'74 CB750 no starter

Hey all,

In typical "me" form, I really want to hear my CB750 run before I spend any real money on it (for seat, bars, tires, wheels, battery, etc, etc...). This weekend I yanked the bowls off the carbs and cleaned them out. I didn't take the carbs apart (though I did take them off the bike) because I really just want to hear it fire up first before spending the money on the carb rebuilds.

Anyway, I hooked up some cables from a car battery to the bike leads and had neutral and gauge lighting...but no starter action. When I pushed the starter button, the gauge light dimmed out...but the starter didn't even click.

To be honest, I don't even know where the starter is on this bike. I figure I need to check all my connections and the starter may need a little "help" freeing up after sitting idle for who-knows-how-long.

Equally possible is that there's some sort of switch on this thing (think clutch safety switch) that I don't know about.

What do you think?

Thanks, Clem

clutch switch on that old of a bike is on the perch next to the cable on the bars. Starter is under the carbs hidden by the 2 bolt chrome cover thats likey rusty now.... under the right side plastic cover you should fing the starter solinod (fallow the red bat lead to find it. Try the jumper cable right to the other big lead to see if starter spins. this will go direct to the starter by passing the safteys and solinod.

44

AFAIK there's no lawyer switches on that one other than the neutral switch. IIRC, Honda starters of that era were on top of the engine cases (actually in a 'recess' in the case) and drove the left side flywheel through a chain. There's a starter solenoid under the seat, looks like a 1/3 scale Ford starter solenoid.

clutch switch on that old of a bike is on the perch next to the cable on the bars. Starter is under the carbs hidden by the 2 bolt chrome cover thats likey rusty now.... under the right side plastic cover you should fing the starter solinod (fallow the red bat lead to find it. Try the jumper cable right to the other big lead to see if starter spins. this will go direct to the starter by passing the safteys and solinod.

44

clutch switch on that old of a bike is on the perch next to the cable on the bars. Starter is under the carbs hidden by the 2 bolt chrome cover thats likey rusty now.... under the right side plastic cover you should fing the starter solinod (fallow the red bat lead to find it. Try the jumper cable right to the other big lead to see if starter spins. this will go direct to the starter by passing the safteys and solinod.

44

I don't think they had a clutch interlock switch at all in 1974, but if there is one it's on the clutch lever. Also make sure the neutral safety switch is working (and the bike is in neutral.) Also, they still had kick start levers in 1974, so just kick the thing. I'm not a Honda guy, but the starter on most four cylinder bikes back then were located on top of the engine, behind the cylinders and underneath the carburetors - look for a cover there that can be removed with a few screws. Finally, are you sure the engine isn't seized? If there's no kick start for some reason, put the bike in gear, pull the plugs and rotate the rear wheel to make sure the engine will turn over.

you could always do what I do for my Dirt bikes that will not go. Get someone to tow you at about 15mph and drop it into 2nd gear. It may cough and sputter at first, but most of the time, even the most reluctant bike will start. It may not like it and turn the header orange, but it will run breifly. Plus it beats pushing it back up any hills you went down trying to coast start it.

Thanks all,

I figured the starter was probably under that cover (which isn't rusty, surprisingly). Nice to know where to hunt down the solenoid. That'll be my next try. We did try kicking it over (and it's not stuck) but couldn't get it to fire.

I'll look at it a little closer here in the next few days and see what I can figure out.

Thanks again! Clem

Opus wrote: you could always do what I do for my Dirt bikes that will not go. Get someone to tow you at about 15mph and drop it into 2nd gear. It may cough and sputter at first, but most of the time, even the most reluctant bike will start. It may not like it and turn the header orange, but it will run breifly. Plus it beats pushing it back up any hills you went down trying to coast start it.

My old TT600 Yamaha was damn near impossible to start if the outside temps dropped below about 40 degrees. It was a combination of thick oil, big motor and 1980s CDI/carburetor technology. This wasn't only Yamahas, it was pretty much every big thumper of the time. It wasn't unusual to see guys with big thumpers building pine straw fires under the engines on a cold morning.

One morning it was 19 degrees out, we had to pull that big turd almost 2 miles behind a pickup truck before it would start.

My '77 CB550F always started with just a few kicks, but my '77 CB400F seemed to require one kick to start each cc.

So...

I still haven't figured this one out. I think the starter is getting power but won't spin. My plan is to remove the starter and see if I can figure out if it needs a little awakening in the way of spinning it over by hand or cleaning up or replacing brushes or whatnaught.

Anyway...I just can't seem to get the starter out. Everything I've seen posted on sohc4.net and such says it comes out, it's just awkward. Not for me...not yet. I guess maybe if I take the alternator cover off I'll be able to get it out by helping from both sides. If it's not raining tonight, I'll give that a shot.

Clem

As i recall you just need to pull the two 6mm bolts out of the end then pry the starter back about 1/2 inch and then lift it out. Easy if the carbs are off.

Did you put 12v right to the starter yet?

44

44Dwarf wrote: Easy if the carbs are off. Did you put 12v right to the starter yet? 44

The carbs aren't off. There is plenty of clearance (I think) above the starter to remove it...I just can't get it to clear the register hole/nose at the "front" of the starter (the business end...left side of bike). It feels like the "bendix" (drive gear) is hanging up on the gear it engages and is exdenting as I pull the starter up/out. That's just what it feels like to me...I'm not able to see what's happening under the left cover. I think I just need to remove the left side cover and give it some help from that side.

Last time I tried, I couldn't get the left cover off the bike. It would come loose and out an inch but not come all the way off. Not sure what's up with that...I'm new to these.

Oh...and yes, I tried jumping right to the solenoid and nothing happened. So that's why I figure I need to get the starter out of there and see what's up.

Thanks, Clem