Honda CB450 K3 Refurb!

Sonreir

Oregon
DTT SUPPORTER
So we picked up this CB450 over the weekend. The plan is to refurbish the electrics and get her running properly. The previous owned complained about a possible fueling issue, so we'll take a look at that, too.

First step is to strip the old electrics and replace them all with new parts.

The old separate rectifier and regulator have been replaced with a Sparck Moto unit.

We're also in the process of working on Honda 450 harness recreations, so a sample harness is replacing the old crusty one. Unfortunately, our manufacturer didn't have all of the OEM colors available (yet) and so they substituted white for almost everything! Good thing we know our way around a multimeter.

Finally, the old coils looked like they were approaching the end of their natural lifespan and so a new set of specially made 4.0Ω coils are going on in place. We're expecting to have these ready for sale late in the summer (or maybe mid-autumn) if they perform well.
 

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Installed the prototype of our E-Sparck electronic ignition. We're planning to release these for the 350, 360, and 450/500 to start. Hopefully I can get things buttoned up and running so I can put some miles on and verify that all is good.
 

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What exactly are the black things? Relay/Tiny electromagnets? If you need a test mule 360, I volunteer for tribute.
 
cb360j said:
What exactly are the black things? Relay/Tiny electromagnets? If you need a test mule 360, I volunteer for tribute.

They're just the plastic casings that hold the electronics. Our design is based on a Hall Effect sensor and it goes into the plastic casing before being potted in epoxy.

If your 360 is up and running, please PM me.
 
Sonreir said:
They're just the plastic casings that hold the electronics. Our design is based on a Hall Effect sensor and it goes into the plastic casing before being potted in epoxy.

If your 360 is up and running, please PM me.

Once the parts from the machine shop get back, and i throw it all together I'll shoot a message your way. Should be about a week
 
Awesome! I'm on board.

Having run points, a PAMCO and Charlie's Place ignition on my 450 I have a couple of design recommendations.

Make sure at least one of the pickups is slightly adjustable relative to the other one so you can dial in the timing. It looks like your pickups have slots for that reason.

Be careful selecting the rotor material if you are going to run a mechanical advance. I have found that the steel arms of the advance mechanism will wear on the aluminum rotors.

Worn PAMCO rotor:
GJftgu-D5zNwk8tDp0Ysqp_S8ztFVVP1x43zCle3jBXV_WH1UiiCYaiUEQj-DmLI09No0EiIcSOmB1iWi2A1UleG5QtlQ6gy3QMG9GQHagWOED2HhXKLdLB2YzqvCMjC7EHy6pX4Fn5gKVXDVIDITNMJyxyPIluy9djl5PF1fg4W1jy8372cH4gc80Pk61OhaiGhWuPlsRH69yjHalEBZv9q9atDBUodZGGvdRa-vMS92GdhqKm3OTm42mkqvvkrFAqfwgSBoG17wqgXsyneKeIRiycIFE9LF4PY-2lMlpPvalHvhX416OlQUrpDqqs37mtItJbD0OsuOKUTCo9L0nLG564VivneOBeaGS_NLWyVvMQzEHHL2cSsHkIM7-L-TtEIhDt4Brsl6E7nu2v9WGY_TXFWqu_HqQVF09x1FscD7CjLyVjrhrMQJzvhwFDT5Fk-vMKBlg1AOKST936V4ANJdIW5Boa0mXy4t-CXMYSjNrD5FU9mi3W61Vf59GvdEUUM-KGl3ItYjRcO4lM896sZOC24y_N5fboAjh0d9msZ6LftD4yUwshPgzQGDyjlk0ggh_Cq5d9m9pdHlwgeJ5DqqBYI1u0=w2700-h2025-no



I'm currently running the CP ignition and it doesn't seem to be wearing as quickly, probably due to the smaller rotor mass of the design.
 
Thanks, Mike. Ours is adjustable, but I'll definitely have to take material design into consideration. We're just using cast aluminum for now.
 
Got the harness installed, along with new gauge bulbs (we will be stocking these soon!) and a new LI-ION battery.
 

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Both. They're new bulb holders and you can use LED or incandescent. Due to a language barrier issue, this set is using T10 sockets, but I have some BA9s on the way.
 
Did you select a color (degrees K) for the bulbs? It's funny that many BA9s are much less bright than others. I love red/orange gauges and have yet to find bright enough LED's to create that effect inside a gauge. On the Dunstall I fitted "bright white", "high output" LEDs in the gauges and it's just right now after some trial and error.

And you offer a Diode kit for people with single idiot light and LED turn signals IIRC, which is cheaper and neater than my DIY set up.
 
The bulbs I keep in stock are 6000K: http://www.sparckmoto.com/Products/Detail/72

For the diode kit, we also have an offering on those: http://www.sparckmoto.com/Products/Detail/77
 
Are there any advantages to using the LiFePo battery besides weight? Also, since they need to modern regulator, is there any way to check to make sure the charging system on your bike is compatible with this kind of battery?
 
Flugtechnik said:
Are there any advantages to using the LiFePo battery besides weight? Also, since they need to modern regulator, is there any way to check to make sure the charging system on your bike is compatible with this kind of battery?

They also have a very low self-discharge rate (about 1% per month) so none of my bikes sit on a battery tender anymore. I put them away in October and take them out again in April and they start right up. Additionally, LiFePO4 also has an extremely high cranking amp rating for their relative size, so you can use a small battery (capacity wise) to crank a larger motor. I have one in my car (it's about 1/4 of the size of the lead acid and a fraction of the weight) and it does just fine. Finally, LI-ION has a much longer lifespan than lead acid. They will often last three or four times as long. So while they are more expensive, they end up being about the same cost over time.

For testing, the primary concern is the system voltage maximum. Test the voltage across the battery terminals when your bike is about 4,000 RPM. If you're 14.5V or under, you're OK to use LI-ION. The next test is to see where the system voltage is at idle. You're hoping for 13.0V or better, but if you're not, that's OK. You just need to adjust your habits. Avoid idling for too long and keep your revs up and you'll be OK.
 
She's alive!

I've got an occasional miss on the left side at idle. Carbs?

https://youtu.be/LR8KpMVbNh0
 
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