Tweet
I am restoring an 80 MNS, at least I think it's an 80, built in November of 80. I bought the bike in 82, it had been in a wreck, had to restore it, 3500 miles. I rode it till 94, I remember it as the smoothest, most comfortable bike I had ever ridden, next to a dresser which I have no interest in, and it packed a punch. I really loved this bike, still do. I could afford a newer bike but I don't want one. I just want to get back on my XS [called Sheba] and head out.
I don't know why I stopped riding her, I think it was when I bought a Mustang. In any case she was running fine at that time 20,000 miles. In I think 2002, I wanted to bring her out of mothballs and go riding, changed liquids [thank God I did that], cleaned carbs and started her up. There was a nasty misfire on #3 cylinder, tried all kinds of stuff and concluded that the coils were bad. She sat again till last week. I am retired now and have the time to do this right. I replaced the engine oil and the pistons are free, will replace all other fluids when I am sure the engine runs right, no riding.
On thinking now about the misfire, which I am sure I will still have to deal with, it seems that since she was still running fine when I parked her, that due to the wasted spark system and the other 3 cylinders running fine that the coils must be OK. Whew! that was a weird sentence, my apologies to grammar buffs. Anyway it seems like it must be either the coil wire or cap, tried new plug.
I pulled the carbs and they are frozen shut by gas varnish, I am pondering which type of solvent to free the slide and dissolve the varnish. The carbs are painted black with plastic and rubber parts in them, even the floats are frozen. Last time I rebuilt then I used a Safety Clean machine which worked fine, but I no longer have access to it. I need a solvent that will free the slide without harming the rubber or paint.
The gas tank has surface rust inside it which mixed with the old gas has made a type of sludge. My plan is to clean it out as well as possible with rocks or nuts or coarse sand or maybe all of them at once and then treat with Ospho. This is some neat stuff, it is a mixture of phosphoric acid and some other chemicals. The other chemicals perform what is known as a phosphate conversion, closely related to parkerization , think that is misspelled, sorry again grammar buffs. Parkerisation? is used as a very durable coating on firearms. Basically this conversion turns rust into an inert compound which forms a protective coating to prevent more rust. If I can get the tank clean enough I will just Ospho it and run inline filters. Ospho can be had at any auto body supply shop or any body shop can order it for you. I have used this stuff a lot and it works. I am wary of using any sealer that is used over anything but bare metal, problems with sealers can create nightmares.
I am sure I will be running into other problems as well. I have already learned a LOT from this wonderful site and will try to keep you posted as to my progress. Thanks in advance for any tips or suggestions.
I don't know why I stopped riding her, I think it was when I bought a Mustang. In any case she was running fine at that time 20,000 miles. In I think 2002, I wanted to bring her out of mothballs and go riding, changed liquids [thank God I did that], cleaned carbs and started her up. There was a nasty misfire on #3 cylinder, tried all kinds of stuff and concluded that the coils were bad. She sat again till last week. I am retired now and have the time to do this right. I replaced the engine oil and the pistons are free, will replace all other fluids when I am sure the engine runs right, no riding.
On thinking now about the misfire, which I am sure I will still have to deal with, it seems that since she was still running fine when I parked her, that due to the wasted spark system and the other 3 cylinders running fine that the coils must be OK. Whew! that was a weird sentence, my apologies to grammar buffs. Anyway it seems like it must be either the coil wire or cap, tried new plug.
I pulled the carbs and they are frozen shut by gas varnish, I am pondering which type of solvent to free the slide and dissolve the varnish. The carbs are painted black with plastic and rubber parts in them, even the floats are frozen. Last time I rebuilt then I used a Safety Clean machine which worked fine, but I no longer have access to it. I need a solvent that will free the slide without harming the rubber or paint.
The gas tank has surface rust inside it which mixed with the old gas has made a type of sludge. My plan is to clean it out as well as possible with rocks or nuts or coarse sand or maybe all of them at once and then treat with Ospho. This is some neat stuff, it is a mixture of phosphoric acid and some other chemicals. The other chemicals perform what is known as a phosphate conversion, closely related to parkerization , think that is misspelled, sorry again grammar buffs. Parkerisation? is used as a very durable coating on firearms. Basically this conversion turns rust into an inert compound which forms a protective coating to prevent more rust. If I can get the tank clean enough I will just Ospho it and run inline filters. Ospho can be had at any auto body supply shop or any body shop can order it for you. I have used this stuff a lot and it works. I am wary of using any sealer that is used over anything but bare metal, problems with sealers can create nightmares.
I am sure I will be running into other problems as well. I have already learned a LOT from this wonderful site and will try to keep you posted as to my progress. Thanks in advance for any tips or suggestions.
(Sold back to Maximan)
It's actually larger at the head than further down the shaft, and so that's partly why it sticks in the float post when it's pressed all the way in! And trying to tap it out from the other side is often what causes the post that it's wedged into to break! 
Comment