This is starting to become a love hate with my CB1

[thetraveler58]

This sound from the engine is a loud clanging noise. Like some is ratting around inside
When I hit the kill switch the engine kept on running!
But this noise which I never heard before gave me the chills!
The temperature gage needle was at a 1/16 of an inch from the red still in the white by just a hair.
It has been running hot like this for awhile.  I mentioned it to my mechanic he didn't say much.

So I got it home I could not shut it off and it ran until it died on it's own.  I was not able to start it.  No lights on the dash or head light.
So frustrated as can be because it's something almost every other week now!  I let it sit for an hour or so and the lights came back on, It turned over 2 times and battery died.  Now this is a brand new battery I bought 1 month ago.

so you know I have had a fuse problem which seemed to be the problem before.  Most times when I hit the start button it takes 3 or 4 tries to get it started.  I was told if the bike sits for 3 or 4 days then this could be the reason for this. 

Back to this very loud clanging noise.  The mechanic was to charge the battery and listen to the noise.  Even here in Thailand where service is very inexpensive this is starting to wear on me a little...............not to mention the unreliability of getting stuck when I least expect it.

So where do I start..................I'd like to have an idea what to check first so when I bring it to the mechanic I'll have some kind of idea what's going on.  As you can tell I am no mechanic but i must learn how to take care of my bike on some level.
Robert

[guntherrex]

I would check your fillswitch and ignition keylock first, the fact that you can't kill the engine means there is something wrong there. Mechanical noise might be because the starter motor is engaged because of some short-circuit. I take it the noise is recent and you haven't been riding with it?

at the least I'd take apart the righthand cluster and check the wiring and button-mechanisms in there. If it's not obviously wrong it's best to start checking voltages and ohms

[thetraveler58]

Guntherrex,
Thank you so much for your reply to this maddening problem.
I will take it and have the mechanic look at just as you have
explained.  I will be looking over his shoulder the entire time
trying to learn as much as I can.

When you say start checking voltage and ohms could that be a long drown out many hours type of job? Is it done with a voltage meter?  Any way of knowing if this new mechanic knows what he is doing?

My uneducated guess is there may be a short some where.  Is a short a wire just disconnected or touching another wire?

Say what  year CB1 do you have and do you fix it yourself?  Is there something constantly going wrong with your bike like mine?  Where do you live?  Did I say that I am in Thailand?

[a_morti]

If you can find one then consider changing the whole wiring loom. The problem with electrical issues is once a loom gets to a certain point of corrosion you spend ages finding each fault one at a time and repairing in situ. If you can find a good loom it'll likely fix all your issues at once. WHen you then have the old loom off the bike you can go over and clean and grease all the plugs and check for broken wires, then you have a spare loom ready for the future.

If you can't find a good used loom, go though the bike front to back methodically sorting the one you have. Battery off! Unplug every plug and the headlight, indicators and switches and clean out thoroughly of corrosion. Put back together with silicon grease. This should remove any corrosion and stop more from forming. You'll find anything that's causing you a problem too and can resolve wholesale.

I would also consider replacing the main earth lead between the motor and battery with something thicker but maybe that's just me.

Your issue at this point might be the starter solenoid but you'd be Watson time to fix one small issue on a rotting loom.

[thetraveler58]

a_morti,

Please excuse me...............what is a loom?  Can I find a picture somewhere to show the mechanic that speaks little english?  If I understand you...............You would replace the entire loom and go thru it after you have taken it off the bike right?  If it is the starter solenoid do I check that first and still replace the loom? like your idea of a thicker main earth lead. 

[thetraveler58]

So I know I sound stupid where do I find the loom?
What would an American call the loom?

Robert

[clpjones]

So I know I sound stupid where do I find the loom?
What would an American call the loom?

Robert

I would also call it the wiring harness.  The wires are "woven" together and wrapped in plastic or rubber to keep them protected, insulated and from becoming a wiring mess.

[thetraveler58]

Ah I thought that's what it was called.  Is this part found used only?
Do you know what tools I'll need to get at the batter and remove it?

[clpjones]

I just checked servicehonda.com.  It's listed at $193.  That doesn't mean for sure that they actually have it.  If they can get it, then any Honda dealer should be able to get it for you, too.  On my other bikes (which are less rare) I have bought used harnesses from eBay.  Search for loom or harness.  Removing the battery should be really easy.  I think it's just a rubber strap.  Then you need a a screwdriver or a wrench to remove the leads - remove the ground first to prevent an accidental short.  As far as removing the harness, I haven't done it on the CB-1 so it could be anywhere from simple (not likely) to just downright annoying (more likely) because it runs the entire length of the bike and goes to multiple places (spark box, engine, lights, ignition ...).

[thetraveler58]

Thanks so much for your help!
Got to go to sleep now it's 3AM!

Robert

[thetraveler58]

guntherrex,
I just sent you an email directly.
I forgot to ask you what is a fillswitch?
Or do you mean a kill switch.

Robert

[thetraveler58]

A big big learning lesson about this problem!  Never trust what a mechanic says.............always double check to be sure!

i asked the mechanic if he checked my water levels and he said he did.
A couple weeks down the road the bike was running hot with the needle just a hair under the red.  I mentioned it to him and he just said it's running hot and that was it.

So I found a nother mechanic with the help of my girlfriend who is Thai.  This mechanic stopped what he was doing and came to our house where he proceeded to figure out what was wrong.
I WAS OUT OF WATER................THAT SIMPLE.
He filled it up and it took a lot..............the bike is running good.
So I didn't blow anything and that awful noise disappeared.

I now can see why I am called the good luck man from my girlfriend.

So I get to ride into the sunset after all!

Robert

[a_morti]

It will have gone somewhere.
Two choices - a leak, or evaporation.
If its leaking you need to fix that.
If it evaporated its also a problem as the system should be sealed.

Keep an eye on water level !

The most common leak I can think of is two rubber rings at the chrome pipes on the sides of the engines. Or a loose hose clamp. Or a leak in the radiator itself.

[thetraveler58]

a_morti,

Thanks for your help.
Is there anyway to know where there is a leak.
In a car they can do a pressure test to find a leak.
Can it be done on a motorcycle or must I just visually watch it?

I was shocked to see how much water he put in. A LOT!
Realizing that I drove the bike four months to get to this point!

How often do you change the spark plugs in your bike?  Once a year?

This was a wake up call for me and I really want to take care of the bike.
I am thinking of having a special rack custom made to carry my camping gear
so I don't have to pack it on the back seat.
Here in Thailand skilled services is very reasonable.
This rack I mentioned is also custom made from company in Germany and it's about 350 USD.
Here it will cost me between $75 to $180 depending if I want side racks or just the rack in the back!
But first things first..............good general maintenance.

Robert

[91cb-1]

As morti said the most obvious places to loose water are going to be at the points where water is being transferred from one point to an other. ie. your hoses. the hoses connecting engine to rad are the most obvious ones and the easiest ones to see, runn the bike for a while and let it stand, as the water heats up it will build up pressure in the system adn will escape via the easiest route, this is where you are going to see your leak. pick a nice day few beers nice tunes and just watch your bike. if it is not vissable right away take off your covers and have a look at where the reservoir meets the engine, but i can;t see this being the route of your problem. As to your  self maintenance issue, download the workshop manual and start to read it, anything you don't understand or need more of a visual aid with type into google images or you tube and watch and learn. The best way to learn is trial and error.