Suzuki T500 Restoration/Cafe Project

[celt_rock]

Hello folks,

I'm absolutely brand new here and have been looking around at everyone's posts learning a whole lot of information. The most
important thing I have found is that, no matter what question I may have, it looks like someone on here has got the answer! That
is really assuring. I've done nothing so far except to research what it is that's missing on this project. It's mostly together but
the guy I got it from was missing a bunch of parts. Things like the mirrors (he probably sold them after he found out what they
go for) the left side cover, airbox, battery box and ignition (I guess there are three wires twisted together in order to get it to run).

I sort of want to make sure that it could possibly run before I start anything serious. With that in mind I need to de-rust the tank
(spent two evenings on youtube checking out different methods of doing this) and cleaning the carbs. I don't plan on using the
original pipes, it appears someone did a crap job of knocking out the baffles. I was thinking of doing a cross between a cafe racer
and stock (different seat but keeping the whole back fender, different pipes, air pods, etc).

With all that in mind, should I just clean needles/jets in the carburetors as they are or pick up a rebuild kit and from who? There are
a couple on eBay but I figured you guys would know much better.

It may not be recommended, but this bike will be a learning experience for me. I've never taken apart an engine or put a bike together
short of swapping out lights and other things on a Harley. I've always been a sucker for 70's Japanese bikes and for some reason the
Suzukis are it for me. I plan to do a lot of reading, asking lots of questions and hitting up the mechanics teacher at the high school
where I teach music.

I imagine this will take me a year or two but I'm patient, I have the time and I have the will power to re-use anything
that I possibly can, including any parts that I can from the completely disassembled GT380 that came with this bike. I had visions of
borrowing the front forks from the 380 in order to get disk brakes on the T500 Cafe project but I think I'm going to stick with the drum
brakes, I love how they look and I really don't plan on actually racing this, just riding it around town attracting attention and being the
envy of every 13 year old boy with a strange fascination for old Japanese motorcycles out there.

I'll attach a picture of the bike as it sits now.

I welcome any and all comments and if anyone knows of folks in the Northern Vermont/New York area who would be a good resource
here it would be most appreciated!

DSC01633.jpg

This is it minus the carbs and the front fender (in the shed)

DSC01632.jpg

This is the way I brought it home that day. This is after emptying the GT380 parts from on top of it!

[titan performance]

You've certainly come to the right place to showcase your build, and get the answers to any queries you may have.
Have a browse though our Flickr media gallery, where you will find a whole lot of 500 projects from around the world......you may get some good ideas for your build.

http://www.classic2strokesuzuki.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Good luck..

[celt_rock]

Thanks, yes I've checked out that page, in fact I think I wrote you an e-mail a couple of weeks ago and you clued
me in to this forum which I've been reading a lot of every day. That bike at the bottom that says "Tim's Cafe Racer",
the one modeled after Frank Whiteway's is sort of my model with some changes of course.

I made my first steps tonight, I dismantled the tank in order to get ready for the "de-rust-ification". That petcock
needs a solid cleaning and my first step will be to find a new gasket set for it.

Cheers!

[desmocat]

Hello folks,
With that in mind I need to de-rust the tank (spent two evenings on youtube checking out different methods of doing this) and cleaning the carbs......With all that in mind, should I just clean needles/jets in the carburetors as they are or pick up a rebuild kit and from who?

Welcome to the forum. Over the years I've found this forum to be a wealth of useful information with folks who really want to help you out.

Regarding de-rusting, this is the process I use:

1. Break up the scale in the tank by putting a short length of chain (maybe 12") and shaking vigorously, rinsing out loosened scale with water.
2. Plug petcock tap with adjustable rubber plug, then fill with de-rusting solution like Evapo-Rust. I like Evapo-Rust since it is not an acid and will not attach the base betal, it is also non-toxic and biodegradeble (can be disposed of in sewer system). Soak the tank for 24 hours to remove rust, drain (capture Evapo-Rust solution for future use, I can be used many times), flush with water, then refill and drain solution and let dry. The dried Evapo-Rust will form a preventive barrier.

Regarding carb cleaning, i would disassemble carbs and put jets (pilot, main, and needle), needles, and float valves in a jar of carburetor cleaner to remove all the gunkification. Use spray carburretor cleaner to clean the carburetor body; make sure you remove any rubber parts so that the carb cleaner doesn't attack the rubber.

I've used aftermarket rebuild kits, but I've always re-used the original Mikuni jets parts and replaced only the float valves and gaskets.

Hope this helps!

