[FrznFury]

Hey all. Picked up a CX500 that had been sitting awhile with about 14k miles the other day and since I'm more used to modern bikes (My other ride is a 2000 Buell Blast, which has made me the wrenchy person I am today.) I've a few questions...



First and most importantly, I feel this bike has a lot more power than it's giving me. The right side was misfiring pretty badly until I took her out on the highway for a little while, now she only backfires occasionally at higher rpm's. So she's a little rich on that side. My question is, before I do something silly in my youthful impetus, how do I get this thing off without damaging any of the rubber bits (Which are a constant nag on the thumper)? Would it be easier to remove something between the fuel tank and the carb and squirt some seafoam in there? I think it'd be better to start there than fiddling with the jets (Which should be the same size on either side, right?).



Second, How do I pull the seat? I have some saddlebags I've been using on Darci that were a bit of a tight fit under the seat there and I'd like to know how to install them on the CX, but I haven't the foggiest idea of how to lift this gorgeous leather seat.



Third, what kind of additions made the Custom edition what it is?



Normally, I'd just pull her apart and find out for myself, but my work schedule keeps me way too busy now to start any project frivolously.

 

[lucky]

ok far as the seat there are 2 bolts that hold it on they are on the side's near the rear of the seat right near the turn signals



ok and what are you wanting to take off so you dont break what rubber bits???



and now for the carbs just take them out of the bike but do not take the cross over tube off unless you want to (but i never had the need to do it)and just clean the crap out of the carbs there is a member here named larry that does carb cleaning/polishing he even puts the carbs on his bike and makes sure they are running great before he ships them back to you



his screen name is lrcxed he also has a carb cleaning/rebuild book for sale i would get in touch with him

 

[americanclassic]

What lucky said.



Also a custom is the style of frame tank, and a few other bits and pieces.

 

[Shep]

Quick check-list,





http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=72

 

[FrznFury]

Picked up cleaner and brake fluid yesterday. Didn't find time to pull the carbs and busied myself with examining the leaky front brake reservoir. One of the screws up there is stripped, would it accept another box from another bike? I can't seem to pinpoint the leak, but it seems to be running out of a crack in the bottom of the reservoir box.



So I really have to disconnect them both? And then they just slide out. Check.



The rubber bits I mentioned are the rubber boot/hoses on the carb.



Peeled off the fairings yesterday and discovered why the seat doesn't come up so easy... Battery's on the side.



Maybe I'm just being nitpicky with this great bike, but I'd like to push the bars further down and straighten them out to make things easier on my wrists.



Are there lowering links or a way to lower the rider pegs out there somewhere?

 

[Shep]

Picked up cleaner and brake fluid yesterday. Didn't find time to pull the carbs and busied myself with examining the leaky front brake reservoir. One of the screws up there is stripped, would it accept another box from another bike? I can't seem to pinpoint the leak, but it seems to be running out of a crack in the bottom of the reservoir box.



It may be better just to get a new MC(Master Cylinder).They are 30 years old-ish and even getting service kit is no guarantee.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-...582336QQptZMotorsQ5fATVQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories



This one should be fine but I think some Yammys have a left hand mirror thread so if you decide to purchase this one contact the seller.



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fron...rcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item335fd37e8a











So I really have to disconnect them both? And then they just slide out. Check.



Not sure what you mean by this?





The rubber bits I mentioned are the rubber boot/hoses on the carb.



Can be repaired several ways.My preference is with the wonderful(Loads of uses) Shoo Goo,



http://cgi.ebay.com/SHOE-GOO-3-7oz-...739?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45eddcdb8b







Maybe I'm just being nitpicky with this great bike, but I'd like to push the bars further down and straighten them out to make things easier on my wrists.



Are there lowering links or a way to lower the rider pegs out there somewhere?



Concentrate on the main running gear etc for now.I don't think you can lower the pegs without a lot of hassle as they are positioned for the front brake and gear change but people have fitted engine protector bars with added,"Highway Pegs".



As for the bars sit on the bike with your riding jacket on.Slack off the bar bolts until the bars are semi-free and move the lock left and right.When you find a comfortable position,tighten up and make sure they are centered.



HTH

 

[FrznFury]

Hmm... okay, looking into new Master Cylinder then.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/cbx-..._Accessories&hash=item5adcc32e6f#ht_971wt_939 (In addition to the Yamaha one you provided, since I don't need the lever.)



What I mean in reference to the carbs is the process you use to remove them once they're unbolted. They are bolted together, right? So I have to undo all the fittings and then slide them out the side of the bike like a jenga piece. Is this incorrect?



Wow... Shoo Goo? I have a tube of epoxy-type stuff around here somewhere that worked very temporarily on the Blast. You really can't patch those babies.



Thanks for the tip on the bars, I'll be rotating them forward tomorrow morning for sure! (Right after I loosen everything on the carbs)



I still can't figure out the seat though. The luggage rack/backrest looks to be a custom job and might be obscuring whatever's hiding the bolts... But I guess I really have no reason to get under there anymore, since I've found the storage compartment.



But it does beg the question of how to mount the saddlebags...

 

[lucky]

ok all you have to do on the carbs is undo the throttle cables and choke cable and take off the fuel line from pet cock (take off all lines on petcock) then undo all the 4 clamps holding them into the rubber boots and then just slid the carbs back and take them out on the left side of the bike ok and if no one posts a pic of the bolts on the seat then i will





and oh by the way you do need to take off the seat and tank when you take off the carbs i have found its really a lot easier to take the carbs off this way and it should only take about 10 minutes to get them off the bike

 

[Shep]

On the UK CXs there's a rear engine hanger that also is part of the coils holder.I take the main bolt out,slack off the other two and swing it out of the way.YMMV

 

[lucky]

ok well here are the bolts i was talking about on my bike they are about 2 inchs way from the rear turn signals

dont mind that wire its for my turn signal

and also i am sorry about the pics i have a sissy bar on my bike and it makes it hard to see things.......

