Not bad for an afternoon's work + pics

[Mike_H]

Stupid Old motorcycles!!!!! Stupid Previous Owner!!! So, I gave up trying to find the other filter I have laying around, and went and bought a new one, along with some new plugs. Got her all filled with brand new oil, and want to try and spin her over. Turn the key on, flip the switch, pull the clutch...Wait a second...This clutch lever won't move. grrr. Well, thats ok. I know how to defeat that particular safety switch. Make sure bike is in Neutral. Double check to be sure bike is in neutral. Push Starter button...Nothing. Not a click, whir, buzz or pop. Well, I guess I'm glad it didn't pop, or let any magic smoke out. Now what I think to myself.

Out comes the meter and wire diagram. I start chasing wires back, starting with the right side handle. Lets look at the connector. Oh, this is the one the P.O. melted, that I should replace. Lets take that out. ZAP! Did I mention that I had not turned the key off? Hmmm....

After closer examination, one of the pins had released from the connector block, and will not stay put, due to the melting of the circuit. Well, while moving it around, I grounded it to the frame. So, It looks like I did not have contact on that pin, which was causing the original problem. Now I have to find a new connector. Anyone have a spare harness laying around that can spare the right side controls connector? I need the white 9-pin one (at least it white with 9 pins on my Bike).

[beergood]

Bummer dude, I know how much it sucks chasing down electrical issues, that's why I rebuilt my harness (which created about as many problems as it solved).

Last night I decided to get my 500 running, and spent about 2 hours looking for a bad ground.

I think most autoparts stores should carry some generic connectors. You might be able to cut out the faulty one and replace it.

[Mike_H]

I'm gonna end up using two 4 pin connectors. I have them laying around, and looking at the connector on the bike, there is only 8 pins being used currently. Should work out just fine.

[Mike_H]

Got the new connectors in, still no contact to the starter. I didn't spend a whole lot of time dinking around after installing the connectors though. Its F-in HUMID here today. I think my contacts fogged up when I went from my air conditioned house to the garage. As an added bonus, I got my new shocks today. Found a set on Flea-bay from an 83 650E. They are in Very good shape (still have the original Showa stickers on them), so I just gotta compress the spring, pull them apart, and repaint. Thinking about beadblasting the springs, and repainting them silver (currently they are black). The shock bodies are going to stay black. All for the low price of 45 bucks, shipped.

[Mike_H]

So I got my garage cleaned up for the wife sale this weekend, and finally had some time to start chasing electrical gremlins. I found a couple grounds that were not hooked up properly, so I'm hoping that is the problem with the starter. It makes sense, cuz one of the grounds was to the solenoid...

Anyway, I was putting the battery in, and struggling with the main ground wire that runs to the engine. I noticed that I had not routed it under the upper mount of the battery box properly, so instead of taking the whole box out (the "right" way) I tried to bend the negative terminal tab and just pass the wire through where its supposed to be. Well, the terminal broke. Now I gotta wait till after work tomorrow (and hopefully snag some 8 ga scrap wire ) and then drive to the 'shack for some ring terminals (or maybe the big box) make a new ground wire, then try it out. Its just like my sig says. "Never time to do it right, always time to do it twice" Old bikes are so much fun!

[beergood]

I broke my ground wire earlier this year, and bought a replacement at Murrays for about 6 or 7 bucks. It was a little longer than stock (which wasn't a terrible thing). It was an off the shelf part, used for riding lawn mowers and such.

Might save you some trouble.

[byrdman76]

The seat and tail look sweet man!

Looks great man. I know your chompin' at the bit to ride that thing!

Byrd

[Mike_H]

Waaahhooooo!!

Electrical Gremlins have been sorted out! She turned over, all by herself today. All I did was push the start button. I did have to short out the clutch switch. The end all, be all problem here was the start button itself. When I took the switch apart to clean and paint the housing, I saw the reason I had a melted connector. The metal contact had a hole burned in it. So I filled that back in with solder. Well, A glob of solder was holding the spring up, and preventing the contact from making...contact...with the rest of the circuit. I fixed that, and viola! Starter turns, engine turns, wheel turns. Not too much left until I'm ready to try to start it for real. I have a countdown now. Third week of September, wife and I are going to visit my in-laws. I'm going to bring the bike with me. Wish me luck!

