2009 winter repairs.....

[ross]

ok kids...here's the update....

hey there folks.....back again.....like the flu.....(bad past couple weeks!)....anywho on to the project.....finally got some weather that was suitable to work out in the man-cave......(sorry folks, but workin' on the bike in carhartt's and gloves don't work for me!)......(with age comes wisdom!).....rtv-ed the cam chain cover gasket and installed.....







btw....took the advice and torqued the bolts down to 7 ft/lb equally.......started at the center and worked in a rotating pattern out from there.....slowly.....finger tight....socket tight......torque tight.....17.4 ft/lb....yea i don't think so.......
now onto the clutch.....removed all the screws....


but wait....where is the new gasket.......ordered it monday from "the dealership"....delivery 3-5 days so i should have it on friday.....NO GO!.....dealership tells me that the shippment was sent back to cali, and now sits in iowa until monday.....(btw any ups or fedex people, keep an eye out for my package and rush shippment please!)......do not expect delivery until tuesday at best......a free weekend and no part to put her back 2gether......D*MNIT!!!!....anywho, back to the subject....screws removed and can not move the cover....have "nudged" it and it leaks oil, but can not remove cover as of this point....

bolts on....


bolts off....



understand that the kickstarter will have an oil seal, but what else would make this stick except that it has been there 31 years?!......

well that is the latest from the "rebel devil" camp.....R & D arrives 2morrow and more shall follow...until then, that is the way it is....ride hard, ride safe....ross

[psycoreefer]

should just pull off if you've got all the bolts out. Mine has been a bit "stuck" every time I've had it off. I like to take the oil fill cap off and use that hole to get a good grip....

[bikerphil]

The alignment dowels are holding you up, plus the stuck gasket. There is one left of the kick starter shaft, where the rounded protrusion is. Another one 4 o'clock from the cluch actuator. I usually tap a small screwdriver or somthing like a putty knife near those pins to get it started seperating. +1 on using the oil fill hole to grab on to. I've even used a wooden dowel in there to help pop 'er off. Thirty yr. old gaskets suck, you know. Oh, careful not to trash the aluminum too much when prying.

[ross]

....and on sunday they rested......SCR*W THAT!..

hey there folks....took yesterday off and spent time with the SWMBO.....kicked the kids outta the house...(17 & 21).....did a bit of the family thang...and then......(playin' in the background..)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKPoHgKcqag

....well ya know folks....anywho, back to the project at hand.....did the putty knife thang and worked like a charm.....that and a couple maple wedges i had laying around in the toolbox....


only problem i found out about is that the kick starter came out with the cover.....D*MN IT JIM!......


...have looked into how the kick starter installs, but is not detailed enough and looks like a pita personally...i'm sure it will be....
...upon realizing that i had come out with the cover, i noticed that the sprocket that it connects to...(at the 8 o'clock position from the clutch basket)....had moved.....is this crucial?....is there a certain alignment other than the gears meshing together?...i understand about positioning the tab on the back of the kick starter under the piece in the crankcase......with that spring that should be fun....


...to get the first pressure plate off, i had to drop the bike into first gear......just to hold the clutch basket.....came off like butter.....

....gutted the clutch basket......(it a michigan thang folks!!)......


...remove the clutch basket just to clean it out...including the oil race in the center.....also kept the washer behind the basket and the one in front of it separate for reassembly.....(old clutch springs in the back ground!).....


.....31 year old gasket to clean off.....GOOD TIMES!!!.....(d*mn it jim....i'm just a doctor....not a motorcycle mechanic!!...honest!!)


clutch broke down and inspecting everthing....so far, so good...all look a-okie-dokie.......


and the operating table is prepped.......(notice the fresh "blood" (motor oil) in the tray ready to coat all the clutch plates as i put them in...)


.....due to "dealership" issues....will not be able to progress on the project until tuesday due to them being "dumba**es!......don't want to install the new clutch frictions until i can seal up the case and keep it moist with oil.....will not have the crank case cover gasket until then......i even tried to bargin with them and complained that i had a free weekend to install the part and they could not supply....so that means that i can bring the bike down to the dealership and they can install the gasket for me free of charge!!!....(yea, i tried!).....
...weather is gonna improve this week and I WANNA RIDE!!!!!.....today was 40, rain and sh*tty.....(topcatgr58, bikerphil, prom, and any other knowledgeable fool......show me a sign!!!).....

