Figured I'd make a thread for my fizzy, I guess I've enjoyed reading other people's threads and seeing their progress and it also helps me keep a record of everything I'm doing. (will add some photos later) Purchased the bike at 33,000kms about 6 weeks ago, all seemed great and did a couple hundred k's of riding, just enough to get a taste of that classic japanese screaming four experience. Then, it would seem I sucked up a bunch of crap into the carburettors or the fuel pump/filters, she bogged down and died in a 110km/h highway section which had been closed to a single lane. There I was, hard up against a concrete lane divider while trucks screamed past me about 1.5m away.. Not ideal! Somehow managed to get her started again by fiddling with fuel tap and giving her the beans on the starter, enough to ride a little further down the road where I could get some breathing room. She died a further two times on the limp back home (about 45kms), thankfully it was a sunny saturday and some fellow two wheel pilots stopped to try and help, and escort me back. I'm not a mechanic myself (very bold and expensive choice on this kind of bike + vintage) and will be using a reputable local bike magician (130/hr for labor.. ouch) for all the work - so based on the assumption that I have fouled the carbs, and also knowing that the previous owner DIY'd a carb clean and balance using some random ebay seal kits, I've decided to go for a full carb rebuild using Litetek seals and keyster carb kits. I needed to get her in for a valve clearance check and adjustment anyway so I'm timing it all to get done at once, and done to the highest possible standard. @ruckusman has been a big help in getting my head around what I should be doing, and I've agreed to be a beta tester for some brass tube inserts that go into the slide hole where the needles are to try and reduce slop and hopefully reduce emulsion tube wear. I've also sourced a spare fuel tank from my cousin who owns a wreckers, and that's been lined with red-kote. I plan to get it painted hopefully to match the rest of the fairings, but if I can't get it close enough (which I probably can't) I will just get it done in a gloss black which hopefully won't look too bad in the interim, and get the original tank cleaned and lined for another day. Also changing fuel filters, flushing the whole fuel system, inspecting the tap. Also ordered a Venhill EXUP cable repair kit, once I get it in, I'm getting the mechanic to check the operation of the servomotor and inspect the cable + valve to make sure there's no issues there, since I know these can give you headaches as well. Oh, and while she's in the shop she may as well get an oil change so I'm going to give that DELO 400 MGX a shot Parts I've ordered: Ruckusman Light Industries Precision Brassy Tube Kit - still waiting on delivery Keyster carb kits (1203YKS, 1203YKU - two of each) - Still waiting on delivery Keyster replacement float needles - recieved Litetek carburetor service kit - recieved Litetek fuel tank/tap o-rings (ordered all of them since i couldnt be bothered figuring out exactly which ones I needed) - recieved Litetek silicone coolant hose kit + fancy clamps - recieved Litetek coolant system o-ring kit - recieved Venhill EXUP cable repair kit - recieved Delo 400MGX 15W40 - going to pick this up this weekend. $87 for five liters of oil !?!?! It better be as good as you guys say LOL!! Well if you got to the end of this wall of text, and you can think of anything else I might want/need to get done, PLEASE let me know.. I have spent hours and hours and hours reading different threads here and talking ruckusman's ear off and I think I've thought of just about everything to do to get her mechanically sound so I can focus on cosmetic restoration (and riding the bloody thing). It's currently pissing down with rain here so I will take some photos and decorate the thread a bit later on. Cheers, this forum is the best, and I will be ordering some 2fifty stickers to represent!!!
Only one correction, the brass tube inserts go into the slide hole for the needle to reduce slop [not eliminate it altogether] and hopefully reduce emulsion tube wear. Also FWIW, I've bought and used a variety of 'Diesel/mixed fleet' oils over the years, and I've noticed of late that some are actually listing motorcycles on them now. Diesel/mixed fleet oils don't have friction additives which cause motorcycle wet clutches to slip, they have excellent detergent properties - they do after all deal with diesel combustion byproducts, well priced because of the volume of production and they're from very high quality base stock. BTW have you tried to start it and go for a short ride since having to limp home. I think the assessment of a clogged filter in the tank was a good one as that fuel pump clicked much more than it should have if it was pumping fuel. EDIT Surprised those brass inserts haven't arrived yet, I'm in AUS, you're in NZ, it's not like I'm in Antarctica and you're in Lithuania...
Yeah I typed this out while on the sauce so, was bound to muck it up I've started it since, but haven't taken it out for a ride. I've also, as usual, been balls to the wall with work. Regarding postage .. Since that cyclone a lot of extra pressure on our postal system, and they were pretty hit or miss anyway. Will give it a few more weekdays and if it's not here by wednesday I'll give them a call - if you had a tracking number or anything like that, PM me. Cheers
Yeah I'm pretty sure some of the parts I got from litetek are to replace the tap seals? I forgot to mention it in my original post but the mechanic's specced out some new filters, and I plan to get him to just take all that apart and clean it out.
