Fork Seals, Gasket Sealant, Speedometer Lube

[Lucien Harpress]

So, I've got a few questions saved up, and rather than pad my post count by starting three different threads, I figured I'd combine them into a bit of a hodge-podge potpourri. Without further ado:

--Among all the other issues I have to fix on my problem child Standard 1200, I just noticed today that my right front fork seems to be leaking. Now, it's sat for a long time, and I'm not ruling out it will fix itself if I start riding again, but in case it doesn't- how bad is replacing the fork seals on this bike? I've done seals before, but it was on a 1980 Yamaha XS1100, and it was several years ago. Anything to watch out for on the Goldwing?

--Not Goldwing related, but I've been trying my d**ndest to get the valve cover and rubber cam plugs to seal on my KZ1300, to no avail. I'm using a Threebond liquid gasket material right now, but I think it's setting up too fast to be effective- the valve cover on the 1300 has nearly 30 separate bolts, and the rubber plugs don't seat down where they need to be until the cover it tightened. What's the best stuff to use in this application, preferably a slow-set material?

--On the KZ1300 front, I've also developed a bit of a squeal from the speedometer. While the common solution seems to be "replace it", it's a rather rare piece (usually pulls over $300 in crap condition) I'd like to salvage. I've heard that a small amount of lube can sometimes clear this up, but what to use? I've heard of WD-40 (nah), mineral oil (if I can find it), and graphite. What would y'all recommend?

Okay, I think that's it. If I come up with anything else, I'll add it to this original post. Thanks in advance!

[robin1731]

1- Fork seals are fork seals. They are all pretty much the same.

2- Not sure why you are having trouble here. Threebond doesn't really set up that fast. I use in on cases a and it can take several minutes sometimes before everything is even together and then bolted down. Is it leaking at the rubber plugs? Are they new?

3- Cable lube. After you pull the cable and clean it and the housing thoroughly.

[jdvorchak]

KZ's are known to leak there and plenty of posts on the KZ forums. Some work some don't but they all sound similar to what you've done.

The speedometer and cable should be lubed regularly. Since you didn't say what is whining either the cable or the speedometer itself you should take a few minutes and remove the speedo to the point that you can turn it upside down.

Once in that position you can lube the cable with cable lube or Marvel Mystery Oil. Never WD-40 on a cable. It attracts dirt when dry. And dribble a few drops of MMO into the speedo where the cable attaches. Let it sit like that a few hours or overnight. Now don't overdo it.. A few drops is all you need and you don't want to over lube and have the oil appear on the glass.
Second method is more involved but more of a permanent fix.
Loosen the speedo cable top and bottom and pull the spinning cable out of the sheath. Clean it and the sheath with solvent. Apply a light coating of grease and re-insert. Then using a short piece of fuel line, whatever, that fits tight over a grease gun and the speedometer cable attach part on the speedometer. Use a hose clamp to make the connection tight. Inject a very slight amount of grease into the spedometer. Put it all back together and you're good to go.

[robin1731]

snip....................KZ's are known to leak there and plenty of posts on the KZ forums. .

Having done many KZ engine's I have to disagree. Except for the cheap guy that wouldn't put new end pieces in I've not had any leak. And even his was so small an amount it wasn't worth mentioning. Many time's a guy will have a tach seal leaking and the air blows the oil around making it look like it came from someplace else.

If KZ's have any "known" place's for an oil leak it would be the tach drive seal. But that's mostly because guys don't change them. A simple seal and 0-ring change can make a big difference.

[Lucien Harpress]

- Good to hear about the fork seals. I'll bush up on the details after I paint the bike, but good to know it's not impossible.

- Yeah, I don't know about the KZ. Cam plugs are all brand new, as is the gasket (you HAVE to replace it every time you pull the valve cover-it's too delicate). First time, I put sealant on the plugs only, it leaked. I pulled it apart, got sealant on everything, but it was a rush job and I made it leak worse. Got a new gasket, cleaned and dried everything, put sealer completely around each plug, on both sides of the gasket, and about three inches to either side of the plug. No dice, still leaks. It's not much, but on a newly painted engine, it's enough. They leak at different rates, which makes me think the ones I let sit longer leak more. I don't know.

Tach seal is new, and drier than the plugs. So it ain't that.

- The 1300 speedo will screw right out. Very simple to get to the internals. I'll look into the recommendations. Thanks!