South Florida 1967 CL160

Nollieflip

Well-known Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2023
Total Posts
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South Florida
Had my first part failure today. Shifted into second on a dirt road and heard a strange noise, looked down and the shifter nob was gone. Snapped clean off, some how I found it. Didnt slow me down, shifting was just a bit more work after hahaha. With that, figured i've had my honeymoon fun and it's time to dive into it. Once I start going through things I post everything here in one place. I'm sure I'll have lots of questions for you guys!IMG_0160.jpeg
 
Flyin900 said:
You must also own a Harley... no other reason for the oil stains on the cement. :ROFLMAO: Krazy Glue and as good as new! :mad:
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o_O (n) weld it.. yes.
Although you may need to remove/replace the rubber cushion;it's now possible to remove the original rubber cushion.
I hope the original rubber cushion is still flexible,if so,then get the lever end welded back on and trim the weld a good bit so the rubber will fit back over it. You can heat-up the rubber cushion in some simmering hot water,then use something like WD40 and get a glove and take the hot cushion,spray WD40 into it quickly and force/twist it back onto the lever. I think you need to finally align/straighten if necessary the shift lever so it will never touch your engine case cover again and make sure the lever is adjusted properly for height. ;)
 
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Those minor oil weeps are likely seals or case gaskets, as both are probably very old by now. Check your washer on the main oil drain plug too, as they also wear out and drip. The shifter seal would be a possible suspect for the leak. A replacement shifter lever, if your not a welder is fairly inexpensive from various vendors available as either used or a new pattern part.
Some more constructive info this time rather than pulling your leg. ;)
 
The 160's shifters are a little shorter than most. May be hard to find a new that matches good and used 160 stuff is always a challenge. Keep it. Weld it or send to me (your dime), I'll weld it free.

make sure you clutch push rod seal isn't ready to hemorrage, it's like cuttin a jugular.

Check oil level, not a lot of leeway. You do know how to check it, right? Not screwed in dipstick.
 
ballbearian said:
The 160's shifters are a little shorter than most. May be hard to find a new that matches good and used 160 stuff is always a challenge. Keep it. Weld it or send to me (your dime), I'll weld it free.

make sure you clutch push rod seal isn't ready to hemorrage, it's like cuttin a jugular.

Check oil level, not a lot of leeway. You do know how to check it, right? Not screwed in dipstick.
Click to expand...

Check it before every ride. Changed the oil a week or so back, level is still within range its a minor leak somewhere above the kick stand base.
 
Did an oil change and a few other maintenance tasks on the truck today. After being in the garage and looking at the bike while doing it, I decided to take it for a quick ride after finishing. I ordered a new shifter that hasn't arrived yet. As I'm not a welder (yet hopefully) I drilled out the old shifter and ran a bolt through it. Ran it on Sunday after doing it and everything felt normal. When I took the shifter off, the mounting screw was loose enough I didn't do anything and it slid right off. When I remounted it I tightened the mounting screw.

Today the bike idled much higher than normal. I was able to take off in first and ride around the neighborhood without applying any throttle at all, just letting out the clutch. This is new. I realized this after I realized a few other things. The speedometer is way off. If any throttle is applied in first it jumps up to showing about 50 mph. Ive become accustom to shifting gears off the range indicators on the speedometer. Today it had to be done off feel and sound. Well, as soon as second is hit it jumps up to the upper limit of third and then so on. While around what felt like 45 MPH in fourth the needle was off the speedometer...No way i was past 100.

The Shifter position may have been moved up a couple teeth but is pretty close to where it was originally. When the shifter was reinstalled, it was definitely installed further on to the teeth and tightened down as stated. Could this change anything? If ignoring the speedometer, it rode fine but did sound a bit different. An idea what's going on? Aside from the shifter, nothing else has been adjusted intentionally.
 
If the carbs were adjusted on a cold day and the bike was not fully up to temp, the idle can easily be different on a warm day with the bike fully warmed up to normal operating temp. Carbureted vintage Hondas typically don't idle cold, or they idle at a lower speed that when fully warm if they do idle cold.

