1978 GL1000 Restore

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Stealth126
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#61

Post by Stealth126 »

It's still smoking from the left side until it warms up. I can't tell yet if it's using any coolant. I hope I put the seal on the oil fitting on right when I replaced the head gasket. There sure is a lot to this.
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CYBORG
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#62

Post by CYBORG »

Most of them smoke a little at startup if they are parked on the side stand. Might even call it normal. Especially on the left side.
1978 custom GL1000
1977 custom with 1200 engine
1985 gl1200
Stealth126
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#63

Post by Stealth126 »

I talked to one of my local motorcycle mechanics. He had a 75 wing. He thinks it has a very slight warp in the head that leaks until it warms up and expands ever so slightly. I've been keeping it on the center stand. And only torqued it to 40 lbs based on the manual. I hadn't yet read the thread on Randall's site about the updated spec. It's 12 degrees in the shed right now so I'm going to wait until a warmer day and then back it off and retorque it to 45 lbs and see if by some stroke of genius that tightens it enough to grey rid of the slight leak.
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pidjones
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#64

Post by pidjones »

Make sure it is head gasket by holding a cold wrench in the exhaust stream to condense the vapor. If coolant, it should also have a sweet smell. Normal combustion will produce water vapor also, but not have the smell. Be very carefull increasing torque. 45 ft-lbs is the MAXIMUM of the 42-45 ft-lb range.
"Love 'em all.... let God sort 'em out!"
Ex 2006 GL1800 - the Black Pearl SOLD! to make room for:
2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited Dark Chalk Metallic
1975 Red GL1000 project - ex Pistol Pete project
1972 Triumph T150V Trident rescue - finished and FOR SALE!
1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
Ex '68 TR6C - chopped
Stealth126
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#65

Post by Stealth126 »

Okay. I will do all of that. I've heard people talk about the sweet smell. I can't tell. It seems to smell the same to me. But it's definitely white on the left side. If I run it one more time the coolant level will drop in the overflow tank slightly if it's burning. That's been the easiest way for me to tell.
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pidjones
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#66

Post by pidjones »

Also the plugs on the leaking cylinder will be either steam cleaned, or have a buildup from the coolant.
"Love 'em all.... let God sort 'em out!"
Ex 2006 GL1800 - the Black Pearl SOLD! to make room for:
2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited Dark Chalk Metallic
1975 Red GL1000 project - ex Pistol Pete project
1972 Triumph T150V Trident rescue - finished and FOR SALE!
1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
Ex '68 TR6C - chopped
Stealth126
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#67

Post by Stealth126 »

Number 4 has been mostly cleaned. Once it seals up it gets a little carbon on it but not much.
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#68

Post by Stealth126 »

I retorqued the head bolts to 45 pounds after heating the shed all day. We'll see what effect it has if any. I put a new choke cable on it. The new pull throttle cable is hooked up, but I wasn't able to finish the push cable. Nice progress today.
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pidjones
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#69

Post by pidjones »

Best throttle cable installation is done by the routing shown in the FSM with the air filter housing removed. I use a pair of hemostats to aid getting the cable ends where they belong. If you change to lower bars, some of the extra cable can be taken up by routing the cables over the air cleaner instead of beside it along the frame rail.
"Love 'em all.... let God sort 'em out!"
Ex 2006 GL1800 - the Black Pearl SOLD! to make room for:
2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited Dark Chalk Metallic
1975 Red GL1000 project - ex Pistol Pete project
1972 Triumph T150V Trident rescue - finished and FOR SALE!
1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
Ex '68 TR6C - chopped
Stealth126
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#70

Post by Stealth126 »

Thanks for the advice. I used it. Bittersweet day with the bike though. Got all three cables hooked up and adjusted. Put the air filter back and fired it up. Didn't smoke very long at all. It may have even sealed the head. But as it warmed up it became clear that the temperature gauge wasn't coming up. Couldn't believe it. Thought I had a victory only to find another problem pop up. So any advice on where to start? The gauge has worked until today so I assume it's wiring or the sensor. Electrical is my least favorite aspect of the project so I'm going to need details.
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pidjones
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#71

Post by pidjones »

The connector for that to the engine goes through the block with all the connectors under the left shelter. The one to the meters goes through it too. Clean and reseat them. You did refill the coolant?
"Love 'em all.... let God sort 'em out!"
Ex 2006 GL1800 - the Black Pearl SOLD! to make room for:
2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited Dark Chalk Metallic
1975 Red GL1000 project - ex Pistol Pete project
1972 Triumph T150V Trident rescue - finished and FOR SALE!
1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
Ex '68 TR6C - chopped
Stealth126
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Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Oct 10, 2019 5:33 pm

Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#72

Post by Stealth126 »

Okay. I'll clean all the connectors. Yes. It's filled with coolant. Does it need to be bled ever? It's worked 3 or 4 times this week. Now all of a sudden not.
Stealth126
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#73

Post by Stealth126 »

Thanks for all the advice. I found the problem this afternoon. There was a bad connection at the sensor. I'm thankful it was something so easy.
Stealth126
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#74

Post by Stealth126 »

This thing is really coming together. So now that gauge is working again, and it has the three new cables on it. I put the crash bars back on the left side. Next is to rebuild the petcock and synchronize the carbs. When I started I thought it was a real long shot to be riding this season, but it may not be out if reach.
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pidjones
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Re: 1978 GL1000 Restore

#75

Post by pidjones »

To repair the petcock, fuel level only has to be below the petcock. Make sure you put the wave washer back in the correct position to compress the sealing disk.
"Love 'em all.... let God sort 'em out!"
Ex 2006 GL1800 - the Black Pearl SOLD! to make room for:
2021 Can-Am Spyder RT Limited Dark Chalk Metallic
1975 Red GL1000 project - ex Pistol Pete project
1972 Triumph T150V Trident rescue - finished and FOR SALE!
1976 Yamaha RD400c
1978 GL1000 with '75 engine - the Hunley
Ex 1978 GL1000
Ex 1979 GL1000
Ex '79 CB750F rat bike
Ex '86 SEi
Ex '77 GL1000
Ex '76 RD400
Ex '72 Penton 125 set up for flat track
Ex '73 RD250
Ex '68 TR6C - chopped
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