[CumbriaSuzuki]

If you're going to make a cafe racer out of that, you could do a lot worse than joining the caferacer.net forum. Those guys really know their stuff and will guide you in the right direction.

http://www.caferacer.net/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tz375]

You jest of course....

CR.net does have some experienced people over there but they love to bait newbies for some reason. It's like some sort of frat house hazing ritual. It's not that they are necessarily wrong, but they don't always play well with others.

There are also a couple of interesting builds on DTT as well as the many great bikes built by members on this forum.

[celt_rock]

So now that fall is here I figured it's time to get to work and stark stripping down the bike to its frame (which somebody painted primer red). I've gotten it down to engine, frame, forks and wheels.

DSC02075.jpg

I started to take off parts of the engine for diagnosis and cleaning... realized this is going to take quite a while. Here's the mouse nest I found inside the sprocket cover. There certainly was enough oil mixed with mouse s@#t in there. Oh, and a candy wrapper.

DSC02078.jpg

The sprocket didn't look much better...

DSC02076.jpg

What are some ways you fellas use to clean this crud out? Can I just spray it with degreaser then rinse it out? That's what I did with the cover (after scraping out the majority of it with a putty knife). It seems that some of those parts shouldn't get too wet and yet it seems that it can't be worse than what was there.

[celt_rock]

Speaking of mouse nest... what d'ya think of this rat's nest?

DSC02070.jpg

Is this worth updating or keeping around?

DSC02069.jpg

Seems I've seen a more modern replacement that folks use with a better fuse. I'm going to go through
this wiring harness and figure out what works and what doesn't, clean up the wires a bit until they no
longer look their age and hopefully get a handle on it. Someone was nice enough to forward on to me
the color coded wiring diagram, now to attempt to get my A.D.D. mind to be able to focus on it long
enough to decode it

[Coyote]

Print out the wiring diagram and take it to a place like Kinko's. Get it enlarged to 3 times its original size. I had to do this when resurrecting my GS1000. Made it super easy to decode.and seee what went where. I'll bet someone on here can figure out how to make the ignition switch a simple on/off toggle switch.
As far as the carbs go, clean and reuse the original pieces (jets and such). Stay away from Keyster kits. The only things usable in those kits are the float needles and seats and the float bowl gasket. Their needles and jets are crap.

[ConnerVT]

I'll bet someone on here can figure out how to make the ignition switch a simple on/off toggle switch.

Double Pole, Single Throw (DPST) switch:

Brown ---- | | ---- Orange

Gray ------ | | ---- Red

| | <--(If all you have avail is a DPDT double pole, double throw.)


Be sure to insulate any exposed terminals.

[tz375]

Celt, that rattle in your exhaust may just be a baffle supports with a broken weld. There are 4 or 5 disks inside that support the baffle and break the muffler into sections. The disks are welded to the inner half of the exhaust shell and sometimes they crack and come loose.

If it is really bad, you may have to carefully grind down the seam welds and open the muffler up. Then it can be cleaned out, repair any dents, weld it up and get it chromed.

[jabcb]

T500 wiring diagram is here: viewtopic.php?f=29&t=4743

A modern regulator/rectifier will provide a smidgen more output & much better voltage control.
The Tympanium is available via eBay for about about $50:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4858&p=109480&hilit ... um#p109480

Pic & wiring diagram using a Tympanium regulator/rectifier: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=4858&p=109480&hilit ... um#p109480

[celt_rock]

Celt, that rattle in your exhaust may just be a baffle supports with a broken weld.

If only, it actually looks like a piece of steel crinkled up like aluminum foil, just heavier and thicker.
The baffle is gone entirely and this thing is just running up and down the pipe when you tip it on end
and then back. I think I'll have to find a way to grab it and cut it out of there, maybe with tin snips.
I don't know what the hell it could have been. Think the baffle from a GT380 would fit? I have one...
somewhere...

[AFRetired]

I've probably got a spare baffle around still in a muffler! Where are ou located?

[celt_rock]

I've probably got a spare baffle around still in a muffler! Where are ou located?

I'm in Northern Vermont. I just went down stairs to check out the pipes again. On one of them the baffle has simply
been removed and on the other it actually looks like it blew up. I'll post a pic. I bet this is why the PO stopped riding,
knocking out the baffles without changing up the air and carbs probably made it run like hell. Not that I know anything,
this is my first tear down but from what I read it's a recipe for disaster. Here's the pic

DSC02109.jpg

If you have a baffle or even a whole thing laying around, let me know and let me know how much you want for it, looks
like I'll need to replace this... bummer.