As for the shift lever, position makes no difference except for how it fits your foot's needs to shift it. You absolutely want the shift lever to be fully tight on the shaft so no movement can be felt when tight or the splines can get worn, resulting in the need to replace the shift shaft. However, it's also tightened by a 6mm bolt (10mm head) so it's easy to break off if you're not used to working with them, so be cautious and use 'good feel'.

Speedometer is probably dry inside the input shaft and needs a small amount light oil lube, they're usually worse on cold days but most of these old gauges are wavery and inaccurate at this age. There are a few speedo shops around the country that can rework it for you but it's not usually cheap.
 
It was probably around mid 70s when i rode it today, not cold. I made no intentional carb adjustments. Its possible some vibration/rattle made some screw position alterations as I ran a long bumpy dirt road and grass on Sunday. But, I rode on pavement stopped, bolted through the shifter and then hours later rode again on pavement and that was happening. It was normal. I did wash the bike down after the last ride of the day as it was covered in mud,dirt, and dust. Perhaps some moisture got in? Anything I can do to help that? Where exactly should I oil? Electrical contact cleaner? How exactly does the speedometer work, RPMs?
 
Use Cable Ease (amazon) not contact cleaner to lube your speedo cable. Undo the top cable connection (inside the headlight bucket, remove headlight). Also make sure the lower connection, at the front wheel, is not loose. As AD said, the speedo itself is not meant to be serviced by an owner and requires specialized skills to work on. One of the many parts that are getting hard to find and expensive on these 60 year old vintage bikes.

If you expect to ride and maintain this like a modern bike, it will not last very long, especially if all the maintenance procedures have been neglected, as they usually are. Not trying to be a kill joy here but it's just the truth.
 
Nollieflip said:
Where exactly should I oil? Electrical contact cleaner? How exactly does the speedometer work, RPMs?
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All these older speedos work on a cable from the front wheel, most of them on the same side as the front brake cable (other than some of the '60s bikes and the DOHC 450 where the speedo drive is on the opposite side of the front wheel from the brake cable). The light oil lube you'd want to do is on the shaft of the speedo unit itself, you have to pull the gauge out of the headlight assembly, flip it over and drip a few drops (literally, not very much or it will get all over inside the unit) around the center of the drive in the threaded stub where the cable attaches. Other than that, the gauge would need to be opened up to make any further improvements in performance.
Nollieflip said:
Reality and the truth is what is needed. I assume the maintenance hasn't been done either.
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With our bikes you almost always have to assume maintenance was neglected or ignored over the decades unless you have proof otherwise.
 
It's on the opposite side of the brake cable. It was a bit loose but not major. I pulled it out and inspected it, it looks like its covered in old dark grease. Could be road grime build up. Should I clean it up and use the same lube on the connection to the front tire?
 
Because of unknown maintenance (which, for speedo cables is usually none) you should remove the inner cable and clean/lube it completely. Unscrew the cable from the drive on the front wheel and the inner cable pulls out of the bottom of the outer cable housing. Clean it up and put some light oil or cable lube on it and slip it back in. But as far as lubing the speedo input shaft itself (which is what I was referring to previously), remove the nuts on the studs coming from the bottom of the speedo itself inside the headlight shell, remove the upper cable nut to remove the cable from the speedo unit and lift the speedo out of the headlight shell. Flip it over and look at the shaft that spins inside the threaded drive area where the cable attaches. That's where you want to sparingly drip some drops of light oil into the drive area before putting the speedo back in the shell, then reattaching the cable.

honda-cl160-scrambler-1966-usa-headlighttaillight-cl160_bighu0091f6334_edb5.gif


speedo drive.jpg
 
Nollieflip said:
It's on the opposite side of the brake cable. It was a bit loose but not major. I pulled it out and inspected it, it looks like its covered in old dark grease. Could be road grime build up. Should I clean it up and use the same lube on the connection to the front tire?
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I use Lubriplate white motor assembly grease, it's not as thick as regular grease, the cable spins freely and evenly, without the needle twitching.
 
