Redshirt's Project BANZAI!

[Redshirt]

I finally downloaded the bike pics from my phone. Now to figure out how to post them.

My friend is unavailable to ask at the moment, so I will ask you folks a rookie question:
Once I have the tank unbolted, what is the best way to drain the tank?
Follow on question:
I have my leftmost carb dripping (stuck float?) steadily. Is there anything I can do to stop it from dripping so I can pull the carbs (after tank) and NOT get soaked with gasoline?

[natemoen]

Leave the tank on and just put a piece of hose on the petcocks and run it to something on the ground to empty the tank.

Once the tank is off (after you empty it) you can unscrew the bowl drain plug on the very bottom of each carb to drain any remaining gas.

[Redshirt]

Ahh. Thank you. I guess I should get a long hose then.



Here is the bike as I purchased it.
I removed the "hibatchi grill" off the back and will likely keep it off unless I go on a long trip and need it.

[natemoen]

Dang! That's pretty nice and clean!

Even has the oem exhaust! Baby that exhaust and keep it clean and good, its priceless!

[Redshirt]

I noticed the exhaust has a yamaha 3h3 number on it and thought "wow, you dont see that every day".
There are some small holes on the underside of the pipe bell left side (where the center stand nearly touches it). Are those "dimples" supposed to be there? They dont look like dents. Too perfect. I can assume its to accomodate the centerstand. The right side pipe has a small hole near the very end of the bell. No other holes found.
That metal is so thin, Im not sure how to go about "fixing" it. Any ideas?

Got the tank drained and off last night. First time and alittle messy.

Today Im going to check the valves/shims. If theyre good, on to the piston rings.
All the screws have been double soaked for 48 hours with penetrating oil.

Wish me luck! BANZAI!

[natemoen]

Yeah, the dents are there for the center and sidestand. The best way to save and protect the pipes is ceramic coating. I don't know if they can do only the inside but I would imagine they could. Probably cost a couple hundred though, might be worth getting a concrete price though cause you would spend at least that to get a different exhaust that doesn't work as well.

There was a NOS xs11 exhaust that was on ebay a few months back that sold for 1600 I think it was.

[cywelchjr]

I'd check the valve clearance, and if you get that good, I would put it together and put at LEAST 500 good miles on it before making any decisions on what to do next. I've never compression tested an engine since my high school auto shop days. I've never had a situation where I couldn't tell what was wrong without having to do that test.

Get the valves and the carbs right, then run it and give it time to get itself unrusty (I know it's not really rusty, but stuff gums up when sitting, and running it with good clean oil and fuel ungums it).

[mack]

shims

Go ahead and put a feeler gauge to the shims and write the numbers down for each. The tool should be arriving at your house on Friday. I had a couple holes in my exhaust around the left foot peg hanger. I took it to a shop that fabricates with stainless steel. The guy did a real good job cutting out the rot and replacing with ss and it has minimal discolouration. At this point though, looks are secondary to function. Do what you have to make them last. They're invaluable.

[Redshirt]

Valves have clearance within specs. Clean oil and no signs of wear on the lobes. Plug on #2 looked good. PO must have changed them prior.

I soaked the cylinder with penetrating oil and came back to it to soak it some more. With the plug out, my friend rotated the rear wheel to work the previous amount in better and without putting any contact on valve stems....whereby shooting all that penetrating oil in the cyl and onto my face and workspace on accident.
More was added afterwards for good measure.
The thought now is "if the rings were stuck, they seem to be freed as the quantity of penatrating oil that shot out would indicate the cyl is pretty sealed".
Oil pump is pumping fine apparently.
Tank is nastier than I thought. Dropped it off to have it cleaned and coated.

Compression test tomorrow to see if it brings the numbers up.

[cywelchjr]

Valves have clearance within specs. Clean oil and no signs of wear on the lobes. Plug on #2 looked good. PO must have changed them prior.

I soaked the cylinder with penetrating oil and came back to it to soak it some more. With the plug out, my friend rotated the rear wheel to work the previous amount in better and without putting any contact on valve stems....whereby shooting all that penetrating oil in the cyl and onto my face and workspace on accident.
More was added afterwards for good measure.
The thought now is "if the rings were stuck, they seem to be freed as the quantity of penatrating oil that shot out would indicate the cyl is pretty sealed".
Oil pump is pumping fine apparently.
Tank is nastier than I thought. Dropped it off to have it cleaned and coated.

Compression test tomorrow to see if it brings the numbers up.

I would repeat to not both with a compression test till you have at LEAST 500 miles on the engine. Even the soaking will not always free them up, but running (with the movement and heat cycling that go along with that) will often do it, even without any soaking of the rings.

I think that many get way to obsessed with compression testing, and the fact is that unless your using oil on an engine being run regularly, the meaning you can give to the test is not really all that great.

This is of course my opinion, and you may take it or leave it as you wish. In either case it's free, and worth every penny.

[natemoen]

I would repeat to not both with a compression test till you have at LEAST 500 miles on the engine. Even the soaking will not always free them up, but running (with the movement and heat cycling that go along with that) will often do it, even without any soaking of the rings.

I think that many get way to obsessed with compression testing, and the fact is that unless your using oil on an engine being run regularly, the meaning you can give to the test is not really all that great.

This is of course my opinion, and you may take it or leave it as you wish. In either case it's free, and worth every penny.

+1 on that opinion

[CatatonicBug]

With mine, I can remove the carbs without dumping fuel all over myself. You really have to tip them sideways to get the fuel to come out the wrong way. The holes in the pipes MIGHT be there on purpose. There are a few tiny holes on the underside for condesation drains. If the holes are on both sides in the same place, that's what I'd say they are. Otherwise, I've had mine mig welded with no issues.

[Redshirt]

The holes in the exhaust are definately tiny rust holes. The condensation holes are clean looking.

We inpected for blown head gasket and found no evidence.

I hear what you are saying about compression tests. Ive been doing what Ive been told and Im getting more and more confident that the rings issue will resolve. If nothing else, I know the condition the top of the motor now.

Is the penetrating oil in the cyl going to cause problems? I mean, if it doesnt drain down and out when I do an oil change.

I broke the dern valve cover gasket when it popped up. grrr.

[natemoen]

The pen oil will leak down in time (dont run it with that in the oil either).

The valve cover gasket can be replaced with rtv.

[mack]

Progress

Sounds like you are having a run of good luck so far. Clean up the connection on the oil sending unit and the indicator light may go off. Good time to look at refurbishing your brakes. Do this before you put on the 500 miles.