"Bad Idea" low budget build

A forum for stories, pics and updates of your resto's. Be it a barn find, Grampas hand me down or a bike being brought back to it's former glory.If you are restoring it, show us your stuff!

Moderators: Brant, Sagebrush, Forum Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
robin1731
Membership Admin
Membership Admin
Posts: 21724
Joined: Mon May 29, 2006 8:31 am
Location: Decatur, Indiana

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#331

Post by robin1731 »

elwood440 wrote:snip................
I haven't actually pushed any onto the badge posts yet, but if they hold nicely, does anyone want a set? :mrgreen:
From the factory they used a rubber washer under the push nuts. Hard to find those but an o-ring works pretty well. I forget the exact size but it's not hard to figure out.

.
1976 Goldwing Super Sport
1985 Honda Elite
1976 KZ900 Dragbike
1992 ZX7 Dragbike (KZ900 style motor w/NOS)
and a rotation of various purchases
Randakk approved Carb Rebuilder
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#332

Post by elwood440 »

HIRING OUT WELDING

I've found a good welder at work that is willing to help me out and repair my exhaust bits. However, he is much happier to not do the fabrication part. I need to provide him all the parts I need welded and he will stick them together properly.

I found a good diameter of exhaust adapter pipe to make the front flanges of the horse collar, and ground down the front of what's left to give a flat surface to weld to. I figure I'll let him make his weld preps, as I would probably do it wrong. I hung the pieces on the bike to mock it up and see how they line up, and it all looks good. I'll cut grooves for clamping after it's welded.
mock up
mock up
IMG_2115.JPG (82.27 KiB) Viewed 325 times
As for the headers, I've come up with a solution. I'm going to use the aftermarket pair and wrap them. To repair the one with the missing collar, I'm going to cut off the OTHER collar, and also cut off the OEM mounting flange from the header that doesn't have a mate. Then have my welder guy attach the OEM flange to the aftermarket header. This will give me a for-sure good connection to the head, and it will be okay if it's ugly/mismatched because noone will ever see it, because it's underneath the head.
Here I cut off the second mounting collar
Here I cut off the second mounting collar
IMG_2110.JPG (99.11 KiB) Viewed 325 times
I will also provide the welder with one of my junk heads for fixturing. This is the intact header mounted with no gaskets into the head. Setting it on the machined intake port faces on the table, the lower edge of the outlet sits 10.5" from the table. This seems like the most important measurement, because there's a little mounting wiggle room in the other dimensions.
measurement
measurement
IMG_2109.JPG (116.26 KiB) Viewed 325 times
I also had to drill out one screw that holds the chromey bits onto the horse collar. It had siezed good. I was fortunately able to get the screw remains out and still have a thread to put another screw back in. Once the horse collar is welded, I will attack it with the wire wheel and a can of VHT black. The chromey bits were (for some unknown reason) painted over with silver rattle-can. I've discovered that underneath, it doesn't look all that bad. I will work on removing the paint, and we'll be in business. It's not perfect chrome, but none of it on this bike is perfect.
There's shiny under there!
There's shiny under there!
IMG_2130.JPG (64.81 KiB) Viewed 325 times
I still have to finish removing the old pipe remnants from the OEM flange, and I will be able to send all the bits off to be welded.
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#333

Post by elwood440 »

THAT DARN CATCH CAN!

Oofah. For what I thought would be a quick 10 minute job, this turned into a huge headache!

The cleanup:
as pulled
as pulled
IMG_2119.JPG (86.36 KiB) Viewed 324 times
disassembled
disassembled
IMG_2120.JPG (92.55 KiB) Viewed 324 times
And after a little scrubbing:
looks better
looks better
IMG_2121.JPG (69.01 KiB) Viewed 324 times
The parts cleaned up well enough, but the "filter" whatever-it-was crumbled into an oily mess. After some googling, I found that a decent substitute could be made from a bit of stainless steel dish scrubber.
Scrubber
Scrubber
IMG_2122.JPG (108.01 KiB) Viewed 324 times
I cut a couple bits of scrubber off and stuffed them between the screens where the old "filter" used to live. Then I decided that it wouldn't hurt to fill the big area with it either. More surface area to grab oil particles, right? The hose from the crankcase as seen below comes into the large portion, and the drain hose is connected to the middle section, under the original filter. The third area is empty, because it is where the hose in the lid returns to the intake. I figured it would be bad to get stainless scrubber bits sucked into the intake, even if the air filter would stop it going into the engine.
stuffed with scrubber
stuffed with scrubber
IMG_2123.JPG (75.3 KiB) Viewed 324 times
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#334