Lubriplate lightly on the cable and the Kable Ease lightly on the connection to the speedometer? Anything used to clean the cable before lubing or just old grease/junk removal with a rag?
 
ancientdad said:
Because of unknown maintenance (which, for speedo cables is usually none) you should remove the inner cable and clean/lube it completely. Unscrew the cable from the drive on the front wheel and the inner cable pulls out of the bottom of the outer cable housing. Clean it up and put some light oil or cable lube on it and slip it back in. But as far as lubing the speedo input shaft itself (which is what I was referring to previously), remove the nuts on the studs coming from the bottom of the speedo itself inside the headlight shell, remove the upper cable nut to remove the cable from the speedo unit and lift the speedo out of the headlight shell. Flip it over and look at the shaft that spins inside the threaded drive area where the cable attaches. That's where you want to sparingly drip some drops of light oil into the drive area before putting the speedo back in the shell, then reattaching the cable.
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You can try the above suggestion to lube the cable connection to the internals of the speedo, yet I have found that it mostly doesn't work. There is a seal in there that stops the lube from penetrating into and past that area to lube the internal drive section. Certainly try it, if the other cleaning and lubing of the main cable and drive area off the front wheel doesn't resolve your issue.
 
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I heard a cautionary tale - experts please chime in - that using a liquid lube could have the carrier portion of the lube gravitate upwards onto the ‘clock’ ( hello Brits! 👋) face and mar that surface.

Me? With a definite lack of experience, training and expertise in Speedo areas, I sent mine off to a specialist to clean and get working. Not a 100% restoration.

seattlespeedometer.com

Seattle Speedometer - Gauge Repair and Restoration

The Northwest's premier gauge repair and restoration shop. Specializing in speedometer repair, calibration and restoration.
seattlespeedometer.com seattlespeedometer.com

I found Buz Ras to be the kind of shop owner that listens, and delivers.
And.
His shop is about a delicious 4 hour ride from my house.
 
michael said:
I heard a cautionary tale - experts please chime in - that using a liquid lube could have the carrier portion of the lube gravitate upwards onto the ‘clock’
Click to expand...
I've even seen it happen occasionally on factory-sealed, untouched gauges before, but it's rare. Yes, only 2 or 3 drops to lube the input shaft, that's all I was suggesting. Low percentage chance that it helps much, but easy enough to do without more invasive action.
 
Well, I just cleaned up and lubed the cable portion. It made it worse, now I'm going "90" in low second hahaha. I did go light on the lube and used the Lubriplate assembly grease as recommended and it was locally available. I ordered the Kable Ease as recommended also, but it's not set to be delivered until tomorrow. Should the cable be greased more? The needle is extremely erratic now until it disappears completely.
 
At this point your problem is internal inside the speedo. If the inner cable spun easily with your fingers once lubed and back in the outer cable, then the gauge needs work.
 
The connection was indeed dry. Used the Kable Ease to no avail. it's not recommended to open it up completely and see whats going on? I'm tempted...

While doing that I started looking at the headlight. It's fine now, but what are you guys using as replacements?

I feel like apologizes are needed to keep asking simple minded questions, but I got some more.

I changed the oil today as I've left the petcock open a few times recently....Gas was definitely present as seen in the photo. The petcock does work and hold. Before shutting the bike off, should I be closing the petcock and running out the remaining fuel in the line?

IMG_0173.jpeg

The air cleaners are toast. Anybody use theses before? https://www.lossaengineering.com/products/k-n-pod-filters-that-fits-honda-cb160-cl160
If not, what is recommended?IMG_0161.jpeg

My tail light works, but the brake light does not. Found 4 loose cables, but only 2 wires running through the fender to the tail light. Can the others be added and connected to make the brake light work again?IMG_0164.jpeg
 
Your brake light is miswired. They are using a green ground wire on the one leg of the dual wire setup leading into the tail light, so it is grounding either the running light filament or the brake light filament in the circuit. Since it is only a 2 wire input on the tail light one wire is for the running light and the other is for the brake light filament and the ground should be supplied through the chassis/fender assembly into the metal brake light housing.

This all assumes it is wired properly! Which is rare on 60 year old multi owner bikes. That black wire with the male connector on the incoming wires that is unconnected maybe the correct wire to light the circuit.

Some sketchy wires there with electrical tape!!! If you can read a schematic, then check the wiring on there to determine which wires do what function.

