Nothing Works
CX500 & CX650 Turbo Forum
Nothing Works
Alex-NH
05-31-2008, 4:08 PM
Ok.. just to start off i've read many threads on this forum and thats why i'm asking here so thx to any answers for the future I've only started working on my dad's 78'
CX500 and i'm not very good at things so you might need to explain in detail but this is probably an easy problem to fix that i dont know about the bike has been sittin in
my garage for a couple years collecting dust and i'm thinking about riding it to school. My dad thought that the cylinders were out of sink or the cam tensioner chain?? i dont
know wat this is but i'm assuming this is the timing belt for the spark plugs? please correct me because i'm am only making educated guesses.So i dug into that problem and
matched the crankshaft TDC with the little mark and checked the valves on the left side and they were loose so i they were on the correct stroke.(i'm just doing what the
clymer manual said). so i fixed that, and tinightened it, put it all back. The next day (Today) i tried to jump start it, because my dad said push starting it probably wouldn't
work, and i knew the battery was completely drained because it had been sitting there for multiple years and i looked online to makesure i was starting it right but it did
absolutly nothing. no lights no neutral light nothing and the main fuse is fine so i pulled off the battery and put it on the charger about an hour ago. anything i should do
because i think the battery was just dead
Re: Nothing Works
Alex-NH
05-31-2008, 4:16 PM
ok my dad just poured some water into the battery because it was a solution and its carrying a 2v charge or around there but its on its charger.
i'll get back to you if it has any affect to the bike :)
Re: Nothing Works
George in Indiana
05-31-2008, 4:20 PM
Did you check the fuse link which should be somewhere near the battery? It's not the same as the glass fuses up on the handle bars. It's just a little metal link held in place by screws. If that's ok make sure your ground cable connections are clean and tight. Same for the red + battery cable.
If those are ok the next thing I would suspect is the ignition switch.
Also try to post your questions in the general CX or tech forums. You'll get more help there as this one is for the turbo models which is way different than a standard CX500.
CX500 TURBO
CX650 TURBO
'86 Honda Elite 150 Deluxe
'04 GSX1300R Hayabusa
Re: Nothing Works
Alex-NH
05-31-2008, 5:29 PM
yeah thats what i meant by saying i checked the main fuse by the battery
the battery hook ups are tidy and clean but since the bike has also been sitting for a while should i need to clean the carberators?
and also my dad said the starter was jingleing?? dont know what this means either.. i'm so bad at this rofl
but the battery is definatally done needs a new one
Re: Nothing Works
kingbobdole
06-01-2008, 12:08 AM
The carbs will need gone through.. I just bought one that had been sitting since '91. First thing's first though, get it to crank.
When I got mine going I took a day pulling the carbs off and going through them... just cleaned the snot out of the (literally) and threw them back on the bike without even getting gaskets or anything :P Been running great ever since.
To the task at hand: If you have a voltage gauge, connect a new or just a jumper battery to the terminals and check power on both sides of the main fuse by the battery. I had an issue recently where the fuse appeared good, but wasn't. Check power to the starter next and if you can get at it, check out power to the ignition. You might also switch over to ohms and check the fuses in the steering column, sometimes the glass fuses do the same thing.
The electrical system is very basic.. stick with it.
1979 Honda CX500
1982 Honda CX500 TTTTUUURRRBBBOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Re: Nothing Works
Alex-NH
06-02-2008, 3:24 PM
Ok. I the water in the old battery and some jumper cable got lights on and somthing to turn over, i dont know if it was the engine or the starter thingy though, i will know in about an hour or so.. i suspect the battery is horrible because no jumpers no charge.. i'm not sure if this will even let it run..
some added info i dunno if its helpfull but when i throttled it didn't make a difference on the turning sound
So.. anything i need to do is nice to know and i probably have to clean the carbs from what i hear on the forum but i'm on very low budget like 100$ unless i need parts i can get thoose but i dont think i have to
THANKS in advance for MORE help rofl
Re: Nothing Works
Alex-NH
06-02-2008, 4:32 PM
Ok well i'm here right now and the right cylinder is firing but not the left because the exaust pipe is hot on right side only...
but it is firing on the right side and almost sustaining itself i think if the left one went it would keep going..
my dad also said he cleaned the carbs 2 years ago
Re: Nothing Works
Alex-NH
06-02-2008, 5:42 PM
just tested the eltrical and its fine soi think its the left carb being dirty so i pulled both the carbs out to clean them tomorrow
Re: Nothing Works
kingbobdole
06-12-2008, 10:43 PM
didja pull the plugs? Maybe the one is fouled...
