Newbie First time Wrenching. It was fun! Many questions.

[tussey]

So I took most of my body off my GS today, found out how dirty it really was. I have few questions and I need to buy a few things for my GS. I learned alot from the experience, especially how the air+fuel+carb system works. If anyone knows.....

Where can I buy this rubber strap?
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0858.html

Can anyone tell if my carbs are clean?
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0860.html

What is this hose? It wasn't connected to anything.
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0863.html

My chain recently broke and was replaced. Current chain is rubbing against this rubber chain guard. Is that supposed to happen? If so how do I take it off and clean it? There are GUNKS of stuff on it.
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0865.html

Where can I buy the rubber seal around the gas tank? How do I adhesive the new one on?
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0867.html

I need a new tach and rubber seal for both gauges
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0869.html

Also my front rotor is rubbing against the brake pad, is there some way to adjust that or is something really wrong. It's loud enough to notice when you're doing 35+ mph.

Also I drained my tank of ALL gas and it's a goopy brown on the inside. Is this normal? What, if any, measures should I to clean it?

Thanks guys.

[scottpA_GS]

Ok.. Im gonna have to say...

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?action=search;advanced

Tooo much....

help is help.. but Umm.. maybee you need to hire someone to search for ya?

[coll0412]

Wow...so many questions.

Yeah a search is your best friend, here are some tips

Where can I buy this rubber strap?

Well you can use bikebandit(http://www.bikebandit.com) or I like Mr Cycles(www.mrcycles.com)
Look under the parts fiche you should be able to find it, probabaly like a 10 dollar item

Can anyone tell if my carbs are clean?

Yeah those are just the venturi's so it is hard to say, you have to look in the inside of the bowls, but like you said there is brown sludge in the tank there is probabaly that in the cabs too.

What is this hose? It wasn't connected to anything.

Search "fuel hose routing diagram" you should be able to find your answer

My chain recently broke and was replaced. Current chain is rubbing against this rubber chain guard. Is that supposed to happen? If so how do I take it off and clean it? There are GUNKS of stuff on it.

Totally normal, infact thats it job, still want to check your chain tension though, you can also search on that. Clean it with some WD-40 or kerosene

Where can I buy the rubber seal around the gas tank? How do I adhesive the new one on?

Again Bikebandit or Mr. Cycles

I need a new tach and rubber seal for both gauges

Again you can probably guess my response

[pantablo]

Where can I buy this rubber strap?
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0858.html

check www.ronayers.com although watch for the minimum shipping charge of $7. its probably only a few dollars (less than $10 I'd guess) and your local dealer can order it probably for less than you'd get it online when you include shipping. Other option is buying one used from someone. Not everyone wants to keep their tool kit strapped down.

What is this hose? It wasn't connected to anything.
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0863.html

I think its a vent hose, and shouldnt be connected to anything but should be hanging down toward the ground.

My chain recently broke and was replaced. Current chain is rubbing against this rubber chain guard. Is that supposed to happen? If so how do I take it off and clean it? There are GUNKS of stuff on it.
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0865.html

thats normal, thats what that rubber part is there for. Just wipe it down, dotn remove it.

Where can I buy the rubber seal around the gas tank? How do I adhesive the new one on?
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0867.html

you can use automotive weatherstripping adhesive available at good autoparts stores to keep it on. check ronayers again for this, or local dealer. also consider just using door edging from local auto parts store. I've seen that done too.

I need a new tach and rubber seal for both gauges
http://homepage.mac.com/the_macman/gstwin/wrenching/pages/DCP_0869.html

same as above but I would consider just adhereing the two peices onto the metal since all they do is separate the vibrations between the bracket and tach. Just an idea.

Also my front rotor is rubbing against the brake pad, is there some way to adjust that or is something really wrong. It's loud enough to notice when you're doing 35+ mph.

some rubbing is normal, but to hear it at 35mph...I dont know if thats normal, maybe someone else can comment on that. I always wear a full face helmet (usually with earplugs) so I wouldnt know if it did.

Also I drained my tank of ALL gas and it's a goopy brown on the inside. Is this normal? What, if any, measures should I to clean it?

that may be old gas. you should clean it. cant comment on proper way to do it but it should be done. if you run the tank that low while riding and suck that stuff into the carbs you'll probably be sorry.

hope this helps.

[pandy]

tussey: congrats on your first wrenching! 

coll0412 and Pablo...you two RAWK! 

[Admiral Crunch]

Also I drained my tank of ALL gas and it's a goopy brown on the inside. Is this normal? What, if any, measures should I to clean it?

Is the inside of the tank just brown, or is there some kind of sludge in there?  If it's sludgy, it definitely needs to be cleaned.  I read where someone took their tank off and took it to a do-it-yourself car wash and blasted out the inside with a high-pressure hose until it was clean.  Might want to start with a garden hose first and try to get out what you can before you start pumping quarters into the carwash.  Dry it completely before re-attaching to the bike, obviously.

[MarkusN]

The hose is the carb vent and really hoes into empty space. It's normally routed over the airbox and ends in the gap between the airbox and the battery box.

Speaking of batteries, hearing about broken chains and seeing the bad rust that you have on the swing arm linkage: Is your batter vent hose installed correctly? Or do you have tha same case as one other member posted, with the Battery venting unchecked on the left and dripping over everything beneath?

[tussey]

yea that was my post. 

[scratch]

Regarding the front brake: If it pulses when you're riding at 10 to 25 mph then it might be either the disc is warped, the caliper is bent, the axle is bent, or the rotor carrier buttons (the hollow round thingies) are sticking.  Do not use anything but brake cleaner on the buttons, if anything.  Personally, I prefer just going out and romping on the front brake, practicing emergency stops, everywhere I go for a few weeks.  Make sure you have adequate brake pad material left.  This should loosen up the buttons.

[My Name Is Dave]

The tank on my scooter was brown and rusty, which was sending crap through the fuel system and making it run like poop. So I took the tank off and did a poor-man's tank cleaning:

I plugged the reserve and main outlets. Then I threw in a solution of Simple Green, small and medium rocks, and miscellaneous hardware like nuts and bolts and screws. I put a garbage bag between the filler neck and gas cap to keep the solution from pouring out the gas cap vent holes. And then I shook it like it  stole $50 from me. Every 20 minutes I dumped the solution into a bucket and checked inside to check on the progress. Put it back in the tank and repeat the shaking process.

After an hour I dumped the solution out and looked inside- it looked friggin new! So wash it out thoroughly with water until all the water coming out was clean and fresh, not dirty or sudsy (about 15 minutes). Use a compressor to blow it totally dry and you're done.

Throw it back on the bike, put new hoses and filters on, and hopefully a freshly-cleaned carb...you now have a clean fuel system! After doing that, the scooter ran like a dream and now hits top speeds of 40 mph. Wowza.

Also I drained my tank of ALL gas and it's a goopy brown on the inside. Is this normal? What, if any, measures should I to clean it?

Is the inside of the tank just brown, or is there some kind of sludge in there?  If it's sludgy, it definitely needs to be cleaned.  I read where someone took their tank off and took it to a do-it-yourself car wash and blasted out the inside with a high-pressure hose until it was clean.  Might want to start with a garden hose first and try to get out what you can before you start pumping quarters into the carwash.  Dry it completely before re-attaching to the bike, obviously.