what did you wrench on today??

[trevor]

Stop it Trevor, you're killing me arrrrgh! Um...never mind. Keep the pics coming.

Lol....thanks. My wife says to me yesterday as she watched me vacuum my garage floor...."hey, jerk face, how about picking your laundry up off the floor on your side of the bed before you vacuum your garage"???

[Zellock]

Man's got a nice garage, nice bikes, nice taste; leave his laundry alone

[trevor]

Man's got a nice garage, nice bikes, nice taste; leave his laundry alone

Hello....right?? Exactly!!!

[rosy76]

My first loved Suzuki

[xcgates]

After several years of half-hearted attempts, I cleaned/reassembled the carbs, and got spark back to my 850, only to find the carb fuel rails leaking. So this morning saw me look at the new (metal this time) rails, and start poking around a box of o-rings to test fit. Very complicated and strenuous work I didn't complete before heading into work.

Something about trying to be productive before finishing coffee. And distracting dogs.

Here's to more progress over the weekend.

Well, more than a weekend, thanks to much excitement with animal drama (I raise sheep on the side) and now a lack of a day job, but the bike is now running, but not for long. Seems like a lack of fuel from my sketchy aux tank setup, so maybe I should have bought brand name from the start. So tomorrow is for checking local shops before ordering from MotionPro.

Job drama means I'm adding more ewes come spring, and have committed to starting back up breeding rabbits. Go big or go home? Also no day job reduces the motorcycle use. Any regular transportation usually involves a young dog that otherwise would be crated. And I'm a sucker for hauling dogs around.

[oldGSfan]

Well, more than a weekend, thanks to much excitement with animal drama (I raise sheep on the side) and now a lack of a day job, but the bike is now running, but not for long. Seems like a lack of fuel from my sketchy aux tank setup, so maybe I should have bought brand name from the start. So tomorrow is for checking local shops before ordering from MotionPro.

Job drama means I'm adding more ewes come spring, and have committed to starting back up breeding rabbits. Go big or go home? Also no day job reduces the motorcycle use. Any regular transportation usually involves a young dog that otherwise would be crated. And I'm a sucker for hauling dogs around.

I have a couple of those motion pro Aux tanks and can spare one if you want, just shipping. I'd give you the one with the little hanger anchor hole broken but I'm sure you could fix it, rig up some solution involving glue, duct tape and baling wire. From one 'lack of a day job' guy to another.

[xcgates]

I have a couple of those motion pro Aux tanks and can spare one if you want, just shipping. I'd give you the one with the little hanger anchor hole broken but I'm sure you could fix it, rig up some solution involving glue, duct tape and baling wire. From one 'lack of a day job' guy to another.

I'd appreciate that, though these days it's all bailing twine, I'll have you know. I really like the stuff used on the big bales, as it's miles stronger than the small square twine that snaps when you look at it wrong. Last time I had a whole stack delivered, maybe 120 bales, 10-20 fell and busted wide open. While I haven't gotten much wire tire, I do have to say I never had one of those bust open. The twine is easier to roll up and stick in the back of the truck "just in case."

I'll send you a PM.

But for yesterday, the bike was running long enough to demonstrate I did not, in fact, install the valve cover properly enough. So pulling that is on my list for this morning, and reinstalling it in the afternoon. Maybe I'll look into those reusable gaskets I see on Ebay, think I've seen some thick silicone ones? I know there's one on the breather cover. Maybe 1/8 inch thick.

Who knows, my wife's bringing back my niece to spend time with us, and we'll see if she wants to help with my mechanical stuff, or with my wife's baking. I'm surprised how often she chooses to hang out in the garage for a young girl. Maybe it's the quiet. Until animals start fussing. Or I'm wrenching on something I wasn't planning on. That was last weekend, with something gone wrong with the tractor's safety sensors.

[oldGSfan]

Maybe I'll look into those reusable gaskets I see on Ebay, think I've seen some thick silicone ones? I know there's one on the breather cover. Maybe 1/8 inch thick.

I am using the Cometic reusable gaskets and have no leaks, got them off eBay.

[oldGSfan]

I got the 2nd '83 mechanical stuff finished today. It will get the blue bodywork. It runs great, starts on the button, and sounds healthy AF. Compression #'s cold after sitting 3 years and being spun up first time were between 155 and 165. The last task was to bleed the CBR calipers. I hate bleeding front brakes. I know all the tricks but without a helper, it is no fun. Anyway it's all good and I look forward to trying them out. I need to do a little cosmetic work on the paint next, then ride. It was all apart so I cleaned & painted, replaced all the normal wear items, put a new stator on, and got a used SH775 from Ed (Nessism). It's very dark without the bodywork.

That stator cover was gouged pretty badly, did the old JB weld fill trick, then sprayed with VHT brake & Caliper semi-gloss that matches the Suzuki stuff well and is definitely chemical resistant, as tested on my Norton's barrels a while back (gas spill from broken petcock all over hot engine, OMG).

On these 2 '83s I took great care adjusting the butterflies with a feeler gauge, due to the trickiness of adjusting when synchronizing. I sometimes feel I do more harm than good when syncing. It's so difficult getting access and tightening without throwing them off. Both bikes idle fantastic and my old Motion Pro mercury set shows them looking pretty even. It could be better and more proper per spec, but I don't think I am skilled enough. They start, idle smoothly, and rev as good as I've ever experienced on my many 1100Es.