YOUR QUOTE: I feel like apologizes are needed to keep asking simple minded questions, but I got some more.

If you don't have the FSM ask AD to download a link one; it saves lots of time and troubleshooting becomes easier.
 
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And to follow up on Flyin900's thoughts, those two wires going toward the taillight are not factory so those colors may well be misleading. You can tell someone 'painted' the frame or something in the area with black paint, as there is overspray on the boots over the female wires that should be clear.

If you want to have fun re-jetting the carbs for those K&N pod filters, then they WILL work but with far less airflow resistance than stock so it will run lean. And if you do decide to buy aftermarket parts, take the time to look harder than finding someone like Lossa to buy stuff from. $48 EACH for those is too high, they might even be cheaper directly from K&N themselves, or even Amazon.
 
ancientdad said:
And to follow up on Flyin900's thoughts, those two wires going toward the taillight are not factory so those colors may well be misleading. You can tell someone 'painted' the frame or something in the area with black paint, as there is overspray on the boots over the female wires that should be clear.

If you want to have fun re-jetting the carbs for those K&N pod filters, then they WILL work but with far less airflow resistance than stock so it will run lean. And if you do decide to buy aftermarket parts, take the time to look harder than finding someone like Lossa to buy stuff from. $48 EACH for those is too high, they might even be cheaper directly from K&N themselves, or even Amazon.
Click to expand...

Sounds like good advice to me.
 
Be kind to your petcock. Replacement is almost impossible. Packing is possibly available.
Sealed beams are similar sized with others but the tab positions are different and so is chrome trim ring. I found a NOS aftermarket sealed beam, Beck Arnley, but will mod my burned out Stanley for future use with replaceable bulb.
They run best with stock air filters but you will have to refurbish with Unifoam media sheet and hot glue. See my build in projects.
 
Blind as a bat these days with colouring. Some of those extra wires are for the rear turn signals that are unused. A schematic will tell you which wires are correct for the taillight function. Look them up and test them with a voltmeter for brake switch function and running light + voltage when the ignition is on.
 
So I've started doing some of the things I can do and understand recommended in LongDistanceRider's Basic Checklist for the New to you Old Bike. Oil and plug changes, Air filter inspection, Tire checks, etc. Issue is the FSM doesn't have the majority of the info for these bikes, and I've never done these tasks. Ex. Adjusting the valves,balancer and cam chain adjustments, points and ignition timing, etc. I've cleaned outboard motor carbs before but adjusting them has been hit or miss, some have been easy some have been tough.

I've been reading a bunch of things including a Clymer Manual for a variety of bikes that groups in the CL160. I've come across typos and errors, as LDR stated they are often full of.

1.What is recommended for learning and understanding what and how things work and what proper changes must be made.
2. What should I have on hand as far as cleaners/solvents and lubricants. What should be and shouldn't be used where?
3. Gaskets and adhesive? Change them all?
3. Most days the bike feels different from the last ride one way or another. Idle speed, clutch resistance, shocks (they were tough but I think i've exercised them/worked them back into working order for the most part lol),etc. No intentional changes have been made, just rattle/ambient temperature changes I'm assuming. How can these be minimized?
4. All help recommend. Ive read a bunch of threads on here that have helped some, but there is a lot to take in.
 
michael said:
I heard a cautionary tale - experts please chime in - that using a liquid lube could have the carrier portion of the lube gravitate upwards onto the ‘clock’ ( hello Brits! 👋) face and mar that surface.

Me? With a definite lack of experience, training and expertise in Speedo areas, I sent mine off to a specialist to clean and get working. Not a 100% restoration.

seattlespeedometer.com

Seattle Speedometer - Gauge Repair and Restoration

The Northwest's premier gauge repair and restoration shop. Specializing in speedometer repair, calibration and restoration.
seattlespeedometer.com seattlespeedometer.com

I found Buz Ras to be the kind of shop owner that listens, and delivers.
And.
His shop is about a delicious 4 hour ride from my house
Click to expand...
Two drops and happened to mine. Guessing the seal is no good, which is probably why after washing it started. Ive seen two different makes as replacements. Fugi and Nippon Seiki. Different Speedometers on the different years? My 67 has the Nippon. The parts manual for the 66 lists 37200-223-000, the Fugi. Are they interchangable?
 
