1975 Cl360 Problems

I

ICDunlap

New Member
Just bought a 75 cl360 a few weeks back and have ran into a few problems. I have had a few battery problems (it dying on me) but i think i have that under control. The bike runs rich (there is black residue around pipes, it seems like it runs rougher the longer you ride it, sometimes there is a dark unburnt gas smelling exaust, bad fuel economy, and even after a short ride around the block the plugs begin to turn black but not wet). Up untill now i have been riding the bike untill it dies (usually after a day or two of riding) then take the battery out of the bike, put it on my tender and pull the plugs letting the cylinders air out while i spray the plugs (which still spark fine) down with brake part cleaner and clean them with steel wool. After that i can usually get it back up and running with out much trouble. The bike idles fine after treatment but then eventually goes back down hill untill it dies on me and i have to do it all again.


My question is how should i go about making my bike run less rich. I am very new to motorcycles and really want to get this bike running relyably before the season is over so i can start modding it this winter. The bike is 100% stock and when i bought it it came with a complete parts bike and 3 extra carberaters ( i dont know if they work but will deffinatly have many useful parts). If someone out there could please give me some detailed instructions on what you think i should do to get my bike to run less rich or what ever i need to do please respond. The more detailed the posts the better, especially if i need to break into the carbs because i have absolutly no expierence with them. Thanks
 
Seems to me by what you described that your running rich because of lack of spark, same with fuel economy, and all the symptoms you've described can be caused by poor spark. Figure out why it's not charging, maybe do the radio shack solid state rectifier conversion?
 
Have you set your valves too? If they are tight you will run ok until it gets warm then the valves wont seat. When your valves dont seat compression goes down and will run poorly.
Just a suggestion. It has happend to me.
 
alright so i pulled the pipes off, which were super black and sutty, and realized that there were no exaust pipe gaskets to be found and that the inside of my motor looks even blacker than the pipes. what should i do and how do i get it to run less rich.
 
^ you my friend are giving poor advice. He's already stated that he has an ignition problem, if there is a known problem you fix that problem before chasin others.
 
I would follow crazyPJ's advice: pull the filters and see if you're still running rich. That's the easiest.

Then, the others are right: you have a charging issue, possibly caused by the rectifier. I too would just switch to a solid state rectifier. For S&Gs, make sure the white wire from the stator is connected. Are you running with the headlight on? Make sure you are. But even so, it sounds like your rectifier is shot.

With a fresh battery and NEW plugs, do a few full throttle basts and immediately read the plugs.

--Chris
 
We're all entitled to our opinions but I'm telling you it's not the correct way of going about this. Fix your charging issue before you do anything else, convert to a solid state, put NEW plugs in it (not cleaned ones), maybe clean your pipes out if you can and filters and then try it.
 
Yeah, I agree. But why not have a go at the easiest and see where he stands? It's what, 30 min worth of work?

But yeah, he's right: change your rectifier out. I think I went through some guy in Oregon for mine.

--Chris
 
chrisf said:
Yeah, I agree. But why not have a go at the easiest and see where he stands? It's what, 30 min worth of work?

But yeah, he's right: change your rectifier out. I think I went through some guy in Oregon for mine.

--Chris
Click to expand...

you don't have a go at it cuz he's probably chasing a problem that doesn't exist, and I would do the solid state rectifier from radio shack, check the $50 mod thread.
 
The first thing I did after buying the bike was I went to the Honda shop and bought a new battery. Kinda a noob question but What exactly does this rectifier do and how is it going to help solve my problems.

Along with finding a rectifier I will be buying new plugs and exaust gaskets because there arnt any on the bike, could this be making my problem worse

I'm gonna try to pop the filters off and see how they look and how it runs with them off. When I do this do I need to mess with the carb or do the stock filter box assymblys just bolt off the frame

Also how should I clean the inside of the motor or is that not needed. I pulled the pipes off today and had a look in the motor where the pipes attach and it looked suuuuper sooty. I didn't try to clean it out because I didn't know if it was nessicary but since I'll be putting new exaust gaskets on soon I was wondering how you guys think I should go about cleaning her up
 
Hopefully I'll be posting a bunch of pics of the bike and some of it's problems. I'll either put them in here or I'll put a link to them in here

Thank you all for your help
 
Like I said, don't mess with the filters or carbs (unless the carbs are dirty, but it sounds like they are working fine). Put exhaust gaskets in it, new plugs, an rectifier. The rectifier controls how much juice your stator puts out. Do the radio shack solid state conversion, it's cheaper, easier to come by when you need one, and makes your stator put out more juice at idle so your accessories work better. As far as cleaning the engine you could do sea foam or GM top engine clean. You may think I'm coming off as a prick but I've been a mechanic for over 10 years and I went to school fornit, I just don't wanna see you go and mess with the carbs to take care of you "problem" when a problem doesn't exist with your fuel and it's just a poor spark causing everything. Good luck.
 
