82 GS1100E Mr Turbo Rebuild

[Rob S.]

My 1973 Kawasaki Z1 originally sold new for...$1,973.00.

Decided against the "rat-rod" look, I see. Not fond of the 38 year old patina, eh?

 

[oldGSfan]

I wouldn't mind a bit of patina on my '54 Willys Wagon, and in fact the roof is starting to peel. But I like bikes to be as good as they can be. I may be over restoring it w/regard to the side covers but the rest will just look new. I am a sucker for well polished cases. My older brother used to pay me to Simichrome his Triumph cases, little did he know I enjoyed it.

My 1973 Kawasaki Z1 originally sold new for...$1,973.00.

Decided against the "rat-rod" look, I see. Not fond of the 38 year old patina, eh?

 

[Rob S.]

I couldn't agree more. I think people who leave their bikes out in the cold rain and snow should be arrested.

College students would of course be given a pass.

 

[oldGSfan]

At around 9 my best friend and worst enemy got what I really wanted, a Schwinn wheelie bike with a chrome springer front end. He promptly chained it to his fence and let it rust through the winter. I think he rode it once. Maybe that's where my OCD started

I couldn't agree more. I think people who leave their bikes out in the cold rain and snow should be arrested.

College students would of course be given a pass.

 

[oldGSfan]

Engine is back in, easy job with furniture dolly and $50 HF chain hoist, lay engine on side and gently lower the frame down. I see videos of people wrestling them out and in, using boards and jacks etc. Looks like a good way to screw up both your body and the bike frame. I say bring Muhammad to the mountain, it's easier. Oh wait that belongs in the archaic sayings thread.

 

[Rob S.]

...Schwinn wheelie bike with a chrome springer front end.

Red was called the Apple Crate and orange was called...well, you get it. Also had shocks/springs at the rear of the "banana" seat.

 

[oldGSfan]

Well it's a unicycle but making progress, I put the original wheel on it since the EPM is a work in progress with no tire. Nice to have it starting to look like a bike again.

 

[oldGSfan]

Put on the side covers and emblems, oooh ahhhh...

 

[steve murdoch]

Wow! That looks great.
Interesting custom oil pickups as well.

 

[oldGSfan]

Wow! That looks great.
Interesting custom oil pickups as well.

Thanks Steve. I spent a long time on the stainless and chrome header/muffler today. I used barkeeper's friend and red (brown?) Scotchbrite, regardless if it's that or baking soda or whatever else, it is mainly elbow grease. It took a good 3 hours, once I did part of the small pipe I was energized to finish up. I was considering Jet Hot or Cera Kote which I still may do someday, but wanted to get it decent and see how it runs before sinking a bunch of $ into these parts. There are some blemishes but overall I'm very happy that they could be brought to this condition, considering the level of tarnish.

I used some diluted muriatic acid on the rust at the welds and flanges, which worked great. I still have rust in the crook of the pipe I may try to get at, and then perhaps some brush-on silver high heat paint. Gotta check those welds for any leaks too, and if so, get them sealed up.

 

[oldGSfan]

I uploaded a video walk (squat?) through.

 

[Rob S.]

Best movie I've seen all year.

You won't be going with gearing as tall as 184 mph, will you?

 

[oldGSfan]

Thanks Rob, I'll start with stock 15/42 (from memory) setup because it matches the chain I have, then go smaller in back, I think. I will need to be careful, set to -10 lbs boost to start. I think Ill end up somewhere in the middle, I have a few sizes to choose from. My Multistrada has 150HP but doesn't feel all that much stronger than my old GS, from memory anyway. Gets happy up front more though.

Best movie I've seen all year.

You won't be going with gearing as tall as 184 mph, will you?

 

[suzukigs1100ez]

Love this bike makes me want get my 82 prettier. Side note your headlight brackets are missing the rubber between the fork tube an bracket. My 82 has them

 

[oldGSfan]

Thanks, yeah that is actually the last thing I'm waiting on, otherwise I'd have the front end together. They are on order from Partzilla, can't wait to have it on 2 wheels.

Love this bike makes me want get my 82 prettier. Side note your headlight brackets are missing the rubber between the fork tube an bracket. My 82 has them

 

[oldGSfan]

I fitted the exhaust, mounting flanges were bent so I straightened as best I could, pretty close. I have new gaskets. I always find installing 4 of them to be a juggling act. I think I used some masking tape in the past to hold in place then pulled out when loosely mounted. I need gaskets for the 3 bolt round flanges, will measure and see if they are a standard size. Hope so.

 

[oldGSfan]

I got the little rubber grommets for the headlight bracket so I put the front end on, but I forgot one of the little air fitting shrouds that I painted up, d'oh! Oh well quick to fix that. I have to support with the hoist, because the side and center stand are still being powder coated. The original wheels are on for rolling around, while the EPMs are being stripped and bead blasted. Found a wheel shop that does it for $30 each, what a deal. I should have stands and wheels next week. I'm fabricating the forward side cover mount for one side, it was cut off to allow the big S&S air cleaner that I won't use, and with the smaller air filter I will be able to put the side cover on.

I also got my Earl's brake lines so I will get those together this weekend. That will leave just a few things to do and buy.

I wonder if anyone would want to trade my cut down seat for a stock one. I don't mind the look but I'm 6'3" and it is too low.

 

[Guest]

Man that's starting to really take shape now, love your work!

 

[oldGSfan]

Thanks, getting to the turbo/carb/wiring etc, so the real fun begins.

Man that's starting to really take shape now, love your work!

 

[oldGSfan]

Been pondering direction on some stuff as I get to the final assembly, so some ramblings here.

The oil cooler is huge! It's an 18 row, 12" x 6" Earl's with the feed coming from the filter cover. I don't know why that was used rather than running lines from the two bolts on the front of the engine, but the cover is custom engineered (Lockhart or Kerker perhaps) so I suppose there's a decent reason. The cooler doesn't hinder the steering or suspension and it's sort of badass so I'll mount it. There's no thermostat, maybe good to add? I won't be riding WFO across a salt flat in August. It must've worked but I wonder how well. We shall see. I'm not going to ride this thing very hard, too old and am mainly into bikes for casual rides and restoration activities these days.

I was thinking of rebuilding the original Keihin but ditched that idea after reading up on it. Plus there was a little bourbon related accident in the garage and I lost the main jet somewhere, and said F it - I went ahead and ordered a Mikuni HSR42 as that was highly recommended by several online. I will have the two adapters, one to mount to the turbo and the other part of the carb kit for mounting the air cleaner assembly. I'll get the round 5.5" chrome round filter unit, it's common, inexpensive, fits with my side cover, and is what came with the kit originally. I will use my push/pull (pull pull?) throttle on the Mikuni if all goes to plan.

I am going to roll the dice on the turbo after a chat with the seller who said it had been rebuilt, and with a guy at Roto-master who said if it turns and doesn't leak oil, it should be good. Rebuild would be an opportunity to have it really cleaned and polished but it's not bad after some careful polishing on my own.

In the end if it has any problems like bad oil seals or turbo malfunction I'll just fix them then.

Oil cooler: