[Ruby1025]

Hi guys. Yesterday my 77 year old Dad helped me dismantle and reassemble the tachometer box on my CB200T (he rebuilt antique cars all his life but never a motorcycle).

Background: The reason for doing this was, it was leaking oil from the cable and grommet (No big surprise I hear). Interesting to note, once opened up, there was no tachometer oil seal #23 or anything inside it. I had already ordered a replacement seal #23 from ebay and had it ready to install, however, once inside, the screw that would hold the tachometer cable inside the box was no where near where the indent or groove was in the end of the cable, so we had to make our own rubber seal (by the way the replacement Honda OEM Part 91256-096-651 was hard plastic not rubber-to us this seemed odd). Then the groove in the cable lined up with the screw to hold it in place in the tachometer box. Then the grommet was homemade on it so we went to ACE and found a grommet that fit better and a rubber O ring to use as a spacer. Once back together this stopped the leak and it works excellent. So happy ending on that note.

Question: In the middle of working on this my Dad saw what we feel is a gas overflow tube hanging down but not really connected as it was resting on the frame. So I pulled it out, but now need to find where it goes and reattach it. Easier said then done. Can anyone tell me how to figure out where it goes? I did search this forum, google, my clymers manual and my cb200t shop manual and cannot find it. It's a clear, yellowish tube that I believe is the gas overflow tube, but do not see any openings that do not have a breather tube or overflow tube already connected. The other tubes are black rubber coming off the carbs, etc.

Any help would be most appreciated!

 

[TOOLS1]

A picture would be a big help here.
TOOLS

 

[Ruby1025]

Well I can take some but I don't know where to angle the shot at. I know it won't go where there are already tubes. That's about it.

 

[fxray]

It sounds to me like you found the overflow tube for the old style wet cell battery. I hate these things with a passion, though a lot of people still use them. Basically, the top chamber of the wet, lead/acid battery is vented so that excess electrolyte can escape. Without that tube in place to route it safely down to the ground (mother earth) under your bike, it goes all over the place, etching a path of rust and destruction wherever the wind blows it. Often, despite your best efforts, the vent tube will leak where it joins the battery, and then the destruction begins up on top. Even with the vent in place, people often mis-route it or fail to secure it. Many exhaust systems on old motorcycles have been ruined this way.

An AGM (absorbed glass mat) battery is one type that does not need to be vented. There are others as well. Scorpion or MotoBatt both have good AGM batteries for these old bikes, at reasonable prices. They eliminate the need for that tube. Perhaps your PO already updated to a proper battery, but neglected to remove the vent? If your battery is the wet cell type, the vent line probably fell off. Check it out.

Ray

 

[Ruby1025]

thanks Ray, I will check what type of battery is installed, the previous owner just replaced it last year, said it is maintenance free, but I should see what it says on it before I determine that. He also said it didn't leak oil at all and I found out that it was missing the tach Oil seal it was spraying oil all over!

 

[Simo]

It does sound like a battery overflow but a picture of the tube off the bike with a ruler/scale would help

 

[Ruby1025]

Well u were right. It's off the old cell battery. The top off battery has liquid on it. Frame seems a bit more rusty under drain hole from where battery is probably release acid. I will see about a gel battery. Thanks!!!

 

[Ruby1025]

I am glad I took Ray's advice and checked the battery, first, there was a red rubber cap on the drain hole and the tube was obviously in my hand not connected, so I connected it to the drain hole. Then the levels were at low, this was a new battery bought last summer according to the PO and he told me don't bother checking it, it will never need distilled water or acid added. Ugh. I like to not worry about my batteries so I got a scorpion AGM battery from Batterystuff.com for $49 and will install that this weekend. Thanks for all the help!

 

[fxray]

That's a good battery. I've had one in my CL350 for four years, using the original charging system and running with the headlight on (also original) to satisfy the law. I don't even put it on the battery tender, and I have never had a bit of a problem with it. Although my kickstarter works fine, the bike starts so easily with the e-start that I always just touch the button.

Ray

 

[Ruby1025]

Great, I hope to have the same experience with this one. Thanks again Ray.