 

[marshallf3]

If you remove the carbs try to take them off as a pair, that way they'll stay synced. (or at least as synced as they were)



In time you're going to find these are some of the easiest bikes ever made to work on, but they're also rather picky about having everything "just so" if you want that engine to really take off like a rocket. I love it when you get to around 5,000 rpm where the timing seems to advance, it's like "coming onto the pipe" in the old two-stroke motorcross days.



The bars are going to feel a bit odd until you get used to them regardless of the setting. Some people have gone so far as to change them, I just got used to mine after a while and finding the ideal sitting position.

 

[Dash]

Congratulations on your new CX500 and welcome to the CX/GL500 forum.



I used to own a bone stock '82 CX500 Custom and I did find the handle bar position to be slightly weird. I fooled around with adjusting the angle and eventually got used to them as is.



You have a leather seat? That must be custom to your bike because the stock seat is vinyl. Two bolts hold the seat on. Picture shows location.

To make removing the carbs easy, remove the seat and the gas tank. Once the seat is off, there's a hidden bolt under the seat that holds down the back of the gas tank.

 

[FrznFury]

Brilliant. Thanks for all the help guys. I'll update tonight with my success (hopefully

)

 

[FrznFury]

Alright... Here's the results of today's toil (Choreographed around the other things I do on my one day off):



Now that I've looked at it with a mind to removal, I've noticed some shady work here on the back end and when I was poking around the carb mountings.



The tail lights have been welded to the ends of this homemade luggage rack/backrest, which was resting on some washers stuck onto the upper bolt that mounts the shocks and generally in the position that Dash's sissy bar is in. I had to pull them out in the process of removing the rack, but it's going to be hell getting around all that vinyl tubing to reconnect them.



Once the rack was out of the way, the seat and tank both came off fairly easily, like you all said they would, minus some serious elbow grease for all the stuck bolts.



I pulled the carbs, spending most of that time trying to disconnect the cables. By the way, what is that third cable for? I understand the two around the ring are the push/pull cables for the throttle... not so sure about the one further back. There's what looks like some loosely spooled wire on whatever mechanism it's attached to... I'll try to get some pictures when I can. (Where do I upload/link them from?)



Here's where disaster struck. The cable that opens the throttle was apparently held in place with some kind of metallic patch goo, because when I went to remove it, it resisted coming free from its slot until there was a small cracking sound and a malformed lump of metallic paste in the shape of what I assume to be the back of that part of the throttle cable mount fell out onto the ground.



(Note: This is the cable that sits more toward the center/rear of the bike that uses a longer C-shaped track with a single tooth.)



Sadly, this makes me think I'm going to need a new carburetor, since I'm doubting that I'll find just that broken piece on eBay.



I cleaned the carbs out pretty thoroughly after that. Fairly covered them in carb cleaner, then went to remount (Which was when I realized what that broken bit was that had fallen off earlier.)



I wish I could say that clean carbs made all the difference, but with no throttle linkage, I don't want to put her all the way back together before I can fix her properly. Does anyone have pictures of what the linked-in carb should look like? Specifically the spots where all the cables go, so I can see what was changed and how to fix it the way it ought to be?

 

[lucky]

ok well as i dont have pics but i can tell you that the cable that goes to the back is your choke cable so you just want pics of the throttle cables and how they mount? well sense i only run one cable that might not be as much help to you but if you would like pics just let me know as i am sure there will be other people that will most likely will have better pics that i can take

 

[FrznFury]

You only have one cable in there? I'm guessing you must do a lot of highway riding. How's that work then?

 

[lucky]

i have the one cable that opens the throttle and the spring on the carb is strong enough to snap the throttle closed when you let off of it and no not alot of highway miles more in town i put about 200 miles a week



ok i just remembered how the cables went if your holding the throttle tube (white tube under the grip) in your hand it has 2 holes for the cables to go into well the first one all the way to the front of the bike goes to the bottom of the carb (looks kinda like a C) i believe that is the pull cable (and that is the only cable i run) and the other cable goes to the hole closest to you and then that one goes on the top of the carb its holder is straight up and down and the choke cable runs all the way to the back of the carbs



i hope that helps you out a little bit



lucky

 

[FrznFury]

Okay, so it's the pull cable that can't link in then... It needs to have some sort of backing piece. I only have the other one... Maybe I'll be able to take a look and see if there's not some way I can force it to stay put, but that'll have to wait a few days, maybe longer. Uncle Sam's calling me out for next week and I may not get the chance to work on the CX at all.

 

[lucky]

well i am glad i was able to help you out frzn

 

[Bucket Rider]

I'm new to the Forum and also have just become the proud owner of a '78 CX500 with just over 40K miles. Been sitting up for some time, over 5 years. Owner said the stator went out and was going to cost more than he was willing to pay to fix it. I'm starting on the rebuild/clean up next week when my shop manual comes in. The body work is in perfect condition except the front fender is rusted at the bottom rear. Only rust on the bike. Never seen on rust like that. The throttle is stuck so I'm guessing the fuel has got everything in there locked up. Will be reading everything on here for help. I just replaced a oil gear in my '99 Kaw Vulcan Classic so I'm eager to get on this one. I really like the looks of this bike and hope to get it back in running condition soon. Anyone on here around the Atlanta Ga area I would be thankful for any visiual help on down the road.



Ga Rider