Smokin's 82 Kat Restorification project

[posplayr]

Thanks Pos for posting that picture; very informative. Basically what I'm considering with the bus bar is the same thing, just mounted on the back side with multiple mounting points. This would make future servicing easier as I don't have to line up 3 or 4 different connections on one bolt...

Your heatsink idea is great; I may take it and run with it if you don't mind.

Also, I'm bidding on this reg/rec, according to a list I found somewhere on this site it should work:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260549013317&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

Any thoughts?

I would only buy a FET based on and that doesnt look like it. See Matchless's link and search for FA012AA

All the FET based ones start with the FA part number and have a specific shrouded connector with male spades built into the R/R there is no pigtail.
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=134690

 

[Smokinapankake]

Pos,

I'd seen that thread and that was the one I referred to for my compatibility questions regarding the CBR reg/rec. I never read past about the 5th post or wherever it starts getting really techy - electrics are not my fave.

At any rate, I've put up a bid on the CBR one, if I win then I guess that's what I'll be putting on. If not, mebbe I'll go looking for the Shindengen unit.....
We'll know for sure in an hour or so.

 

[Smokinapankake]

So for 35.00 I have a brand new reg/rec to fit a honda CBR 1000 RR.

Should work okay for my resto...

 

[posplayr]

Pos,

I'd seen that thread and that was the one I referred to for my compatibility questions regarding the CBR reg/rec. I never read past about the 5th post or wherever it starts getting really techy - electrics are not my fave.

At any rate, I've put up a bid on the CBR one, if I win then I guess that's what I'll be putting on. If not, mebbe I'll go looking for the Shindengen unit.....
We'll know for sure in an hour or so.

Well I understand the link is very long and had suggested an abrievieated (get to the point thread for FET regulators) some time ago.

 

[Smokinapankake]

One of my directives with this build is to never have to do it again. How the R/R does its job with regard to the particulars doesn't really interest me; just that it will be reliable for many years to come.
I can always replace it in the future with a FET version should I ever need to....

 

[posplayr]

One of my directives with this build is to never have to do it again. How the R/R does its job with regard to the particulars doesn't really interest me; just that it will be reliable for many years to come.
I can always replace it in the future with a FET version should I ever need to....

I still have one of the most problematic stock R/R's on my 81 GS750E and with the grounding and heat sync it chugs right along even though I had to rescue the harness from various burnt ground wires.

With good connections all should be good.

 

[Smokinapankake]

Weekly update - 2-20-2010

Weekly update - 2-20-2010

So fans of tedium, here we have this weeks updates along with high quality photos - Yay!

So as mentioned ealier, I'd considered replacing the roll pin in the rear seat lock with a screw. This seemed like a better idea to me. I happened to have a 3 mm tap 'n drill set from my R/C cars days, and it looked like it would work out pretty well:

Following along with the 3mm screw idea, and since my front brake light switch needed some work, I thought it'd be good to add some socket head cap screws:

The new reg/rec came in the mail the other day and much to my surprise (not really) it was way bigger than the stocker. So, my plans to mount it in the stock location were foiled. No worries, it ended up on the back side of the electrics plate with reasonable results:

As mentioned several posts ago, I'd been considering making a stainless bus bar for multiple grounding points. My vision was transferred to the maintenance guys at work, who then made dreams become reality (Thanks Dan!):

The Connection on the left is a grounding strap, which mounts to the frame. The connection on the right socket head cap screw is the Reg/Rec ground. I plan to put another bus from the right nylock nutted post to the battery negative. A healthy dose of dielectric grease should solve any grounding issues this old Kat might have. One post will take the ground wire from the harness, leaving two more for whatever else I may need to ground.

And lastly, here is a photo of the reg rec just prior to installation. This unit was brand new with Honda plugs, which I promptly cut off. A search of the local auto supply stores returned no satisfactory bullet connectors, so I went to the local hobby shop, who had exactly what I needed. After soldering and heat shrink wrapping, I think it looks pretty nice:

Thats all for now folks - I kand of ran out of motivation last week so was a little thin on activity. And I got tired of running across town for stainless screws, so for now these black oxide will have to suffice.....

 

[Guest]

excellent work on the "ground strap"! may need to pinch your design

 

[jwhelan65]

Looking good I was uncertain on the look of the red frame but its starting to grow on me. Impressive work.

 

[Smokinapankake]

So I've been looking at my throttle cable and noticed that the little plastic guide tube that guides it out of the switchgear is broken. No biggie, just order a new throttle cable, right?

But what if the new cable has the same plastic guide tube, and worse, what if it breaks while I'm on the road?
So I start looking around to see what I can come up with.
My parts box gives up a throttle tube assy of an old XN-85 with a cut throttle cable, but wait - the guide tube is metal, not plastic. Hmmm.
How to get the steel guide tube on my otherwise serviceable throttle cable? I'll have to cut the end off, rendering the cable useless.
But wait - being a bicycle guy it seems logical enough to just use a bicycle brake cable. But how to get the other barrel shaped end back on?

Enter the solution after an hour in the workshop:

Its a replacement cable end. I made it out of a 6mm socket head cap screw (the unthreaded portion) but any bar stock of appropriate diameter will work. This measures .234" diameter. I tapped #6-32 because thats what I had.

The real beauty of this is that I can now use a bicycle brake cable as the inner wire without having to replace the whole cable assembly!