(and slowly he fades into the back ground.....)

ride hard, ride safe....ross

[bikerphil]

As for installing the kick shaft, hook the return spring on the crankcase boss and rotate the assembly 180º CCW or until the kick gear engages with the kick idler gear. Not difficult but give it a quick test before sealing everything up.

[ross]

the XS gods doth smile upon me......

hey there folks....got the call last nite that the gasket was in....20 minutes before they close......go figure....hooked up on more oil, new plugs, and the gasket.....thinkin' at this point gonna change dealerships....could of got the gasket $4 cheaper than the place i go to normally.....D*MN IT ONCE AGAIN JIM!!....also save $1.50 per plug at the new place......same on the oil though....go figure....


since i had the extra day and the facilities....i lightly shot blasted the steels, then gave them a thinner bath, and then an alcohol wipe down...


took the advice, hooked up the kick starter....yea i still got the stock one.....and installed the shaft....sorta pita, but not bad.....


assembled the frictions and steels....EVERYTHING got a liberal coating of oil....used 2 springs & bolts just to hold it steady and even.....one bolt here is sorta shaky.....


assembled the spacer, lock washer, and nut.....(yea 51 ft/lb is tight!)....folded over the washer, added new springs and pressure plate no. 1.....finger started all bolts and started off with a 2 complete turn star pattern....when i felt snugness, i went 1/4 turn star pattern....all with torque wrench!!!.....(set at 7 ft/lb).....also it is the click type and yes, it is pretty accurate.....turn....turn....turn.....turn...turn. ....click????!!!!.....went to remove the socket and move on and notice that the bolt turned backwards way to easy.....click, sadly no....it was.....

SNAP!!!

....can you guess what is missing from this picture folks??!!....

(besides the brake lever, bottom of the air box, and right foot peg....)

ok.....(now talking to my inner XSive)....remain calm....it is 31 years old.....rather it happen now rather than going 80 mph down the road and the bolt breaks then.....it snapped off short....it should be sticking outta the post enough for me to grab it....i got good ju-ju on my side.....


well....come this far...not gonna let it get me down or stop progress....time to disassemble again....(seems like i just did this and it's getting easier..)....start slowly loosening the bolts in a star pattern.....and again the echo in the man-cave....
SNAP!!!

yep, when it rains, ya just might drown....


...look george....their multiplying like rabbits.....


a quick inspection of the damage....could of been quite a lot worse.....


....first one sticking out was easy....took me 1/2 hour to tap the other out with a flat punch by the tab that was sticking up enough to grab it and turn it....gently...very gently....

...2morrow will be on the search to find 6 new bolts....not sure what happened but checked the torque wrench before the first bolt broke and was working fine....i would suggest to other users that if you are this far it is almost manditory to change the bolts also......think if one brakes in the case and bounces around in there a couple miles or so...ouch!!!...D*MN IT JIM...WARP FACTOR ZERO!....any advice would be cool, but other than torque is there a measurement from the surface of the top clutch basket to the surface of the pressure plate no. 1 (with proper tension)...hoping it was just faulty bolts.....clutch plates were very snug together (but spun freely) when i put it in the basket.....

...and now is when the fun begins.....ride hard, ride safe....ross

[bikerphil]

Man that sucks about those bolts. Too late to tell you now, but I usually use a 1/4" drive ratchet to tighten those bolts. I've never heard of those breaking while running the bike though. I probably have an Xtra few of those bolts laying around. If you can't find any, let me know, I can send 'em off to you. Yamaha P/N for that bolt is 95811-06025-00. They probably have to be the exact length.

[3Phase]

SNAP!!!

Oh, man... Ross. I thought you had it running until I got to the big, red, font!


You need to get an inch-pound torque wrench for the little bolts and the aluminum. 7 ft-lb is too close to the bottom of the scale on a regular torque wrench to give a consistent and reliable reading on all but very expensive and regularly calibrated torque wrenches.

You'll break stuff or it'll fall off.

