Beginning wrenching 101

[mrquadriga]

Didn't know what else to call it. Here goes.... if I was to work on the carbs myself this winter, is removal of the gas tank one of the first steps? Never done carb work before, never seen it done but I'll go to the Carb rebuild series here and print that off and work step by step. Thanks-Pete

[gspaul]

Yes it is, just make shure you have everything you think you will ( apart from that one bit we never think of, and take's 4 week's to get) need when you start, ask question's as you go.
It's not as hard as it seem's, but really ask if your not certain.
Good luck! I will stay tuned.

[mark]

Yup, you've got to take the tank off first, airbox, unhook throttle and choke cables etc.

[LW_Icarus]

don't let it intimidate you, its easy stuff. just take your time, and don't force anything. pay close attention to where everything goes, and keep all the bits and bolts organized to aid in reassembly.

back in the early years of motorcycles, everyone that owned em worked on em, there really wasn't any other option. those of us with vintage machines are kinda stuck in the same spot they were, nobody wants to touch our bikes, luckily for me the wrenching part is a good portion of the enjoyment I get from motorcycles.

at least you know if you need help there are all the members here to help ya out

[redliner1973]

Also, contact Rober Barr on here for O-rings that the carb kits don't give you, in case your rebuilding them this winter. Well worth the time.

[GregM.]

Hi Pete (who began this question)... along with all the awesome experts on this site... I'm also a beginning wrencher

It's been amazing to me to read as much of this as I've been able to - off and on - the last few months. I'm like Pete, never even taken a gas tank off before, but I want to... And might even get at it today.

I'm also not very good at website research either... meaning, I've read here before about getting o-ring sets from Robert Barr. But I can't figure out how I'm supposed to do that... I've looked at "for sale and new products" and done searches... but I can't find anything. I'm probably just blind.

Anyway, can you all tell me where to find this Mr Barr? BTW are these sets better than o-rings you would get somewhere else? What parts on my 850 are these o-rings for? All help would be appreciated.

While I'm getting parts... should I get one of those sets of replacement allen head bolts for the engine?? Maybe you all have seen these too, on ebay? They say, "replace your old stuck phillips screws with these new stainless steel fasteners" ... "A matched set for your bike" Is this a good idea? I wonder if the replacement screws are even ones I'd ever be messing with anyway??? Am I opening a "can of worms" that I don't want to be getting into in the first place?

My '80 GS 850 G is stock, and in very good shape... I think It runs great and I'm having a blast riding it. The only thing right now... is this intermittent strong gas odor after I park the bike. I've been reading a lot, and have asked a couple questions here regarding this. So it seems to be either a petcock problem... or a float problem... I also have intake boots that are suspect.

So yes, I'm a beginning wrencher... so far I've just been reading and learning... and have also begun ordering parts (intake boots for starters).

But, should I get some new s.s. fasteners? How do I get ahold of R.B. o-rings, and what's special about his?

Should I also buy K&L carb rebuild kits, I've seen on ebay. And a petcock kit too?

I hope I don't blow something up, Greg Good thing I don't smoke

[DaveDanger]

Mrquadriga & Greg
Welcome to the wonderful world of self-maintenance
The tank does need to be removed for most anything you're going to do to the carbs. probably the next smartest thing to do is to disconnect the ground cable from the battery while you work to make sure that a hot wire or connector doesn't get accidentally shorted to ground.
I'm not familiar with the o-ring sets from "Mr Barr", but he probably has simply taken the time to research the specific part numbers for various bikes, and has them on hand. O-rings can be obtained from many sources, and are made from a variety of rubber compounds. I frequently shop for o-rings at any industrial shop that handles bearings, hoses, seals and such. Make sure you ask for o-rings in a material that will resist the liquid that you want to seal... fuel, oil, hydraulic, etc. In most cases, a butyl or nitrile rubber o-ring will work fine, occasionally a viton rubber will be available.. this will do anything that the butyl or nitrile will, and is more abrasion resistant as well. If you have the old o-ring, take it in with you. They can match it by size that way, or take in the part that the o-ring nests into, that will help them size it also.
The Allen head bolts are the greatest thing created since sliced bread, but I've never bought an entire kit. and I might not tackle replacing every single bolt/screw on the bike all at once, even if I had the whole kit. My advice is to replace them as you need to. When you pull the carb intakes to replace the o-rings, hammer out the old phillips head screws with a punch like everyone else does, then install your new Allen heads. When you have to chisel out the screws holding on your clutch cover, install the new Allen heads when you reinstall. Continue with this method till you have the pot-metal screws from the factory all replaced
The fuel odor... First verify that the fuel line to the carb is not dry-rotted and cracked. If that's ok, when you have a day or so of time, disconnect the fuel line from the petcock, and temporarily install another fuel line (any tubing that will fit) to the petcock, and drop it straight to the floor and into a small glass or clear plastic jar. Observe the container for a few hours/days however long it takes to normally smell the fuel odor, and see if you have fuel in the container. If you do, the diaphragm inside the petcock probably has a hole in it. Am overhaul kit is available for the petcock which should have a new diaphragm included. If no fuel is in the container, I would suspect that you're suffering from incorrect float height or seeping fuel from the carb float bowls themselves.
Good Luck

