Honda XL 350 1978 Project.

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Newtsalad
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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project. Headlamp trilogy.

Post by Newtsalad » Sun Apr 15, 2018 11:42 am

Ill jot this down before I forget, I'll get some pics up later.

I fitted the new headlamp, tried the LED bulbs on AC and they blew. This is getting expensive. :(

After advice sought here, I stripped out the generator, and disconnected the earth of the lighting coil. I left the ignition coil earth intact retaining AC ignition.

I joined onto the earth with a silicone wire, sleeved it with shrink sleeve, and carefully led it up in a position it wouldn't abrade itself or anything else. I had to drill the oil seal for my fifth wire, and remake the loom finishing it off with a six pin waterproof automotive connector.

I wired in a 15 amp 1000v bridge rectifier. It gave over 50v DC, rising with RPM to over 68v DC. The LED bulb has a range of 8v to 80v so I could have used that, but I want to be able to replkace a dead LED bulb with an ordinary bulb if needs be.

I had a Cub regulater, short type, someone said short type was 6v? Anyhow, I wired it in and it gave a steady 14v. Great? No. It fell off to 1-2v when the lights were on, and the headlight bulb barely glowed.

I then wired in the reg/rec as recommended by LL81. It's 12v. As the bike is fundamentally a 6v bike, I wasn't sure what result I would get. I also wired in parallel a 40v 4700uf capacitor LL81 gave me some years ago.

The result is 14.2v steady, and lights (12v bulb) as bright as I could wish for! About to try the LED bulb now, then to find somewhere to locate the Reg/Rec (It's big!) and tidy up the wiring.

Then I have a leaking fork seal to replace. (Deep joy. :( )

The Reg Rec that works. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Universal-4- ... 2749.l2649

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Newtsalad
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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project.

Post by Newtsalad » Sun Apr 15, 2018 12:34 pm

All is not well. :?

I have 15v DC steady from the reg/rec running off the lighting coil.

So now the tail light, which is AC, is brighter than the Brake light, which is DC from the 6v battery.

What I'm wondering now, is whether to join the lighting and charging coils, use the one reg rec, replace the battery and all bulbs with 12v?

Thoughts from the electrical guru's?

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Newtsalad
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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project. Tacho Cable.

Post by Newtsalad » Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:19 pm

Tacho cable has snapped. Seems to be little choice around, expensive and ships from Germany etc.

However I've found a Vesrah speedo cable in my stock of new old stock parts, 44830 KE2 000 Code# 1454001 which is apparently for a CG125E that is identical.

I just hope speedo cables aren't weaker / wound different to tacho cables.

I also found this useful link to a PDF of Honda Control Cable references. http://www.motociclism.ro/forum/index.p ... h_id=77567

See below, cable was no good

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Newtsalad
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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project.

Post by Newtsalad » Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:04 pm

Well that Vesrah cable was a crock of poo! :shock: The forked end snapped off! Made of cheese! After one side snapped, I was able to easily break off the other side with one finger. Made of Mazac, not like the Honda ones which are steel.

I've found a genuine Honda cable about an inch longer, but alas, no product code on it so no idea what it's off.

Best bet so far would be the CG125E cable from Honda.

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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project.

Post by Capitano » Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:38 pm

Wemoto seem to do cables for the XL350 1976-79 including speed and tacho cables and repair kits.

Might be worth a punt. I know that for the Cub, Genuine Honda is best, but I've never had anything cr@p from Wemoto with the exception of a cheap tyre, and they gave me a Heidenau that was twice the price as a free replacement for that. :)

http://www.wemoto.com/bikes/honda/xl_35 ... _k4/76-79/

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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project.

Post by Newtsalad » Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:44 pm

OK thanks I'll have a look.

I have a 37260 GJ1 000 on at the mo. it's just about long enough on full lock, with nowt to spare. Not sure how long it will last mind. :?

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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Iridium Spark plug

Post by Newtsalad » Mon May 21, 2018 2:28 pm

Spoke to NGK. Ever so helpful. The Tech guy admitted the info was misleading, that the D8ESL would be a hotter plug than the D8ESL, and would in todays terms be a D9ESL.
The cooler NGK Irridium I was looking for exists as a DR9EIX,

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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project.

Post by JOHNBOY » Mon May 21, 2018 5:03 pm

i always thought the lower the number the hotter the plug

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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project.

Post by Newtsalad » Thu Feb 07, 2019 8:38 pm

The XL finally got the tyre swap it needed for the winter. The tyres spent the night on the storage heater, even so they were a bugger to fit.

Image

So that done, no way would the bugger start. Usually, when it's been laid up for a bit, a drop of fuel down the plug hole will get her fired up, and she's good for a week or so after that. After I'd kicked my way to semi nakedness in the snow, and had my third heart attack, I eventually realised the spark on the Iridium plug was weak. :shock:

I cleaned it, no difference. New plug.. Vroom Vroom! So I'd killed an Iridium plug, that otherwise looked just fine!

Setting out for spares for my three broken cars, I had to return home for adjustment, as the mahoosive tyres were fouling the chain guard on the turns

I mentioned the plug by way of conversation to the lad in the motorspares shop I go to. He has an Ex Dave Bickers 125 that he's been under pressure to sell to a museum that wants it, apparently.

Anyway, he said, the older bikes tend to eat the iridium plugs. I have no idea if this is true or not, the Cub has done thousands of miles on them.

The XL has killed one in less than 3000 miles. It now has a new iridium plug, we'll see how long it lasts, and I'll certainly be carrying a spare!

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Newtsalad
Admin & site janitor.
Posts: 17611
Joined: Fri May 01, 2009 8:30 am
Rides:: XL1200c, Cali III, C125,GS750,XV535,XL350,BN125,C90's,C200's,CT200,Little Cub's
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Re: Honda XL 350 1978 Project.

Post by Newtsalad » Wed Mar 06, 2019 4:52 pm

Just had a long and very interesting conversation with a tech guy at NGK.

My theory that maybe the resistor plays a part is plain wrong, apparently. I also discovered that a hotter or colder plug does absolutely not affect the cylinder or cylinder head temperature, and that it's one of the biggest plug misnomers of all time.

Apparently, the ONLY thing that would stop a plug sparking, is fouling, giving the spark a path it's not supposed to have.

So I ran a colder plug because the engine was getting warm, the plug nose was likely not getting hot enough, and it wouldn't have lowered the engine temperature anyway, only the fueling would do that.

I had a few moments of pennies dtopping, and thinking, "How stupid am I that I ever thought that" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Anyway I'm now going to order a couple of DR8EIX for the XL 350, and gap them from the preset .8mm to .6mm.

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