Winter project progress

[Ken Talbot]

Still have quite a ways to go on this winter's restoration project, but the parts clean-up is coming along nicely:

Next up is the bottom section of the forks, then I'll start on any casing I can unbolt from the engine. I've also found out my local powder coating guy has an oven big enough to handle even the frame. Guess that means I'll have to build some sort of temporary sandblasting booth in the carport because the frame is way too big to fit into my cabinet. Now we're having fun!

[ratbyk]

Restoration

The winters in Revilstoke are too long and cold and deep.
I went for a ride today. Acutally had to wipe the bike down a bit afterwards because of some wet pavement in the shady spots.
Much rather ride than polish.
Bet you are having fun though!
Keep up the good work. Maybe you should be working for a bike museum?
Ken/Sooke

[Dennyz]

Usually powder coat places have sandblasting facilities at least the size of their ovens.

[don07tncav]

Looking good Ken. How about some background on the project?

[Ken Talbot]

Denny - the powdercoating 'place' is actually a local guy's very nice shop. He did mention something about having access to a big sandblasting facility

Don07 - this is an '81 Special we picked up last spring to bring our complement up to 2 touring standards, 1 Midnight Special, and 1 plain Special. When I got the Midnight, it was in nasty shape cosmetically. I stripped it down part way and did only a quick spray-bomb restoration because I really didn't know how sound the motor was. It turns out the motor was solid and now I kick myself for not doing a more thorough restoration.

This next bike ran okay bringing it home (approx 5 hour ride) but I know for sure the motor is tired. It also had had some pretty mickey-mouse alterations done to it. This time, I'm doing a full off-frame restoration and motor rebuild. The mickey-mouse stuff is gone, and we'll do a bit of customizing when it comes time for paint.

I guess I've been building up to this level for about 25 years, ever since I got my first moped just before I turned 16. Just about everything I've ridden since then has involved some amount of 'fixing' or 'fixing up'. If nothing else, it has been a lot of fun learning stuff all the way along.

[Dennyz]

Cool project Ken. I have always wanted to do a full frame up restoration. Perhaps on my custom project.

[randy]

Ken, give us some photos of the stainless lines with the black shrink wrap on them, will ya?

Randy

[Ken Talbot]

I tried some black shrink tubing but was not happy with the amount of heat required to get it shrunk enough. By the time it was hot enough, the heat was having a pretty serious effect on the clear plastic coating. Since then, I've found some split plastic tubing that I think will do the trick. Here's a photo:


Took a box full of chrome pieces to the plating shop on Friday to have the chrome stripped in preparation for powdercoating:



On a different phase, tonight's job was to do some clean-up work on the head and to start cleaning up the valves. Intake valve number 3 turns out to be very interesting:


This is the cylinder that had the low compression before the tear-down. This valve has obviously been banging into something as the pattern of damage is very consistent all around the edge. The plug hole in that cylinder has a heli-coil insert, but it does not protrude far enough to touch the valve. Also, there was no corresponding damage on the piston. I'm still not sure what it was, but I'll replace this valve and carry on.

Lastly, I finally got around to ordering a Wiseco big bore kit today. I figured what the heck, might as well go big or go home!

[RUSH]

my guess is we are looking at an exhaust valve (sp) that sucked up something and burned it up?

[chevy45412001]

sic

that is sic Ken ,very good quality work,it appears. Wish i had the stomach for that kind of attention to detail,(or the money...lol )keep us updated,at least i can look at someone elses hard work

aw crapola can one of you moderators fix my screw up i made a new thread when i wanted to just reply to kens winter progress. sorry.

[prometheus578]

valve damage

I disagree. Like running without an air filter... Particles of crap get lodged on the face of the valve, preventing it from closing, thereby burning and pitting the valve face. Damage here is to the valve margin. Seeing how this cylinder is the one mit der helicoil, I think someone put in a plug with too long of a reach... valve was bangin' on it, try to force it back out of the hole. I don't know.. just guessin'.

[Ken Talbot]

The damaged valve is an intake valve. I tried putting the plug back in to see how close it could come to the valve but it is still quite a ways off. To my eye, it sure looks like impact damage, quite possibly resulting from debris the helicoil installation.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Ken,

It does look like impact, but it's interesting that it's only all around the edge, non in the center! You said the piston looked clean/undamaged. With the pistons being aluminum, you would definitely think you would see impact marks on the top of the pistons, IF it was hitting it! Have you looked closely at the Exhaust valve?

Perhaps the helicoil was just inserted further into the head, so a small portion of it was sticking out just far enough for the valve to make contact with it, then perhaps after enough impact, it broke off the excess helicoil, but the damage could have been done by the protruding helicoil, or excessively long spark plug, but not from impacting anything against the piston!?

Are you going to do the "little" big bore of 1179, or the BIG 1196? Living up there in the north, you shouldn't have to worry about the overheating of the bigger 1196 IF you go that big, but going the smaller one still allows room for one last bore if things get messed up years later!
T.C.

[Dennyz]

Looks like somthing was sucked in the intake, but couldn't get all the way through. Like a screw or small bolt. Since there are no scars on the piston it may have been discovered (by the PO) and removed. Or, simple battered into a small enough pieces that went right on in and out the exhaust port.

[Ken Talbot]

Just doing the little-big bore, TC, more for the sake of not having to mess around finding good-as-new Yamaha parts. I went that way with Tsunami a few years back and it was quite a process.