1984 Katana 7/11

[Guest]

Cheers Larry, so far so good! And yes I most definitely want to

I gotta buy it first though

I'm taking next Monday off to visit the paint store that sells PPG paints locally. I suspect they'll have to order the 13L in for me but I'm hoping I can at least pick up the primer while I'm there so I can get that done in the next few weeks.

 

[Guest]

I gave the crankcases a run over with paint stripper on Sunday and found a little gem at the back of the stator area. Initially I thought broken drive chain but I don't think that could be it.

I'll need to give it a bit of a clean up and smooth it out before I paint, gotta mke sure it remains oil tight.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Then on my day off yesterday I went up to the paint shop and got all my paint needs.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

No excuses now, I need to pull my finger out and finish preparing the bodywork so I can get the shed cleaned up ready to paint.

 

[dorkburger]

Those finds suck. A few years into owning my ES I found that the entire front engine mounting lug had been broken off and welded back on. In other words, I feel your pain...

 

[Guest]

Looks like its been repaired with JB Weld? Never used that on aluminum, but I did once repair a go cart valve cover with that stuff. Pretty sure the JB Weld is 20x stronger than the aluminum, but I would check to make sure that it is formulated for use with it. Looks like a little piece has already chipped off, which would worry me a little bit.

 

[dorkburger]

I think that when Larry ( NVR2OLD ) did his Honda 400 he repaired a broken off cooling fin with JB Weld... as in made and formed a new one.

 

[nvr2old]

Yes, I did. The entire front portion of that fin was broken off. And it worked beautifully. JB Weld is a really amazing product. The surfaces all have to be surgically clean, though.

IMGP3964 by

[url=https://flic.kr/p/22rX31W]IMGP3970 by https://www.flickr.com/photos/156482494@N02/

 

[Guest]

JB Weld is a really amazing product. The surfaces all have to be surgically clean, though.

Not sure I would trust the worksmanship of a PO. As you said, JB Weld Works best when the surfaces are very very clean. Seeing a piece already chipped off makes me question how well the PO may have "repaired" the fault.

 

[Guest]

Yep it certainly looks like JB Weld to me, that's the first thing I thought of when I saw it, and yep where that bit chipped off does tend to tell me it wasn't done all that well.

My plan is to file/grind/sand/whatever it back as much as I can to see how well it's stuck on there, give it all a really really good and thorough clean (despite the cases being pressure washed twice so far) and then apply fresh JB Weld over it.

I'd be reasonably confident it was oil tight once that's done, just gotta take good care to make sure the gasket surface stays level with the rest and make sure there are no file marks or whatever in that surface.

Larry, that repair is spot on too!

Cheers guys!

 

[Guest]

What's in the box?

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Yeah baby! Now we're talkin'!

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

This should also be everything I need to get the bottom end sorted except one wave washer on back order and the sump cover gasket which I completely forgot.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

I did lash out a bit and grabbed a new headlight frame as I did a good job distorting the one I had to fix up when I welded it, and I also now have a grab rail there as it's a bit awkward putting it up on the centre stand without somewhere to steady it.

Obviously the Kat fund is a bit anemic now... and it's time to take stock of where I'm at and work out everything I need to do to get her finished.

 

[Charlie G]

Wow Pete, it's always a good day when the parts arrive!

 

[nvr2old]

Now comes the challenge of color-matching the silver of that beautiful gas tank for the rest of the parts..silver is tough. Not only the shade, but the metallic coarseness. Might be easier to re-paint it along with all the other parts. What the heck, it's only time and money, right..? Or am I assuming incorrectly that you're even painting the bodywork silver..?

 

[Guest]

It sure is Charlie!!! Love getting those red and white labelled packets... and that tank... mmmm tasty!

All good Larry, as nice as the tank looks it's going to get painted, going to have some trouble bringing myself to touch that paint but it's gotta be done. I'm undecided if I should strip it or just rub it back though. Best strip it I think.

While the paint on that tank is very nicely done, it's not the correct 13L Suzuki Kat paint which saved me significantly on the tank price as I had to buy the paint anyway for the other bits.

The plan is the 13L on the cowl, tank, front mudguard, and side covers. Then it'll be gloss black on the top part of the cowl and tank and rear part of the front mudguard as per the stock style Kat two tone paint jobs, and the tail piece will be gloss black.

 

[steve murdoch]

You said it, Pete! That tank is tasty.

I have seen a lot of pics of opening new parts boxes with a celebratory drink near by.
Beverage of choice? haha.

 

[nvr2old]

I wouldn't worry about stripping that tank, Pete. Just sand it with 600 wet and dry and you'll be good to go. It'll make the perfect base for you to do a re-spray over.

 

[Guest]

Haha yep Steve! Beverage of choice was a Burleigh Brewing Big Head (local brewing company, zero carb beer) which I very much enjoyed

Cool Larry, that will cut down on the prep time a bit but also I'll be able to make sure I leave the tank sealed as is too, I was a bit worried about accidentally getting stripper on the seals over the petcock and filler openings so I can leave those intact now.

Hopefully this weekend I can get a good move on finishing up the prep working and getting the shed sorted to get painting. I need to make up some frames for hanging bits and I need to improve the air flow in the filter box before I spray with 2K as well.

 

[Guest]

Not much to report from the weekend, although I did improve the air flow in the filter box. The fan's a bit close to the rear wall, so it felt like air was hitting the wall and blowing straight back instead of going around the corner.

I added some angled material and it seems to flow better now. It was ok with the aersols but I really needed to address it before doing any 2K painting.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

I've been having trouble finding red pinstriping tape for the pinstripe that will run at the top of the silver under the black on the cowl and tank, but I lucked out at Autobarn of all places and the colour looks like it will work quite well.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

And out of curiousity I compared the tank with the 13L on the front side covers... no it's not 13L but it's close!

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Unfortunately I did discover that the gaskets I made for the anti dive block off plates are not working and fork oil is leaking from both. I guess I'm going to have to use some sort of sealant after all.

 

[dorkburger]

That material should definitely help airflow. In ductwork they put turning vanes on supply side 90 degree elbows to guide the air around the corner and reduce turbulence.

 

[Guest]

Ah ok, having never done anything like that before I didn't give it the slightest thought... until last time I was spraying in there I noticed the inlet filter material moving a bit and felt some air coming back *out* at me...

 

[Guest]

I finally got some time back on the Kat yesterday.

The front mudguard is now ready for high build primer and I got a good start on preparing the tail piece as well.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

I'm going to need a bit more than just the high build primer on the tail piece, it's got a few reasonably deep war wounds.

I also have another plastic repair to do after hearing a crack while sanding it. On the inside was a piece of stiff rubbery material glued on and that and the paint were masking a nice big crack on the right side.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

 

[Guest]

I broke out the acetone, ABS offcuts, and soldering iron last night and got stuck into the plastic repairs.

I started on the choke lever which had one of the clips broken off.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Not sure how well that will work as there's not a lot of material there to get to bond. I need to clean the repaired area up so it will go back together properly then I'll know if it's a good repair or not.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Then onto the tail piece.

I was hoping to only repair from the inside, but that wasn't strong enough alone so I had to go from the outside also.

A bit of ABS slurry pushed into the crack and then the soldering iron across it on both sides and it's nice and strong.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

I then added a bit more slurry on the outside as a bit of a filler so I don't end up with more low spots.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

And finally there were some divets and small chunks taken out on the bottom edge towards the front that I used more slurry as a bit of a filler for.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

That all just needs a sand back and tidy up now and it should be good to finish the paint prep.