[TENSION]

very cool site!
I was given a (actually traded for a tent) a CB500T 1976, I want to get it back on the road and started tearing it down lastnight. I found some fine metal shavings at the oil filter. What is considered normal wear and tear on these? Do you notice this from the clutch discs failing or transmission gears? The guy I got the bike from did not notice any unusual noises before he parked it 8 years ago.
I just dont want to get into a 2 grand project when i could go buy a running bike for half that. any suggestions from you guys?

 

[kenessex]

Can you post a pic of the "shavings"? Some fine metallic powder is semi-normal if the filter hasn't been cleaned in a while. If it is real metal shavings then there may be probelms. Are they aluminum or steel? I would in initially be suspicious of cam and rocker wear. Especially on the exhaust side.

Otherwise with no further information I would say, don't worry about it I am sure it will be fine. Just go ahead and run it!!! Really though, if in doubt, pull the engine and take it apart. If that is not what you want to do then trade it back for the tent and get a runner.
Ken

AHRMA 412
Vintage racing - old guys on old bikes

 

[fuzzybutt]

well as a rule, metal SHAVINGS are a bad thing. if it's just powder it might be ok depending on the amount

some people are like slinkies, basically useless but they still make me smile when i push them down the stairs

 

[TENSION]

well i pulled the valve covers and found shavings as well, but fatter then what had accumulated at the filter. drained the oil and didnt see anything there. it seems to be aluminum to me.

Edited by - TENSION on May 17 2007 10:07:02 PM

 

[Diamondj]

The starter clutch is bolted to the back of the clutch basket and if these bolts have started to loosen, you might get some shavings like you are seeing. Ask the previous owner if the starter ever made a wheezing noise or "missed" when he cranked it.

I'll assume the battery was dead after 8 years of storage. Wal-mart sells a battery for this bike for $27 - part ES12A-A. Get one and charge it up and see what happens. You'll need to clean the carbs and set the floats. Plus you'll want to check the cam chain tensioner, then give it a try.....

Jim

 

[TENSION]

alright, ill grab a battery and do that. could this be from a shaft seizing at the top from being bone dry and then jackasses kicking it over chaffing the case. a couple years ago the previous owner kicked it over a bunch when drunk in his backyard.

 

[kenessex]

I'm ageeing with Jim on this one. Those shavings look too big to be wear type items. It appears to be more of a physical scraping of aluminum to me. Does the 500t have cam sprocket bolts that could come loose? Could also be a clutch spring bolt backed out and is wearing the clutch cover. You definately need to find the source before you run it. If you can find the previous owner(sober) see if something came loose that he fixed. This could just be left over material that wasn/t cleaned after a repair. If that is the case then double check the repair too.

Good luck and check the oil pump pickup screen too.

Ken

AHRMA 412
Vintage racing - old guys on old bikes

 

[TENSION]

Well i pulled the rightside case cover and found these chunky bastards in a crevis, no damage to the clutch or the case itself or any other component that i could see. everything looks really clean! short of pulling the engine out and tearing it apart anybody seen this before? should i pull the left side case where the alternator is? thanks for your responses.

 

[TENSION]

shavings above the oilfilter drive gear

etc

 

[borzwazie]

I seem to recall reading that if the rollers are worn, and the cam chain has chewed the teeth up, and that your tensioner gets loose, this is what happens...

 

[TENSION]

whelp, i think i know what the issue is, the intake cam has a shitload (exaggeration) of play in it!!!!!!!!

 

[kenessex]

Tension,
Again define play. Are we talking end play like the cam bearings are worn or excessive cam chain slack so the intake cam can rotate independently of the crank and exhaust cam, like the tensioner is broken or not adjusted. I believe excessive cam chain slack will allow the cam chain to eat the slipper and then the cylinder block casting.
All in all, I think that motor needs a tear down.

Ken

AHRMA 412
Vintage racing - old guys on old bikes

 

[TENSION]

the camshaft play is side to side,this cap is quite chewed up, the opposing side was fine. the face is all nasty. i think i want my tent back. ?
any suggesions............

 

[TENSION]

so the chain is loose as heck, i googled this and came up with this site http://www.thefang.co.uk/cb500teng.htm
can i just retighten the chain, clean out all the garbage and go to town?

 

[kenessex]

With the amount of and size of the metal pieces in your engine, plus the chewed up cam bearing, I would assume you have some problems in the engine. That being said the worst that can happen if you just tighten the cam chain and run it will be an engine failure, which you already have. Go ahead and give it a try and see if the engine quiets down and runs. In the meantime, I would find a parts bike, either 450 or 500t, and swap the engines out and rebuild your current motor.

Get some parts bikes and engines!!!

Ken

AHRMA 412
Vintage racing - old guys on old bikes