Its been a year

[DGXSER]

I am was thinking start with compression test but I loaded so much oil in the cylinders not sure I can I removed the plugs and just spurted oil out?

Funny you mention that, I just did the same thing with my new project. Soaked in Marvel Mystery Oil for a week. One cylinder was plumb full, I soaked out with a rag what I could get. Then took the bike on the driveway, got it rolling and popped the clutch. Broke the engine free, and it sprayed MMO about 20 feet or so out the plug hole. I was amazed how far it spurted it out! I know it will smoke like he!! when I first fire it up, but it seems to be a good air pump now.

I will check for spark but now thinking this is not huge if no spark? not sure I need to see if I can get it running and go from there I guess

First step for me is always to see it fire up before I start throwing money in parts, just in case I end up having to part it out if the engine is trash.

The bikes are XS1100SH 1981 I could use some guidance on what years are interchangeable for fenders and handlebars shocks etc. the forks might be saved not sure.

As Fred indicated any year Special will be the same on all but some electrical and maybe brakes parts for the 81 MNS. So any year special or MNS will bolt up for fenders, handlebars, and such.

DGSER did a great job on painting some fenders is this a better option

Thanks for the compliment. For me, I find it cheaper and easier to paint the rusted chrome stuff. I end up painting the tanks and side covers typically anyway, so not much more paint to hit the fenders. Use good hard clear on it and they hold up great. On my latest project bike I foresee ALOT of paint. Any number of chrome parts that got pretty rusty over the years of sitting.

Are rotors something that can be cleaned up or should I look for replacement

The rotors on the Katana I picked up last summer were brown like yours. All I did was ride the bike and the brake pads scrubbed off the rust and got the shiny again.

[Eastcoaster]

The first Week of rebuild

Here’s where I am at in a week Put juice to the starter turns over well. No other electrical at all nothing works. The fuse block toast. The starter turned with the key on with the handlebar button and for a short time then stopped. Wonder what caused it to stop?Still works directly to the starter. No lights no gauge lights nothing.

Checked for spark nothing. Here’s a weird one?? When I would move the far right fuse the number 4 plug would slightly arch???

I was wondering if Steve or anyone else had put together a reconstruction list for a basket case restoration rebuild list or a work breakdown list?

Here’s what I am looking at doing but not sure what is best. The worst thing I could do is buy a couple of nice chrome fenders right off the start. Yet it is what I want to do and somehow the best deal on eBay comes up when I least need!

On the first list
Ordered fuse blocks from TC Thank you TC
Working on Carb Cleaning they are very bad found a nice set on ebay $100
Cleaning off seaweed and debris
Removing brakes for rebuild a ease of moving bike
Changing all fluids again

Plan 1 install fuse block and try to get the electrical working
Plan 2 Try to get spark ( my biggest fear)
Plan 3 Install carbs and fuel and try to get it to run

On The second List
Compression Test
Tear down and grease every bearing
Spot paint frame and rust remover
Brake rebuild
Start the chrome replacement(or paint black)
need Fenders
need Handlebars
need Shocks
need Headlight bucket and fork holder
need Misc. chrome
Clean the Aluminum
The other thousand things

I am not sure if this is the right direction if there is a thread or a list on the site please let me know
Thanks
Gordon

[DGXSER]

I would re arrange your list a little.

First is to check compression. This helps you know engine condition.

Did you have a battery in the bike when trying to start it? If it quit turning the starter, and no lights, the key switch probably needs cleaning. Really, you will want the new fuse box, and to go through all of the electrical connections and clean them before guessing if a component has failed.

You need to decide how much you will invest to get this bike running. Then you can decide how important it is to get it running before you start buying parts. Which will help you decide if you need to get it running before you tear it down.

Next tear it down as far as you plan to go. The further I went on my current project, the further I found I needed to go. Take ALOT of pictures or even video as you go, you will want reminders of what went where and how was in there as you reassemble.

Now start with the frame, get it painted check steering head bearings, replace if needed.

Clean the engine, decide if it needs repainted, or just cleaned up. Are you going to polish or just get it back to nice clean aluminum. If your going to polish, you will want to pull those parts and work on them.

Work from one end to the other, clean, polish, or paint each piece BEFORE it goes back on. Perform all the maintenance items of greasing and adjusting as you work through the bike.

As for the carbs, start with getting all the parts out. Then I use dip for all the internals, jets and such. I use Pinesol (no substituting an off brand) to soak the bodies in for about 12 hours or so.

Hope this helps you out. It is just my method of attacking these bikes.

[Eastcoaster]

Progress

Installed the TC furnished fuse holder Thanks TC they are excellent. Most of the electrical is now working including the starter button.

Now the bad news Compression test

(cold as ice not run in a year and 3 months)

oil was dumped in the cyls right after the storm a year ago to try and help protect. I blew out as much as possible today prior to the test

CYL 1 100
CYL 2 100
CYL 3 60
CYL 4 95

This test was done with the carbs off It appeared I was getting Blow back through # 3 carb boot? I tried 3 times no change in the numbers

Could this be a stuck valve or a bent valve?


Any thoughts on a fix? I do not want to cave in yet The bike is looking better every day.
Thanks
Gordon

[DGXSER]

When I put Humpty Dumpty back together, my compression numbers sucked like that. Some of the wise folks here recommended to run the engine a food 500 miles, and then recheck. Which I did, and the numbers are much improved. Not up to spec, but much better. Maybe when I finish reawakening Resurrection, I'll spend some quality engine time with ole' HD.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Gordon,

1) It's too friggin cold to work on it in the next few days!
2) The oil in the cylinders was a great idea, but the valves may have gotten exposed to the salt, and lightly rusted enough to keep it from closing as well.

The Comp tests say, put a little fresh oil in the cylinder, repeat. IF increased values, then indicates rings, if no increase in value indicates valves.

You may just need to pull the head so you can do a valve job, it may need at least lapping, along with cleaning up of the valve stems of rust.

However, you could also remove the exhaust, you already have the carbs off, pull the intakes off, so you can more directly visualize the valves, both intake and exhaust, slowly rotate the engine, so fully open/expose the valve stems, and then you might be able wrap a thin strip of fine emory cloth around the valve stem and clean it a touch that way, along with spritzing with carb cleaner or such. I can't recall if you've checked the valve clearances yet. After cleaning the stems, you can repeat the comp test. If a little better, then you could continue cleaning and assembling to where you can start the engine, run it for a little while to get it to normal operating temps, and then repeat the comp test. If the values continue to rise, and get closer to each other, then you may not need to pull the head.

T.C.