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Messages - madoc
1
« on: November 22, 2012, 05:21:35 PM »
Is there anything available Solid state to replace the regulator/rectifier...?? I've done this with great success on my Brit bikes with dynamo's.
I replaced mine with a solid-state reg/rectifier; straight in. Electrex do one. Like I said, I am getting just under the right numbers with the 35w halogen front bulb in and on (once it's rev'd of course) I was just surprised that an extra 20w overwelmed it so quickly ........ The battery is old but tests ok. Maybe a new one wouldn't go amiss. I have all my brits on a 6v trickle and an optimte for the two 12v machines.
2
« on: November 15, 2012, 06:54:57 PM »
Yeah.
I went back to a 35W halogen and tested the system against the book and I get around what it says ( slightly less but not wildly - probably down to connections/age).
You wouldn't want to be trickling through traffic, on full beam, for an hour or two ...
HID perhaps ?
Is there any standard stator/rotor unit even available - should mine go south ....
The lights on my old Brits are uniformly poor BUT I'm only running 40/50mph (or less at night around the lanes)
3
« on: November 15, 2012, 12:30:31 PM »
Looks to be a 110w alternator ?
I boosted the front bulb to 55w/60w halogen (new reflector etc) (from 35w/35w) and offset with an LED rear (effectively 15/20w more load)
This increase was enough to kill my power within 30miles and require a short ride in utter darkness (I had a mate behind me on an R60/6) and then a switch to side-lights for the remainder home ( I had enough to get back onto dip and run the starter when I got back)
After all my advice to others - I fell foul of the not checking the output in the garage BEFORE I left ......... quite frankly that output is piss-poor.. my 1947 ariel has bloody 60w at 6v (which equates to 120w at 12v with a 12v regulator - ok that is optmial and you wouldn't want to be loading it near it's maximum )
is there an uprated alternator available for CB550's ?? I am struggling to even find a replacement ... Electrex don't even do one ...
4
« on: October 14, 2012, 10:52:33 PM »
I just changed my camchain.
I don't think it needed doing that badly, but as the head was off then NOT to do it would have been silly (along with changing the rings).
You can do a proper rivet job with the chain if the barrels are off - it's a real fiddle with the head in place.
It didn't quieten it down that much.
I'd echo what everyone else has said though.
I have vacuum gauges (I have a selection of boxer type engines) and it's stunning how much difference it makes at idle.
800 revs ?
I cannot get a reliable tickover at less than 1200/1000. It stumbles and catches ( and sounds horrible when cold)
5
« on: October 14, 2012, 10:33:52 PM »
Ok. I know it sounds droll, but thirty years of bikes always lead me to suspect the regulator. Anyway , it's either alternator, regulator/rectifier or wiring. I would check the alternator first and eliminate that. According to the workshop manual, you can run a resistance check across the three yellow wires: http://www.scribd.com/doc/14355713/Honda-CB500-CB550-workshop-manual (page 95) You maybe want to check to earth as well. If it's good then check continuity through the loom to the regulator and rectifier (which are separate parts under the left hand side panel). To be fair, if both alternator and wiring are ok then I'd just replace the original mechanical reg and separate rectifier with a solid state one (what I did). I got one for £30 and it used the existing mountings and had the right connectors.
6
« on: September 21, 2012, 11:16:25 AM »
If the voltage sags quickly, remove the +ve connection and measure any current draw.
Let me explain that. If you have a reasonable multimeter then it will serve as an ammeter (usually to 10Amp). There are usually three terminals on the bottom of the meter, one black/two red. One of the red one does everything voltage related and the other measures current/Amps You swap the red lead over to the ammeter one and select the right setting on the meter (most have a dial for the different functiions - voltage, resistance,contunuity and current). Disconnect the positive terminal of the battery. Connect the battery terminal to the positive lead of your meter and the negative lead of the meter the wiring (you just unscrewed from the battery) which is hanging in lose. You should get no reading. Now turn on the ignition and current will flow through your meter and give a reading - that proves it is working. You can probably turn on your lights and see a larger number. Don't hit the starter - it's likely to pull more than 10amp and blow the fuse in the meter. Now, turn off the ignition and NOTHING should be shown. If it does show a number then something is shorted somewhere and that will drain your battery over time. I have a AVOmeter here .... fine piece of british kit. weighs a ton.