Post by elwood440 »

THE INSTALL

I definitely, whole-heartedly advocate installing this thing onto the engine while the engine is out! If the engine is in, it would probably be easier to pull the fuel tank (because there's nothing in the way of doing that, right? :roll: ) to get this thing installed than it would be to just shove it in from the side. This was by far the most difficult, fiddly piece I've had to install on the whole bike. Ten times worse than the driveshaft snap ring!
IMG_2124.JPG
IMG_2124.JPG (76.74 KiB) Viewed 323 times
Of course, it didn't help that the threaded holes were full of dirt/mud wasp mud that I should have cleaned out while the engine was on the bench. Back then I was planning to use the later model catch can, which is the only reason I didn't install this thing on the bench. Oh well.

Cleaning the holes out wasn't too bad, because without the can in your way, you can actually get to the holes with your hand. I made a "tap" out of an old bolt and was able to clear the mud out by hand. Then the hard part came: threading the hoses thru the engine/frame, and screwing the can to the engine. There was just enough space to touch the far screw with two fingers to get it started. After about 20 minutes, I got it started about 1/4 of a thread. Then I tried to put a wrench on it and knocked it out of the hole.

Then I cussed a lot.

Then I started over again. The hardest part of this is actually getting a tool onto the screws. I don't have a tiny ratchet, which would probably be the best solution. I also didn't have a flexy screwdriver or a right-angle adapter. To make matters worse, the far screw is back past the fuel tank flange, so you have to sneak under or behind that to get something on the screw. I finally came up with this combination that was able to reach it and turn it down one ratchet click at a time.
IMG_2129.JPG
IMG_2129.JPG (64.75 KiB) Viewed 323 times
It took about 40 minutes to figure out how to get the screws in and tight. But it's in there. dancr
yay!
yay!
IMG_2128.JPG (97.9 KiB) Viewed 323 times
I did have to re-use ONE piece of hose. It was the upper piece that goes to the intake. The replacement hose was just slightly thicker and would NOT get stuffed thru the spot beside the tank to get to the air cleaner.

.
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#335

Post by elwood440 »

RADIATOR

One of the last pieces to the puzzle.
I have all three radiators, and surprisingly it looks like I could use whichever one I wanted because they are all in good shape! I started with the one with the correct "wings" on it and that came in my basket case pile. I started by pulling the fan and pulling the "barn-fresh" barn debris out of it.
IMG_2131.JPG
IMG_2131.JPG (109.86 KiB) Viewed 322 times
hay!
hay!
IMG_2133.JPG (101.34 KiB) Viewed 322 times
There are a couple scratches in the tank that I sprayed with black, but most of the paint is "good enough." The wings DO have rust though. :| I would like to use all original paint (for now) so I'm just going to clean it up as well as I can. remove rust on the inside, and the outside bottom corner and spray them, but the majority of the outside still has the nice paint with the gold pinstriping. I'll just polish that part up and they will be good enough for who its for. :lol:

And then there's the hoses. Long ago I had bought the replacement hose that you can cut to make both bends..
this one
this one
IMG_2134.JPG (95.11 KiB) Viewed 322 times
Yeah, I lined up the pieces.. eyeballed it this way.. eyeballed it that way.. and eventually came up with what I figured was the correct place to cut.

And then it immediately became clear that I cut it too short. crying1

Luckily Amazon has them for $8.40. There's another one on the way. :roll: I have it figured out for next time though. I'll put the clamps and the armor spring on the hose first, THEN cut it.