Nollieflip said:
Two drops and happened to mine. Guessing the seal is no good, which is probably why after washing it started. Ive seen two different makes as replacements. Fugi and Nippon Seiki. Different Speedometers on the different years? My 67 has the Nippon. The parts manual for the 66 lists 37200-223-000, the Fugi. Are they interchangable?
Click to expand...
If they have the same part number, they are interchangeable.
 
Nollieflip said:
So I've started doing some of the things I can do and understand recommended in LongDistanceRider's Basic Checklist for the New to you Old Bike. Oil and plug changes, Air filter inspection, Tire checks, etc. Issue is the FSM doesn't have the majority of the info for these bikes, and I've never done these tasks. Ex. Adjusting the valves,balancer and cam chain adjustments, points and ignition timing, etc. I've cleaned outboard motor carbs before but adjusting them has been hit or miss, some have been easy some have been tough.

I've been reading a bunch of things including a Clymer Manual for a variety of bikes that groups in the CL160. I've come across typos and errors, as LDR stated they are often full of.

1.What is recommended for learning and understanding what and how things work and what proper changes must be made.
2. What should I have on hand as far as cleaners/solvents and lubricants. What should be and shouldn't be used where?
3. Gaskets and adhesive? Change them all?
3. Most days the bike feels different from the last ride one way or another. Idle speed, clutch resistance, shocks (they were tough but I think i've exercised them/worked them back into working order for the most part lol),etc. No intentional changes have been made, just rattle/ambient temperature changes I'm assuming. How can these be minimized?
4. All help recommend. Ive read a bunch of threads on here that have helped some, but there is a lot to take in.
Click to expand...
#4. Yes it's a steep learning curve and if you ride it without the required maintenance, it won't last long. See the recommended service schedule in the owner's manual. #3. Same as #4. Other #3, no gaskets don't need changing unless leaking. Adhesives are generally not to be used.
#2, lubricants are also discussed in the owner's manual.

I won't ride one of these old bikes without all needed tasks done, it just ruins them faster.
Clean oil filter, adjust valves and cam chain, timing and everything on the short interval maintenance schedule.
 
Nollieflip said:
Two drops and happened to mine. Guessing the seal is no good, which is probably why after washing it started. Ive seen two different makes as replacements. Fugi and Nippon Seiki. Different Speedometers on the different years? My 67 has the Nippon. The parts manual for the 66 lists 37200-223-000, the Fugi. Are they interchangable?
Click to expand...
As BB mentioned, over the years, Honda used different suppliers of gauges and all will fit the same model and work as the others, same internal ratios and if made for the CL160 then the fit would be the same.
 
I removed the air filters today, they are in bad shape, but I cleaned them up as much as possible. While off, I noticed the throttle valves were not engaging at the same time. The left carb was was opening quite a bit before the right. I made some adjustments and got them to operate in sync when the throttle is engaged. I removed the cap and everything was surprisingly extremely clean. Everything appeared to be operating smoothly. The idle screws however, were set way off from each other. Over two full turns different. I assume this was done to compensate for the different throttle valve engagements. After I removed them completely, i set them initially to were resistance was felt against the spring. It sputtered a bit there so I went in some more. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me the more in (clockwise) the more it pushes up on the throttle valve increasing the idle? I got it to where it ran well at idle completely backed off on the clutch. Very little throttle needs to be engaged to take off in first, gets moving with no throttle with the clutch about 75% out. Throttle is needed when the clutch is let out past that. I DID NOT make any adjustments to the mixture screws. It ran well on about a 10 minute ride stopping and accelerating periodically. I noticed both plug boots were hot, not warm HOT. I don't think this was the case before. It concerned me so I made some throttle screw adjustments but ended up back where I was because it ran rough any further in. Being concerned, I stopped and have been reading a bunch of things since. Is this normal or did I screw something up???
 
