Got Committed

[Ebme Geek]

Well couple of weeks ago fed-up with the racket it was making I started taking the bike apart and checked the cam chain tensioner and found it nearly at it's end, checked valve clearances, took cams out checked shims, ordered a new cam chain and couple of shims. I have put it off since, been too cold or windy blowing dust around (garage needs new door). But last night I got committed plenty of rags shoved down chain tunnel and this happened
 

Details

 
Bit of help from my son, and we fed through the new chain attached to the old with copper wire. I borrowed a pro-motion style tool to split the chains, but it is designed for riveting hollow pins unlike the joining link I had      , so my son held the chain against a block hammer and I used a flat ended punch at an angle and small hammer to peen over the pins, sorry no picture, all four hands were being used and a fair bit of concentration !  Worked a treat, measured up with a digital calliper, and happy with result 
 
Two new shims in, cam shafts back in and clamped down. Valve clearances checked, and cover back on
 
Will have it going again soon, few more small jobs to do while it's in bits    but gettin there 

[His Dudeness]

 

would be interesting to see where the tensioner is now

[Ebme Geek]

I counted four clicks as I put the spring back in, so I am happy at that, just want to know what it's going to sound like when it's running 

[Chris]

Good effort! 
 
Chris

[CharlieDee]

now thats a proper job!! 

[simonm]

Seeing that pic fills me with dread if I have that coming up on the new one  .


Dismantling is fine, it's the reassembling that always worries me, timing, torques.  The whole thing is just scary.

[packie]

What kind of mileage was up on the bike?

[Jacko]

Admire doing this with the engine in the frame.

I did it on a bench, much easier.  Simonm its not that bad, take time
and follow the book.

[Ebme Geek]

Mileage is just over 60k
 
Simonm : I often find that reassembling can be easier than dismantling, at least you know by then how it comes apart 
 
I was aprehensive about riveting the chain, but with a bit of care it turned out quite simple, using a punch was definately a good move rather than just two hammers
 
Most fidely bit so far was getting the throttle cables off the carbs, see how it goes putting them back on, I might release them at the top to give more core at the bottom.
 
But I am putting new brushes in the starter before I get to the cables
 
Thanks to others for comments

[Ebme Geek]

Got another evening out on the bike last night (well from 11:30pm onwards), have had the starter give me jip a couple of times and had to rock the bike backwards to nodge it so that it will work, so I had bought a starter brush plate kit a while ago, this included o-rings, bushes and oil seal. Decided while the carbs are off, it's ultra easy to get to so now is the time.
Removed, stripped, found brushes not too badly worn but one of them sticky, probably a clean up would sort it but I had the new plate , gave everything a clean fitted new plate, used new lip seal & o-rings and put back together with a bit of silicone grease. Did not use new bushes, the rear one felt fine ( ), and the one at the drive end is a roller bearing on mine.
Back on motor ,     time for a rum'n'coke and crash out   

[simonm]

Rum & Coke.  That's my kinda Foc'cer 

[Ebme Geek]

At the weekend I decided while I have the rad off it's the time to sort my exhaust studs,  seen a few posts about this and bean absolutely dreading it.  Been soaking in plus gas since i started the other bits, tried undoing one that would be relatively easy to drill out, did not like the feel of it  !!!!   Tried a nut splitter, but what had looked like a washer was a flange and part of the nut, so tool could not be held straight to cut the thickest bit, so that was that  .  Had seen that Tilts had cut his with a Dremel, decided this was the way to go - cut deep into the clamp plate to get through the flange part, fiddly on some the 600 has an extra member across the frame, used a flex drive to get at the worst. Small cold chissel to crack the last of the thread and to start Knocking them round. Worked well, just fiddly, all off stainless steel nuts on with a bit of copper slip    already for a stainless exhaust .... soon

[Buzz]

Good work, I've got to do mine soon so am assessing the best way like you...


1) Did you dremel both sides of the nut?
2) Did you damage the threads on the screw underneath at all? I'd worry about getting those SS nuts back on after taking a gouge of of the thread.
3) Was a good whack with the chisel in the gap enough to split the nut and remaining thread? 


I guess you could've used the Dremel to get through the flange on either side then use a nut splitter?


Sounds like the way I'm going to go anyway, looks like a lot more work but much safer than snapping studs...something which I'm guaranteed to do!

