what did you wrench on today??

[ddaniels]

Started installing a ConvertiBar kit on the ZX11. Love the bike, don't love the big lean. So far so good, but I have to go get a longer front brake line. Had to reroute most of the lines.

Finished with the installation. Got a brake line from The Parker Store here in town. This will make riding this bike a breeze, and it puts my head in a much calmer air flow.

 

[Guest]

I bought a 96 Astro Van for general hauling and spare vehicle service. 96,000, drives nice, great visibility, factory towing package. It has problems that I didn't catch before buying it. I probably made a mistake.

1) DexCool goo in cooling system. For those who are fortunate enough to not have needed to know about this, DexCool was introduced in 1996, and is supposed to last for 10 years. It has "organic acid technology", of OAT, and is not supposed to be mixed with ethylene glycol coolants. I haven't figured out if the OAT replaces ethylene glycol, or it it is just an additive package. GM didn't study it well enough to learn that if the system has any air in it, the coolant reacts with some sealants and gasket materials to form a brown goo that looks like semi-liquid poo. My Astro has it. So I'm flushing coolant, and will switch to "DexCool compatible". Later, I'll likely flush again and go to standard coolant.

Yesterday, I wasn't able to tighten the petcock for draining the radiator. I was freaking out about the possible need to swap radiators. I hate working with little clearance. My thumbs are no longer opposable, so reaching into small spaces to start bolts held between thumb and forefinger is impossible. Royal PITA with tight clearances. So I join the AstroSafari forum (1% of the info in GSR) and post a question about the drain petcock. Someone responded in minutes, saying that it's a common problem and not hard to fix. YouTube has some videos. Rock Auto sells replacesments for $3. So I might not be in a bad bind after all.

2) Differential noise I didn't hear in my pre-purchase test drive. Nothing around town, but as load increases, so does noise. Might be why the owner demonstrated the nice radio during the drive. I plan to change the great lube, and put in 85W140 in the hope that it will help, for the time being.

3) It needs blower motor and window regulator motors. I did know that before buying.

4) I changed oil, filter, thermostat, coolant temperature sensor, upper radiator hose and radiator cap.

The technology is mostly 70s, which I didn't expect. I threw away my grease gun a few years ago, because I couldn't imagine needing it again. The Astro has zerks, and regular repacking of wheel bearings is routine maintenance. The plastics have deteriorated badly.

 

[Burque73]

I've always liked those Astro vans but always seem to wind up with larger, full size vans. Trucks for some reason I've had several little S-10 types.

My wife, when we met, had a 90's model Oldsmobile sedan that spewed oil into the coolant. Turned to a brown goopy mess like you described, Tom. The thing just lost oil but never leaked onto the ground. Then started the overheating issue and we figured it out.

 

[ddaniels]

Before and after for the risers.

 

[ddaniels]

After pic

 

[Guest]

So is it noticeably more comfortable?

 

[aclaytonb]

Strapped on new front brake pads, wire wheels, and Shinko 712's. Waiting on tire beads to arrive and the rain to quit.

 

[ddaniels]

So is it noticeably more comfortable?

Without a doubt.

 

[Guest]

If I can get the bugs out of it, the Astro will be fine for me. It seems to be the only truck-based minivan that can take 4' x 8' sheet goods. I need to get it in condition for a 1200 mile drive, possibly with the Wee Strom on a trailer behind it. I do miss the 83 Econoline that I sold in 98. 6 cylinder 5 speed manual.

 

[Guest]

On my 1982 GSX750S Katana: balanced the carbs and adjusted the mixture screws for best idle; mounted the SH775 R/R and prepped the wiring; installed a new front tire and balancing beads. Tomorrow I’ll install the rear tire, new stator and complete the R/R installation.

 

[Guest]

On my 1982 GSX750S Katana: balanced the carbs and adjusted the mixture screws for best idle; mounted the SH775 R/R and prepped the wiring; installed a new front tire and balancing beads. Tomorrow I’ll install the rear tire, new stator and complete the R/R installation.

Wow..... you had a productive day!

