Trying to do a guy a favor.

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kzcsi
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Trying to do a guy a favor.

#1

Post by kzcsi »

It's been years since I posted here. I'm still riding my Valk and it's still going strong.
A few months ago I was told that an older guy was going into an assisted living center and he didn't know what to do about his motorcycle. I went over to his home and found this beautiful 1983 GL 1100 with 26K on the clock. It had ALL of it's parts and even had a set of Samsonite saddle bags. I agreed to get it running and try to sell it for him. He told me that he'd had issues with the carbs for the last several years he'd been riding it. I took the carbs off and had the local Honda shop rebuild them to the tune of $654.00. I also cleaned the tank and replaced a perfectly clean fuel filter and changed the oil. Add $124.00 for a battery and I was ready to start it up.
It started pretty easily but soon began to smoke from the left muffler. It didn't smoke right away, only started after about five minutes of idling. I ran it until it was well warmed up and then pulled the left side plugs and flooded the left cylinders with Marvel Mystery Oil. I cranked it over without the sparkplugs and then refilled the cylinders with MMO. I let it sit for a week, cranked it again without the plugs to blow out the oil and reinstalled the plugs. When I started it today it still smoles heavily out of the left side muffler.
Now this guy never abused this bike. I'm thinking that one or more of the rings are stuck on the left side. I read the threads about carbs draining into the cylinders and I don't think that's my issue.
My questions are:
Should I just take it out and run it till the rings loosen up?
Will they loosen up on their own?
If they don't start sealing on their own I'm thinking that I'll have to pull the engine to get at the pistons, correct?
TIA
Bill
Lifelong Rider suffering through MBD.
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gltriker
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#2

Post by gltriker »

You won't know, until you do. ;)
Cliff (74yrs ;) )

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RE: a thorough fuel tank cleaning
"And your carbs will thank you. They no longer live down stream from a sewage plant." -gregforesi tumb2
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Cliff

'75 GL1000 home built trike; http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=39996
October,2017 BOTM :shock: https://nakedgoldwingsclub.com/forum/page/Welcome

previous rides:
1953 H-D Servi-car, naked, 1969-1978 (serial#53G1559 committed to memory!)
1980 CB900 Custom (triked) 1997-2003 .... R.I.P.
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kzcsi
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#3

Post by kzcsi »

gltriker wrote:You won't know, until you do. ;)
I'll keep that in mind.
Lifelong Rider suffering through MBD.
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Steve81GL1100
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#4

Post by Steve81GL1100 »

I am no expert, but I can speak from my own experiences over the past 3 years and 7,000+ miles since I got my 81 running. It had been parked for over 10 years when I got it. I did the usual -- carbs, flush the gas tank with 20+ gallons of fresh gas, new fuel filter and lines, multiple oil changes, new belts, head gaskets, valve stem seals,.... All sorts of stuff, and that was just to get it running. After I got the brakes rebuilt and put new tires on it, it took over 600 miles of riding before the engine finally "hit its stride," meaning lots of smoke, intermittent rough idling, down on power, ....
As I continue to ride, it continues to get better. 7,000 miles later, it runs beautifully with 2 exceptions. First, it will still smoke on the left occasionally on start-up, most often if there is an audience. Second, and I blame this solely on our poor-quality corn gas, one of the idle jets tends to plug periodically unless I give it a steady diet of either MMO or Seafoam with every fill-up. So I run a few ounces of one or the other in every tank and the bike idles great. As for the smoke, maybe some day it won't do it any more, but hey, it's 35 years old -- my cars smoke a little sometimes and they're much younger. Oh, and it may be worth noting since you live in the northwest that mine smokes more on rainy days...
My (not-expert) advice is, if it's safe to ride (brakes, tires, etc) then by all means get it out and ride it. In my experience that's what these things thrive on.
Get out there! :)
Steve
Steve
1981 GL 1100 Standard, 81 Interstate bags, 84 GL1200 pegs, sometime National Cycle PlexiStar windshield
1996 BMW R1100R
2007 Piaggio X9 Evo500, wife's ride so she can keep up with the GL
1980 Vespa P200 (also wife's), restored, with custom paint, custom trim
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hmratbam
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#5

Post by hmratbam »

There's a pretty good chance that left side exhaust is full of all kinds of stuff. After 100 miles or so all that will burn out and life will be good!
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kzcsi
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#6

Post by kzcsi »

Thanks guys! I'll do just that. I'll keep you posted.
Bill
Lifelong Rider suffering through MBD.
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jdvorchak
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#7

Post by jdvorchak »

Most likely the more you ride it the better it will get. As for the smoking. Your oil ring is stuck or in rare cases broken. If the engine sat for a long time and that cylinder had rust, the first time you bumped the starter the oil ring, having been rusted to the cylinder wall, broke. They are pretty fragile. But that is unlikely. It does happen but more often it's just stuck and needs to be ridden. A few heat up cool down cycles should get all of the rings seating nicely.

