Author Topic: Confession to make  (Read 13062 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Mark Shelley

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Jul 2016
  • Posts: 565
  • Bike: GW250 SV650N
  • Location: Cambridgeshire
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #40 on: January 21, 2019, 22:05:27 »
I take it this bike is going to be a ‘keeper’?

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #41 on: January 22, 2019, 20:29:00 »
Yes Mark, for a while anyway, maybe a year or two unless I don't like it!  :shock:

It is a winter occupation between pointing my stone built house walls.............. :old:

Up to date photos:

So how's it going so far then?

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #42 on: January 31, 2019, 15:37:29 »
Had a lot of help to rebuild the motor and put it back in the frame.

Have got to here, looking good. Yet to fire it up and lots of other bits to do like brakes and hydraulic clutch, coolant system, etc.
So how's it going so far then?

Offline tallpaul

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 10386
  • Tastier than the Barrow-in-Furness bus depot...
  • Bike: 2016 Yamaha XT1200ZE
  • Location: Whitworth, Lancashire
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #43 on: January 31, 2019, 15:57:28 »
Coming along nicely!
Old enough to know better, but still too young to care...

Offline wurzel

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Jul 2015
  • Posts: 2534
  • Bike: DL1000 L4
  • Location: Maldon, Essex
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #44 on: January 31, 2019, 19:35:06 »
Nice work!  :thumb:

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #45 on: February 15, 2019, 16:03:42 »
Here are some other details you might like to see:

The chain and sprockets were practically new but hadn't been shortened so it dragged on the exhaust pipe!!! I took a couple of links out and Hello presto! (American correction for 'h e y')

The valve cover has a new coat of paint (the engine as a whole is in pretty good shape so I haven't gone over them, frame likewise).

These are the carb filter pods I got hold of secondhand for £15!

I've had a couple of electrical problems on the starting/firing circuits plus the fine weather has me outside pointing walls so I've slowed down a bit in February. Still, plenty of time............ pleased with it so far despite the engine damage and having to replace the camshafts.  :thumb:
So how's it going so far then?

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #46 on: February 21, 2019, 19:36:41 »
There may be the obvious answer but the quetion is 'does my GPX run wasted spark?'

All has gone back to correct valve timing on the crankshaft, camshafts and camchain but there is no specification for firing on TDC combustion stroke(s). There is an 'igniter' unit and only two pick-ups on the crankshaft, timing marks for TDC 1 & 4 and 2 & 3 180° apart.

Am I right thinking that it fires both 1 & 4 TDC at the same time? Needs kwackboy confirmation methinks.......  :icon_wink:
So how's it going so far then?

Offline tallpaul

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 10386
  • Tastier than the Barrow-in-Furness bus depot...
  • Bike: 2016 Yamaha XT1200ZE
  • Location: Whitworth, Lancashire
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #47 on: February 21, 2019, 20:16:21 »
The usual giveaway is are there two plug leads coming from each coil. If yes then it will be wasted spark. Are the plugs/ leads in good order?
Old enough to know better, but still too young to care...

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #48 on: February 21, 2019, 20:41:47 »
Yes TP, two plug leads from each coil, two LT wires to each too. I'm looking at the quality/condition of the electrics. Last change of plugs was 9k kms (6k miles).

I'm obviously well behind the times but I've not come across this before.  :shy:
So how's it going so far then?

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #49 on: March 10, 2019, 15:10:58 »
Well it turned out that the ignition coils had been changed round with the 2/3 cyl. wires connected to the 1/4 cyl. coil and vice versa. I did think Mr Haynes (god rest his soul) had got something wrong but once it was back 'as manual' it fired up on choke, then ticked over Friday afternoon.  :thumb:

Now working on the coolant system and brakes, the latter need new seals and a new set of rear pads. A new battery is also on the list.  :)
So how's it going so far then?

Offline tallpaul

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Dec 2013
  • Posts: 10386
  • Tastier than the Barrow-in-Furness bus depot...
  • Bike: 2016 Yamaha XT1200ZE
  • Location: Whitworth, Lancashire
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #50 on: March 10, 2019, 15:27:54 »
 :lala: it's always a good feeling when they start up and run after being in bits! :thumb:
Old enough to know better, but still too young to care...