Measure once, cut twice - $8.40
total so far - $2652.46
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
User avatar
Goboy
Billet Alum. Member
Billet Alum. Member
Posts: 222
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2016 10:49 pm
My Album: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=60678
Location: Hinton Alberta

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#336

Post by Goboy »

Nice work Elwood, I have a tip on replacing the rad fan rubber bushings. Cut 1/4" long pieces of vacuum hose.
Vacuum hose.jpg
Vacuum hose.jpg (128.94 KiB) Viewed 308 times
Before.jpg
Before.jpg (127.64 KiB) Viewed 308 times
Attachments
After.jpg
After.jpg (131.21 KiB) Viewed 308 times
You're too small to ride a hog Billy!

Mike
1978 GL1000
Previous bikes: 05 Yamaha FJR 1300, 79 Suzuki GS 1000, 75 Yamaha XS 650, 73 Kawasaki S2 350
User avatar
Goboy
Billet Alum. Member
Billet Alum. Member
Posts: 222
Joined: Sun Apr 24, 2016 10:49 pm
My Album: viewtopic.php?f=30&t=60678
Location: Hinton Alberta

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#337

Post by Goboy »

Elwood, post a picture of where you cut the new rad hose. I have to do the same and would have eye balled it too.
thanks
You're too small to ride a hog Billy!

Mike
1978 GL1000
Previous bikes: 05 Yamaha FJR 1300, 79 Suzuki GS 1000, 75 Yamaha XS 650, 73 Kawasaki S2 350
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#338

Post by elwood440 »

Goboy wrote:Elwood, post a picture of where you cut the new rad hose. I have to do the same and would have eye balled it too.
thanks
Good idea. It should arrive today. I'll post both the new cut and the bad cut. My plan on the new cut is to slide the slinky and both clamps onto the hose first, then cut. I can't really get it too short then.

I like the suggestion for the fan bushings too. I've already replaced them with little grommets about the same size. I got them for free, so that worked out nicely. :-D

I did test the fan, and it works well enough, but seemed.. sluggish? Not having anything to compare it to, I tested another fan and that one felt stronger. I switched them out, and then re-tested and now I can't really tell a difference. I think once properly installed it will be fine. Perhaps the tiny-gauge alligator test leads I was using are limiting current. I got a bundle of 10 of them from china for like $.80 and they haven't been terribly reliable. The one I used for testing the starter relay sort of acted like a fuse. (poof!) :roll:
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#339

Post by elwood440 »

MAKING ANOTHER CUT
(or more accurately, "me waffling about making another cut")

Okay, I think I have it figured out, but I'm still hesitant. Here's a pic of the original hoses, the bad cut hose, and the new hose:
IMG_2139.JPG
IMG_2139.JPG (77.33 KiB) Viewed 284 times
My plan was/is to put the slinky on and cut off the extra like this:
IMG_2140.JPG
IMG_2140.JPG (77.11 KiB) Viewed 284 times
But doing this will leave pretty much ONLY the straight bit. That's not really a problem for me because I already have a good lower hose from the first cut with a nice bit of bend in it. However, with all the talk about being able to get both bends with one hose it got me wondering if I'm cutting it in the right place. I think I am, but I'm having doubts. So if the upper hose doesn't come from the end as shown above, maybe it comes from the middle? That would leave a bit of bent tube at the left end for the lower hose.
I don't think this is right
I don't think this is right
IMG_2145.JPG (75.16 KiB) Viewed 284 times
But taking from the middle really doesn't give me enough bend for the upper hose. So I'm confident that the upper hose comes from the end, and the lower hose uses mostly straight hose from whats left over. As you can see below, the new hose has a much more pronounced S-bend, but it pretty much has to be the part to be used.
This has to be right
This has to be right
IMG_2146.JPG (89.53 KiB) Viewed 284 times
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
User avatar
Easter
True Blue Steel Biker
True Blue Steel Biker
Posts: 2999
Joined: Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:33 am
Location: South of Houston 100 miles

