what did you wrench on today??

[storm 64]

I've been taking advantage of this warmer than usual Ohio weather and been working in the garage. I've been working on the new 1000e. I'm updating the ignition system. I have the Dyna coils and Dyna pickup mounted. I had to clean up some wiring. Not to much, I just needed to see what was under the added electrical tape. I don't like electrical problems so I concentrated on doing the job right. I moved on to removing the valve cover. The cover popped off okay but leaving 90% of the gasket stuck to the head. ugh after a hour and a half of scraping, it's clean. Tonight I'll check the valve clearances. Then next will be the charging system... For how clean this motorcycle is, it sure is requiring a lot of work. But hey that's what I do

 

[storm 64]

I had a fun day in the shop yesterday, I got the regulator/rectifier mounted and the wiring figured out. I soldered spade connectors to the stator output wires for a direct connection to the R/R. It's a good thing I'm addressing the charging system on this motorcycle, the old system was literally TOAST. It was destined for failure.

 

[cowboyup3371]

I took the next ten days off so I can burn off some of my 100 hours use or lose vacation time. So, off to the garage where Steve and I placed the cylinders back on the bike after I cleaned them and the head up. I'll install the head tomorrow and am hoping I can fire it up by Friday afternoon at the latest then I'll replace the fork seals with OEM ones instead of the ones from Z1.

Also took apart the tach to see if I can fix the bouncing needle issue. Sprayed some WD40 on a couple of spots and will do the same on the speedometer gauge tomorrow.

 

[Grimly]

Yesterday:
Disassembled the old pressure washer that got submerged in the flood and hadn't wanted to power up since.
I discovered the motor bearings were seized up, so pulled the pump off. Disappointingly, the pump is not a seperate unit, but shares its rear mount with the motor front plate, so my hopes of being able to use the pump with a new motor are slightly dashed. If I can't get the bearings for the motor, or it only comes apart in a broken fashion, I might be able to cut the motor shaft and mount a pulley on it to enable use of a seperate motor. I want to get this thing working again, as it was one of the last decently-made ones before everything went really cheap and throwaway.

 

[sinkankan]

Ever more, ever more.(

Ever more, ever more.(

I dropped off the GS850G to a club bike mechanic after another session of frustration trying to get this bike actually going. It's been over a year now since it had been on the road, with a motor rebuild, well sort of. It had been a project rebuild,after problems with the shift changing forced the splitting of the cases to fix a problem with the gear fingers.
Well, I'm now paying for the time and money on this bike, because people didn't know what they were doing.
The qualified mechanic gave me a list of what has to happen,
(a) head is coming off to check pistons and rings, compression on 2 & 3 down to 50lbs. And yet 1 & 4 registered 150.
(b) carbies have to have another full kit though them, still blocked from the original idiot who soda blasted them. Some parts need replacing, so it's gloves off and get them done properly.
(c) seal behind the electronic points is weeping, we may able to fix it without splitting the cases, the mechanic reckons it's been put in backwards.
(d) stator and reg/rec checked out perfect, so no issues with those parts.
(e) a o-ring was found in the number four chamber, just about to be sucked into the barrel.

Needless to say I'm not impressed with previous attempts to get this bike on the road, and too much money has now been spent on it for the bike to be shelved. I'm reckoning the valves and timing chain have to be checked, after it refuses to fire on number 4. Plug is wet with fuel, plenty of spark, but the pipe stays cold.
So by Wednesday afternoon I'll get a run down by the mechanic after he takes the head off. Stay tuned.

 

[Guest]

Rough day in my world

Rough day in my world

Sad day in my stable. Took Red my '82 1100E out today, since I couldn't figure out what the knocking sound is coming from, she failed about three miles from the house. I think from the noise, it may have been the starter clutch all along. I replaced the clutch basket a couple of weeks ago with a tight one I got off eBay and it still had the noise, then checked the rotor bolt and it was tight, so I let it sit till today. Eric mentioned he had a starter clutch once was deforming the plate, but I didn't get the chance to check it out. The noise would disappear if the idle was above 1,500 rpm, so I figured it would be ok for a local easy ride. Not.

After getting saved by my wife and trailer, I took the Cavalcade to meet the folks for lunch. We went on a 150 mile ride on it yesterday going up to Daytona without a single issue, except my son picking up a metal splinter in the rear tireo the FZ6, giving it a slow leak. Afterwards looking for where my seat upholsterer opened a shop, I noticed the Cade was getting a little hot. Not quite in the red, so no worries, but a minute later I hear a pop and coolant starts squirting out from under the left side cover. It looks as if it split a hose. I wasn't far from the shop I work at, so I rode it there and waited for the wife to rescue me a second time in one day. God it's good to be married to a good woman.