 

[Boriqua]

On my 1982 GSX750S Katana: balanced the carbs and adjusted the mixture screws for best idle; mounted the SH775 R/R and prepped the wiring; installed a new front tire and balancing beads. Tomorrow I’ll install the rear tire, new stator and complete the R/R installation.

That is an amazingly productive day! Took me a whole day to do chain and sprockets!!

 

[gustovh]

Replace front wheel bearings and breaks on my 06 350E.

V

 

[Guest]

Not sure that painting really translates as wrenching but I finally got the Kat paint job finished up today... pic's are a bit dodgy in the shed as I haven't gotten them out in the sun yet.

Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr


Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr


Untitled by starpoint73, on Flickr

 

[gustovh]

I don't know if you can call it wrenching but, I now have this ready for a couple layers of dope then paper.

V

 

[dorkburger]

Ahhhh. That lovely feeling... the ten minute heart attack, crapping of pants type.
I was de- gunking the spark plug valleys because I may pull them out. I found #3 plug was loose. I tightened it. It turned and turned and was crunchy feeling while turning it. Commence crapping of pants... I stopped, took a breath, removed it, cleaned off the threads, checked the hole, and reinstalled it. It tightened properly... phew.... safe.

 

[Guest]

My 05 Ford Ranger developed an engine problem last November, so rather than having it repaired I parked it for a while and bought a newer F150. Had recently put a new clutch, ball joints and some other work into it. It's a good truck, 170,000 KM and in good shape, but it was time for a new one. Over Christmas dinner with my family, I discovered that my nephew was looking for a vehicle so I sold it to him for a Dollar. He had been struggling for a while and really needed a leg up on life. The proviso was that he work with me on putting it in shape and cover any material expenses.
He came over on the weekend and worked on removing the seats, the floor pan has a small rust hole and we are repairing that and painting the floor with Chassis Saver. I got into the engine and removed the head. There was no compression in the third cylinder and it was running real rough. Discovered that the exhaust valve had snapped. Everything else looks good so it is off to get re-built.
It was a lot of fun, spending some time with him and putting this together. There will be a few more weekends and a trip or two to the salvage yard. It is too cold to paint yet but we are getting it all prepped for that. He is 26 and so excited to be getting some wheels.

 

[cowboyup3371]

Replaced the left turn signal on the Bandit and put the fairing back on but I'll say I absolutely dread ever touching that part again. I know I busted one tab already so hopefully it will stay in place just fine.

Found out I ordered the right hand mirror instead of the left (dang fiche) so I'll try to get the correct one ordered tomorrow morning and be able to ride by mid-week

 

[Burque73]

I'd like to thank Bwringer for his nudge to get this done! I dug into the KLR's left side this afternoon to inspect the counter balance tensioner lever. Good thing too as the spring that provides tension to the mechanism was broken. This could have been real bad! There's only 8500 miles on this bike and the stock part already failed.

Here's the stator cover removed and tied off to the side. The aluminum tool from Eagle Mike worked like a charm! They also sent a rotor puller that popped the rotor off almost immediately.



With the rotor out of the way the counter balancer tensioner is visible. Intact fortunately but there's supposed to be a spring there.



With the inner cover removed you can see the spring, well most of it anyway.




I had to stop for the night since I don't have a telescoping magnet or one I can bend and poke down into the crank case to find the rest of that spring.

 

[dorkburger]

It had been bugging me for some time...... waaay back shortly after I got my bike, I had to pull the head off to replace two bent valves. It was 13 years before joining here, so while I knew the basics, I didn't know GS specifics. .....

I replaced and lapped the valves, reinstalled the head with a new gasket, checked timing, valve clearance and moved on.

After joining GSR, I found out that I lucked out big time by not having a leaky base gasket, but during this work I did nothing with the cam chain tensioner and for the last couple of years I've wondered if I might have caused problems so I delved into new for me territory. I pulled and inspected the tenssioner- it looks fine. I reinstalled and set it. I then I checked for chain stretch wondering if the tensioner tightened when I had the head off causing a too tight chain. The 20 pin measurement was well below the service limit. Yay.

I still want to check the valve clearance while it's open, but when I started mixing up inch and MM numbers on the feeler gauge I figured it would be best to stop for the night.