1973 Honda CL350 K5 Project

[Weldangrind]

I like the idea of connecting the white and yellow wires together, to give full charging all the time. That makes sense, and we should have our headlights on anyway.

When you get your bike back, you could check the impedance of the three stator wires, per the instructions. That's an excellent starting point.

[Jim]

I did check the stator in the past.

I emailed a guy from oregonmotorcycleparts.com as he sells electrical components and knows quite a bit about these. He sent me a helpful response.

A bad battery can cause voltage spikes like you're experiencing but I doubt there is a mechanic at any Honda shop that has any experience with this bike.

The original regulator does little to nothing and is not likely to be the problem. I'm more concerned that the wring inside the headlight shell is plugged in wrong. There's a yellow and a white wire from the stator that connect in the headlight switch to boost charging when the lights are on. The problem is that there are other white and yellow wires to the headlight that are not the same circuit.

When these wires are mixed up, the lights are dependent on RPM. They flicker at low RPM and blow at high RPM...

I think article #4 on my FAQ page would also be helpful to you...
http://www.OregonMotorcycleParts.com/FAQ.html

Tony


I think the brown wire is to the tail light and on some of the non-US models they had a low powered parking light that used that wire. I think it's a left over from that and not used...

Tony

When I get it back I'm going to take the headlight off and check all the wires.

[Weldangrind]

Hmmm...

Maybe that's the ticket. If so, you should get steady voltage at the headlight connectors, vs. rpm-dependent voltage. You could remove the tail light bulb for such tests, so that it doesn't blow.

[Jim]

That's a good idea. There's so many wires in there. When I did it I just connected matching colors, so it sounds very feasible that is the issue.

[Jim]

So my dad picked it up the other day.

They had it for 2 weeks and managed to change the battery, and take the headlight, seat, side covers, and air cleaners off.

The battery that was in it was new, so I don't really think it needed one, especially at over $100... My dad insists he just wants them to get it working good for me, which is very nice, but I don't want him wasting his money on it. Between the battery, and labor they charged, combined with when he took it in at Christimas he's spent more money on it than I have (including my tires).

I wanted it to be a cheap bike... :S

If I hadn't convinced him to bring it back I wonder how long they would have kept it and how much more they would have charged him?

I went out to try and put it back together (they didn't, but I guess coming and taking it home before they finish can lead to that). I didn't get very far. I got the tank back on correctly, and was going to put the seat back, but the pins are missing. So I was going to put the air cleaners and side covers back on (exhaust has to be removed first). Noticed missing bolts on the exhaust. Also I am missing one of the chrome screws for the exhaust shield. And I am missing the clamp for where the air cleaner connects to carb.

Great.

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by Jim

...I got the tank back on correctly, and was going to put the seat back, but the pins are missing. So I was going to put the air cleaners and side covers back on (exhaust has to be removed first). Noticed missing bolts on the exhaust. Also I am missing one of the chrome screws for the exhaust shield. And I am missing the clamp for where the air cleaner connects to carb.

Great.

:roll:

I hope you get all your missing parts back, Jim. I knew there was a good reason I don't want motorcycle shops working on my bikes. :roll:

Spud

[Weldangrind]

Bummer about the missing parts. I hope they return them to you.

Your Dad has a heart of gold.

[FastDoc]

[i] I knew there was a good reason I don't want motorcycle shops working on my bikes[/

Copy that Spud.

Sorry to hear about the sloppy workmanship Jim. I hope the shop finds the parts for you. I don't like going to the shop. I'm blessed one of my best friends owns a shop but even he takes forever and has been know to forget important stuff. I use Andy mostly for tire changes on the Gold Wing and things like fork seals and valve adjustments on the YZ.

You dad really means well but with antique bikes the dealer is not usually able to do a good job. A better bet is a generic mom and pop shop with a wise old crusty mechanic.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

A better bet is a generic mom and pop shop with a wise old crusty mechanic.

A definite rarity around here. Even small engine shops for mowers, etc are rare.

[Jim]

I like doing my own stuff on the bike, that way I can learn. It's easier to work on than a car or truck

So on Sat I phoned the shop while I was at work, at 9ish, and said hey my dad had my bike in and I'm missing some pieces, a few screws, nuts and bolts, the seat pin, and the clamp for the carb.

He said on the phone everything was with it when it left. We didn't lose anything. There was one pin in the seat when it picked up. (I didn't mention I was missing just one pin specifically).

I mentioned that there was two pins in the seat when it arrived at the shop...

He said sorry everything was there when it left but I'll have a look around and call you back.

They phoned back about 3 hours later, and he had managed to find the clamp (which somehow magically transported itself back to the shop, since it was with the bike when it left, right?), but they didn't have anything else, everything else was with it when it left.

I can replace the other things easier, I mainly wanted this clamp. So I went to pick it up, quite a way out of my way...

Waited patiently, then told the guy I was looking for my clamp. He gave it to me and said yeah sorry everything else was with the bike when it left. It must have been lost in transport (blaming my dad/us).

Really couldn't he just say, I'm sorry, we weren't expecting it to leave, we may have missed a few nuts and bolts, I'm sorry. That would have been fine, they weren't worth anything, but he sticks with his line everything was there, had he not found the clamp, we would have lost that too I'm sure. He told me now that there was 2 pins in the seat when it left.

I bought some new pins / screws, and what not on the way home, but I don't really like their attitude and don't plan on going back to that dealer.

[SpudRider]

It's very disappointing when people lie to you. :( I'm glad you got your bike back, even if it wasn't in one piece, Jim.

Spud

[Jim]

It's ok, I just won't be doing business there

I found out the grometish thing for between the two air cleaners was missing too, luckily I had one on my parts bike.

Today was a good day, I went and found a cherry tree and a small sun flower for my mom for mothers day. Then I went and cleaned up the rest of the mess from the tent trailer tear down. We took it apart on the gravel driveway, so there was pieces of foam insulation and wood paneling which were hard to pick out, so I decided to use a bucket of water, since the garbage floats, and just rake the mess into piles and put them through the water. Worked great, the mess is all cleaned up. Then I planted the cherry tree for my mom. After dinner I went out to work on the bike. Oh and it was a very nice hot sunny day too

I quickly looked at the wiring diagram, and headed out. Turns out the white wire was the problem. On the bike side of the harness there is 2 white wires (1m, 1f), and a white / yellow wire (comes from the headlight switch). The headlight had a white wire. I had connected two of them wrong. Switched them, and the bike now charges Spent another 10 minutes or so and got the rest of the bike back together then took it for a test ride. Everything seems good.

Few minor things to do still, the chain needs adjusting (it is very loose), the two guage lights are burnt out, I need to change the oil, and adjust the headlight.

I really don't think it needed a battery. I wonder if it would be worthwhile testing the old one, and then going back and saying, it is fine, I want my money back for the battery replacement? I don't know how to test the cells of a battery though.

PS. I really need to send a thank you to Oregon Motorcycle Parts for his tip! (will do asap).

[Weldangrind]

I have a battery load tester that you're welcome to borrow.

SMI industrial electronics has LED bulbs (in 6 and 12 volt) that would likely work in the gauge sockets. Every little bit helps in charging the battery.

Got a pic of the cherry tree?

[Jim]

I'm not sure how that works? I think the gauge bulbs probably burned out when the taillight did, from my incorrect wiring. Sorry no pic of the cherry tree.

[Weldangrind]

Not sure how the load tester works? It applies a load to the battery in the form of a heating element, and there is a guage that tells you the current being pulled, the resting voltage and the battery condition. It's primitive, but it gives you a good idea.