1100G low compression, burns oil.

[Redman]

First work effort was to clean up around the bike. THen decide where to start.

Started with this:

To get at least some start on restarting the GK engine rebuild project ......

Started looking at getting some familiarity with piston rings. (taint never seen any of my piston rings before this project, and dont want to see any again afterwards).
Reading the factory manaul and practicing with the rings that came with the replacement/salvage pistons.



Was having trouble getting the two in the lower oil ring. Found that soup cans are about the right diameter, and cut them up with tin snips to make something of a ring compressor. That really helped. And managed to avoid slicing myself.... only a small nick.

Hose clamp around it might work for getting into cyclinder (why I made two).

[Redman]

Had some time yesterday and today.
Made some progress.

Cleaned up work bench some (probably still subject to comment from Trevor).

Took shop rags off engine cases.
Spent lot of time starring at it, thinking of where to start.

Stuffed shop rags back into opening, and scrapped remnants of base gasket.

Cleaned up the tops of replacement pistons, enough anyway so can better see the forward arrow.
Took off rings from replacement pistons, and installed the new rings.



Other progress (har har) was that after getting poked and sliced a couple more times, I found the sharp snag edge on my handmade-soupcan-ring-compressor. And got that removed. So Now maybe I will not be bleeding on stuff as much.

Got other stuff going on next few days. May be able get back to this project a little bit Friday and then more on Monday-Tuesday.

Progress is gonna be slow.
But have resolved to work on it at least some each day I am available. (And report here, so am accountable to you guys.)

Next. . . . ?
Pistons on con rods.

.

[Baatfam]

Good for you, Dave...

[Buffalo Bill]

Write a self published book: The Joy of Sitting on Concrete (The smell of Oil in the Morning).

[dorkburger]

Dave, I'm glad to see some progress. I think I've read here of people using plastic peanut butter jars as homegrown ring compressors. I'd image that its less sharp and has less friction vs metal.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I tried coming up with something using thin plastic sheet and zip ties. It got very frustrating. I ended up just using my fingers. Start with the 2 & 3 up, get those in the jugs. Then rotate the crank to get 1 & 4 up just below 2 & 3, and work those in. I imagine another pair of hands would help, but I was able to manage. Take your time. I know Steve and others support the fingers-only method. It was Steve that got me to give up on the ring compressor idea.

[storm 64]

I use the finger method too. Also it helps a lot to have someone helping you. They can hold the cylinders while you're goofing with the piston and rings. One more tip. Be sure you don't overlap the oil ring holder (the wavy ring thing) its easy to do! Be sure you don't over lap the oil ring holder (the wavy ring thing) it's easy to do. Good luck and take it easy 👍

[alke46]

Large hose clamps worked for me. I remember using 2 x 2 pieces of wood to hold the pistons just above the cylinder while easing everything down together.

[Redman]

Good for you, Dave...

Thanks. I post such minor updates, mostly to show am keeping my resolve.

Write a self published book: The Joy of Sitting on Concrete (The smell of Oil in the Morning).

hee hee or something that mentions 5 gallon buckets, engine degreaser, and a bandaid a day.

Dave, I'm glad to see some progress. I think I've read here of people using plastic peanut butter jars as homegrown ring compressors. I'd image that its less sharp and has less friction vs metal.

Ewww, good idea, and it doesnt have the ridges.

I tried coming up with something using thin plastic sheet and zip ties. It got very frustrating. I ended up just using my fingers. Start with the 2 & 3 up, get those in the jugs. Then rotate the crank to get 1 & 4 up just below 2 & 3, and work those in. I imagine another pair of hands would help, but I was able to manage. Take your time. I know Steve and others support the fingers-only method. It was Steve that got me to give up on the ring compressor idea.

okay, thanks, may abondon the make-shift-ring-compressor idea. (and I do know about the tapered area on bottom of cylinders). Have seen suggestion of suspending cylinders with something.