[Ebme Geek]

No, I only cut down one side of the nut, really impressed with the dremel cut off wheels, but they are brittle, shattered one getting it into the gap before I turned the drill on. I did tweak the mandrel to get the disc running as true as I could. And I used a flex drive to get at the more awkward ones.
 
I found dont cut to mad keep lifting the wheel and you start to see the threads appear and you can still attack the bits you are not there on yet.
 
Choose where you cut down the nut so that you can get a chisel in with room for a hammer at an angle so that you are both splitting the nut and driving it undone at the same time 45˚ sort of thing, I found as the last bit cracks they start to undo easily, once you have 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn on them they come off with a socket and extension by hand (no ratchet)
 
Have the chisel reasonable sharp, not a razer but not round ended either, just enough so it grips in the metal.
 
I did catch a couple, thread damage was minimal with no burs, so quick swipe with brass wire brush and ss nuts went on with no problem. 

[Ebme Geek]

Update for the last couple of nights, got back out to the shed again, cleaned up some of the worst of the flaking engine paint, and primed it up with special metals primer, that was enough back in the house rum'n'coke and then crashed  .
 
Last night back out, had to warm the engine up with a fan heater, ( really need new garage door, one that I can close!! ) before I could start spraying it black again. In between coats gave the carbs a good external clean up and lubed movey bits ready to go back on bike. Third coat done, prep to crash out with a rum  .... 
Sh1t that shed get cold but, Fealing Like I am getting there now, should be running soon  , I am getting desperate,
 missing the bike.

[limax2]

Really enjoying this write-up,  it's like one of those serials where you can't wait for the next episode.  . Good advice with the nuts and a nice job with the painting.

[Ebme Geek]

Thanks for the comment
 
  Well, I went out to the bike on saturday to get the carbs back on, and spotted the corrosion I had forgotten on the cast pipe spigot of the water pump, looked like a point for leakage in the near future, so get it sorted now! Pipes off, took the steel pipe next to it off to give better access, clean up the spigot, clean the inside of the rubber hose, smear of silicone grease on both, pipe back on. Dam! I should have given it some paint, oh well degrease the exposed bit and give it some. Never know the sealing part might last longer that way rather than bubbling under the paint.  .  Could not help myself cleaned and sprayed the steal pipe aswell.
 
Back to the carbs, I thought while I am at it I will lube the choke and throttle cables, that took me to the handle bars and I remembered the way the switches swivel when you use the choke or hit the starter really hacks me off. I don't know what the history of the bars is, but the plastic lugs in both switch assemblies had either been sheared off or removed, and the holes in the bars did not line up. On the right hand side I cut a bit of stud and glued it into an existing hole in the handlebar, and filed a notch in the side of the switch assy. On the left where the lug had been I put a self tapping screw, drilled a new hole in the handlebar. Sounds simple enough but both sides took stupid amount of time. Greased up the choke cable with one of those clamp on tools and can of chain lube, then got that side back together.
 
Back to the carbs again ! 
Twist throttle split apart, cables greased. Offer carbs up attach cores of cables. Carbs did not want to go in as easy as they came out, so put them into the airbox rubbers first and them a smear of silicone grease helped to get them into their rubbers to the head. Throttle re-assembled, cables adjusted. Then the bird phoned, that was it I was off, wasn't going to ride the bike this weekend, but ....... 
 

[Ebme Geek]

Another session in the garage last night,
Tighten carb & air box clamps + bracket, fit pain in butt rubber cover and tank bracket,
water deflector under tank,
radiator, harness junction box, thermostat housing, coils and pump assy,
fill up coolant,
Still had clutch cable detached at top from doing switches, so decided to grease it now rather than get forgotten for eternity. All went well until I pushed sheath back and it came un-hooked at the bottom  , so sprocket cover off to sort, dropped peg off cleaned & greased gear linkage including  main pivot,
 
3am by then, but I was determined I was going to have it running, grabbed the fuel tank & put it on backwards over the seat area on a good bed of rags.
 
Primed up the fuel, the pump only runs for something like 5 secs then stops without the engine running, so turned the ignition off and then back on again untill its clicks slowed down and stoped, carbs full now.
 
Fired up easy but noticed a coolant leak, one of the hose clamps had gone tight on it's thread but not clamping tight  enough on the pipe, tried bit of lube and tighten it, oh-er, but no play , so found another clip, sorted.
 
