I'm a sucker for a good priced project

[ritalz]

I've let this bike sit for way too long. Buying and riding the 03 really put a kink in my wrenching time. Just recently got back into working on this one. Carb r&r is always fun but I think they are good to go now. Front master still needs a lot of love or a trash bag, not sure which. Had her running and found water leaking from a couple of places. The crossover tube for the right side is still leaking but I think that is the last one. Sometimes I think this is a lost cause and I should sell or part it out. Putting it on hold again till after the East Rally.

[ritalz]

Set a new personal record for rack removal. In less than 45 minutes I grabbed my tools, uncovered the bike, removed the rack and put everything away for the night. Number 4 carb was not working especially at idle. Running above idle would heat up the header some. Should be an easy fix. Replaced the crossover tube yesterday, had a half inch split. Nice to have spare parts on hand.

[NotSoLilCrippseys]

It's nice to read that you're getting back at that bike. I'll second your point about spare parts on hand! I can't count the number of times (10?) I've walked over to our parts GL1100 to pluck some needed gem, install it, and get one of our registered and running GLs back on the road. Some days I tell myself that it could roll again with a little time and $, but for the large gash in the bottom of the crankcase. (The heads are good, so there's another cha-ching when I pick up some "great condition but for the broken t-belt and bent valves" GL1100 that nobody will touch with a 10' pole and a trailer.)

[wingrider]

Sadly, I am doing the same for my Dad’s Valk…pulling parts off mine to make it run to sell. I’ll toss new parts at mine when the time is right. Only seems fitting being he has been gone for almost a year.

[ritalz]

Sorry to hear about your dad. Getting some new parts for your bike is a side benefit.

Got the carbs cleaned up again and ready to put back on. Should have been out there today but got lazy instead. Rain in the forecast for tomorrow, planned ride on Friday and church/school cleanup on Saturday. Retirement is so hard to keep up with.

[ritalz]

Looks like I'm probably having a head gasket problem on the right side. Smokes like crazy for quite a while after startup and then starts sending boiling water into the recovery tank. I may still have a set of gaskets in my parts cache. Another issue that doesn't want to go away is a small fuel drip from the 2/4 carbs. Weird because after running for a while the drip will stop. New battery installed today and front master cylinder will be here soon. I'll be glad when this one is gone.

[ritalz]

New head gasket on the right side ant old one definitely had a failure almost dead center. Struggled to get the timing set right (out of practice). Spun freely with a wrench and also with the starter. Put enough of it together to run and it sounds like a metallic tick while running. Lots of concern and double checking everything. Kind of thinking it may be an exhaust leak at the headers that is making the noise. Other than the ticking noise, it seems to be doing ok. No more smoke and no bubbles in the recovery tank.

[Whiskerfish]

yea header leaks will make a nasty tick.

[ritalz]

Bought a cheap 14mm master cylinder for the front brakes and I can't get it to build pressure. Wandering if it is too small or defective. I can get the air out but the lever never gets solid. Perhaps it is not moving enough fluid to move four caliper pistons.

[Rat]

Those cheapies need to be taken apart and assembled properly sometimes …

Gord (been lucky so far but others have reported problems)Jones

[ritalz]

I've heard that before. May have to give that a try after while. Wandered if the plunger was in backwards because it seems to send all the pressure out the return hole.

[pidjones]

My experience with Chinabay MCs is that they are dirty inside and often not properly assembled. But, once cleaned and assembled properly using brake fluid to lubricate everything internally they worked fine.

[ritalz]

I cleaned and reassembled the mc and it still will not build pressure. Made arrangements to return it. Now I need to find another one to try.

[gltriker]

Bought a cheap 14mm master cylinder for the front brakes and I can't get it to build pressure. Wandering if it is too small or defective. I can get the air out but the lever never gets solid. Perhaps it is not moving enough fluid to move four caliper pistons.

Maybe. Although you feel you have purged all air out of the front brake system does the brake lever contact the grip before there is any indication the brake pads are clamping the brake rotors?
What is the bore diameter of the original master cylinder?

[ritalz]

The bore is 15mm. I made sure to get all the air out, even tied off the lever overnight. The calipers do clamp the rotors but the lever continues to hit the grip. I would not trust it enough to ride.