[CX500rider]

This is a great forum and I'm glad I found it. Thanks for all the help I've found so far poking around and reading the past couple days. I'm fixing up an old 79' CX500 Custom I bought. When I put gas in it and opened the petcock, fuel started draining from the left carb. It's draining from where that copper colored tube that connects the carbs goes into the left carb. Obviously something wrong there. The carb gaskets also look old and dry and like they need some refreshing. Upon pulling the float bowl, I found one of the little rubber plugs in the carbs to be completely rotted to nothing. I'm guessing my best bet is to just buy a complete gasket kit that includes all of the rubber bits in the carbs.



Anyone know of a good place to get that kit for a good price? I'm OK buying a cheaper after market kit versus an OEM kit from Honda or something. Money is tight right now.



If you happen to know where to buy spark plug wires, that would be great too. The black plastic tube that goes into the cylinder head on the right side has cracked and completely broken apart.



Thanks.

 

[Blue Fox]

TAS is usually a good reasonable supplier for rubber carb parts. The plug wire is a bit harder in that it is integrated with the coil and can't be replaced separately. You may have to replace the coil, or folks have spliced into the wire at the coil and secured it with epoxy.

 

[CX500rider]

Hmm... So it's not like a car where you just plug one end of the wire into the plug and the other end into it's home and you're good. So I suppose you buy a whole set-up consisting of some sort of box with two wires hanging from it that you hook to the plugs? That sounds like a needless expense on Honda's part.p Thanks for the TAS suggestion.

 

[Shep]

If this is a CDI ignition version(Small box on top of the rear mudguard under the seat,not two igniter units near the battery) check out this thread and get new cheap coils,then you get new HT(Plug wires) with them.Several of us are running them,



http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=335

 

[CX500rider]

Thanks Shep. I'll have to research some more and figure out what version I have. It also looks like maybe I just need a new spark plug cap. I don't know anything about motorcycles, so this is all completely new to me and is taking some reading and learning. I Think I do have the version you're talking about with the little box under the seat, but not quite sure.



EDIT: After looking more at that link, that is indeed the kind I have. Thanks again.

 

[Shep]

Click here for the plug cap just in case,



http://globalcxglvtwins.hostingdelivered.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=84



BTW you have,by chance,bought one of the best supported classic Japanese motorcycles in the World

 

[NightBiker07]

There is only one great carb rebuild kit.

RANDAKKS

http://www.randakks.com/CX500 and Variants Page.htm#1

 

[bandit]

There is only one great carb rebuild kit.

RANDAKKS

http://www.randakks.com/CX500 and Variants Page.htm#1

that is a really good kit.and not to undermine it at all.but,.............

not a lot more bucks,to send them to larry.just saying,thats all

 

[CX500rider]

Who's Larry?



Also, the copper fuel tube that leads to each carb that was leaking on the left - After loosening the screws on the plates that hold the carbs together, I managed to wiggle and shimmy the tube out without separating the carbs. Does that put me in the clear for having to re-synchronize them, or am I probably still going to have to do that to get the bike to run well?



I've read that you have to re-synchronize them after splitting them, but I don't have the equipment or the money to buy one, so...



And thanks for the link on that Randakks kit. That really is a great kit and the price is right!

 

[ScrapMetal]

Larry is the guy that knows these carbs inside out. He has repaired these things to better than new. Type in "carb" into the search you will see. Great guy, also made a book, for sale ($30 I think). I believe it is a sticky.

 

[plitskin5]

Hey ya'll. I just bought my 80 cx500c about a month ago, and I put RANDAKK's kit in it, and I just may have Larry clean it.



I like the kit, my only concern was that I was rounding out some of the heads of the screws.

I may have been using the wrong screw bit, or was a strengthmonger on it.



I synced my carbs by shining a light from the choke side as you look at the throttle valves. I had the idle adjustment screw backed all the way off. I used the light coming through the valves to compare the difference in the adjustment, then I adjusted the sync screw till both sides looked as close as the the same as I could get it.



It may not be best, but it will get you running, for now.

 

[Hampton]

Larry is the guy that knows these carbs inside out. He has repaired these things to better than new. Type in "carb" into the search you will see. Great guy, also made a book, for sale ($30 I think). I believe it is a sticky.

How do i find this lary guy

i typed in Carb but didnt get anything note worthy.

whats his member name ?

 

[Blue Fox]

Larry goes under the name LRCXed on this forum. Just go to the members section and you can find all the contact information you will need.

 

[drneo]

I like the kit, my only concern was that I was rounding out some of the heads of the screws.

I may have been using the wrong screw bit, or was a strengthmonger on it.

DavidF taught me to use an impact screwdriver with its bits to work on the carbs. You DO NOT use the impact portion, but the weight of the tool plus the strength of the bits really help to avoid chewing up the screws.



I'll second Randakk's kit as being very complete and Larry does amaaazing work too.



~Thom

 

[Blue Fox]

I second the use of either impact bits or other insert bits. I use a gunsmithing screwdriver set that is hollow ground and has probably 10 different sizes of flat bits and a half dozen philips sizes. You can also buy a set of bits of many different sizes from various suppliers. The important thing is NOT to use that screwdriver that you have been prying the tires off the rim with and is not quite the right size. Get a good snug fit, and you probably won't strip the slot.

 

[ecka00]

I just received Randakk's kit and I also had the same issues with the screw heads (and apparently so did the PO because some of them were already partially stripped) when taking it apart so I ordered a Allen Head bolt set from this guy:



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...witem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_500wt_1182



Great set for $10 however, I will warn you that the set doesn't appear to include the four bolts for the bottom bracket.