[GregM.]

Thanks Dave... great info for us beginners, and exactly what I'm looking for.
Well I was succesfull today with my tank "on and off" wrenching. Two hoses, two wires (for the fuel guage) one bolt, and it went just fine. I mean it took me a million times longer than it would take any of you... But an after-ride proved it still works as before.

Good tip, on removing the neg from battery... I'll do that next time. I did a partial petcock test also during this. And I had a drip which amounted to approx. a teaspoon after maybe an hour. I'll do this a little better as you suggest another time. But it appears that my petcock is not quite as solid as it should be. Although I didn't have a flood either
Anyway, a petcock rebuild would probably be a good thing for me to do. Are there any warnings or tips regarding this.
Good tips on allen bolts and o-rings... I'm still curious about Mr Barr.

I love all these details...and thanks for all your time... it's just what I need.

[redliner1973]

Here is the link for Roberts O'rings. keep in mind, this is not some 'on hand' parts thing, he has them because nobody else makes them...

http://www.cycleorings.com

AS for petcock-rebuilding, with the number of postings on that subject here, When mine took a dump, I saved myself the trouble and replaced it. Some, however have had good luck with the rebuild kits. If you feel adventurous, well, go for it. you have all winter incase you mess up somehow. The fact that you stated you took longer than any of us is irrevelant when it comes to maintenance on your own bike Vs. taking it in to a mechanic ( whom, BTW, do not like working on old bikes) ;

1. You have the satisfaction of doing it yourself
2. Bonding with your bike
3. Boosting your own self-confidence
4. NOT paying outrageous $$$ to someone who maybe will fix it, or just cover it up long enough to get it out of his shop.
5. You have all of us here that can pretty much talk you out/in any kind of mistake or instruction you may need.

Enjoy!!

[ccratin]

I rebuilt my petcock with a rebuild kit from Cycle Re-Cycle (http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/Index_Main_Frame.htm). Service and price were perfect. Good luck!

[GregM.]

Thanks you guys!!! SO MUCH !

Read the cycle o-rings site... and I'll certainly be getting a set. What an education.

And it answers my question about what parts do you get o-rings for... just the carbs.
He says that you get o-rings for the intake boots (and I'm assuming everything else, like, tach cable cam chain tensioner, fuel petcock etc) through dealers or web sites.

I'll keep checking back for more wisdom Greg

[qslim]

Hey GregM, I was where you are now earlier this summer. I've fixed cars proffesionally for about 5 years now, but I'm an EFI kid. I don't think I've ever worked on a carb at work. So when I had to take apart my Mikuni a while back, I was stuck. There is a goo site, though, http://www.dansmc.com/MC_repaircourse.htm. This guy has a lot of good info regarding cycle carb theory & tuning, and with the help of everyone here, my baby is NEARLY up and running. Nearly....

[Hoomgar]

Best to you Pete, it CAN be done

[mrquadriga]

Thanks Hoomie, planning on it!-Pete

[Jethro]

Make sure to attach the throttle cable onto the butterfly rail before you mount the carbs into the boots. And don't forget to install the CDI box before you put the tank back on.

Removing the breather cover helps create more room for removal/installation of the cam cover.

Never take your chain off before you remove the front drive sprocket.

Bolts strip easy when the threads are in 25 year old aluminum.

Never assume an oil leak on the front of the motor is leaking from the front of the motor.

Good luck!