New Member - Bike Starting Questions

[76dohc]

Good Morning everyone !

New member here, also new to tinkering with bikes. I've ridden before, but never taken on a project of this magnitude. Also please disregard the 'discrepancy' in my username... more on that later.

Just picked up a '80 CB750, as-is, unknown when it last ran. Visibly has a 4-1 exhaust, appears stock otherwise. Bike did have fresh gas and oil.

Attempted to start it last night, and here is what happened. I did make mistakes - please forgive my lack of experience.
1) Hooked up to battery, (one it came with was toast, so pulled a car battery and used that) electrics came on.
2) Turned kill switch, pulled choke, attempted to start - turned over a few times but did not fire
3) Opened airbox cover - removed dead mice, and their lint abode. [I realize I should have checked this first]
4) Left cover open, filter out and attempted to start - would not turn. Just a click from the solenoid.

Tried various combinations of choke position/throttle etc, and bike only produced click from solenoid (until battery stopped working and I gave up for the night).

How would you guys recommend I proceed at this point ?

1) Is there a specific starting procedure that I failed to research?
2) Where should I start diagnosis at this point ? I would like to get the bike running, or in the least firing before I continue with a build.

Cheers !

 

[Flogger]

Welcome... I have an 81 Custom that I am working on... Yours sounds like it is not getting fuel. Check the lines, the petcock, the fuel filter... Did it smell like it was getting gas? Watch for amc49 on here, he really knows these bikes...

 

[Jdlong27]

I found a really good list of "first things to do" I'd share with you, but it's in a different forum and I'm new here; I don't know if that's allowed. Someone chime in and let me know. If it's allowed I'll post the link.

 

[Flogger]

I found a really good list of "first things to do" I'd share with you, but it's in a different forum and I'm new here; I don't know if that's allowed. Someone chime in and let me know. If it's allowed I'll post the link.

What's the name? Can worry about link later... I know I've seen that kind of info too on other forums. I belong to the CX500 forum for my Silverwing and the Goldwing Docs one for my Goldwing... I've joined this and the DOHC forum for this bike...

I've read in other places where guys get bikes in all sort of states that have not been run for years... Biggest thing that comes to mind is oiling and freeing up the pistons if they don't turn over... But he is beyond that...

 

[Jdlong27]

SeanG posted it over on cb750c.com in a thread called checklist... Getting to be that time...

It goes through 17 different areas to address.

I could also copy/paste the info, but it's not mine. Don't want to make any one mad or get banned after being a member here less than a week.

 

[Flogger]

Can you send me the Url in a PM? Not finding it...

 

[Jdlong27]

I PM'd you

 

[amc49]

Compression check to make sure not a waste of time after engine checked for turning with no lockup. If compression good then clean carbs, won't run if carbs clogged and these are among the worst on the planet for doing that. Car battery if dead is no better than bike battery, the clicking thing.

Most of these sit long periods because they ran like crap at the last, the sitting only made that much worse. Nobody sets the valves ever and why compression sucks, then so-called experts tear into carbs without a clue as to what they are doing. The idle circuits clog to make just over idle superrich (don't ask) and then plugs wet out to never start ever. People have fits after that. Exploded brains make such a bloody mess.

Such fun...............