Nollieflip said:
I removed the air filters today, they are in bad shape, but I cleaned them up as much as possible. While off, I noticed the throttle valves were not engaging at the same time. The left carb was was opening quite a bit before the right. I made some adjustments and got them to operate in sync when the throttle is engaged.
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This is a good observation and one of the many manually-adjusted things that need to be done periodically, good job recognizing the need.
Nollieflip said:
I removed the cap and everything was surprisingly extremely clean. Everything appeared to be operating smoothly.
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After re-reading a few times I assumed you mean the carb top. Just saying 'cap' could mean lots of things, of course.
Nollieflip said:
The idle screws however, were set way off from each other. Over two full turns different. I assume this was done to compensate for the different throttle valve engagements.
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Possibly the case, but obviously all wrong so again, good that you caught and adjusted.
Nollieflip said:
After I removed them completely, i set them initially to were resistance was felt against the spring. It sputtered a bit there so I went in some more. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me the more in (clockwise) the more it pushes up on the throttle valve increasing the idle?
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Yes, but you also have to make sure the throttle cables (that you previously adjusted at the carb tops) aren't set high enough to keep the slides from returning back to the idle speed screws.
Nollieflip said:
I got it to where it ran well at idle completely backed off on the clutch. Very little throttle needs to be engaged to take off in first, gets moving with no throttle with the clutch about 75% out. Throttle is needed when the clutch is let out past that.
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Idle speed and clutch adjustments all will need to be worked out. Though you don't have a tach to rely on for setting the idle speed, it should be around 1200 rpm which, on a small twin, is not typically enough to get moving without adding a little throttle as you let the clutch out so it might be a tad high. A short video will show us that.
Nollieflip said:
I DID NOT make any adjustments to the mixture screws. It ran well on about a 10 minute ride stopping and accelerating periodically. I noticed both plug boots were hot, not warm HOT. I don't think this was the case before. It concerned me so I made some throttle screw adjustments but ended up back where I was because it ran rough any further in. Being concerned, I stopped and have been reading a bunch of things since. Is this normal or did I screw something up???
Click to expand...
I seriously doubt it. first, remember that these engines are air cooled and riding around slowly is generally not enough cooling air traveling over the head and cylinder fins to dissipate heat. They need to be moving at least 10 to 15 mph or higher for both the air cooling to work well enough and the charging system to actually recharge the battery (55+ year old alternator/charging system technology). As for the plug caps, they're on top of the plugs which are screwed into the hottest part of the engine, the cylinder head/combustion chamber. I'd guess pretty much normal behavior.
 
Throttle / idle speed adjustment is for just that, not to compensate for other issues.
As AD said idle speed is set by the screws (and yes it is better to check visually for even throttle slide height with air filters off), not set by cable adjustment. The carb top cable adjusters are used to make sure both slides lift at the same time. You have a main cable adjuster at the handlebar throttle.
So, loosen the cable, set the screws, then adjust cables.

Before messing with mixture, inspect your plugs for color and fouling.

FYI, those air filters are not available, so recovering them with filter foam is best (they look fine for now). Don't even think about using pods. They don't really work as good as they may look, remember, cool and fool rhyme for a reason.
 
ancientdad said:
After re-reading a few times I assumed you mean the carb top. Just saying 'cap' could mean lots of things, of course.
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Yes, sorry. The carb top where the cables are fed through.
ancientdad said:
Yes, but you also have to make sure the throttle cables (that you previously adjusted at the carb tops) aren't set high enough to keep the slides from returning back to the idle speed screws.
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I tinkered with them until I made them work.They are on the idle speed screws, Loosing the left carb throttle cable seemed to slow the engagement time and tightening the right seemed to catch it up. This correct?
ancientdad said:
Idle speed and clutch adjustments all will need to be worked out. Though you don't have a tach to rely on for setting the idle speed, it should be around 1200 rpm which, on a small twin, is not typically enough to get moving without adding a little throttle as you let the clutch out so it might be a tad high. A short video will show us that.
Click to expand...
Havent made any clutch adjustments. How do I go about this and getting them right together? So I should go out (counter clockwise) on the throttle screw a bit? I should leave the mixture screw as is? I can get a video of it idling with the throttle completely backed off, but a video taking off will be tough.
ancientdad said:
I seriously doubt it. first, remember that these engines are air cooled and riding around slowly is generally not enough cooling air traveling over the head and cylinder fins to dissipate heat. They need to be moving at least 10 to 15 mph or higher for both the air cooling to work well enough and the charging system to actually recharge the battery (55+ year old alternator/charging system technology). As for the plug caps, they're on top of the plugs which are screwed into the hottest part of the engine, the cylinder head/combustion chamber. I'd guess pretty much normal behavior.
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I got it up to at least 50 quickly, I just really dont remember the boots getting hot before today's observation.