7
« on: September 19, 2012, 06:47:59 PM »
Thanks Steve, battery already on charge as per Madoc advice will check it when i get home but it sounds like it's knackered anyway. I'll pick up a new one and run the tests again and re-post the results.
Thanks again.
Let it stand after charging and stabilise. A few hours or overnight. If it's around 12.7, then you're good. Having a decent battery in the charging circuit is required. Mine looks like it's fading (around 12.3v) and my charging system won't put it up over 13v now. Um .
8
« on: September 16, 2012, 09:25:43 PM »
Racks for CB550's don't seem to be that common.
will anything else fit ... ?
9
« on: September 16, 2012, 09:24:40 PM »
Thanks for the replies everyone.
Steve, this is the sort of step by step idiot guide I was hoping for, so here are the figures
1. 12V
2. 11.25V
3. 11.60V (fluctuating)
4. 11.78V (fluctuating)
5. 12.26V (fluctuating)
Is that 12v with nothing on ? That's not good, a decent 12v battery should be around 12.7v. Put it on charge overnight, then disconnect for a few hours and see what it reads then.
10
« on: September 11, 2012, 03:40:20 PM »
Blimey.
I just did the same; changed to braided cable and it refused to bleed well with my handy "brake bleeding kit".
I left it overnight with the lever tied back to the grip (you can do the same with cars by chocking the brake pedal down) which is my usual patent safe method. That didn't work but I had a wedding Saturday.
I came back to it on day three (Sunday) and the "lever tied back" method still hadn't worked BUT it then bled correctly at that point.
Dunno.
I assume lots of air in the system that just needed to work their way out.
Lever is not actually any firmer than before BUT I cannot now feel the upper hose expanding.
Road test next (with the new rings, camchain etc) - will it go and stop better ....
11
« on: September 05, 2012, 06:50:20 PM »
There are only three things it can be; petrol, compression and spark.
I know it sounds trite but you will have to go over it all again.
I am new to Jap bikes but I been building up brits and russian stuff, from boxes, and it's easy to get something wrong.
Just because stuff is new then don't assume.
Swap plugs between working/non-working cylinders ? I have had new plugs fail on more than one occasion; I kid you not.
I just re-aligned the cam on my new CB550 TWICE (see another post) because of what to me (used to big chunky stuff) looked ok. Second time around I didn't tighten the valve adjusters and one had worked loose enough to effectively be doing nothing (running on three). Should I know better .. of course...
12
« on: September 04, 2012, 08:18:08 PM »
it's the carb to airbox rubbers, where they are not the best, and now fastened with jubilee clips.
13
« on: September 04, 2012, 02:42:10 PM »
If you have used ordinary jubilee clips there will be an air leak! The honda ones are narow and are the only type that seal properly
Oh bum Are these the £4 each parts from David Silver ... A couple of rubbers are not great (and not cheap) - is there another source ... An update is that I have the bike revving but its still not quite right. I'll own up to not tightening an exhaust rocker adjuster nut and was effectively running on three... I also had the breather jamming the carbs ...opps I can see u are in Gloucester. I am in Lea (between gloucester and Ross). Small world.
14
« on: September 02, 2012, 08:32:52 PM »
Ok
Finally had a few hours today.
Re-torqued the head, re-aligned the camshaft as instructed (and triple-checked it), helicoiled a stripped thread, refitted rockercover, carbs back on correctly (I bought some more hoseclippy things as they had cable -ties between carb and airbox).
Started bike and it sounds even worse. Much worse. Won't even idle now.
To be fair, the bloody ignition switch seems to let me take the key out and stay on.
It had a flat battery and I may have cooked a coil. I'll check the resistance across them.
I had a search for a youtube clip of a honda SOHC four, running on two, but couldn't find one.
Having only british singles and russian twins then I don't know what a jap four sounds like on two ....
15
« on: August 25, 2012, 07:46:52 PM »
You cannot see the F marks, in my original picture, they are out of sight to the right.
I found a picture on t'internet (to save me going back out and trying to get all the marks in)
Just to clarify, are you saying that of these two "T" marks, the one I am lined to is NOT the one I need and the one (you can see in the picture just to the left) is the actual TDC mark ?
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