[Redman]

I use the finger method too. Also it helps a lot to have someone helping you. They can hold the cylinders while you're goofing with the piston and rings. One more tip. Be sure you don't overlap the oil ring holder (the wavy ring thing) its easy to do! Be sure you don't over lap the oil ring holder (the wavy ring thing) it's easy to do. Good luck and take it easy 

Only other time I ever did anything with piston rings was 1972, Sunbeam Imp. I dont recall too much, but do remember getting a lot of my fingernails trapped and sheared off by the rings. I intend to do better this time.
Have two 3 - 4 inch hose clamps to use with whatever make shift thing I use, or use the clamps only, or what ever improvise at the time.

Large hose clamps worked for me. I remember using 2 x 2 pieces of wood to hold the pistons just above the cylinder while easing everything down together.

Ah, the 2x2 to hold piston not only up but hold it level.


Lets see.... need base gasket and that tear drop oring in place......

[Redman]

I have today and tommorow to
make good progress on this……. Before other things are going to limit my time to
work on it….

started on it this morning….

realized that still had base gasket stuck to bottom of cylinders.
That took some time. Putty knifes I had were not getting it, even when sharpened.
So got a utility blade scrapper.
Okay, that better. But coming up in small pieces


Next: Onto putting pistons back on conrods. . . . .

oh, man,
big setback

dropped wrist pin into crankcase

https://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?262209-Dropped-wrist-pin-into-crankcase……

[Redman]

Pics later……

Quick update: found it. Retrieved it.

so, that was a days delay, of the two days I had to work on this.
and now have more parts to
order (pan gasket, shift detention spring) and scope of work expanded (reinstall pan, reassemble exhaust).

[Redman]

Have updated the "dropped pin into crankcase" thread with details of finding and retrieving the pin.

Now to continue with the reassembly of engine

Once you retrieve it be sure to stuff shop rags around every hole including the one your working on. prevent the retainer clips from falling in also

Yep, not just a cloth laying there like I had before.

Hey, Okay Chuck, you mean like this

har har har

[Redman]

Got all four pistons on.



Got base gasket and tear drop orings on. Got the dowel pins in place.
Devised a way to suspend cylinder block in position (one tiedown strap around it, on from one end, up and over frame to other end).
Have 2 & 3 up higher. Devised a way to hold 2 & 3 piston level. (split 1x2 under piston)
Abandoned the soup can ring compressor idea. Just used hose clamps (cut off excess length so easier to remove)

Lowering cyclinder down and lining up the 2 &3 pistons was difficult. A lot of fussing with the rings.
Took a lot of fussing to get the rings started in the clyinder, and was difficult to lower cylinders.
After a while I realised the cam chain and the tensioner giude were tangled up in the cam chain tunnel. Doah, tensioner giude was infront of the chain, doah. CAn kinda see that in this pic (and the start of it in above pic). Could not get it straightned out.

.
Had to lift cylinder up to get cam chain and tensioner giude back in order. Drat.
THought I would be smart and hold the tensioner guide back with a bungie cord.
HAd to start over with getting 2 & 3 piston lined up, fuss with rings. HAd to keep a close eye on front of piston and back of piston to see that was level. Got 2 & 3 in cylinder after lots of fussing.


Had problem lowering cylinder any further. Could not figure out why, THought maybe one of 2 or 3 rings jammed or something.
Took me a while to notice that the top of tensioner guide was stuck into the tensioner hole, doah. So that bungie cord idea wasnt so good. Took it off. Had to lift up the cyclinder a bit to get the tensioner guide out of the tensioner hole.
Then I figured out that the wire I used to tie up the cam chain should have been a lot further forward on the frame, to hold the chain more forward, that would have avoided these couple problems with the tensioner guide.

Got the cylinder down just a little lower, then position crank to get 1 & 4 piston in position. A lot of fussing with those rings. But with the experience of 2 & 3 I knew to watch that the pistons were level by looking at the front and compare to back, and knew better what to look for with the ring compressor clamp. GOt 1 & 4 in a little bit easier than 2 & 3, only a little bit, still a lot of fussing and aggravation.

.

[Redman]

Here is cylinder in place.
And Me saying "There, I never want to do that again. I NEAA-VEEER want to see piston rings again."


I have seen my piston rings when I was 19 (Sunbeam Imp) and now that am almost 69, and dont want to see any of my piston rings ever again.

Note: I do not post this as a tutorial for anybody to follow. (But maybe somebody might benefit from me discovering my ignorance.)
Am posting this mostly as a story, and will have questions.