rebuilt carbs and swapped bars... bike wont start even with kick start

[RichPugh]

The bike is a 76 CB550K.

It ran lovely at idle (idling smooth and revving wonderfully) before I took it apart... but stumbled at anything more than 1/8 throttle under load (i.e., me riding it)... so I pulled the carbs to do a simple clean and rebuild. While the carbs were torn down and at the shop for an ultrasonic cleaning, I replaced the stock bars with a set of Clubmans.

Before getting the carbs back, I checked my wiring with my controls and all seemed to be A-OK... ignition worked, signals, brake lamp switches, starter, etc... Bike cranked when kill switch was in ON position...

After getting the carbs back, rebuilt with K&L kits, floats adjusted to 22mm, mounted back on the bike, fuel hooked up, put in new NGK D7ES plugs... cracked her over, No Start. bowls checked for fuel... all well... recranked/kicked... No Start.

Electric start only lasted a few tries since the battery was nearly dead (dim headlamp at ignition ON), kick start to no avail (possibly flodded but I've let it sit for quite a while and still no start result after single kicks)... nothing has changed with ignition system or charging system... and since the bike ran before, I would assume it would run now, even if stumbling on 2 or 3 cylinders in the event those carbs took a bit for fuel to reach them...

I'm gonna go back out and double check the spark at the plug but since the battery is drained, I dont know if it will spark with the kick starting very well? I dont have any starter fluid. I dont have a large hill to jump start it LOL... Where else should I look? Start with charging the dead battery I assume...

Am I correct in assuming the bike will not crank over with the electric start when the kill switch is in the OFF position? Battery is so dead now it wont do anything anyway. Just want to make sure my wiring wasnt botched. It was/is all still OEM bullet male/female connectors and all color coded plug-n-play...

 

[tjjkc]

I would make sure that you have a well charged battery...My bike78 550k,will turn over with the kill switch in the off position(just ran out and tried it)......If I remember correctly the 550 need a certain amount of charge in the battery to run/spark,even if kicking over

 

[RichPugh]

I would make sure that you have a well charged battery...My bike78 550k,will turn over with the kill switch in the off position(just ran out and tried it)......If I remember correctly the 550 need a certain amount of charge in the battery to run/spark,even if kicking over

Went out with jumper cables, jumped it off a running car (desperate times call for desperate measures LOL), would crank like a champ with the kill switch position ON or OFF (now I know its not a crank disable, its a run disable haha)... decied to check spark. NO SPARK at any plug so I decided to double check my wiring.

Sure enough, I made a mistake. Black w/ white strip was connected improperly. I found a male black w/ white stripe completely hidden and not connected (I have no clue how I missed it), connected them, fired up in 5 seconds!

I still have a charging issue. The bike will run on its own but as soon as I kill it (via switch or key), it will not restart with the electric start (not enough juice) and if it drains too much, like if I leave the ignition ON but the bike not running, it wont even start with kick start.

BUT... it is running pretty good! I am currently running with NO filters or air box (pod filters going on tomorrow) right now and I ran down to the gas station to get a new tank of gas, up on the interstate for one exit and looped back home through the city and it seems nice. The headlamp noticeably gets dimmer at idle and off throttle but it never dies. I'll check the charging system tomorrow.

 

[Rocan]

Went out with jumper cables, jumped it off a running car (desperate times call for desperate measures LOL), would crank like a champ with the kill switch position ON or OFF (now I know its not a crank disable, its a run disable haha)... decied to check spark. NO SPARK at any plug so I decided to double check my wiring.

Sure enough, I made a mistake. Black w/ white strip was connected improperly. I found a male black w/ white stripe completely hidden and not connected (I have no clue how I missed it), connected them, fired up in 5 seconds!

I still have a chargin issue. The bike will run on its own but as soon as I kill it (via switch or key), it will not restart with the electric start (not anough juice) and if it drains too much like if I leave the ignition ON but the bike not running, it wont even start with kick start.

BUT... it is running pretty good! I am running with NO filters (pod filters going on tomorrow) at all right now and I ran down to the gas station to get a new tank of gas, up on the interstate for one exit and looped back home through the city and it seems nice. The headlamp noticeably gets dimmer at idle and off throttle but it never dies.

nearly all of the old CB's do that...

Keep the battery on a battery TENDER every night and itll help a bunch. also change the battery if it is old.

Or ditch the Femstarter (electric start) and kick it over every time

 

[RichPugh]

nearly all of the old CB's do that...

Keep the battery on a battery TENDER every night and itll help a bunch. also change the battery if it is old.

Or ditch the Femstarter (electric start) and kick it over every time

The battery isnt new but its not that old. I suppose a good long slow charge (and evening tendering) will help. I figured a 5 minute ride at high rpm would give it enough charge to re-start (at least with a kick start) but it didnt. I have a slow charger... I'll get it back from a buddy Thanks.

 

[tjjkc]

The 550's charging system is not the best ,at idle there is barely enough power being produced to keep it running and it has to rely on the battery,.that is why you want to keep the battery charged,trickle charger or when you do ride try to keep up over 3500 rpm,it also does not hurt to try cleaning your fuse holders in the fuse box and your bullet connectors........lots of info on this on SOHC.com........use the search function there

 

[RichPugh]

lots of info on this on SOHC.com........use the search function there

I'm a member there. I am actually on there now looking over charging system stuff Thanks guy.

 

[RichPugh]

Just a few bad cellphone night pics LOL