What Special Tools Do You Advise?

[GregM.]

As a follow-up to my "petcock rebuild on the kitchen table" (just below this)... Which, HELP... I still need to know before I go through reinstalling everything, putting in fuel in, testing etc..................

I only have basic home tools, and after taking the petcock apart, I'd like your advice on purchasing a few new things (which I probably need to do a good job reinstalling). I also plan on tackling the tach cable seal next... and If I get real brave I might try doing the carbs in the next few months.

Do I need a pick? Or a set of something to remove little o-rings correctly? I used the sharp, pointy tip of a kitchen knife to remove the petcock o-ring. What do you all reccommend??

A parts cleaning solution?? I've seen you all write about a Berryman's product. I remember using some kind of solvent as a kid. What's safe on these alum. m/c parts? Are some fine to use with rubber parts still attached? Or should you always remove that stuff before using a cleaning agent? If I'm going to buy a big dipping can of carb cleaner some day anyway... Should I just get it now to use for cleaning all these different kinds of things??

Compressed air?? To blow the solvent out of small spaces, right?? What are my choices? I'm not going to use this much... only the 3 projects I mentioned above. I'm (hopefully) not going to be using this much and I'm not going to be blowing up kids toys or tires. So, what different things should I look at??

Thanks for the education

[mark]

I'll give you a tip on the "compressed air issue". If you don't have a compressor or can't borrow one, a computer store usually has little cans of compressed air that they use to blow out dirt on keyboards and other stuff. Its not as good, but it will work to blow out the passages on your carburetor. Blowing out the passages is not just getting the solvent out, but little pieces of dirt etc. that might be in there.

[Nerobro]

An impact screwdriver. $4-8

feeler guages. $3-8

Voltmeter. $3-15

A small metal ruler in millimeters. $2-8

A length of tube that will fit over your brake bleeder screw. $1

A pick set. $2-12

An extra spark plug. (for checking spark) $2

A good tire guage. $3-20

That would be a good start given you already have a good set open ended wrenches, a socket set, needlenose, and normal pliars, Locking pliars, And lots of screwdrivers. you REALLY DO need a 00,0,1,2 and 3 phillips screwdrivers, and you need a veriety of flathead. 1/8, 3/16, 1/4, 3/8 and whatever else you can dig up. And adjustable crecent wrench.

I think that about covers it.

[GregM.]

Thanks for the advice ( even more tool tips than I expected )

I've done some shopping around and bought enough to do a good job on this little project... And now I know a lot more as this bike and I grow together.

Bought: a good pick set, a spray can of compressed air and a spray can of carb cleaner.

I know enough now that if I really get into this - I'll need a better and larger source of air (in my shopping I found lots of options). And other cleaning agents... but for now I'm good... And I've learned a bunch more this week.

Thank you