'85 GS700e restoration

[Smokinapankake]

The stator cover has been removed sometime in the bike's past (obviously). Why was it removed? Couple of reasons come to mind:
1. - PO hit the pavement on that side, scratched the he11 out of it or broke it completely and replaced it.
2. - Stator failed on it and got replaced.
3. - Starter motor / starter clutch issues that have been repaired.
Most of us here don't like the use of RTV as a gasket material due to the risk of small globs breaking free inside the crankcase and plugging some small oil delivery hole. Get a proper gasket and do it right.

I've read and have experience that the airbox won't come out of the frame until you pull the engine, or, at least the head. And I'm glad you've had good results getting your carbs out. That is one of the most difficult, hateful jobs on these bikes!

Bike looks good, by the way, and once you get it back on the road you'll really love it. The tarriff-beaters are fabulous bikes that handle well with plenty of power. I have a pop up Katana which is basically the same bike with (much) sexier clothing:


Keep up the good work and before you know it you'll be on the road!

[soundsource]

the stator is in there. not too much oil is in there, so that instant gasket usually works. a proper gasket only costs ~$10 though.....was it leaking oil from there though?

Thanks for the advice 5t341th. Thankfully it was not leaking - will definitely get the proper gasket to replace it!

[soundsource]

The stator cover has been removed sometime in the bike's past (obviously). Why was it removed? Couple of reasons come to mind:
1. - PO hit the pavement on that side, scratched the he11 out of it or broke it completely and replaced it.
2. - Stator failed on it and got replaced.
3. - Starter motor / starter clutch issues that have been repaired.
Most of us here don't like the use of RTV as a gasket material due to the risk of small globs breaking free inside the crankcase and plugging some small oil delivery hole. Get a proper gasket and do it right.

I've read and have experience that the airbox won't come out of the frame until you pull the engine, or, at least the head. And I'm glad you've had good results getting your carbs out. That is one of the most difficult, hateful jobs on these bikes!

Bike looks good, by the way, and once you get it back on the road you'll really love it. The tarriff-beaters are fabulous bikes that handle well with plenty of power. I have a pop up Katana which is basically the same bike with (much) sexier clothing:

Keep up the good work and before you know it you'll be on the road!

Man, she is sweet, smokinapankake! I see what you mean about the better clothing as well, loving the gold accents...

Looks like she was dropped, though I'm not sure what the PO has used to repair the cover:



Any ideas?

[soundsource]

Latest update, but not many photos. It was a bit of a battle getting the engine block out. I took many people's advice and laid the bike down before trying to get it out. Obviously I'd taken out most of the mounting bolts but hadn't realised quite how much of a job it would be getting it free...

I ended up having to take all of the mounting brackets off while it was on the floor, which was a real pain. I hadn't taken either wheel off or the forks so that didn't help either. It ended up with me and two helpful friends wrestling with the frame to get the block past the airbox which got in the way all the time.

Finally though, both engine and airbox have been set free and I can now see light at the end of the tunnel!



Next up I'll bleed the front brakes and get stuck into the suspension and swing-arm. It's my birthday today so I'll probably not get too much done on the bike. We'll get there soon enough I hope!

[GateKeeper]

Even more fun trying to get the motor back in......take a peek at my build thread on how I put mine back in....

have fun....

And Happy Birthday...

[Good Times]

Happy Birthday SS!!!

That cover looks like it's been welded to me. If it's aluminum and pretty solid you may be able to smooth it out. Maybe.

You planning on painting or polishing it? Something else?

That bare frame looks good.

[soundsource]

Even more fun trying to get the motor back in......take a peek at my build thread on how I put mine back in....

have fun....

And Happy Birthday...

Hey GateKeeper, I just re-read your build thread... Looks like I'm going to be closely following your reassembly pretty soon. Love your polishing and painting work, how long do you think it took for all the cleaning/polishing?

Thanks!

[soundsource]

Happy Birthday SS!!!

That cover looks like it's been welded to me. If it's aluminum and pretty solid you may be able to smooth it out. Maybe.

You planning on painting or polishing it? Something else?

That bare frame looks good.

Many thanks Good Times! I was planning to polish rather than paint. Sure looks like weld doesn't it, I'll give it a crack at smoothing down when I get around to starting the cleaning/polishing part of the process...