Offline Dark-Strom

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Nov 2016
  • Posts: 1607
  • Bike: 2018 Ninja 650
  • Location: Ashford, Kent
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #51 on: March 10, 2019, 21:51:34 »
Yup, nice one Joe.
May your God go with you...
(Dave Allen)

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #52 on: March 10, 2019, 22:20:18 »
I have to say that the model flexibility (it's ZX600 and ZX750 from '85 to '97) has shown some short falls. (little tongue twister there!)

The one piece 2 into 1 exhaust each side fits the range of bikes but they have different foot brake mountings so my 750 lever rubs on what must be a 600 exhaust pipe. The manual shows the differences on the front cover! Ho hum....... All my efforts to avoid this has come to no avail and I must make the brake indentation in the top of the pipe a little bit longer to suit. Don't look when I have to swing the hammer.  :icon_batterup:
So how's it going so far then?

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #53 on: April 09, 2019, 20:30:33 »
To save typing it all out again here's a copied post I put on our less numbered Brittany Club site. Any help with diagnosis would be a great help.

..............................
After taking just about everything off and apart it has to be step by step to ensure there's no major fault. Last week I had the water leak from the rear coolant supply pipe for example. Well, all is back together. I'd checked for leaks during the week so the alternator and starter motor went back on. The alternator is a joke! Haynes (or Kawasaki) says you need a special tool and two torque wrenches to tension the belt. Come on! Would you do that for a car engine? Anyway some sensible tension applied to the belt and then fixing nuts torqued up.

I had the spark plugs out so I could turn the motor over to get the oil splashed around. That done plugs back in, carbs on and cabled up. I jumped the battery from the V-Strom to be sure of good power (the old GPX battery was easily weakened just turning the engine over). New connection pipes to the tank, fuel arrived after a couple of turns and the noisy motor started on choke, eventually no choke and idling OK. A few minutes passed while the engine and exhausts heated up giving of some smoke and odour. After the mist around the engine cleared all sounded smoother with oil circulated to where it should be, hopefully.

No leaks below, oil or water,
Oil pressure light went out quickly, that's fine,
Fuel light on as there's not a lot of petrol in the tank,
Exhaust and headers sealed so it sounds happy,
Clutch operates fine, get first gear but won't lift enough to get second etc. I've got the linkage mal-aligned (I had the gears before btw),
Water heats up and a leak appears around the thermostat housing/filler/hose clips (it stops when the expansion overflow dries but needs looking at),
Radiator fan cuts in after about 15 minutes running, it wasn't connected when I first dismanteled the bike,
Throttle is fine up to 4/5K but after it wants to stall other than slow operation of twist-grip, it also has over-run with the throttle shut down. Thoughts on that one....experts please?
.............................

 :shrug:

Gears are fine now btw.

So how's it going so far then?

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #54 on: April 20, 2019, 19:40:22 »
I've been working on getting the bodywork back together. I've had to make a number of new lugs to refix the lhs of the fairing. It was this side only where the original fixings had disappeared/been destroyed. Is that a coincidence as that's the gear lever side which I had to replace the lower engine casing because it was broken?  :icon_wink:

I've still got some minor works to sort out:

*the indicators don't work yet, could be the relay or a rupture in the wiring
*carburettors to balance after new spark plugs installed
*horns to put back on (they worked a treat before!)  :happydance:
*coolant reservoir to put back, drain temporary water and fill up with anti-freeze
*screen needs sensible looking fixings

I've got to where I wanted to for now. There are little things that I can tinker with in due course but it was never my intention to rebuild the bike 'as new'. I just wanted a good running, repaired and fair condition bike at this stage. I don't intend repainting the bike now, that's a winter job for the near future. I will look for some pin-striping tape to lift the dull and plain appearance of the bodywork. A couple of Kawasaki stickers too!