1979 Honda CX500
1982 Honda CX500 TTTTUUURRRBBBOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Re: Nothing Works
rodent
06-13-2008, 7:46 AM
Where abouts in New Hampshire are you? I'm in Derry and if you are somewhere local I may be able to help you out.
78 cx500 (rodent)(my twisted twin)
82 cx500c (parts)
86 cmx450 (wifey's)
and in the future who knows
http://s218.photobucket.com/albums/cc275/rodentcx/CX500/
Re: Nothing Works
RichNCT
06-13-2008, 9:52 AM
Carbs cleaned two years ago and left with gas in them will need to be cleaned out again. All the passages, not just the bowls. Get a new battery in it, all charged up. Troubleshooting can be very problematic without a good battery. You're going to need it anyway. jump it enough times and you make a mistake and fry something, further complicating the troubshooting. While you have the carbs off, pull the insulators (intake tracts to the heads) and check the o-ring seal there, if original they may well be dry and cracked.
Born to be relatively wild
Re: Nothing Works
Alex-NH
06-13-2008, 6:59 PM
both the spark plugs are working and the eletrical is fine now and i cleaned the right carb which was working and it had about a tablespoon of gas in the float bowl and thats it.. nothing else
haven't yet gotten around to the left one but i'm sure its entirely clogged up
Brookline NH
Re: Nothing Works
HomerRod
06-13-2008, 8:49 PM
We can get you all the help you need. This is a turbo bulletin board, but basic mechanics techniques apply here.
First and foremost, get a new battery (WalMart approx $30), make sure it's fully charged as the instructions state. Then, check all fuses. I would just changes them all (they are old and probably corroded). Check the fuse block,and clean with baking soda/water mix with a small brush. This will dissolve all greenish or otherwise ugly corrosion. Make sure the fusible link on the starter relay is intact. That is a big heavy connection (see the manual. If you need a picture, I can find one and post it). I agree with the other poster's here. The carbs most definitely need to be removed and cleaned. You can get carb rebuild kits from any number of online websites. Don't let this job worry you. Disassemble slowly and place the parts one at a time into a baby food jar or Ziploc bag. Hey, you can even take a picture with a digital camera, which may help during reassembly. Then use Berryman's Carb Cleaner. It's VERY strong and will blast through every orifice. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE my friend, wear safety goggles!! You don't want Berrymans in your eyes!! Spray through every jet hole, pilot air holes, etc until a steady stream flows from the hole into the carb throat, and then you know its clean and unobstructed. From your symptoms, it seems your main jet hole is clogged (probably from varnished/hardened gas). Make sure you use new bowl base gaskets, and NO SEALANT!!!! (never use liquid sealants like PermaTex on carb's). Assembly them dry. Set float height correctly. Make all of your basic adjustments. Do NOT overtorque any of the carb jets or screws. They are brass and/or aluminum and will strip easily. Use socket and combo wrench's when possible (avoid screwdrivers on jets, if possible). Let's start with this stuff first.
I think once you get the carbs cleaned and basically set, you can fine tune her, do a spark plug reading and get her running. Crawl before you walk. Once the bike is running and idle's steady, then you can do other maintenance. And remember: YOU CAN DO THIS.................. Post your results here, and let me know if you get stuck..................Rod M.
Re: Nothing Works
HomerRod
06-14-2008, 12:19 PM
Alex:
Here are a couple of good carb rebuild links. I have always had good experiences with Dennis Kirks online parts.
http://www.randakks.com/CX500%20and%20Variants%20Page.htm
http://www.denniskirk.com/jsp/tpl/cmn/prodlist.jsp;jsessionid=U4ZKXJ0XCKIY3LA0WTVSM4VMDK0NCIV0?store=Main&catId=413&leafCatId=41303&np=&mmyId=2713
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