Interceptor 500 Low Budget Project

Wow...congratz guy!

 

Congratulations on all your hard work. There is always a few loose ends just attack them one at a time.

 

I've looked into this a bit - from what I've found (cross referencing the OEM part numbers) the '84 (post serial number 2000094) and the '85/'86 share the same front head gasket (12251-MJ8-306) but not the same rear head gasket.

The rear head gasket on the '84 has a different part number (12252-MJ8-405) than the '85/'86 (12252-MJ8-406).

If you have a chance to post a few photos it would be interesting to see what the differences are btwn the gaskets you have.

 

OK, I will have a look and post a picture. If I were to guess, I think that the difference is the one blocked coolant port to force more coolant elswhere and that this was a progression / improvement between 84 and 85/86.

 

Good deal. Thx!

 

Way to go! Another 500 brought back to life.

 

I second upgrading the brake lines. I bled mine time and time again but they never firmed up. 25 year old rubber isn't the greatest. Good work on everything else. You're a much more patient man than I.

 

Well this needs more detailed information.
If the 85-86 gasket just blocks a coolant hole, a law of physics says you cannot compress a fluid so where does that fluid go?
It needs a better explanation. Like is the water circulation different in the later engines? etc.
Maybe a later model gasket should be used? Would it cause problems???

 

As I said it was just a guess. Lani from Copper Gaskets suggested this as a possibility. He said he has seen such modifications on other gaskets before. As you suggest, perhaps it forces a change in flow to effect some desired change.

 

Agreed.

It would be great if owners with NOS or Aftermarket VF500F head gaskets could post a photo or tracing of the front and/or rear head gaskets they have with the related OEM numbers.

A comparison can then be made between the rear heads (front gaskets are the same part number for ‘mid-edition’ '84 and the '85/'86).

One of the reasons I'm curious about this is that I have read that the heads are interchangeable across all the years.

While the front heads appear to be (same OEM gasket number) I'm not sure an '85 or an '86 rear head can be used on a '84.

Thx!

 

Update:

- Fixed the horn. I tried a different one, did not work. Took apart the left controls and tested the switch, didn't work. So, there was something in the left control wiring harness. I could not find anything obvious so I switched the entire left controls and harness. Good thing I had a few spares. It now works. I do need a choke cable. The one that I had is shot.

- While inspecting everything and checking nuts/bolts I noted slight play in the rear wheel. I ordered new wheel bearings and will swap them out this week.

- I started it up again last night and noted that it is running rich at idle. I intend on syncing the carbs and playing with the pilot screws. Longer term I'm going to clean out the 84-85 carbs that I have and an replace the 86 carbs that I have on the bike. The only reason I put the 86 carbs back on is because I knew that they worked before and wanted to keep things simple. One of the older carbs I have are in really good/clean shape. The chrome on the bowl caps is still shiny with almost no pitting! All of the throttle linkage, etc. is super clean. I just need to clean out the cobwebs and other debri and do a good cleaning.

- I can't find my speedo cable, lol. I may have tossed it thinking it was one of my spares. A lesson that I learned a few times: when you have lots of parts, don't throw anything out unless you already have 1 spare!

- The sidestand was the least bent of the ones I had, but it is still in the way of the shifter a bit. I need to track down a nice, straight sidestand.

- Ordered the o-rings for the leaking coolant pipe

- The coolant pipe that runs from the rad down to the pump is not 84-85, it is an 86. It is a metal pipe with a tab to mount to the frame mid-way. My 86 frame had the mount, not my 84 frame. I need to find some 84-85 hose and the little s-pipe that winds around the frame or I need to drill a mounting hole in the frame...

- BTW - the rads are different between the years. The 86 rad that I had on the bike is wider so the side mounts did not align with the 84 frame mounts, so I had to switch to my 84 rad.

- I took it for a 5 minute ride last night and the temp guage was not working. I also did not notice the rad fan working when things got well warmed. I need to troubleshoot this.

- If it stays nice today I will take some pictures and post them.

If anyone has any tips for any of this, please post.

 

Thanks for the post. Good intel on the difference between the '84/'85 and the '86 radiators. I didn't realize this - I did notice some time ago that the coolant overflow 'bottle' is also larger on the '86 model year. I believe Honda did this in part as they no longer needed to have access to the fuel pump and relay area on the '86 (as the fuel system is gravity fed on this model). For those of us who have removed the '84/'85 fuel pump and relay - using a modified petcock - this could be a good bolt-on upgrade, if the mounting tabs are the same.

 

The 86 coolant overflow is another 86 part that was on my bike that I carried over. I used the 84 rear fender though because it was in better shape than the 86 fender. You haad to cut away a small section around where the reservoir goes in order to accommodate the size increase. The 86 fender has this mod.

It really became apparent as I put all these parts onto the 84 frame that the bike I started with was 95% 1986 with a mixed 84-85 motor. I wonder what happened to the 86 motor.

Another interesting thing is that the speedometer on the bike was American (mph) with 35k on the odometer. There was also a Canadian one in the parts bins with 45k km on it. The Montreal parts bike that I bought had 13,500 km on the odometer. Guess which one I put back on the bike?

The history on this thing intrigues me. So many mods and parts swaps (even worse now with what I have done!). What was done, when and why? The person a few owners ago put a lot into it. I am finding a lot of evidence of a complete rebuild mechanically and cosmetically with a lot of painted over plastic like the chain guard, dash, side rad covers, even the handlebar controls got a flat black coat. I believe that an owner must have bought new cams at one point because they are in really good shape. It is just too bad that the owner between him and me was rough on it.

 

Good to know!

Thanks for the intel.

 

Before




After

 

Getting there. Last steps:

Putting heads back on and installing cams



Bike ready for the motor


Motor in

 

In case you are wondering:

- Rear cowl will go back on. I need to find appropriate spacers to fasten it to another seat that I have with the holes punched and a threaded hole in it

- Not sure about re-installing those fork covers. I like the black of the forks with the black fender. Thoughts?

- Mirrors got painted tonight and will go back on

Good news: Found the 84 piece of coolant pipe that goes inside the frame rail instead of outside like the 86 pipe that is on it now. I painted it tonight and will put it on.

Bad news: It looks like I DID throw out my only speedo cable and now have to buy one...

 

What a great story and photos!!!

Bike looks good and I know you must feel good that you rebuilt it from the ground up!!! WOW Good job too.

 

Congratz...keep up all the good work.

 

Amazing, man!