questions for 160 owners

[Nomad]

I got my CA 160 started last week , ran like crud , barely made it around the block sputtered etc found a leak behind the points case so pulled the points cleaned up the case and tightened the screws , put the points back in attempted to start and now nothing , turns over freely , but will not fire , started troubleshooting the basics , here is what I found , drained the carb ( was rebuilt before starting , no sediment , drained the tank , no sediment , refilled with fresh premium , checked the spark , it seemed that one side was sparking more frequently than the other ( should be the same right?) checked the coil resistance ,reverified the timing , point gap , plug gap , replaced the plugs , it appears that the plug wire had a break halfway up the wire where it was inserted into the groove in the fins but as the coil and wires are 1 unit is there a way to repair?

I next checked the compression , both cylinders were the same but the compression was only 90PSI (the gauge was inexpensive so not sure if I trust it ) what should the pressure be on a bike with 18000 miles that has never been bored ? I saw somewhere that if the tappets are too tight they can lower compression, I thought I had them all close to spec , I plan on rechecking this .

am I missing something obivious? simple common sense? Any suggestions?

This is my first attempt and resurecting an old bike , these pages have a wealth of knowledge , but my searches do not always answer the questions , perhaps I ask the wrong questions ...


I don't want My Baby Dream to become a nightmare .

Thanks (<>..<>)

[Lopter]

hey where did you find the vin number on the ca160 Ive looked all over?

[Nomad]

mine is located on the left hand side right beneath the tool box cover and above the swing arm.

I have learned some things the Hard way about the CA160 , first off the jets in cheap carb kits can vary greatly and a 98 jet (ordered) is actually 86 (shipped)when you turn it upside down ;(

converting a 6 volt system to 12 volt is easy with the right parts , a CB 175 stator is a good start , a voltage regulator from same bike ,then a Radio Shack rectifier ($3) and coil the only issue I had was a 12 volt battery ... how to fit in space provided under the side cover ... since i had a sealed battery already and saddlebags , off to Wally world for battery cables for a lawnmower , when I hit the starter button for thew forst time sparks jumped 2 inches from the new coil ;) the battery has enough power to drive home if i run out of gas ( but I wouldn't) I converted the headlamp to a 35watt halogen H4 and swapped the bulbs for 12 volt .. I know it is not a "concourse restoration " but it sure feels good to ride daily and havbe strangers give you the "thumbs up" instead of the Bird

Now if I only had a left muffler without rust and a left mirror that didn't move .

I have a bunch of parts on EBay right now if you need anything let me know (<>..<>) NOMAD

[Nomad]

mine is located on the left hand side right beneath the tool box cover and above the swing arm.

I have learned some things the Hard way about the CA160 , first off the jets in cheap carb kits can vary greatly and a 98 jet (ordered) is actually 86 (shipped)when you turn it upside down ;(

converting a 6 volt system to 12 volt is easy with the right parts , a CB 175 stator is a good start , a voltage regulator from same bike ,then a Radio Shack rectifier ($3) and coil the only issue I had was a 12 volt battery ... how to fit in space provided under the side cover ... since i had a sealed battery already and saddlebags , off to Wally world for battery cables for a lawnmower , when I hit the starter button for thew forst time sparks jumped 2 inches from the new coil ;) the battery has enough power to drive home if i run out of gas ( but I wouldn't) I converted the headlamp to a 35watt halogen H4 and swapped the bulbs for 12 volt .. I know it is not a "concourse restoration " but it sure feels good to ride daily and havbe strangers give you the "thumbs up" instead of the Bird

Now if I only had a left muffler without rust and a left mirror that didn't move .

I have a bunch of parts on EBay right now if you need anything let me know (<>..<>) NOMAD