a few problems came up today.....

[nate1714]

so it was the first nice day in a while...so i pulled out my 79 cx500 honda.....and decided to attach the battery....i know how to do this... i know red is positive.... so its not that issue...either way now...i attach the battery and as soon as i attach the last wire...where the wires meet up (the source or the wire that leads to the harness) starts to smoke...now at first the bike was a bit damp...so i pulled it out to the sun and it dried up and then tried again...and still started to smoke...so i decide thats enough of that...

#2 my clutch cable seems to be sticking....i have never changed it and maybe this is the sign that says its time to (which i have no idea how to do) but i pull my cluch and it does not retract so my lever is just limp (so to say)

thanks in advance.....

[ceemes]

so it was the first nice day in a while...so i pulled out my 79 cx500 honda.....and decided to attach the battery....i know how to do this... i know red is positive.... so its not that issue...either way now...i attach the battery and as soon as i attach the last wire...where the wires meet up (the source or the wire that leads to the harness) starts to smoke...now at first the bike was a bit damp...so i pulled it out to the sun and it dried up and then tried again...and still started to smoke...so i decide thats enough of that...

#2 my clutch cable seems to be sticking....i have never changed it and maybe this is the sign that says its time to (which i have no idea how to do) but i pull my cluch and it does not retract so my lever is just limp (so to say)

thanks in advance.....

Problem one: I'd say you have a short somewhere, best pull the seat, side covers and probably gas tank and take a good look at your wiring harness for bare wires, melted or discoloured insulation. Had a short in my Sabre's self-canceling turn signal dohickey (yeah, that a proper technical term) which lead to more shorts and finally a blown CDI box and a $1100 repair bill.

Problem two: Replace and lubricate your cable. I've had a number of Honda's with cable pull clutches, CM400's and a CB650 and for some reason they all ate clutch cables on a regular basis. Mind you, I was using them as courier bikes and they were on the road daily, in all weather conditions.

[techyguru]

+1 to a short

My guess is it's inside or before the fuse box, because the fuses should pop before anything starts to smoke.

Make sure no metal is shorting the red side to the frame or the negative side.

[ceemes]

+1 to a short

My guess is it's inside or before the fuse box, because the fuses should pop before anything starts to smoke.

Make sure no metal is shorting the red side to the frame or the negative side.

wish it worked that way with the Sabre, fuse didn't start popping until after the CDI went, by which time the damage was done. Had to replace half my wiring harness, one CDI box and by-pass the turn signal self-canceler.