ballbearian said:
Throttle / idle speed adjustment is for just that, not to compensate for other issues.
As AD said idle speed is set by the screws (and yes it is better to check visually for even throttle slide height with air filters off), not set by cable adjustment. The carb top cable adjusters are used to make sure both slides lift at the same time. You have a main cable adjuster at the handlebar throttle.
So, loosen the cable, set the screws, then adjust cables.
Click to expand...
Didnt and havent adjusted the top cable connection only the two going into the carbs.
ballbearian said:
Before messing with mixture, inspect your plugs for color and fouling.
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I will check them out tomorrow. I'll post pictures of them if anything is unusual.
ballbearian said:
FYI, those air filters are not available, so recovering them with filter foam is best (they look fine for now). Don't even think about using pods. They don't really work as good as they may look, remember, cool and fool rhyme for a reason.
Click to expand...
Do you wrap the filter foam around the entire unit, or get rid of the old filter material and shape the foam in place of?
 
Nollieflip said:
Yes, sorry. The carb top where the cables are fed through.

I tinkered with them until I made them work.They are on the idle speed screws, Loosing the left carb throttle cable seemed to slow the engagement time and tightening the right seemed to catch it up. This correct?

Havent made any clutch adjustments. How do I go about this and getting them right together? So I should go out (counter clockwise) on the throttle screw a bit? I should leave the mixture screw as is? I can get a video of it idling with the throttle completely backed off, but a video taking off will be tough.

I got it up to at least 50 quickly, I just really dont remember the boots getting hot before today's observation.



Didnt and havent adjusted the top cable connection only the two going into the carbs.

I will check them out tomorrow. I'll post pictures of them if anything is unusual.

Do you wrap the filter foam around the entire unit, or get rid of the old filter material and shape the foam in place of?
Click to expand...
Don't worry about the filters now. Get and learn the official Honda CL (or CB) 160 Owner's Manual for all these basic adjustments. Clutch and throttle are both separate adjustments, not done together. Read the manual, it is foundational information.
 
Seriously, manuals back then are not like modern manuals, full of dumb stuff and barely cover oil changes. Back then, extensive owner performed adjustments are clearly explained and the expectation was that the owner would follow them and do them according to the mileage intervals specified in the maintenance schedule.
You need to do the cam chain and the valve clearance procedures. Then do the timing and points. There is an order to all this, as explained there. Carbs are usually the last thing to do. Clutch is, as needed, and often, so are the brakes.
 
ballbearian said:
Seriously, manuals back then are not like modern manuals, full of dumb stuff and barely cover oil changes. Back then, extensive owner performed adjustments are clearly explained and the expectation was that the owner would follow them and do them according to the mileage intervals specified in the maintenance schedule.
You need to do the cam chain and the valve clearance procedures. Then do the timing and points. There is an order to all this, as explained there. Carbs are usually the last thing to do. Clutch is, as needed, and often, so are the brakes.
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I would like to, but I've never done either before and havent come accross how to do it other than in the mixed bike Clymers manual I have. I've come across multiple inaccurate statements in it, and its a vague manual covering all Honda Twins between 125-200cc from 65-78. Not exactly reliable or bike specific.
 
Please PM Jim/LDR or Tom/AD for a link to our library and they will send so you can download the 66 CL160 Owners Manual PDF.
 
Well, found my oil leak. Just Opened the alternator cover, and it started pouring out. It's still draining. Any ideas?
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If the fact that oil is in that cover leads you to believe that's the leak, the oil is supposed to be in that area - but if it is leaking it means either the gasket needs to be replaced, or the o-rings on the 3 screws need to be replaced, or maybe that spot on the cover that looks like a hole caused by the shift lever in a previous fall has been poorly repaired from behind and is seeping.
 
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