Honda CX500 & GL500 Forum

Search Sort Posts:  Oldest to newest Newest to oldest

11-04-2007, 5:01 PM Anonymous cx500 Engine Problems First of all I would like to say hello to all, and thanks for the great information I have already found on this bike. Scenario: Just traded for the bike a week ago. Ran great, no problems, went for a 90 mile ride to/from work avgd. 50mpg. Today, I took it for a 10 mile ride out to a campground, gave the kids a ride around the park, drank a few bloody marys then off home I went. The way home bike ran great, got about half way home, bike started stuttering. I flipped petcock over to reserve, started running normal. I was behind a car and they slowed down to turn. I slowed down and started to accelerate again, and i realized i half about half the power as normal. Power loss bigtime. As i am riding i cant get it over 4500rpms and it wants to die at an idle. While riding i unplugged each plug wire too see if i WAS running on 1 cyl, nope not the case. Get about 3 more miles down the road, bike dies, starter won't crank engine just clicks and i cant get it to pushstart!!!! so after the dreaded 2 mile walk in the cold country, i get it home hook a battery charger to it and it cranked but kind of sounded weird. I guess i never heard it keep cranking becuase normally fires instantly. I got the bike to start wont rev pas 5k rpm now. idle=dead. Kind of bummed and not sure what the hell is going on beings just ran like a champ!! Sorry for this lengthy post but i am clueless and you guys seem to just about know it all!!! Any input is appreciated Thanks in advance, Pat

11-04-2007, 5:40 PM Harold Joined on 12-27-2006 Beside Washademoak Lake, N.B. Canada Posts 350 Re: cx500 Engine Problems What year is the bike? "People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than biker gangs." 1978 CX500 1980 CX500 Custom 1981 CX500 Custom 1982 GL500 Silverwing 1975 XL-100 http://www.myspace.com/downwiththebutterfly    Report

11-04-2007, 7:20 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Oh im sorry i must have forgot, it is a 1980 cx500 Custom

11-04-2007, 8:43 PM mcreviver Joined on 05-06-2007 Williamsport, PA Posts 585 Re: cx500 Engine Problems By your description I would first drain the carbs by opening up the screws that have the small hoses near them, catch what comes out so you can look at it, and try starting it again. Turning on the reserve lets any crud that is in the fuel tank get to the carbs. Check the petcock filter screen and bowl. Is there any rust visible inside the fuel tank? If you are lucky, it's just a contamination problem. If not, the next most likely scenario is the stator has died and your ignition system is cutting out at higher RPM. Ron in PA    Report

11-04-2007, 9:01 PM Harold Joined on 12-27-2006 Beside Washademoak Lake, N.B. Canada Posts 350 Re: cx500 Engine Problems Sounds like it may be a stator problem. This site (Rob's) has a section for testing the stator, look under the electrical drop down menu for the stator section,  you need a multimeter to do the test. Also read about the white wire fix. If you do not have a multimeter you could try unplugging the 3 yellow wire connector under the seat that comes from the alternator, from my experience and what I have read usually the bike will not run at all if the alternator windings are shorted to ground, but you can try that. On the 1982 CX500's you need a fully charged battery for the bike to run properly. 1981 and older CX's should run with a dead battery (and start with a push). Since your bike is a 1980, the dead battery is probably a symptom, not the cause. You said you switched over to reserve when this first happened,,were you low on fuel? Or do you think that was just a coincidence that the bike ran better for a bit after you switched it to reserve. If the battery were not dead,I would be tempted to believe it could be a fuel issue. There is also a trouble shooting section at Rob's website, you could try going through the steps listed there, it may be something simple, you never know. Let us know what you find out. "People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than biker gangs." 1978 CX500 1980 CX500 Custom 1981 CX500 Custom 1982 GL500 Silverwing 1975 XL-100 http://www.myspace.com/downwiththebutterfly    Report

11-04-2007, 11:57 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Due to the fact that you switched to res and it started runing that you have a fuel problem.  I have rebuilt a 86 vfr 2 82 cx500 turbos and a cr80 1986.  I would check fuel pressure first.                                                   billandkim@hotmail.com