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#340

Post by Easter »

The upper hose probably is best put on to the radiator tube, then slipped onto the thermostat housing. I attach the bottom hose to the radiator tube, then put the lower water pump housing on the tube before attaching it to the engine. Just keep an eye on the o-ring! Last of all I put the lower bolts on the radiator and tighten up the top ones and then the hose clamps.
Bikes at present:

83 XL 600r with a 2004 XR650L engine
And a slightly worse for the wear BMW GS adventure bike awaiting repair
83 GL in process :IDTS:
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#341

Post by elwood440 »

WATER COOLED

Radiator is in. I can confirm that a cut from the end of the hose is used for the upper (big) hose. I can also confirm that the upper hose clamp (with the handy rubber cover) NEEDS to be in JUST the right position in order to assemble the radiator into the frame. I still need to clean up the wings a little and put those on.
assembled
assembled
IMG_2153.JPG (94.57 KiB) Viewed 261 times
attached
attached
IMG_2155.JPG (93.4 KiB) Viewed 261 times
original screen
original screen
IMG_2154.JPG (101.78 KiB) Viewed 261 times
'wing wings.  Not perfect, but serviceable.
'wing wings. Not perfect, but serviceable.
IMG_2137.JPG (97.61 KiB) Viewed 261 times
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#342

Post by elwood440 »

SO CLOSE

Yet so far away.

I cleaned all the paint off of the horse-collar chromey bits, and put some paint onto the radiator wings. The chrome isn't great, but it's not horrible. It looks much better this way than with the silver krylon on it.
IMG_2163.JPG
IMG_2163.JPG (79.97 KiB) Viewed 245 times
The wings are installed, (and I didn't take any pics yet.. hm) and the horse collar panels are waiting for their new home. I did finally got all the bits cleaned up and prepared for the welder guy at work, and I found out he will be out of town for two weeks and won't be able to do my welding until he's back. :( :( crying1 crying1

I used a favor from a friend to cut out the remains of the tube from the OEM head bracket with his bridgeport. it turned out nice!
IMG_2167.JPG
IMG_2167.JPG (67.04 KiB) Viewed 245 times
and I've prepared the aftermarket header to mate up with it by cutting the second collar off of it.
IMG_2110.JPG
IMG_2110.JPG (99.11 KiB) Viewed 245 times
I also have the extensions for the horse collar made and ready to be attached.

Once the welding is done, all that's left to assemble will be the exhaust. Then it's add fluids, make adjustments, do some testing, and it's Knees-in-the-breeze time. crossy.gif :crosso The cosmetic paint buffing and emblem resto can wait.

I had started thinking the unusually warm weather around here was to allow me a little more riding season to be able to get on this thing before it gets frigid outside, but maybe that won't happen. We shall see though. I'm crossing my fingers. :orange I guess I can get onto the cosmetic stuff while I'm waiting the next two weeks.
Last edited by elwood440 on Thu Nov 03, 2016 10:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
User avatar
elwood440
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 501
Joined: Thu Apr 30, 2015 12:51 pm
Location: Huntsville, AL

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#343

Post by elwood440 »

DANGIT!

Sat on the bike last night and kicked it off of the center stand for the first time, so I could roll it around and point it the other direction in the garage. It quickly became clear that the rear shocks are not damping anything. At all. ONLY bouncy bouncy springs holding it up. So i guess that means I will be looking for new ones. grr.
83 GL650i parked for maintenance
79 GL1000 "Bad Idea" current ride
I do all my spannering myself

"There's no excuse for the things I'm about to do"
doubleminded
Titanium Member
Titanium Member
Posts: 349
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2012 4:36 pm
Location: Wichita falls texas

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#344

Post by doubleminded »

Yes
Future owner of a oldewing.#12 in my goldwing history.
wannabridin
Silver Member
Silver Member
Posts: 744
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:40 pm
Location: Hurst, TX

Re: "Bad Idea" low budget build

#345

Post by wannabridin »

I probably have some used shocks for you if needed. PM me
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Members Restorations and Projects”