On the bright side, I got some bolts from ACE before this happened to do a rear master cylinder swap on my FJ11. The Brembo master from an '05 R6 is a perfect match. Just have to get longer mounting bolts with locknuts, since it's not threaded like the FJ master, and swap the plunger ends. The R6 is too short, but the FJ part threads right on no problem. I may one day do a swingarm and rear wheel swap with the R6 wheels and parts I have left over. I would love to get modern rubber under it. I have found some FJ and custom mod threads where they have use the FZ6 swingarm with minor modification, but I doesn't have as much of a radical look. Really not much different looking than the Fj swingarm, so if keeping a stock look was the goal, it would be the way to go.

Taking a break to eat dinner then it's back out to do the front pads and change the fluid, and pull the carbs to clear the #2 pilot jet. I finally got a new chain on it Saturday night, before I found out the master took a dump. I'm really looking to ride it again, it's been sitting idle for the last year.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Buttoned up the engine today finally after having the easiest time ever putting on the carbs (only took me 15 minutes of fighting ) then replaced the fork seals again using stock ones this time around. I'll refill them tomorrow and put the exhaust back on with the hope I can get her started without having messed anything up.

 

[Guest]

I have an itty bitty oil seep/leak somewhere on the front around #2 exhaust. Found two drips on the concrete floor after last weekends ride. Gotta run it down to the car wash and power wash that area off and see if I can locate it. Thought it was the valve cover gasket in that spot, nope.

 

[bobgroger]

I have an itty bitty oil seep/leak somewhere on the front around #2 exhaust. Found two drips on the concrete floor after last weekends ride. Gotta run it down to the car wash and power wash that area off and see if I can locate it. Thought it was the valve cover gasket in that spot, nope.

It still could be the valve cover gasket. If you look carefully there are 2 drain holes near the exhaust ports to drain any water (and oil) that collects around the spark plugs. Mine was leaking badly there.

 

[Guest]

It still could be the valve cover gasket. If you look carefully there are 2 drain holes near the exhaust ports to drain any water (and oil) that collects around the spark plugs. Mine was leaking badly there.

Nope not the valve cover gasket. It seems further down, almost where the front upper engine mount is on the left side.

 

[Buffalo Bill]

So you don't think it's the cylinder base gasket?
The thing about the left side is, that's the downhill side when the bike sits for days on the kickstand. Any surface oil will ooze down to the left.

 

[Guest]

So you don't think it's the cylinder base gasket?
The thing about the left side is, that's the downhill side when the bike sits for days on the kickstand. Any surface oil will ooze down to the left.

Yup, looks like the cylinder base gasket, it only seeps when the engine has been running for awhile. I think with the bike being 36 years and 63,000 miles on it, it was about due lol. As long as it isn't pouring oil out, gonna leave it alone and just wipe it off now and then. I mean after all, we were cooking around 90 to get around a bunch of semis on I-10.

 

[Grimly]

There are two things inevitable in the life of a GS owner - base gasket leak on the left front, and taxes.

 

[bobgroger]

Moved the new GS into the very crowded garage today, wanted to find out why the Speedo quit on the way home. This might be it....
New cable on the way. Hmmm, maybe I should get a tach cable too.

 

[Guest]

Yup, looks like the cylinder base gasket, it only seeps when the engine has been running for awhile. I think with the bike being 36 years and 63,000 miles on it, it was about due lol. As long as it isn't pouring oil out, gonna leave it alone and just wipe it off now and then. I mean after all, we were cooking around 90 to get around a bunch of semis on I-10.

Cylinder base gasket went out on my GS650G when it was about two years old. I had paid the dealer for his own extended warranty, but I lived in a different state by then. Got an oily right boot on a 7K mile trip. Stored the bike when I moved to Mexico a few weeks later. A different shop replaced the gasket.

 

[Sandy]

Moved the new GS into the very crowded garage today, wanted to find out why the Speedo quit on the way home. This might be it....
New cable on the way. Hmmm, maybe I should get a tach cable too.

What? No warranty.

 

[Guest]

Cylinder base gasket went out on my GS650G when it was about two years old. I had paid the dealer for his own extended warranty, but I lived in a different state by then. Got an oily right boot on a 7K mile trip. Stored the bike when I moved to Mexico a few weeks later. A different shop replaced the gasket.

Mine is no where near that, takes awhile for it to make a small mess underneath. Just builds up enough to drop a couple little droplets.

 

[Guest]

What? No warranty.

good point, but that Dave fella is pretty cheap

 

[bobgroger]

good point, but that Dave fella is pretty cheap

Dave did a great job with phase 1 of the resurrection of a neglected turd. It is up to me to continue the legacy of polishing that turd. You northerners are all "Thrifty", except with beer....

One thing I noticed about this bike is how nicely it shifts. No clunk, no bang, just in the next gear. Totally unlike my clunky 850 and whiny Bandit. I think this is going to become my favorite.SH775 and connectors on order, next project.

 

[trevor]

Since I went back to stock exhaust on the 81 1100 I put the V&H back on the 83 1100....I liked the sound of the black exhaust but I really didn't like the look.
Plus I have much better clearance with the V&H...did an oil and filter change while I was at it...







The old exhaust...


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