Wow this bike is fubar... but I am gonna fix it!

[joweaver88]

So instead of just fixing things here and there, I have decided to just go all out and fix everything before I start riding her seriously. So today I took apart the entire fuel system... and this is what I found. (btw the order is not chronological, its just random).

1. First of all the gas tank is super rusty, and the brand new fuel filters were already backed up with rust.
2. Fuel lines were dry rotted and in general disrepair.
3. Tank petcock is missing its screen and the valve is broken (in the off position some fuel still flows, caused a bit of a fuel spill).
4. Carbs had been "rebuilt" by an idiot... there were new screws on the bowls so I know it was taken apart recently (screws were crap too, I stripped them getting them off and replaced them with hex bolts). So first things first, the c-clip on the needle was set to position 6 instead of position 1, and there were two plastic spacers on each needle (one old, one new) so the needle was riding waaay higher than it was supposed to be. Also I heard somethings jingling around on the inside of the left carb and when I opened the bowl you will not believe what I found... the main jet had come out and was loose inside the bowl... no I am not frigging kidding. Luckily all the o-rings and gaskets were in good shape so I can return the K&L rebuild kits I bought as I didn't need them.
5. Carbs were out of synch

And here are the repairs/upgrades I made today...

1. De-greased the engine and surrounding parts
2. Cleaned out the fuel filters.
3. Thoroughly cleaned out the carbs.
4. Set the needle c-clip to position 2
5. Removed one of the plastic spacers on each needle
6. Changed the main jets from 122.5 to 150 (and made sure they were snug!)
7. Changed pilots from 37.5 to 40 and set to 3 turns out
8. Reassembled carbs with new hex bolts.
9. Did a rough carb synch with some same size drill bits
10. Used Mopar combustion chamber cleaner (you spray it into the throttle body, I did it after removing the carbs though), using a flashlight I could tell it did a good job of removing carbon from the tops of the intake valves, as far as the actual cylinder though... who knows.
11. Re-installed carbs
12. Routed new fuel lines from the fuel petcock to the carbs with nice high quality reinforced fuel lines.
13. Replaced stock air box with K&N lunch box air filter.
14. Used a cut up T-shirt and some zip ties to cover the breather tube coming from the valve cover and the vent tube coming from the top of the carbs.
15. Replaced the front brake lever (it was bent bad like it had been knocked over on that side).


Things I still *need to do.

1. Remove rust from inside of tank (suggestions on how?).
2. Sand and paint the tank, new fender, and rear plastics (they are faded and look like crap).
3. Install new tank petcock.
4. Install tank, new fender, and plastics.
5. Finish fuel line routing
6. Replace dry rotted tires.
7. Replace rusted old chain with new O-ring chain.
8. Replace brake pads with nice new EBC pads (HH on front and GG on rear).
9. Replace fork seals.
10. Install V&H full exhaust system (otherwise the rejet I did will make it run rich, I did that because I didn't want to have to take apart the carbs twice in a row)
11. Install bar end weights
12. Properly synch the carbs
13. check and adjust carb float height
14. clean fuel petcock

Things I still *want to do

1. Replace rear shock with katana 600 shock (stock is too soft for my weight).
2. Replace front fork springs with a set of 80 kg/mm sonic springs (according to their calc)
3. Replace head light bulb with brighter bulb (and polish the bezel).
4. Replace horn with louder horn.
5. Install buell blast windscreen.
6. Install belly pan.
7. Get a corbin seat.
8. Replace mirrors with lower profile mirrors.
9. Ignition advance
10. Install braided brake lines
11. Install 15 tooth front sprocket
12. Mount GPS to handle bars
13. replace spark plugs with NGK iridiums (I already have them, but I want to wait until the fuel mixture is dialed in right)
14. Install low profile LED turn signals and do a fenderectomy

[noworries]

This guy at The MpoedArmy says it better than anyone lee re rusty tanks......

http://www.mopedarmy.com/wiki/Removing_rust_from_a_gas_tank

[joweaver88]

This guy at The MpoedArmy says it better than anyone lee re rusty tanks......

http://www.mopedarmy.com/wiki/Removing_rust_from_a_gas_tank

Dude awesome link! Thanks!

[The Buddha]

You dont need to remove carbon ... and carbon is easily removed by spraying water into the air cleaner of a fully warmed up bike running a high idle.
Anyway you also could put stainless steek allen head bolts or button head bolts for the floats in a 89-00 bike.

The rusty tank clean out we have done a 1000 times. Search for POR15 threads or muriatic acid threads by yours truly. I am a huge fan of muriatic acid followed by por15's blue cleaner in a very diluted solution and then coating with POR15, but POR15 has a 1000 precautions etc etc ... anyway look for posts on it.

Cool.
Buddha.

[joweaver88]

Well it is coming apart easy enough... hopefully it will go back together just as easy (doubtful lol).

[Kijona]

That's a good one, I had one just like it! Orange 97/98 model.

[joweaver88]

That's a good one, I had one just like it! Orange 97/98 model.