 

[Macguyver]

Replacement cable end

Replacement cable end

Hey, that looks familiar!

I recently decided to replace the end on my clutch cable with a replacement end. Mine is brass though, and the screw is steel. Unfortunately I had to order in a box of 25, just to get the one I need. Oh well, now I have some in my repair kit for "just in case" repairs if necessary.
Nice job on the replacement end, do you think it could be brazed in if you wanted to make it more permanent?

Strange how many other sports cross over to motorcycles isn't it?

 

[ukilme]

Keep up the good work.

 

[mjg15]

I've had some luck with a fix similar to that one. Use the barrel shaped piece and pass the braided cable through it like you would with the set screw. Use solder instead of the set screw. The set screw, when tightened, will sometimes break the strands of the cable wire. I've spread the braided wire strands out and filled it with solder solid into the barrel piece.

 

[cavehamster]

Man, yer just up the road from me. Very nice looking project so far!

I'm currently getting my engine prepped for paint, and hoping to have it running in a week or so, but I think you are going to beat me to road at the rate you are going

 

[Smokinapankake]

Well, Cave, I doubt that. I haven't done a thing the past two weeks.

Need to hone the cylinders, order rings, and reassemble the motor.
Kind of ran out of steam since they put me in swing shift, 5 days a week. I miss that 3rd day off!
I did pull the 84 750 out of hibernation few weeks ago to find a broken speedo cable. That just came in yesterday so will have to put it back in, then maybe with this unseasonably warm weather can put some miles on that one!

Would love to meet up sometime!

 

[Can_O_Tuna]

Well, Cave, I doubt that. I haven't done a thing the past two weeks.

I think you deserve the rest I sincerely admire your work, and your pics and descriptions are fantastic. I have to get after my Kat and this thread is inspiring, now all I need is 9" less snow and some time.........

 

[cavehamster]

Well, Cave, I doubt that. I haven't done a thing the past two weeks.

Need to hone the cylinders, order rings, and reassemble the motor.
Kind of ran out of steam since they put me in swing shift, 5 days a week. I miss that 3rd day off!
I did pull the 84 750 out of hibernation few weeks ago to find a broken speedo cable. That just came in yesterday so will have to put it back in, then maybe with this unseasonably warm weather can put some miles on that one!

Would love to meet up sometime!

Well, as I said, I'm currently in the middle of prepping the engine bits for paint, and after that, I still have suspension and electrics and the seat and it goes on and on... I just hope to be on the drag strip in a month or so

I'd love to meet up sometime and swap ideas for sure!

 

[Smokinapankake]

Thanks for the compliments guys, I started this out thinking I'd keep control of the beast but it has become a full-blown monster. All I had to do was start with the powdercoat; it just snowballed from there. Now almost nothing is good enough; everything is somehow inferior.
The scary part is that once this is done, I'm afraid I'll see the 84 as due for its turn. I've already started nitpicking what was perfectly acceptable last summer.
Unfortunately, I've just recently had a $1600 trans repair bill on my Suburban. That will put a bit of a damper on restoration expenditures for a little while. Then, with spring coming, mama wants a new deck, I want to finish the basement, and it may be time to start looking for a new car.

I hope to have it done by fall (if I could fire it up for the first time on my birthday in August that would be sweet!) and presumably, if I quit being a lazy-a$$ I could have it done well before then. I'm down to engine reassy, carb overhaul, and body work. Rear shox need to go out as well.
Body work includes seat reupholster.
Problem is I get distracted by other interests (bicycles, trains) and the aforementioned honey-do's all conspire to eat away at my motorcycle time (and budget). Not to mention the regular attention the 84 750 requires. I guess those are good problems to have, though!

Ultimately, I want as reliable, low maintenance, and distincive a motorcycle as possible, that I never have to go through again.

Can-O-Tuna,

I'm intrigued to hear more about your project. There can never be too many Katanas here - post up some pics! Glad I can be of inspiration, Posplayr and Nessism are my two greatest influences. THose guys do some amazing work!

Cave, if you're on the strip in a month you will beat me undoubtedly. No way this will be ready to go in a month.

 

[cavehamster]

Well, you need anything, feel free to drop me a line

 

[Smokinapankake]

Some progress again; at last!

Some progress again; at last!

SO who can tell me what is missing from this picture (besides the top half of the motor)?

Needs a camchain!

So apart it goes:

So I had a helluva time geting the top to mate with the bottom - seems the pins that fix the crank bearings from spinning in the cases were difficult to line up, along with the c rings that secure the alignment of the transmission bearings, along with the end seals, along with the camchain, along with the connecting rods along with the..... You get the idea. All the while I had Hondabond 4 drying on the crankcase mating surfaces.

I couldn't figure why I had such a hard time assembling this thing, but then I got out my service manual, and it said to assemble the cases with the crank and transmission assembled into the top half - I was trying with them assembled in the bottom half!

At the end of the day, it came together:

And what the hey, why not use the new gasket that came in my gasket kit?

Here's what I used to glue the two halves together:

My drag racin', engine buildin', V-Max ridin' buddy Tim swears by this stuff, so I figure if it's good enough for a drag racer, it oughta be good enough for me!

Been kinda slow lately; they put me on swing shift 5 days a week so I have a great deal less time to screw around with this thing now...