Here are a few photos taken today. I offer no apology for the first one....a load of rusty, ugly and inappropriate screws, bolts and brackets left over at the end (almost). Happily I've found new and better fitting replacements!

So how's it going so far then?

Online Rusty Nuts

  • Manufacturer of iron oxide
  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Jun 2012
  • Posts: 7696
  • Bike: KTM 1090 in orange, of course.
  • Location: Traitors Corner & West Yorkshire
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #55 on: April 20, 2019, 19:56:47 »
 :text-bravo:


It's a bike now, not a project. I was going to ask you about the lugs on the plastics. I had a 1988 gpx 600 and the lugs were woefully thin and also very brittle,  there were pegs and grommets clipping the sections together. Nearly all of them broke in normal use.

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #56 on: April 20, 2019, 21:03:28 »
Thanks RN. I'm no expert on making new lugs but I've made several repairs to plastic parts under the bonnet of my cars with Araldite. It hasn't been pretty but more importanty not structural. It simply works.

This bike is quite different though. I've made one repair to the headlamp and four to the fairing.......so, one by one:

Headlamp was a rough break with a number of conflicting angles and protrusions for the glue to adhere to. Over a couple of days I formed a small shutter to apply the resin and top it up. I then cut it away (carefully sawed) to position it infront of it's screw hole and drilled throuh. It's soft at first but after a few days it hardens off. For the headlamp it isn't structural, just to hold it firmly in place.

Fairing to fairing has to include mechanical solidity. I made two lugs with a metal bracket riveted or bolted to one side of the two fairings then filled/glued in place with plastic or metal resin with the appropriate screw holes ligned up. I re-used the original clip/bolt fittings to recieve the bolts. Takes time but a well anchored and solid repair can be achieved. (Trial and error has a big role in this)

One lug I reformed with stacking four nuts on a bolt in the correct position and creating an epoxy resin mountain around it.

And the fourth was setting a nut in the end of a hole and rebuilding the lug on the other side. Same stuff and there was an existing meeting surface to complete.

Sounds simple but a lot of trials and starting again when it hasn't worked and I don't really know if it's a lasting repair to be honest.  :shy: 

I promise to let you know if I have any big failures but the bodywork has original sturdy fixings to the frame and supports on the bike which are not where I've had to repair. (Otherwise I'd assume complete replacements would be necessary)

Like I said, I'm no expert.  :grin:
So how's it going so far then?

Offline Mr Nick

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: May 2012
  • Posts: 3234
  • Certified Fisher Price trained technician
  • Bike: 1979 Suzuki TS185ER, 1979 Moto Guzzi V50, 1989 Moto Guzzi SP3, 2010 KTM 990 Adv
  • Location: Fife
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #57 on: April 21, 2019, 23:01:51 »
Looking better now: good job there.
If you're after Kawasaki stickers, you could try these:
https://www.isaydingdong.co.uk/ourshop/prod_4099379-Kawasaki-Text-Cut-Vinyl-Stickers-5-Pair.html
If you need bigger than 122mm then send them an email & let them know what you're after.
Seems pearl asbo orange is faster after all....

'Don't believe all the quotes in forum signatures' - Aristotle

'Ehh, good enough' - Mediocretes

Orange Bikes Matter!

Offline Joe Rocket

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: Sep 2014
  • Posts: 2493
  • Bike: DL650A L5, Kawasaki GPX750R
  • Location: Brittany
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #58 on: April 26, 2019, 17:27:35 »
Thanks for the link Mr Nick, I'll have a look at that.

New plugs and battery made a huge difference. Easy to start and positive running.

Today was carb balancing. 1&2 were together, 3&4 about 4 marks out and the two pairs the same. Ticking over nicely at 900 revs and very responsive throttle. Will put everything back on now for a shake down run this weekend.  :thumb:

Here are the guages at the end of synch.
So how's it going so far then?

Offline SuzukiSte

  • Member
  • ***
  • Joined: May 2016
  • Posts: 2322
  • Location: UK
Re: Confession to make
« Reply #59 on: April 26, 2019, 21:11:52 »
 :thumb: :text-goodpost: great bike.