Fired it up again no probs, kept an eye on coolant level, bit of smoke from the plus-gas I had used on the exhausts, well quite a lot actually 
 
But Happy at that  .  So rum 'n' coke time and then crash out      work in the morning

[packie]

If I learned anything from your exploits....it's that you seem to use Rum and Coke a lot!! 

I see that the gear shift lever and alloy bit are a bit corroded. Will you be trying to bring them back to their former glory?? Your spanking clean engine might force you into it! 

[dBfazer600]

Its coming on a treat and fantastic work mate. Loving the engineering skills on show.
 
Keep the faith you'll soon be on the road 
 
Daz

[Ebme Geek]

I was on whisky the day I went around to the girl friends house, thats what she drinks        
 
At the moment I am just desperate to get it back on the roads, did think about spraying the steal bits black, but will look naf when it rubs through from boot.     More thought needed.
 
Engine's not that spanking to be honest, only sorted the worst of it and still spotting bits I missed, but is a big improvement. Bike will never be as clean as all the others on here, but I will carry on doing bits (occasionaly    )
 
Do Like your half rat thinking for maintenance / appearance, but don't know if I want to go that far since mine is a black bike I think it works with the blue & white.
 
Cheers Daz for the comment aswell

[simonm]

If I learned anything from your exploits....it's that you seem to use Rum and Coke a lot!! 

I see that the gear shift lever and alloy bit are a bit corroded. Will you be trying to bring them back to their former glory?? Your spanking clean engine might force you into it! 

Rum and coke. Drink of the gods.... If there were any. As it is it's just a lovely beverage 

[packie]

 
Do Like your half rat thinking for maintenance / appearance, but don't know if I want to go that far since mine is a black bike I think it works with the blue & white.
 

Well just to give you an update....I did the all the levers and footplates and they are holding up well after 2 weeks....no a mark and I expect it to be that way for a long time. I did my brake and clutch lever over 8 weeks ago and they are holding up after constant pulling and rubbing daily. The plus factor is that it only takes one quick blast of the tin of spray to restore any part of the bike. I rather that than the rusty and corroded alloy look. I think your bike will work as well being black.

Why don't you do the gear lever and footplate as a trial for a while. If you don't like it, you can always lash on a bit of Nitromors and get your rust back!! 

[Ebme Geek]

Last night gave it a quick check over, fresh eyes and all that, no more leaks or anything, smart -  .
Had borrowed a Carbtune from my brother, glad I have a long screw driver to get down onto the adjustment screws, not too bad once you have sussed where to hold a torch and where to get the screwdriver down through.
 
Thought I had got there, bang on, then curiosity hit about accuracy  , so I swapped some of the pipes over,    could not believe my eyes - all over the shop, gave it a few blips, tried different revs, unswapped - reswaped, oh sh1t. Spent ages trying to set up a half way house, then swap 2 back and check for equal differences back the other way, must have been going in right direction I had to keep tweaking the idle down, but that got confusing aswell. I am sort of happy where I ended up  ,  but want to do some checks on those gauges and maybe come back to this  .
I am quite good at getting onto those screws now  .
And I now know the fan works - first time I have had it come on, helped to warm the garage, would have been better on one of the cold nights  .
 
TPS checked just over 5000, tweaked then realized did not need to, it's either down, 5100, or up; it is not a linear adjustment through the range, as I could get it twitching low to 5100 without touching it and similarly on the high side of being right. 
 
Last couple of bits back onto the bike fairing, mirrors, side panels
      turn the tank round & put the seat on
 
 The result of this and another late night . . . . I rode it to work this morning.
 
But even better than that  . . . . I get to ride away from work later - - - RESULT         
 
 Hi Packie
   cheers for feedback, convinced me , I will spray the gear linkage, but I might take some autosol to the footplate even though thats against my cleaning policy !!!  other side brake pedal likewise, maybe some other bits ???
    Have been thinking for some time I will spray the lower forks when I have the wheel off for a tyre in the future, but can't decide colour, White (got black wheels, but they need cleening up aswell), blue, black-gloss, satin maybe (less fussy on prep) with reflective strips to improve side on night visibility ?????

[dBfazer600]

Fantastic mate    You are the    God
 
Enjoy your ride and keep us updated of any other work you do
 

Gets some pics up of her dressed


Daz