Cables / Wires Help

[ross_g]

Hi Guys,

Just wondered if you wonderful people might be able to help me along the way a little with some info. So I bought a "project" R65 off someone and they've been chopping away at the wiring loom so its a little messed up now. As I want to trim this bike down a little the electrics / cabling are a target, however I want to understand them before diving in.

So in the first picture, can anyone tell me what the three wires going into the engine housing are for / do.

In the second picture the two wires shown going into the carb, I know the one on the left is the choke, the one on the right is a mystery, it seems to stem from the pod on the right handle bar.

In picture three, does this look stock to you or have I inherited some kind of frankenstein electrics? Also can anyone identify the crusty looking object in the bottom right of the picture with the two cables running into it? Starter motor?

Thanks again guys, sorry for being a complete novice.

[Bob_Roller]

First picture, the three wires are one set to the ignition canister ccommonly refered to as the 'bean can', one is the output from the alternator to the positive post of the battery, the last one is for the voltage  regulator for the alternator .

The second picture, the other cable is for the throttle on the carb .

Third picture, that is the dual output ignition coil .

[ross_g]

Thanks Bob,

Am I right in thinking that the "bean can" wires should not really be replaced / removed from the engine and I should be able to work with them / wire them into the custom loom from their non-engine bound ends?

Thanks for the pin pointing, I took the lid of that silver looking container and found a circuit board inside, more fact finding! My goal is to be able to simplify the wiring and colour code it all if at all possible.

[Bob_Roller]

The part with the red tape on it, that you removed the top to, is the voltage regulator for the alternator .

[montmil]

The thin, black element just forward of the VR is the Ignition Control Unit (ICU). Identified by a large connector at the bottom with multiple wires.

The ICU is mounted to an aluminum heat sink and should have a layer of heat sink paste between the two bits. Stop by Radio Shack (or whatever electronic supply is nearby) and purchase a small tube of heat sink paste. Remove the ICU from the heat sink body, clean off the hardened paste and replenish with fresh. Use enough to get a nice squeeze out. Poor, hardened or non-existent heat sink paste will lead to random and irritating ignition failures. As will that...

... "crusty looking object," the infamous Bosch "Crack-O-Matic" ignition coil. Plan on replacing it with a Dyna "Brown" ignition coil... soon. Really.

The best early on investment you can make is a shop manual; Clymer, Haynes or both.

[montmil]

Another helpful tip...

Always remove the battery's ground (earth) cable before removing the engine front cover. There is a live electrical terminal inside the front cover and if the cover should accidentally contact this hot spot, you'll likely fry some expensive electrical bits throughout the bike.

Forewarned is Forearmed.

[Luca]

Has nothing to do with wiring... but....

I noticed in your pictures that you have pod filters.  However, I also noticed that the stud in picture #2 has no nut on it.  That stud holds the (I presume now removed) airbox in place... but it is also a transmission mounting point!  There is also a bolt on the left side with the same function.  There are only two other bolts to hold the transmission on the bike (in the lower corners).  You can replace the upper right hand stud with a bolt if you want.

 Also, your transmission has a threaded hole in the top center.  Another bolt from the airbox goes in that.  There is no bolt there on your bike... and that will let water into the transmission and oil out.  Drain and refill the tranny and plug the hole it if you dont have an airbox.  

DON'T remove that philips head screw on the top of the transmission.

[ross_g]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I have a haynes manual for the bike but in truth im struggling to get the answers I want from it.

Have any of you re-wired a R65, its starting to look like I can keep the fundamentals in place and run fresh wire to / from them all.

[steve hawkins]

Ross,

I 'rewired' my red R65.  

What I did was simplify the loom when I removed the indicators and accessory wiring.  This removed half the loom!

I reused my existing wire, to keep to the colour coding of the loom.

However, it is not necessarily advantageous being without indicators.

Mine is still running the points ignition as it was originally a 79 model.

However I am using a BMW K100 coil for sparks instead of the two coils originally fitted to the 79 model.

Let me know if you want me to drop by.........Have a cold one in the fridge though.

Rev Light

[ross_g]

Cheers Rev,

Your help would be greatly appreciated, I will probably be doing some work on it on Sunday if you're free at all.

I'll put a crate in the fridge if you are able to help me make sense of it

[steve hawkins]

Good to see ya, lunch time today.  Plenty of work to do by the looks of it.

As far as the seat base is concerned, it occured to me that we could make 2, one lash-up, quick and dirty,  to get you going and the other for best which could be fettled slow time to get it right before getting trimmers involved.  We could get the mounts and bearers sorted with the rough job, and at east get you on the road for a while, whilst the weather is good.

As with all things like this - make a list of jobs, tackle them one at a time and then start ticking them off.  Rolling Restoration......

Rev. light

[ross_g]

Rev, what happened mate? Missed you this evening.

I've spent some time cleaning up some of the wires, re-routing them and getting rid of the choke cables - you did say you had some bike spokes lying around right? It's actually looking a bit tidier now.

Good idea about the seat, I've given it some thought and the missus raised a good point, if I ever have a backpack on and the missus on the back things might get snug if I chop the seat down, so I reckon im just going to leave it long and maybe just kick up the back a bit.

List of jobs:

- Bike spokes on carbs for choke.
- Seat
- Reattach rear mud guard and rewire in tail light.
- Mount ignition key on frame near tank.
- Do something about that strange single light.
- Get rid of the chock block wiring in the headlight.
- Ride it!

What'ya reckon?

[ross_g]

Oops forgot two jobs,

- Remove old speedo cable
- Create battery cradle

There are probably more.

[Bob_Roller]

It doesn't look like this had been mentioned in this thread, but the red 'GEN' light is an important part of the charging system .

If you cut the wires, the alternator will not charge, so you either keep some sort of incancescent light bulb in the circuit, or place a 330 ohm resistor in it's place  .

[steve hawkins]

Ross,

I turned up at just before 6pm.  I had two spokes on me at the time.

Could not get an answer from the front or the back so went home and spent some time drinking.....

Sorry to have missed you.

Put the back pack on the missus......I still can take a pillion on mine.

Steve