[trevor]

I got the 2nd '83 mechanical stuff finished today. It will get the blue bodywork. It runs great, starts on the button, and sounds healthy AF. Compression #'s cold after sitting 3 years and being spun up first time were between 155 and 165. The last task was to bleed the CBR calipers. I hate bleeding front brakes. I know all the tricks but without a helper, it is no fun. Anyway it's all good and I look forward to trying them out. I need to do a little cosmetic work on the paint next, then ride. It was all apart so I cleaned & painted, replaced all the normal wear items, put a new stator on, and got a used SH775 from Ed (Nessism). It's very dark without the bodywork.

That stator cover was gouged pretty badly, did the old JB weld fill trick, then sprayed with VHT brake & Caliper semi-gloss that matches the Suzuki stuff well and is definitely chemical resistant, as tested on my Norton's barrels a while back (gas spill from broken petcock all over hot engine, OMG).

On these 2 '83s I took great care adjusting the butterflies with a feeler gauge, due to the trickiness of adjusting when synchronizing. I sometimes feel I do more harm than good when syncing. It's so difficult getting access and tightening without throwing them off. Both bikes idle fantastic and my old Motion Pro mercury set shows them looking pretty even. It could be better and more proper per spec, but I don't think I am skilled enough. They start, idle smoothly, and rev as good as I've ever experienced on my many 1100Es.

Loving it!! Your bike just looks so good!

[oldGSfan]

Loving it!! Your bike just looks so good!

Thanks Trevor, given your collection, that's high praise. The anodized brake mount has acquired a bit of patina. I figured to leave it be since the wiring looks so cool

The bolts coming in from the inside were, umm, different but not terribly complicate to get right.

[steve murdoch]

The safety wiring on those brakes is a work of art.

[dgates1]

I sometimes feel I do more harm than good when syncing. It's so difficult getting access and tightening without throwing them off. Both bikes idle fantastic and my old Motion Pro mercury set shows them looking pretty even. It could be better and more proper per spec, but I don't think I am skilled enough.

I did end up changing out my Carb Sync Screws for hex-drive cap screws with a washer and spring on them. Found the M5x0.5 pitch screws on eBay from China (search for "M5 fine thread"). Had ordered 20mm length and they were too long and interfered with the choke rail. The 16mm length ones I ordered next were just right. Also ordered 7mm OD x 5mm ID x 15mm Long SS springs. These were good on the 20mm screw but too long for the 16m screw. Ended up cutting them to about 10-11mm length and installed with a SS M5 washer at the top of the screw.





I had done a vacuum sync right before this with the 11" long "special tool" that is suppose to work and it was difficult to get them balanced really good. Used a micrometer to crudely "measure" where the throttle valves were. I installed the new screws/springs and tried to match with the carbs still on the bike. It started but was not very happy... might be better to pull the carbs and do a bench sync.

After they were installed and I did the sync again, it was really easy to dial them in to be just about perfect with a 4mm ball end bit on a 6" bit holder. Yes.. I know everything is really dirty right now (she just woke up from an 8 year nap) and I did replace my O-rings in the boots.

Time will tell if they hold their position.

[oldGSfan]

I did end up changing out my Carb Sync Screws for hex-head cap screws with a washer and spring on them. Found the M5x0.5 pitch screws on eBay from China (search for "M5 fine thread"). Had ordered 20mm length and they were too long and interfered with the choke rail. The 16mm length ones I ordered next were just right. Also ordered 7mm OD x 5mm ID x 15mm Long SS springs. These were good on the 20mm screw but too long for the 16m screw. Ended up cutting them to about 10-11mm length and installed with a SS M5 washer at the top of the screw.

I had done a vacuum sync right before this with the 11" long "special tool" that is suppose to work and it was difficult to get them balanced really good. Used a micrometer to crudely "measure" where the throttle valves were. I installed the new screws/springs and tried to match with the carbs still on the bike. It started but was not very happy... might be better to pull the carbs and do a bench sync.

After they were installed and I did the sync again, it was really easy to dial them in to be just about perfect with a 4mm ball end bit on a 6" bit holder. Yes.. I know everything is really dirty right now (she just woke up from an 8 year nap) and I did replace my O-rings in the boots.

Time will tell if they hold their position.

Oh that's a clever idea. I should try that. I was tuning my son's friend's DR-Z400 carb the other day and the idle mixture screw (fuel adjustment type) is impossible to get to, it's under the carb and very little clearance. What a bugger! They sell extended screws with a knurled knob (eek!) and I recommended he get one, because I simply couldn't adjust it. I had put it to a setting that I read was about right, 3 turns - it was out 5 - and the bike runs good. But I like to fine tune if possible.

That got me thinking 'why do they do that?' and all I can figure is that the carb maker and the bike maker aren't on the same page, they aren't designed specifically for the bike. Old boxer BMWs are so simple to adjust, and overall I remember never having an issue swinging a wrench on them. None of that 1/8 turn, flip the wrench, another 1/8. They seemed to be built to work on. Unlike the modern ones. This pic is funny, must be a joke. Right?

[Baatfam]

This pic is funny, must be a joke. Right?

Maybe not. This is my K1100RS getting a spline lube....

BMW Spline Lube 20 by R John Thieda, on Flickr