7.2 ft-lb ~ 85 in-lbs and is in the mid-range on an inexpensive (okay, okay, I confess: it's a Harbor Freight 1/4" drive click-type; ~$3.00 on sale, it's Harbor Freakin' cheap, not just inexpensive!) torque wrench.

ride hard, ride safe....ross

You too, Ross.


Regards,

Scott

[ross]

back to the drawing board....

hey there folks.....after the disaster of last nite.....did some wheelin' & dealin' and found out that both dealerships can't get me new parts until next week......scr*w that!!!!....rolled outta work today and went down to the local bolt warehouse....XS-ive minds at work here....thought i was just gonna go in and match what i had......but things changed when i met bevis and butthead behind the counter....turns out they were obewan and luke in disguise.....at this point i will let the pictures speak....but pay attention to where the bolt broke on the previous posts pictures and what is happening to the sample i gave the bolt warehouse.....


here's a photo of the original set (#1 & #5 are the broke ones).....


...not sure what happened....i don't think i have any photos of the originals when they came out.......but with the sample, i got 6 replacements and per them, they are harder then the originals.....sounds good 2 me....


now here's the kicker.....price at one dealership was $1.80 per bolt....other was $1.50 per bolt......made the calls during lunch.....these guys notice the fubar-ed threads off me 2 bolts that one is pubic hair shorter and the other is longer....figure in the stress on the bolt and go with the shorter one.....guy goes back, and comes back with those beauties above....check thread against the old one......all is good....ask him, o.k., how much.......he says....


i say o.k. and in true XS-ive fashion drop this on the counter....



...started putting her back together and notice that the new screws didn't go in properly......pulled it back apart and cleaned out the threads on the towers....backthreaded and hand screwed in every bolt just 2 make sure all is good....

(used the xacto pen knife to fish out all the threads!)...

...seems like we have been here before eh......

(...but why does he have the brake pedal installed before the case?!...anyone?....anyone?)

....took your advice 3phase......ROAD TRIP!....down 2 the local harbor fake....(about 10 mile round trip).....yea....walked in with a $5 in my pocket and fantasies of coming out with change....(once they unlocked the torque wrench cabinet!)....found it, checked it out and then called SWMBO and asked for an extension of the "government funding" of my project....requistion forms were submitted, approval was given with objection, funds were allocated and transferred.....and TAA_DAH......

(i know i'm gonna have to pay her back for this one!)
(i walked in the door, told her, "honey...it comes with a limited lifetime warranty and they threw in the pretty red case for free!)

...anywho....got the sucker back together finger tight....wanna check the threads on the bolt in the 10 o'clock position to make sure it is in right....feels sorta tight but not really....


....project ended for 2nite when one family member showed up (my brother) and as soon as he left, my parents showed up.....wrapped up the man-cave when i realized that the 1/4 drive 10mm socket i have is not 10mm...sorta like 9.5mm.....gonna have to fly this expense under the SWMBO radar.....hhmmmmm...might just borrow one from work 2morrow and do it that way......FREEBIE!!!!.......well folks...gotta fly.....ride hard, ride safe.....ross

[ross]

good ju-ju in camp "rebel devil".....

hey there folks.....warm weather is very motivating.....about the bolts....not really sure if they were stressed out or that i might of tightened them too tight with the big torque wrench....really noticed the difference in sensitivity in the new wrench....of course, had to replace the 10mm socket....but then ran into the fact that i needed a 1/4 (f)-> 3/8 (m) adapter for the new wrench....more "government spending"........(it's for the man-cave honey!)......finally, 7.5 ft/lb evenly......B*TCHES!!


gasket and cover rtv-ed and ready to go.....


....thought i would be optimistic and hook up the battery charger for "more" good ju-ju in camp "rebel devil"......


learn the hard way to double check alignment......notice that the arm for the clutch cable is too far down.....move the arm up and hear a loud POP!.......remove cover, check out what happened and noticed that the arm in that position does not align the balls on the other side of the cover....re-did and all worked fine....


hooked in the clutch cable for a test run....also adjusted the set screw 1/4 turn out from "lightly" seated.....


...followed thru and adjusted the clutch handle to spec......smooth, easy, and sweet......yet stiff, as with a new clutch....go figure....


...o.k. kids were into the project for $6 dollars now....


...how to support the motor to remove the foot pegs......


