Author Topic: Winter maintenance time (Read 2752 times)

Mustang · « **on:** 09 January 2018, 05:50:01 PM »

Decided it starts today , list of jobs: remove AIS, check valve clearances, remove carbs and airbox, remove exhaust and paint engine, replace carb to head rubbers, balance carbs.

So far I've followed the guides on pats page, dropped the coolant - it was just rusty water no antifreeze, removed the AIS and tapped the exhaust ports. That was a pig of a job with such restricted space, I feared my tap was going to snap but I managed it in the end and cut down some M8 cap screws to 10mm to go in.

Front of the engine is filthy so I'm soaking the exhaust nuts overnight as they will have to come off for access.

Does anyone have a blanking cap for the airbox I could buy?

Falcon 269 · « **Reply #1 on:** 09 January 2018, 06:50:37 PM »

Look around the larder and the fridge. There's sure to be a bottle cap or similar that will fit. A dab of silicon and job's a good 'un.

Trebus · « **Reply #2 on:** 10 January 2018, 08:18:26 AM »

Reading this made me think back to what I’d used. Last night I couldn’t for the life of me recall even though it was only a few months ago! But I now do; a walking stick rubber! It fit an absolute treat and almost looks OEM.

tommyardin · « **Reply #3 on:** 10 January 2018, 09:58:49 AM »

Quote from: Trebus on 10 January 2018, 08:18:26 AM

Reading this made me think back to what I’d used. Last night I couldn’t for the life of me recall even though it was only a few months ago! But I now do; a walking stick rubber! It fit an absolute treat and almost looks OEM.

You go steady when you go out walking now you old bugger with the tip missing off your walking stick

Mind you it is better its only the tip of your walking stick that's missing

Mustang · « **Reply #4 on:** 10 January 2018, 02:52:26 PM »

Got the cam over off and greeted by the horrors around the bottom of the water pipes, grit and mess. Managed to pick out as much crap as I could before leaving it to dry, see if I can vacuum out the rest. I've bought some new o rings for the seals on them, does anyone take these out for cleaning, painting , etc?

Also had to shell out for a new cam over gasket as Yamaha make the spark plug seals one piece with the cover, that's a rip off.

Just started the valve clearance check, done no 1 cylinder, will post up readings for comment later.

Mustang · « **Reply #5 on:** 10 January 2018, 02:53:33 PM »

Mustang · « **Reply #6 on:** 10 January 2018, 04:07:14 PM »

Checking these clearances, I think I need 11 to bring the tight ones up a bit.

Mustang · « **Reply #7 on:** 10 January 2018, 06:44:58 PM »

Cams out and shims measured one by one. All factory shims I recon, never been done before.
Now I need another gasket for the cam chain tensioner! Why not an O ring ffs.

Much easier on sportsbikes, this has so far been more awkward.

Andy W · « **Reply #8 on:** 10 January 2018, 08:10:56 PM »

Glad you're having fun!

I was lucky, my valve clearances were all fine.

It'll all be worth it in the end!

Mustang · « **Reply #9 on:** 10 January 2018, 08:14:22 PM »

Managed to swop some around on paper anyway , so I've ordered the rest plus a couple of spares.

I struggled getting the feeler gauges in as I had to combine 2 thin ones for example 0.11mm, needs a 0.05 and 0.06mm. They don't have as much rigidity as a single blade.

Mustang · « **Reply #10 on:** 11 January 2018, 08:47:38 PM »

Cam cover gasket and water pipe o rings arrived today, good old Fowlers.
While I'm waiting for the shims to arrive, I've pulled the water pipes and cleaned them up. The old o rings were shot, hardened and locked in with corrosion so all that got scraped out of the head and cleaned up. Pipes wire brushed and got a lick of silver hammerite.
NEw o rings greased up and slipped over the pipes and refitted with new stainless bolts. Pipes were quite corroded at the top, hope they don't leak. Although you can pull these pipes out without removing the cam cover now I see how it all goes together.
Old cam cover gasket removed, there's a world of difference with a 15 year old seal compared to a new one.
Tried to remove the flaking paint from the cam cover with nitro ours but it's not very effective, so I did my best with scraper and scotch pad then wet n dry. Blew it over with simonize engine enamel.

Tidied up the radiator mounts as my bike was a write off it has a non standard rad, so the fan was only held on with one bolt and a tiny fixing under another. Fabbed up some adaptor plates and now have 3 mounts.

Took off the coils and cleaned up the earth mounts, quite a bit of rust going on there.

tommyardin · « **Reply #11 on:** 12 January 2018, 12:44:45 AM »

Hi

Just asking a question really.

You say you have greased up the new O rings and have put them back in place, just wondered what you greased them up with?
Ordinary mineral grease will attack rubber and cause it to deteriate much quicker than Silicon grease or Red Rubber waterbproof grease, you should not really use mineral grease in this situation for the same reason as you would not use it on calliper pistons. (Rubber seals)

The other thing worth doing is when fitting new gasket to engine cases or covers, is to lightly smear one of the mating faces with a jointing compound and the other side with grease, the next time the cases come apart the gasket will not tear as it will stay on the jointing compound side and the greased side will not stick to the other because of the grease, it will just stick to one side of the joint, save a fortune in gaskets and also the time waiting three days for the replacement gaskets to arrive from eGay.
Just a thought

Mustang · « **Reply #12 on:** 12 January 2018, 08:42:41 AM »

@tommyyardin, Thanks for asking.
Of course I Used red rubber grease, but thanks for showing some interest in my post.
The o rings themselves appear to be some special compound being a darkish red colour, perhaps viton? This must be for high temperature operation as normal epdm rubber would have cracked and the old ones came out in one piece, so they were well worth the £2 each I think.
I'm always wary of putting grease on gaskets as it can cause them to 'spread', mind youI can't see that happening with a hard paper type seal, I will [size=78%]try that with he oil pump cover and cam chain adjuster ones.[/size]
[/size]

cl1ve2004 · « **Reply #13 on:** 12 January 2018, 09:08:15 AM »

Blimey reading this post makes me think I should be doing mine ..she's up to 27k now...

