[Sidecar Bob]

Welcome to the forum. Please add your location and your bike's model and model year (NOT year first registered as UK paperwork shows) to your profile so that you don't have to remember to tell us every time and we don't have to keep asking when you forget (see Forum Settings link in my signature).

And welcome to the world of antique vehicle ownership (they own us, not the other way around). Your bike is about 4 decades old and may or may not have had all of the maintenance necessary to keep it safe & reliable so it is highly recommended to download the Factory Shop Manual for your model (available through the CX Wiki - link in my signature too) and go through all of the service procedures, regardless of whether your bike has reached the specified mileage.
I also recommend looking on all rubber parts with suspicion because rubber does not age gracefully. Check the date codes on your tires and replace them if they are over 5 years old no matter how good they look & feel (old rubber simply cannot flow around the irregularities in the asphalt well enough to grip, especially if it is cool or wet). If your bike still has the original rubber brake lines that should have been replaced every 2 or 3 fluid changes (= 5 or 6 years) I recommend shopping for modern stainless braided ones (they last practically forever and double the life of the fluid). And don't forget things like the rad hoses and the boot between the engine and swingarm (they can crack on the bottom where you don't see it).

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Yes it was thank you for your responce ive now brought a the proper bolt that should be on the cam chain

The bolt for the camchain tensioner adjuster has a flange that is inside the engine to prevent it from being unscrewed too far (it only needs to be loosened 1/4-1/2 turn for the adjustment). It cannot be replaced without removing the engine from the bike and removing the rear cover from the engine.
I highly recommend downloading the Factory Shop Manual and reading the appropriate sections before doing anything else.

I have a cx500 e trike from 1982 im in tamworth staffordshire

It's nice that you told us that in this thread but that won't help the next time you need to ask something. Please see the Forum Settings link in my signature and add this information to your forum profile so that it shows up whenever you post.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Sounds like a worthwhile project. Silicone sealant can be used to augment gaskets (except head gaskets) but it is never an acceptable substitute for them.

It looks like the PO tried to use a plain M6 bolt there instead of the correct one. Who knows what else you'll find....

 

[Sidecar Bob]

There are a number of CX500 models and there were some changes between the years of some models so it is important to figure out the correct model and year that the bike started life as.

Does your UK paperwork show the engine serial number as well as the frame number? If the records don't show the engine number the original engine could have been replaced with one from any of the CX500 variants at some time in the past.

CX500 engines came with serial numbers beginning with CX500E-2000001 for the first one produced in 1978. The first year for the CX500E (AKA "Sport" or "Eurosport") was 1981 and the engines in them started with number PC02E-4003828.

Things become even more complicated by the fact that UK vehicle paperwork shows the year first sold, NOT the model year. Because of that the dates in vehicle papers are often several years later than the actual model year. This can make finding the correct parts very confusing.

All of that said, the engine you posted a picture of has Capacitor Discharge Ignition (CDI) but the CX500E came with Transistor amplifier Ignition (TI, sometimes called TAI) so that is definitely NOT a CX500E.

I would suggest looking up your frame and engine numbers at the page Reclinedrelic posted the link to so that you can find out what it actually is.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

If it was imported from Canada there should be a plate attached to the steering head that has the VIN plus the model, model year and date of manufacture (they were usually manufactured in the last quarter of the year before the model year).

And if it came from Canada it is definitely not a CX500E because Honda Canada didn't import any of them (not to mention that they weren't made for the 1980 model year.

 

[Sidecar Bob]

I know it went to a dvla test center to be checked and came back out with the proper paperwork i must had not a mot center that was all done before i had it the chap i had it off was disabled rider which is what i am i know its all legal in the uk

So UK paperwork aside, what model and model year is it really (according to the plate on the steering head)? That is what you will need to know to get correct advice on keeping it running and for getting the correct parts to fit it.