11-05-2007, 12:16 PM Abes_CW Joined on 04-17-2007 saskatoon Posts 530 Re: cx500 Engine Problems Yes, but the bike died AND the battery was dead.  Mabye two problems, but in this case, there definitely is a charging problem.    Report

11-05-2007, 1:39 PM RichNCT Joined on 03-02-2006 Posts 2,262 Re: cx500 Engine Problems The bike is new to you, so little can be assumed.  Some riders NEVER use reserve, and consequently, any minor water/crud (heavier than gas) that accumulates in the lower regions of the tank never gets consumed.  Until now.  Also, except for SideCar Bob's batteries,  most last 3-4 yrs before starting to fail.  If these are the only two problems you bought on a 27 yr old bike, you are ahead of the game!   Advice for anyone, especially if you typically don't run into reserve, use it once in awhile so when you get 300 (or 3000, Dave/Atlanta ) miles from home and make that first switch to reserve, there is no drama! Born to be relatively wild    Report

11-05-2007, 4:53 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Hey guys, Thank you soo much for all the responces. I haven't been able to check anything on the bike as I got stuck working 12 hour shift today. The previous owner did mention he used reserve often. This was his only transportation and he rode 20,000 miles in 3 years. The bike has around 45000 miles on it. (speedo doesn't work.... yet) When I took my bike for a walk.... lol.. the battery had juice when i was stranded, the starter just clicked. Engine felt quite hot but then again, im not very familiar with the bike yet and am used to air cooled :) Temperature gauge does not work. I was reading also about the cam chain. I looked on the lower left crankcase and there is no punched holes anywhere. Kind of sounds like the chain may be loose. Then again, I am not familiar with the bike..... So the plan is tomarrow hopefully get off work at a decent time and ill try everything you guys had mentioned. The fuel tank is pretty low and i haven't had a chance to get more gas in it but if this is all because of a low fuel i learned me a hard lesson :) I will keep you guys updated a.s.a.p. Thanks again, Pat

11-05-2007, 4:56 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Sorry about being "anonymous" I tried to register and the browser kept hanging up, wouldnt do anything and I got tired of typing everything in after about the 5th time :) Not sure if this will help but this bike is in the U.S. -Pat

11-05-2007, 5:21 PM peterL Joined on 07-14-2007 Posts 44 Re: cx500 Engine Problems Hey The three-hole punch was Honda Dealership way of saying that a 78 cx500, with a recall, had been upgraded to a cam chain that wasn't immediately defective. There was no recall on 80 cx500s, and so, no three-dots. Loose cam chains can be awful, you're smart to want to do the adjustment, and can cause slapping noise at the least; however, can't cause your symptoms. We're curious how old your battery is, and everyone should learn to do the stator/charging tests ... peter in virginia -    Report

11-05-2007, 7:47 PM Harold Joined on 12-27-2006 Beside Washademoak Lake, N.B. Canada Posts 350 Re: cx500 Engine Problems You said you rode the bike 90 miles to work and back, and averaged 50mpg. I assumed ( | ) you filled up after riding to work ,and that would be how you knew you avg. 50 mpg. You said you rode 10 miles more plus rides around the park and 5 more when you had the problem. So when the bike first stuttered it would have been almost full,,,,, but that was all based on my first assumption. If you really were running out of fuel and had to switch to reserve and then the problem showed up, it may well be contaminated fuel, especially if the battery wasn't  dead. That brings up another question,why didn't the starter roll over? H. p.s. not good to pull the plug wires off when the bike is running, it could harm the C.D.I. unit. p.s.s. If you don't have a heat gauge,,make sure the rad is full. "People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than biker gangs." 1978 CX500 1980 CX500 Custom 1981 CX500 Custom 1982 GL500 Silverwing 1975 XL-100 http://www.myspace.com/downwiththebutterfly    Report

11-06-2007, 2:32 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Yes sorry I keep forgetting to tell you guys, the battery holds a charge and is in good shape. P.O. said it was 6 months old... I also put another gallon in it before i took the 20 mile round trip. I'm gonna wait a few minutes, get my beer cold and go outside and be cold with it. I will let you guys know whats up.

11-06-2007, 4:12 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Just saw your Avatar Harold. Dulce Et Decorum Est. Lest we forget.

