79 CB650 - Carb and Oil Light Problems

[gaillarry]

Bringing my 79 back to life after winter storage. When I put it away last fall, I drained the oil, and removed the oil filter/cover (had to replace the rounded off oil filter bolt). I let it drain all winter. I also pulled the carbs for cleaning. New gaskets and float valves.

Putting it back together got a couple problems.

Oil Light Stays On

Put a new oil filter in, installed correctly (spring/washer/filter/sleeve. Added 3 litres of oil. Engine running, oil light is staying on. Checked the oil level and it barely touches the bottom of the dipstick. Does it require more than 3 litres???

Carbs

Using a portable fuel supply the bike starts easily with full choke. Pilot screws set at 1.5 turns out. Let the bike warm up for at least 5 mins, then slowly close the choke, the engine will stall as if its starving for fuel. Idle adjustment has no affect. Opened the pilot screws to 2 turns, no improvement. Which way to lean/richen the fuel circuits turn in to lean - turn out to richen ???

[Volker_P]

3 liters should be quite all right. As long as the engine is cold oil will collect in the top and may take some hours or even days to come down. Nothing to worry for now.

The things to put in that order on the oil filter bolt for installation are: spring, washer, filter, spacer.

Check out the cable of the oil pressure switch. Pull it from the switch, oil light should go out. If it does, check the switch with a bicycle pump: Turn of the head for the bicycle valve and just use the rubber part insert directly on the oil switch opening. Should switch at about 0.7 bar or so.

Before you try to start again it may worth to open the valve cover and have a look if oil is coming out of the camshaft bearings when you turn the engine with the starter. Just to be sure.

Don't worry too much on idle now. Go for a ride and see how it runs afterwards. Do all four header pipes get equally hot? The choke cam also opens the throttle slightly. Maybe manual idle knob is out completely?

[gaillarry]

I added about 1/4 litre of more oil and the light went out, oil level is good now. I used new oil, possible one of the jugs didn't have a full litre.

Looking at the carb bank I realized they were on a slant, carbs 1 & 2 were not fully in place. Using a wedge I got them to go in fully, now the carbs look straight and are flush against the engine.

The carbs still feel like they are starving for gas. I went to 2.5 turns out on the pilot jets and got the engine to idle (choke off). But if I give it throttle it bogs down and stalls. I checked for air leaks with WD40 and no leaks.

Since I had to re-align the carbs on the head, I'll go back to 1.5 turns out and try again.

[Volker_P]

It will die on the throttle without choke as long as it is cold. And a CB650 behaves like cold longer than most other bikes. Go for a ride and see what happens afterwards.

[gaillarry]

Too cold for a ride, it's -14 C but spring is not to far off !!!!

[Volker_P]

Two weeks ago we had these temperatures here, too. At night.
How do you get a CB650 to start at all? Please don't complain about minor idle problems any more, go playing hockey.
We had reasonable ice only for two weeks this year.

[gaillarry]

Yes, its been a very mild winter in Canada.

Out of curiosity what other type of carbs will work on the 79 ?