I feel the urge

Mustang · « **Reply #14 on:** 12 January 2018, 02:27:39 PM »

Quote from: cl1ve2004 on 12 January 2018, 09:08:15 AM

Blimey reading this post makes me think I should be doing mine ..she's up to 27k now... I feel the urge

Once you start its not so bad, I have a car and another bike which makes it easier.
Its pretty daunting if you've not done anything similar before, but well within the home mechanics ability.
Sportsbikes are a lot easier - tank off, airbox off, cam cover, bang - your there.

My valves were almost all just in spec so at 27k you might be ok, but look at the state of the water pipes, etc, its time on the road that matters and winter/wet riding.

Mitch · « **Reply #15 on:** 12 January 2018, 03:38:21 PM »

Quote from: Mustang on 10 January 2018, 02:52:26 PM

Got the cam over off and greeted by the horrors around the bottom of the water pipes, grit and mess. Managed to pick out as much crap as I could before leaving it to dry, see if I can vacuum out the rest. I've bought some new o rings for the seals on them, does anyone take these out for cleaning, painting , etc?

Also had to shell out for a new cam over gasket as Yamaha make the spark plug seals one piece with the cover, that's a rip off.

Just started the valve clearance check, done no 1 cylinder, will post up readings for comment later.

Thanks for taking the time to do a write up and Pic's. Very useful and interesting. Iv'e literally just come back in from looking at the state of the water pipes on mine and had been wondering what's involved in doing something about the corrosion. So really glad you posted it all. Every credit in diving in and sorting it out. Saw a coolant pipe on an engine on eBay yesterday, and the top ~15mm of one pipe had rusted off completely! The valve clearance job is also of interest, so useful to get a bit of an idea of whats involved in that too. Cheers, Mitch...

Simon.Pieman · « **Reply #16 on:** 12 January 2018, 04:50:09 PM »

Nothing wrong with checking the valve clearances, but (if you search the forums) on these engines there's only a very small chance that they need adjusting during the life of the bike, even at 100,000 miles up. I checked mine for the first time at 91,000 miles but only because I had the cambox cover off for painting, all were well inside tolerance.
I think one women in the states had just one exhaust valve reshimmed after 200,000 miles and then only because it was close to tolerance -but not actually out.
Don't sweat it if you put off checking valve clearances, they are probably fine.

Dustydes · « **Reply #17 on:** 12 January 2018, 07:22:43 PM »

Does anyone have a blanking cap for the airbox I could buy?

I measured and used these, dropped in hot water and fitted. Nice and tight fit.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ferrules-External-Plastic-End-Caps-Rods-Chairs-Feet-Cable-Wires-Protector/222046375892?hash=item33b2fecfd4:m:mrEnUAEkR4pRM03zkoeI3uA

slappy · « **Reply #18 on:** 12 January 2018, 09:35:12 PM »

What size blanking cap do you need? I have a couple of blanking caps that might fit, if you pm me your address I will post them to you for free.

Mustang · « **Reply #19 on:** 12 January 2018, 09:37:59 PM »

Quote from: slappy on 12 January 2018, 09:35:12 PM

What size blanking cap do you need? I have a couple of blanking caps that might fit, if you pm me your address I will post them to you for free.

Thanks mate ill do that

Mustang · « **Reply #20 on:** 12 January 2018, 09:42:30 PM »

@ Mitch, thanks for the feedback, I struggled a little with the pipes at 1st until I realised you can get them out with water pump pliers just turning them and rocking a little. There will be some crap that comes out with them, you need to catch this or it will end up it he head.

Falcon 269 · « **Reply #21 on:** 13 January 2018, 09:27:33 AM »

A job well-jobbed as my dad would say.

I've removed and refitted my cam cover gasket many times. Did yours tear when you removed it?

Mustang · « **Reply #22 on:** 13 January 2018, 09:38:24 PM »

Quote from: Falcon 269 on 13 January 2018, 09:27:33 AM

A job well-jobbed as my dad would say.

I've removed and refitted my cam cover gasket many times. Did yours tear when you removed it?

I too have reused cam cover gaskets on other bikes, the part I wanted to replace was the spark plug and water pump seals, I've has them leak before on a zx9r and pissed oil down the water drain hole, across my boots and tyres! Yamaha make these part of the cam cover gasket for some profit based reason.

unfazed · « **Reply #23 on:** 13 January 2018, 11:49:33 PM »

I usually use a micrometer to check the sizes as the etched numbers are not always exactly correct.

tommyardin · « **Reply #24 on:** 13 January 2018, 11:58:47 PM »

Quote from: unfazed on 13 January 2018, 11:49:33 PM

I usually use a micrometer to check the sizes as the etched numbers are not always exactly correct.

Is that the micrometer that you were knocking nails in with