This is a 98 and she only has 2400 miles!, but the poor thing sat out in the texas sun forever with no one to ride her. So I am stripping her down, and building her back up with the attention and love she deserves 

[illenium]

Watch for pin holes in the tank when you work with vinegar or acid, they might form
while the stuff is working the metal and you get nasty spills. put that tank in a bucket for safety
when you do the vinegar treatment (BJ's has 1 gallon for 3 bucks).

Put that tank ELEVATED over a bucket if you use acid so you don't kill the paint if something leaks, pinholes
will most likely be on the bottom somewhere.

Most rusty gs tanks I tried to save either ate away on the lock plate of the gas cap which subsequently
ended up in there corroding away, or the tube inside the tank (vent tube?) rust out and that floated around in it.

If you have substantial rust material in your fuel lines, it might be beyond saving even if the paint is still
good but you can always give it  shot with Vinegar..cheaper than the alternative and save on paint in
case of pinholes

I now use this to check my problem before i do anything and afterwards to make sure all the rust is out, in
the end to make sure everything is coated and there is no flaking, 15 bucks I'll never regret: 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ZWFOEQ/ref=oh_details_o09_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Good luck!

[joweaver88]

I decided to get the POR-15 tank repair kit, it has good reviews and then I can seal it once the rust is out. Apple cider vinegar was my first choice but I think the POR-15 will work out better.

[joweaver88]

Today I am sitting here considering my paint options, the orange is badly faded and the bike needs repainting... I will be doing the paint myself and I don't know how far I want to take it. With it disassembled to the point in the picture I could paint the tank and plastics satin black and leave the frame and engine silver which would look cool. But I could take it a step further and do the paint job I REALLY want but it would require me taking it completely apart down to a bare frame. My ideal paint job would be a satin black wheels, engine, frame, swing arm, triple tree, and lower forks. And then satin pearlescent white on the tank and plastics... I think it would look downright diabolical... but dang thats a lot of work!!! Idk, what do you guys think?

[illenium]

frame takes forever, spare yourself the trouble, silver goes with anything, get back on the road and ride 

[joweaver88]

frame takes forever, spare yourself the trouble, silver goes with anything, get back on the road and ride 

Yea it would be a lot of work, but dang it would look awesome to have a black frame and engine... decisions decisions, its gonna be awhile before this bike hits the road again anyway I intend to take my time. Idk...

[joweaver88]

Decided to go for it, I am stripping the bike down now... also Illenium for me working on bikes is just as interesting and fun as riding them! Besides I am a perfectionist and I see so much potential in this bike, I have a vision and I am going to see it through. And you guys get to watch and follow along!!

P.S. If a mod sees this can you please move this thread to the builds forum?

[illenium]

I'm right there with you buddy. Just sold my daily rider, 2001 gs500, working on an 04 and a 92. I'm spending more time wrenching than riding 

Hope I get these projects out and on the road for more miles instead 

[cbrfxr67]

moar pics?

[joweaver88]

moar pics?

Not much to show yet other than I got her stripped almost all the way down. Just have to drop the engine and pull the rear wheel and swing arm. But here is a pic of where I am at.

[joweaver88]

Yikes I just spent quite a bit more on parts than I spent on buying the bike 

Its ok though, its worth it to me. Its gonna be a sweet sweet scooter when its done 

[The Buddha]

Oh jeez ... you did all that for a carb clean and some fuel line routing ?
I have a black powdercoated frame ... its not worth the effort when the frame looks like that.
Its something you take apart in 2-3 days and takes 10 years to go back together.
I have been riding mine and put over 4k on it, but it still is missing parts ... rear brake M/C etc mainly ... but I need to fab up a stay rod, cos I went to a B4 rear wheel and a hanging caliper ...

Anyway one time I came back from a bike purchase with one that looked like that ... and my wife looks at it the next day where its occupied the whole truck bed ... and she says ... yea, you'll save lots of time on this one ... its already apart.

Cool.
Buddha.

[cbrfxr67]

"Its something you take apart in 2-3 days and takes 10 years to go back together."
-buddha

[joweaver88]

Oh jeez ... you did all that for a carb clean and some fuel line routing ?
I have a black powdercoated frame ... its not worth the effort when the frame looks like that.
Its something you take apart in 2-3 days and takes 10 years to go back together.
I have been riding mine and put over 4k on it, but it still is missing parts ... rear brake M/C etc mainly ... but I need to fab up a stay rod, cos I went to a B4 rear wheel and a hanging caliper ...

Anyway one time I came back from a bike purchase with one that looked like that ... and my wife looks at it the next day where its occupied the whole truck bed ... and she says ... yea, you'll save lots of time on this one ... its already apart.

Cool.
Buddha.

lol yea I couldn't help myself... now I have to do a ground up rebuild. I am looking forward to the challenge though. I made sure to bag all the hardware and take tons of pics so I can get it back together correctly. However by the time I am completely done, the amount spent could have bought me a brand new ninja 300 abs, which I have been drooling over for awhile. But the vision I have for the GS trumps even that so yea... it will be worth it.