UTI....fact of the matter is that there is a problem with the charging system, i may not be as good with bikes as i am with cars but the fact that there is a problem with the charging system means that there isnt enough power to get an efficient spark. hell my battery wont even turn my bike over if its less than 12.49v and will not kick start if its less than 12.69v. the solid state rectifier you can get from your local radio shack and its a lot easier for him to do that than to go messing with his carbs if he doesnt know what hes doing with them.
 
crazypj said:
Nope, he said battery is going dead and its running rich.
It will only run for about 2 hrs if battery isn't charging, (less with lights on), not 2 days, and, it will missfire real bad then cut out before fouling plugs
Its highly unlikely that battery will recover enough overnight to continue riding.
Its more likely third phase isnt in circuit and it only running on two alternator outputs instead of all three (one is wired through light switch, they went bad even when new)
To lean it up, remove air filters, its easy test.
The possible/probable rectifier problem can be fixed later (as its going to take few days/week to get parts)
If your going to ride an old bike, it would really be a smart idea to get a multi meter and learn how to use it, you need to check charging system before you star throwing money at it.

forcefanajd, did you go to MMI or AMI (now Wyotech) or somewhere else?
I've been paid to do this sort of stuff since 1978 but I've worked on bikes since 1968

PJ
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I like that attitude!

I too suggested he make sure the white wire coming off the stator was functioning and he was riding with the lights on. If the two yellow wires on the stator are working and the white wire isn't, the bike will die a slow death, which might be what you're experiencing.

But why not try pulling the filters and see if you lean out a bit. Easy test. It sounds to me like it could be one (if not all) of the following:

1.) bad rectifier
2.) incomplete charging system
3.) float levels way off
4.) PO jetted it really rich
5.) bad coils

Personally--and I'm not professionally trained :) --I'd pull the filters and test. Then check to make sure the charging system is functioning properly, then start checking the carbs.

--Chris
 
the reason im gonna stand by leaving the filters and exhaust in place is because "theoretically" the jets shouldve never been touched in the bikes life becuase it has stock filters and exhaust. poor spark will cause a rich condition and he said if he puts the battery on the charger and cleans the plugs the bike starts with little to no trouble, the little trouble he does have starting it could be minor adjustments on the carbs. but hey if you wanna go and pull the filters off thats fine just dont touch the adjustment screws yet cuz it may be fine after you fix your charging issues.
 
Sorry guys, Before i said i was running stock pipes; i lied. There are aftermarket bolt on mufflers that attach to the end of the headers replacing the oddly shaped ones that came stock on the bike.

Ill post pictures as soon as i get home from school. Doesnt running the headlights run the battery down faster? As far as cleaning the engine out do i just spray stuff in the holes where the pipes connect and go at it with an old tooth brush or what?

Im looking into buying a rectifier, could anyone post a specific link of what exactly i should buy? Also im gonna get a hold of one of those meters to check the wiring, when im using it what exactly should i be looking for.
 
ICDunlap said:
Sorry guys, Before i said i was running stock pipes; i lied. There are aftermarket bolt on mufflers that attach to the end of the headers replacing the oddly shaped ones that came stock on the bike.

Ill post pictures as soon as i get home from school. Doesnt running the headlights run the battery down faster? As far as cleaning the engine out do i just spray stuff in the holes where the pipes connect and go at it with an old tooth brush or what?

Im looking into buying a rectifier, could anyone post a specific link of what exactly i should buy? Also im gonna get a hold of one of those meters to check the wiring, when im using it what exactly should i be looking for.
Click to expand...

No, in your case, running the headlight will not run the battery down faster. Those little CB350s were designed to operate at 2/3rd charging capacity UNTIL the headlight is on. At that point, the full charging circuit is energized. That could be part of your problem.

I used this rectifier: http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/rectifiers.html

Yeah, man; if you have aftermarket silencers on that chock down the exhaust flow, you're going to run rich. Just remove them and retest. But that still doesn't solve your charging issue, which forcefanajd is offering good advice.

Finally, i would not personally start trying to de-soot everything. You have bigger fish to fry.

--Chris
 
chrisf said:
No, in your case, running the headlight will not run the battery down faster. Those little CB350s were designed to operate at 2/3rd charging capacity UNTIL the headlight is on. At that point, the full charging circuit is energized. That could be part of your problem.

I used this rectifier: http://www.oregonmotorcycleparts.com/rectifiers.html

Yeah, man; if you have aftermarket silencers on that chock down the exhaust flow, you're going to run rich. Just remove them and retest. But that still doesn't solve your charging issue, which forcefanajd is offering good advice.

Finally, i would not personally start trying to de-soot everything. You have bigger fish to fry.

--Chris
Click to expand...


^thats a solid state rectifier from radio shack that they supply leads for so its a plug and play opperation DO IT!! as far as desooting everything like i said before after you get it running run some sea foam or gm top engine clean through it, im still standing by my statement to fix your charging issue before persuing your running rich "problem" before you do anything else.
 
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