[SVSooke]

Do you have access to a bench grinder?If you can find polishing wheels and compounds as well your polishing will be much easier.Done most of my polishing with that setup but recently goy myself a 8 inch buffer.Be careful it can be addictive.Yeah and I got it BAD

[soundsource]

Do you have access to a bench grinder?If you can find polishing wheels and compounds as well your polishing will be much easier.Done most of my polishing with that setup but recently goy myself a 8 inch buffer.Be careful it can be addictive.Yeah and I got it BAD

Haha SVSooke! I'm slightly worried about your addiction, I get the feeling I might be similarly afflicted! You can never polish too much now, can you?

I don't have a bench grinder handy so will have to go with drill and wire wheel/buffing wheel. Would you recommend sanding first or just go straight on with the wire wheel?

[GateKeeper]

Haha SVSooke! I'm slightly worried about your addiction, I get the feeling I might be similarly afflicted! You can never polish too much now, can you?

I don't have a bench grinder handy so will have to go with drill and wire wheel/buffing wheel. Would you recommend sanding first or just go straight on with the wire wheel?

It all depends on what type of finish you are after, a high gloss mirror finish, or a more subdued finish, matte type of finish. There are many stages one has to go through to get the high end mirror finish, every thing from a wire wheel, to 6-8 grades of sand paper (wet sanding) and then your choice of polishing stages as well, typed of wheels your going to use, and the compounds.

Have a look in my thread for some of the polishing I have done, then have a look at Good_Times thread as well, he has gone hard core on his polishing (I put on sunglasses each time I am in his thread) and there are many other threads you can view to get an idea.

I did some high polish parts, and some parts were left with a satin finish, some I painted, and didn't like it so I polished instead and did the opposite as well.

It's all up to you....and the look and finish your after....

.

[soundsource]

It all depends on what type of finish you are after, a high gloss mirror finish, or a more subdued finish, matte type of finish. There are many stages one has to go through to get the high end mirror finish, every thing from a wire wheel, to 6-8 grades of sand paper (wet sanding) and then your choice of polishing stages as well, typed of wheels your going to use, and the compounds.

Have a look in my thread for some of the polishing I have done, then have a look at Good_Times thread as well, he has gone hard core on his polishing (I put on sunglasses each time I am in his thread) and there are many other threads you can view to get an idea.

I did some high polish parts, and some parts were left with a satin finish, some I painted, and didn't like it so I polished instead and did the opposite as well.

It's all up to you....and the look and finish your after....

.

GateKeeper I think I'll probably go the same way as you: some parts high polish, others satin finish. I'll definitely follow your advice on the reading as well... I remember both yours and Good_Times covers came out looking slick!

In the meantime, an update on progress: I know I said I wouldn't get anything done today as it was my birthday but the weather was so nice (very rare for the UK) and once I had pulled what is left of the bike out of the garage I didn't really stop until I was beginning to lose nuts and bolts because of the dark!

So anyway, here she is (apologies for the crap dark photos):







So now, having bled the brakes and pulled the calipers (praise the lord, both sides with nearly new pads), I moved on to the rear wheel and shock absorber. I wasn't able to pull the swing arm as my 21mm socket was cracked by a friend who tried to use it to pull the wheel-nuts off his car. I'm going to have to buy a new one anyway but might just borrow one for now...

I moved on to the handlebars, removing everything except the actual bars, which I won't do until I've cleared some space, organised and categorised all my bits of bike and got the frame clear in the middle of the garage, where I'll need it for cleaning and painting.

Last up was the front mudguard.

All of these bits came off without too much fuss and only one semi-rounded nut (the one at the bottom of the shock where it meets the swing-arm) so all in all quite a happy birthday! I'll post some more pictures of the bits in the light tomorrow but for now time for birthday dinner with my wife.

[Billy Ricks]

I had a look for those valve cover bolts and didn't come across them. The head came with a valve cover but I guess no bolts. Sorry I couldn't help.

[soundsource]

I had a look for those valve cover bolts and didn't come across them. The head came with a valve cover but I guess no bolts. Sorry I couldn't help.

No worries. Thanks for looking anyway Billy!

[GateKeeper]

As you are taking things apart, and removing nuts and bolts and bits and pieces, the easiest way to keep them sorted and all together, is to drop them into Zip Lock baggies, freezer bags, and you can write on them what they are for and where they came from. It will keep all the small bits from running away from you and getting lost....

just a tip if you have not read about it or used it in the past....