....you gotta come in with the floor jack from the other (left) side of the bike.....that way you can put your finger on the end of the bolt and press.....while you raise the jack....when it goes loose, do the job.....


foot peg installo......brake pedal installo....


...and now the moment of truth......


(and now the channel fades into informercials!).....stay tuned, as so far, (knock on wood!), all is going "good" in camp "rebel devil"....

....ride hard, ride safe...ross

[3Phase]

(and now the channel fades into informercials!).....stay tuned, as so far, (knock on wood!), all is going "good" in camp "rebel devil"....

WHAT?!

You can't leave it hanging like that!

How does Pauline get down from the cliff? How does she get out of the ropes holding her to the tracks and escape the oncoming train?

Ross!


Regards,

Scott

[ross]

mmuuaahh......

hey there folks....sorry to leave ya hangin' like that, but every good movie has to have some drama for effect.....3phase....as far as pauline goes.....aaahhhh yea, we'll just have to get back to ya on that one....


anywho back to important stuff....hit the starter yesterday and all sounded really smooth....so tighten down the new plugs and re-do the wires....


..."rebel devil is ready once again for submersible service....ballast resistor installed...(good thing i had photos of it to make sure i put it back the way it came off!)


....battery charger charging up the warp drive engines.....air box re-assembled...


....draining the fuel pods for the warp drive.....i kept it full of gas the entire time it was off....rust in the tank.....i don't think so...been there done that......this also shows the fuel filters and fuel shut-offs...the way my set-up works, carbs 1 & 2 get fuel from the right side of the tank while 3 & 4 get fuel from the left...


...they cross over 3 of the airbox boots, go down and come up from underneath the outside boots....in these photos, the fuel line is hanging down and the line to the carbs have the bolts in them to keep it clean....




...fuel shut-offs installed and ziptied to the airbox boot.....trust me they shut it down now....every once in a while i forget to turn them on.....it runs for about 1/2 mile and dies....




....took a break feeling good about the progress....had to use the restroom, refill the beer, and have a medicinal smoke break....ready to wrap this sucker up and try it out, i head back out to the man-cave and find this....


WTF....OK WHO TOOK IT!!!

....remain calm....maybe SWMBO took it out to the grocery store....

.....maybe that new "cloaking" device really works!!!.....

....or maybe obama and pelosi snuck in my man-cave and stole it to pay for my share of the health care bill......f*ckers!!!.....

...or maybe the knuckle head that is writing this pushed it outta the man-cave, threw on the side covers, and said f*ck it time to gas this b*tch up...




......and does he have the gonads to push the shiny black button???...


....can i get a "HELL YEA!".....(the crowd response loudly with a "HELL YEA!")

....bring her to life and all is very smooth.....


...immediately notice the engine is running much quieter...i think that old cct was not doing it's job, but the new one sure is...


....clutch sounds fine....check all around for leaks or other bad ju-ju....


....let her warm up and crack the throttle a couple times....the neighbor LUV when i do this.....


.....shut off the choke and the warp engines are idling a little low, but will be adjusted next time....


....turn it off, run in the house like a giddy little school boy with his first h*rd on and a fresh copy of playboy and grab the gear....took it around the block and immediately notice the new clutch was "really" sticky....in a good way...took her out on the main road and launched it off the red light and had 85 mph in 5 blocks.....pucker factor 10+!!!...ya can't see it in this picture, but there is a big sh*t eatin' grin under that helmet....


....to all that have followed my adventures here and have helped along the way, i say "thank you very much!".....that is all for now.......IT'S TIME TO RIDE B*TCHES!!!!.....ride hard, ride safe...ross

[bikerphil]

Nice, glad it all came together for you! Now less wrenching and more riding.

[3Phase]

Good going, Ross!

By "Pauline" I was referring to, "The Perils of Pauline," the original silent films that were responsible for the term, "cliffhanger."

Here's a short clip for you:

Perils of Pauline

Another short clip about the value of carrying the proper tools with you wherever you go:

Save the girl!!


Okay, it's late and I should put down the beer and get some sleep....


Regards,

Scott

[motoman]

Glad to see you finially got it going there Ross! Only one thing missin'......put one of those purple afro wheels in the end of a dremal and polish that choke/enricher.......whoops, there goes another kicthen pass/loan!