[HammerHead]

Electrical Gremlins have been sorted out! She turned over, all by herself today. All I did was push the start button. I did have to short out the clutch switch. The end all, be all problem here was the start button itself. When I took the switch apart to clean and paint the housing, I saw the reason I had a melted connector. The metal contact had a hole burned in it. So I filled that back in with solder. Well, A glob of solder was holding the spring up, and preventing the contact from making...contact...with the rest of the circuit. I fixed that, and viola! Starter turns, engine turns, wheel turns. Not too much left until I'm ready to try to start it for real. I have a countdown now. Third week of September, wife and I are going to visit my in-laws. I'm going to bring the bike with me. Wish me luck!

Another success story. Way-ta-go Mike...................

[Mike_H]

Not Dead, Just busy

So, Its been a COLD ass winter in MI this year, so I've been staying out of the garage. My Job has actually Exploded this winter as well, Crazy Busy. Last week, I put in 83 hours from Friday to tuesday (yes, that Saturday and Sunday). Anyway, none of that is an excuse. I have primed my tank and fender for the first shot at final sanding. No pictures, and its finally starting to warm up. I'll try to find some time to actually update this thread with real info, soon...

[beergood]

I feel you, this winter has been incredibly hostile. My bike stares at me as I walk by every day, unable to do anything about it.

However, me and the girl are in the process of purchasing a house, and with it comes new garage/shop space to work, and as it starts to thaw I am getting pretty antsy.

[Mike_H]

Well, At least this thread hasn't been deleted, though progress on the bike is still stalled. I have the body almost done, and I think I've decided to never do it again...at least on rusty, dented sheetmetal.

I had a dent in the tank that was a PITA. I made a fiberglass mold of the opposite side of the tank, and used it to hold self-adhesive sandpaper. Now the dent is gone, and there is no more flat spot. Thankfully, with the help of members here, I learned how to lay up fiberglass. The rest of the body work is just sanding, filling, spraying guide coats, and sanding some more. Its coming, but slowly.

The rest of the bike is more or less finished. All the electrical gremlins are sorted out, and all wires have been routed. I do need to install the throttle/choke cables and the headlight bezel, but thats pretty minor.

I just realized that this project is almost two years old! WOW. Thankfully, I will have my new project launched pretty soon at work, and I should be able to get it cleaned up and rideable.

[Mike_H]

Update!

So, After 2 years (This week!) I finally have some paint on the tins, and I'm one good weekend away from DONE! This is a teaser, as I hope to finish my stripes and Clearcoat this weekend (Labor Day). I will post pics as soon as I can, as its the first paint job I've done that I will be proud of. Bear with me, its getting close...Here is a reminder pic...

[Mike_H]

Finally paint!

Ok, Pictures as promised, sorry about the lighting. It's not even 11:00 in the morning here yet and the sun it still too low for good pictures.







This is Pre-buff. The paint is not perfect, but good enough. I sprayed it outside, and rolled the tins inside to flash. The dang gnats were out, and a couple of them met an untimely demise in my clearcoat The bike is also FILTHY (2 years of dust and grime from my garage) so you'll have to forgive me that.

[TWorx81]

Ok, Pictures as promised, sorry about the lighting. It's not even 11:00 in the morning here yet and the sun it still too low for good pictures.







This is Pre-buff. The paint is not perfect, but good enough. I sprayed it outside, and rolled the tins inside to flash. The dang gnats were out, and a couple of them met an untimely demise in my clearcoat The bike is also FILTHY (2 years of dust and grime from my garage) so you'll have to forgive me that.

Are those braided brake lines? Any good places to source those? I am def thinking about replacing the stock lines on mine.

Like the bike turned out really well. I can't wait till I get mine back running. I'm at the point with the engine off the frame, and getting ready to clean the frame and swing arm up and spray those. I love your carbs by the way, the black looks great, I might go a different color with mine, not sure, but it looks sweet!!