.
To summarise, think of the main power to the bulb as a farm gate inside the relay, the circuit from your handlebar switch just opens and closes the gate to connect the main load without the power going through your Honda circuit.
You'd need two relay to cover both dip and main beam circuits, but you can use just one supply from battery as only one relay is used at a time normally.
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Charging current is marginal on these bikes so you will need to ride at high revs to stand any chance of charging battery with halogen light.
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Loads of them used them though when contemporary. Seemed like they one of the most converted ones compared to other bikes.
Some others on here have converted other bulbs to led to reduce demand, the instruments sidelights, brake light etc.
The 400 is always spinning a fair bit too ;D
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I am shite with electrics and have a problem with a 750 that drains the battery when the head light is on. The Halogen bulb is 60/55 and i thought that this was the problem but, to throw a spanner in the works, Julie's 550 has the same headlight and bulb, with a smaller battery and has no problems.
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My 400 is using a halogen 60/40w headlight bulb without any problems at all.
The original bulb was 50/40w so dipped beam is still the same at 40w. I hardly ever need to use the full beam but it's not a problem when I do.
No relay used. I have a Motobatt battery which has a bigger capacity than the original spec which probably helps.
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I am shite with electrics and have a problem with a 750 that drains the battery when the head light is on. The Halogen bulb is 60/55 and i thought that this was the problem but, to throw a spanner in the works, Julie's 550 has the same headlight and bulb, with a smaller battery and has no problems.
You can separate the charging out from demand to give you more insight.
With it switched off and not recently run, put voltmeter across battery and it should be between 12.5 and 12.9 volts for healthy battery.
Start it and let it run with no lights on, then it should rise to peak of 13.95 volts and stop at that when you rev it to 3000rpm which is healthy charge rate. If it doesn't get that you've something wrong with charge circuit.
Edit:- Honda manual for 750 gives max voltage as 14.5 when at 4000rpm then not exceeding that for any higher revs.
If that all checks out then you're more likely looking at demand that's draining it.
Compare the checks on this one to Julie's 550 to give comparison and quick cross check.
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I am shite with electrics and have a problem with a 750 that drains the battery when the head light is on. The Halogen bulb is 60/55 and i thought that this was the problem but, to throw a spanner in the works, Julie's 550 has the same headlight and bulb, with a smaller battery and has no problems.
You can separate the charging out from demand to give you more insight.
With it switched off and not recently run, put voltmeter across battery and it should be between 12.5 and 12.9 volts for healthy battery.
Start it and let it run with no lights on, then it should rise to peak of 13.95 volts and stop at that when you rev it to 3000rpm which is healthy charge rate. If it doesn't get that you've something wrong with charge circuit.
If that all checks out then you're more likely looking at demand that's draining it.
Compare the checks on this one to Julie's 550 to give comparison and quick cross check.
Went through the whole thing with Hairy via PM last year and could not come up with anything. It will be stripped at the weekend and will investigate the loom as, it is the only part not changed .
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2. I am carrying out a complete restoration of the front brake and want to use dot5 silicone based fluid. Is silicone grease OK to use on the calliper piston O ring for reassembly?
Any help or suggestions would be gratefully received.
Many Thanks
Honda manual for 750 states "coat the piston with silicon grease and install it" also "Apply silicon grease to brake pad outer circumference and install "
"WARNING braking performance will decrease if silicon grease is applied to the pads/disc contact surfaces" is stated at the end of above section.
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2. I am carrying out a complete restoration of the front brake and want to use dot5 silicone based fluid. Is silicone grease OK to use on the calliper piston O ring for reassembly?
Any help or suggestions would be gratefully received.
Many Thanks
Honda manual for 750 states "coat the piston with silicon grease and install it" also "Apply silicon grease to brake pad outer circumference and install "
"WARNING braking performance will decrease if silicon grease is applied to the pads/disc contact surfaces" is stated at the end of above section.
In the 350, the 400 and the 550 Shop manuals it says use brake fluid to smear the bore of the piston and silicone grease to the sliding surfaces of the pads.
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You may need to upgrade the 15A fuse to a 20A. With the headlamp on, indicating and braking, a fuse popped - twice.
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Thanks everyone.
Great advice and comments as usual.
Will update once completed and back on the road. :)
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Going back on this.
I have had halogen 60/55w fitted to a few bikes with no problem but, I live out in the sticks with most roads at 60mph and not really any traffic lights. I have been running in a 750 with a H4 halogen 60/55w fitted and had no problems in the first 200 miles as the average speed was around 40mph to 60mph but, yesterday I started having problems with the head light on sitting in traffic.
It seems that at tick over and under about 30mph the bike is not giving out enough charge to run with the head light on. Turn the lights off and it will pick straight back up again
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Thats typical of the Honda charging Trigger. 750 alternator puts out more watts than the smaller fours so copes better with H4.
As a callow youth my 500 ran an H4 and i had no problems BUT i did run it flat out everywhere and rarely hit 5th gear on the twisty roads!