11-07-2007, 6:47 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Update: I didn't get very much done on the bike for sure, but I can't get her fired up at all now. The bike really doesn't want to turn over. The starter solenoid that is by the inline fuse by the battery clicks alot, especially when the starter doesn't turn over. So I think that may be an issue by why never before. Also, I took out the plugs and fired her over thinking maybe too much compression or whatever, same instance. When the bike did turn over a revolution or 2 I had spark, so I know atleast so far thats ok. I added fuel, plugs were a little wet, so I have fuel and spark. My starter has always turned over very quick. I even tried all this with a fully charged battery and the charger on it just incase the battery wouldnt accept the load. Almost sounds to me like my engine is shot, or my main bearing is seized, or my cam chain broke and valves are stuck closed. I don't know but kind of dissapointed :( Hopefully I will get more time to figure this all out, I guess I have all winter....... Thanks again guys -Pat

11-07-2007, 7:48 PM DAVID Joined on 05-16-2007 FORNEY TX Posts 646 Re: cx500 Engine Problems A quick chatter of the starter solenoid indicates a bad connection or a weak battery. Below the radiator is a chrome plug with a 17mm hex. Unscrew the plug and use the crank bolt to turn the motor over to see if it is siezed (take the plugs out first). You may need to remove the battery cables and clean the connections. You should also put a voltmeter on the battery while trying to crank it so you can see what the battery is doing. If it stays above 12v, you have a bad connection, if it drops below 9v, you have a bad battery. 82 GL500 81 KDX175 If all else fails, read the instructions    Report

11-08-2007, 8:25 AM Abes_CW Joined on 04-17-2007 saskatoon Posts 530 Re: cx500 Engine Problems Or put the bike on the centre stand, put the trans in 5th, and spin the back tire.  Of course if the engine is siezed, it won't turn. No tools required!        Report

11-09-2007, 1:16 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Well if puttin the bike on the stand and in 5th gear and the wheel won't move then the engine is seized..... Then my engine is seized, I cant get the wheel to budge.... Now im pissed.. -Pat

11-09-2007, 2:00 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems Anything else I can try? If this engine really is seized I dont know what the hell im going to do. I need some input guys!!! I don't see how 1 day runs fine, then runs like shit to all of a sudden being seized.... It all just doesn't add up. I tried using the screwdriver trick on the solenoid, better luck using the button. Oil the cylinders? Pull the heads to have a better look? I have never had an engine seize on me, this just doesn't make sence. Yes the bike has oil. Thanks guys, Pat

11-09-2007, 2:15 PM RichNCT Joined on 03-02-2006 Posts 2,262 Re: cx500 Engine Problems Even in 5th, the engine will not turn over easily, did you apply some strength to it?  Check the spark plugs, look for any missing parts of the plugs that might have broken off and jammed the piston.  Try jumping with a good car battery, probably best if the car is not running.  Get the polarity right the first time.  Is the coolant level okay?  (If not, it might be in the crankcase).  Also, drain the oil and get a good look at it for water (sinks to bottom), whitish emulsion (coolant/water mixed with oil), metal (again will be on the bottom of the pan).  Have you tried to turn the engine over with the front engine crankshaft "bolt head"?  Pull the dome covers and look for any damage to the lifters/valves.  Any engine can seize, but these usually don't.  Don't burn it yet. Born to be relatively wild    Report

11-09-2007, 2:15 PM Harold Joined on 12-27-2006 Beside Washademoak Lake, N.B. Canada Posts 350 Re: cx500 Engine Problems Doesn't sound good,,did you try turning the bolt on the front of the crank as a previous post describes? You did say the heat gauge did not work. Is there water in the rad?? "People are more violently opposed to fur than leather because it's safer to harass rich women than biker gangs." 1978 CX500 1980 CX500 Custom 1981 CX500 Custom 1982 GL500 Silverwing 1975 XL-100 http://www.myspace.com/downwiththebutterfly    Report

11-09-2007, 2:18 PM RichNCT Joined on 03-02-2006 Posts 2,262 Re: cx500 Engine Problems It's possible it's stuck in a gear, or the tranny is jammed due to a bent shifter fork.  I know it's hard to shift when the engine won't turn over, but try.  Will it turn over with the clutch pulled in? Born to be relatively wild    Report

11-09-2007, 2:21 PM Anonymous Re: cx500 Engine Problems