At this point I would not even try to take anything apart, just run it. After 100 miles or so evaluate what you have. Since you poured MMO directly into the cylinder you have to expect some smoke but it should go away in a couple of minutes. Even longer if the MMO dripped down into the header. A full heat up cycle will be needed to get that oil out of the pipe.
New users please visit our "Shop Talk" for common tips and help:
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Don't fix it 'til it's broke...
The person with the most toys wins!
If it has wheels or a skirt you can't afford it.
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71 CL350 with Bingham side car
2021 HD Triglide
2008 HD Dyna Low Rider
83 KZ1100L1 Son totaled it
83 KZ550LTD Shaft sold

Previous bikes: 84 GL1200 STD, 83 KZ550LTD, 83 CB1000, 78 CB400A, 82 CB900F, 79 CB750K, 2001 GL1800, 2000 Dyna Super Glide, 1972 CB350 K4, 1985 GL1200A, 1997 1200 Sportster, 84 GL1200I, 82 Honda CM400E, 81 Suzuki GS650L, 72 Triumph Bonneville 750, 72 Honda CB350, 66(?) Honda 305 Scrambler, 6? Yamaha yz250, 62 650 Matchless (Norton-Villers).
John
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jdvorchak
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#8

Post by jdvorchak »

Oh and good for you helping a fellow out. My hats off to you..
New users please visit our "Shop Talk" for common tips and help:
http://ngwclub.com/forum/page/ST


Don't fix it 'til it's broke...
The person with the most toys wins!
If it has wheels or a skirt you can't afford it.
Amateur Radio Station WW9L

71 CL350 with Bingham side car
2021 HD Triglide
2008 HD Dyna Low Rider
83 KZ1100L1 Son totaled it
83 KZ550LTD Shaft sold

Previous bikes: 84 GL1200 STD, 83 KZ550LTD, 83 CB1000, 78 CB400A, 82 CB900F, 79 CB750K, 2001 GL1800, 2000 Dyna Super Glide, 1972 CB350 K4, 1985 GL1200A, 1997 1200 Sportster, 84 GL1200I, 82 Honda CM400E, 81 Suzuki GS650L, 72 Triumph Bonneville 750, 72 Honda CB350, 66(?) Honda 305 Scrambler, 6? Yamaha yz250, 62 650 Matchless (Norton-Villers).
John
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#9

Post by Gowing »

Real nice that you are helping the old guy out. I hope when my time comes that someone cares about my bikes.
Dave

1975 GL 1000
1980 XS650
1981 ct110
1972 F7 KAW 175
2000 moby blaze 40cc
Chihuahua (Ellie)
Chihuahua #2(Blaze)
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salukispeed
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#10

Post by salukispeed »

I would also think that after filling the cylinders with MMO a bunch would get down the header and muffler and will smoke a ton for a long while as more and more of the exhaust system gets hot enough to burn the oil off. If all seems good and safe it will take a good ride at speed to burn off the residue. I did similar thing on my 84 and it only got right after a run down the express way for 10 miles or more. the muffler was filled with MMO, PB Blaster, Mice, mouse house. plastic and pieces of acorns and corn. Eventually all was burned out and been great for years now. They will occasionaly smoke if left on the side stand but that burns off after a few minutes.
Honda 72 CL100 sold
74 CB750 K4 nice driver
1966 CA77/305 Dream nostalgic driver
84 GL1200I work in progress
1970 CT 70
1982 GL500 Interstate
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kzcsi
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#11

Post by kzcsi »

Ok Guys,
I added some SeaFoam to the crankcase and took it out for a ten mile ride. It smoked like the dickens until five miles and then gradually tapered off. By the time I got home it was running clean, or as clean as can be hoped for at it's age.
I've been trying to get the turn signals to operate with no success. I've rigged up another flasher and I've disassembled the switch, No Joy. I'm thinking that there's something wrong with the self canceling system. I've noticed that the solenoid in the switch fires every time the ignition is turned on. Is this normal?
Thanks for your help!
Bill
Lifelong Rider suffering through MBD.
JSBail
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#12

Post by JSBail »

I can only tell you from my own experience with my 83 1100 but when I first got it it's engine was locked up due to it's previous owner letting it set outside too long and rain water getting past the plugs that weren't tight. I fully expected to have to tear the engine down to at least re-ring it but decided to first see if I could loosen it up. To make a long story short I got it freed up although compression was dismal but decided to take it a step further to see if it could still run so after rebuilding the carbs it fired up and yep it smoked from both exhausts but the more it ran the less it smoked to the point it doesn't smoke at all (and it's not because it's low on oil either :-D ) and compression test kept improving. This didn't happen all in one day, it took a solid month maybe 2 months of riding it for it to stop smoking and of course the more I rode it the better it ran. I agree that the best way for me to have done this would have been to tear it down and do it properly but I just wanted to see what the GL engine could do and so far I'm pleased with it and no plans to tear it down any time soon. With that said I agree with what has been already said and that is ride it some more and see what happens
Scott
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Re: Trying to do a guy a favor.

#13

Post by BlueThunder »

I resurected my GL1000 from the dead and had the same results. Ride it for a couple of hundred miles and everything will clear out. The more you ride these bikes, the better they run.
...Brian
2014 CTX1300 Deluxe - BlackThunder aka Predator
1977 GL1000 - Ox
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