DIY or get the experts on it?

[spike]

I would change the bolts but finding replacements is a major headache!!!

[scratchnsniff24]

It's cool seeing things like this, but makes me worry somewhat! My Peg's in need of a service, rather than handing over several hundred pounds (that I don't have), my friend's convinced me that most of it's straight forward enough to do myself with a manual as a guide.

Biting the bullet next week and buying the bits 'n' bobs. Expect to see maaaannnnnnyyyyyy threads on things like; which way you tighten bolts

[Mainjetmike]

Try these :

www.teessidefasteners.com

Or Kawasaki ?

[scratchnsniff24]

Jul 14, 2014 15:57:44 GMT Mainjetmike said:

Try these :

www.teessidefasteners.com

Or Kawasaki ?

+1 for TIF up on Preston Farm Industrial Estate, our mate got a bunch of bolts and such for his bike from there a couple weeks ago.

[spike]

Finally got a day when I can rebuild the engine but first I'm off to Teesside Fasteners and a couple of other places for 2 bolts, if I have to nip up to Kawasaki in Newcastle I will but Christ you'd think a couple of 8mm bolts wouldn't be a problem! Watch this space

[David]

Hawk Fasteners Limited (Middlesbrough) may be able to help if you get stuck.

[spike]

Big thanks to Brit Bike and Trikes for my two bolts. Thanks to Clarkes Motorcycles for looking for the correct torque settings and Crofton Court Motorcycles for looking!
Anyway, back to the bike. Me and my son set to and rebuidt the engine, pistons in the barrels took the longest but finally in with no problems. Head on, crankshafts on, timing set and finally the carbs back on! All relatively easy if you take your time, even then it didn't take too long. Then we fully charged the battery and put the tank on. The last job before fire up was the exhaust. Bugger!!! It was badly corroded at the pipe at the bottom that joins the two sides together. It's about an inch thick pipe and was so corroded it just fell apart. I thought I'd put it on any way just to see if it would run. Well it did but very erratically, very loud bangs, backfires and farts and then just cut out after getting very hot. Not good. Sooooo, carbs off, full of shite, cleaned them out and the main jets too. Bike runs no better. Sooooo, rocker covers off, cam shafts off and timing readjusted. Bike runs no better. What the feck? Could the problem be the exhaust? A replacement would be around £400 for a 4 into 1, a bit pricey if the problem persists. It's ok doing the job yourself but you fall flat when a problem like this crops up, you simply haven't a clue what the problem is. Mind you we've done jobs on the bike that we've always thought were out of our league and not once but twice. It didn't take long either. But...

[David]

What year is the bike?

Does the top end look similar to my Yamaha XJ650.



With the crankshaft in the correct position, the valve timing on the XJ650 is set with marks on the camshafts & camshaft caps, it is not adjustable.

The valve clearances should be checked after reassembly.

[spike]

Yeh it is similar, the marks are on the large cogs in the picture they were out by one tooth so we undid everything, set it to tdc and turned it a mm, it lined up spot on according to the manuals photos so I reckon the timings correct.

[David]

XJ650

Crankshaft valve timing mark.



Exhaust camshaft alignment mark.



The inlet is similar.

Did the engine run ok before it was dismantled?

[spike]

It ran erratically on start up but was ok when warm before we did the strip down. I did have to have the petrol tank professionally repaired as it rusted along the bottom seam. But it always felt like there was a bit of s..t left in there but that's been cleaned out now anyway!

[David]

Had some idling & poor running problems at low engine speeds with the XJ650 (BOB's Bike).

BOB's Bike's Back for some TLC.

Reading from page 3, post 7 may be helpful.

Carburetion and in particular the pilot screw mixture settings were the biggest problem.

Using waste gas analysis on each cylinder, the air/fuel ratios were set up correctly.

There are no other adjustments, (other than balancing) on the Hitachi HSC 32 carbs. fitted.

Nov 6, 2013 13:44:15 GMT spike said:

Still lumpy running but they advised a carb cleaner treatment which I threw in with a full tank of juice! Voila!!! It's worked a treat!

Aug 17, 2013 9:08:29 GMT David said:

I'm starting to use Silkolene Pro FST Fuel System Treatment in BOB's Bike, it was recommended by AMR after having the carbs cleaned and set up, hopefully it will help to combat any future problems.

[spike]

Thanks for all that Dave but to be honest I've had enough for a while, it's been really hard work in hot weather and I'm no further on, it's been an education mind. A full engine strip and rebuild, twice!!!!
The biggest let down is that there seems to be a problem in our area where we simply don't have somewhere to take a bike where they can fix it! Only one that could but wouldn't, they said we'll do it in the autumn when it's quieter!!!! Yeh, when it's too cold to ride the b.....r and another summer lost! I certainly won't be taking it there.
I'll have a rest from it for a bit, thanks again mate.

[David]

Jul 22, 2014 11:32:23 GMT spike said:

The biggest let down is that there seems to be a problem in our area where we simply don't have somewhere to take a bike where they can fix it! Only one that could but wouldn't, they said we'll do it in the autumn when it's quieter!!!!

Had the same experience, which is why I tackled the problem of the leaking cylinder head gasket myself with the help of GRM.

AMR at Bellerby (Simon) was able to offer waste gas analysis on each cylinder, others weren't.

[spike]

Right! Back to it, I've fitted stainless steal downpipes and the exhaust is pretty quiet now. That means I can hear the engine a lot better. I put a can of petrol in and noticed some black bits in the tank. Off it came, emptied the petrol into a bucket and refilled it with clean. I took it for a spin down the A19 but it surges, backfires a lot and accelerates poorly. When I struggled back to the lock up it was very hot! I can't face another carb strip so I'll look for a specialist I've got the use of a van so distance isn't too much of a problem, finding someone probably will be considering when the base gasket went at the start of this little saga. Wish me luck!

[David]

Aug 3, 2014 8:15:27 GMT spike said:

I can't face another carb strip so I'll look for a specialist.

I was very tempted to send the carbs. off Bob's Bike to NRP Motorcycle Carburettor Repair Specialist.

They are in Manchester, it might be worth giving them a call.

If you take the carbs. off and send them to NRP, they will refurbish them to a "as new" condition.

Hopefully, this will rule out the carbs. as the source of the problem.

[spike]

Hi Dave, no, I won't be putting a spanner to the bike for a while! I just want to take it somewhere and pick it up fixed!

[spike]

In fact I'm looking for something that I can get some miles on before winter bites! Under £1000!

[David]

Aug 3, 2014 16:23:36 GMT spike said:

I just want to take it somewhere and pick it up fixed!

Try AMR at Bellerby, Simon was the only guy I could find who would listen and do what I wanted, i.e. waste gas analysis on each cylinder.

Without his help, I would have been no further forward, he breathed new life into Bob.

[spike]

I'll ring him tomorrow, cheers Mate