gs450 re-build

[mlc216]

haha well I know the surface needs to be clean.... my mom is an art teacher.... and I've been using nothing but rattlecans for a long time.... So maybe all that added together equals a mediocre paint job? Haha

It's far from perfect... but it is a whole lot better with the clear laid down this afternoon.

[Flaming Chainsaws]

haha well I know the surface needs to be clean.... my mom is an art teacher.... and I've been using nothing but rattlecans for a long time.... So maybe all that added together equals a mediocre paint job? Haha

It's far from perfect... but it is a whole lot better with the clear laid down this afternoon.

WTF? You did this with rattlecans? It looks REALLY good . So next up, you gotta wetsand the clear coat with 2000 grit sandpaper until there is no more orange peel. Yes, the clear coat will look dull and not shiny but that's a good thing. After that, you polish the clear coat with a buffer. I hear Meguiars is good.

[mlc216]

Haha I'm hoping one day I can be a wizard of rattlecans. I don't have a large enough compressor to paint yet. One day.

I actually know all about the cut-n-buff.... but I don't have a buffer and I have to move on to other things now! I'm ready to ride!!!

[Flaming Chainsaws]

Haha I'm hoping one day I can be a wizard of rattlecans. I don't have a large enough compressor to paint yet. One day.

I actually know all about the cut-n-buff.... but I don't have a buffer and I have to move on to other things now! I'm ready to ride!!!

In that case, read this thread. Rattlecan bling .

http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=10993.0

[mlc216]

That's pretty cool stuff

[pete]

Mate that tank looks awesome!

I got myself a compressor just after Christmas that had a hose and spray guns go with it for free, so once I get to my tank and stuff I should be set as far as tools go.

If I can get them to look half as good as your tank I'll be happy...

[mlc216]

Well now you guys are just making me blush haha

But seriously I think I'm more surprised than anyone else at how good the tank looks now... I hope the rattlecan engine clear truly is "resistant to oil and gas" like it says...

[mlc216]

SUCCESS!!! FInished up wiring in the new igniter, poured some gas in the tank, and it fired right up! Firing on both cylinders! Adjusted the idle a little bit and took it for a spin. WOW! This thing makes way more power than I thought it could. It was pulling all the way through the range and pulling the front end up!

I'm pumped that I've finally gotten some good results. Gonna put my new throttle on tomorrow and I've got to fix my crappy ignition switch too.

[pete]

Awesome! Glad to hear she's running again

[mlc216]

Well I spoke too soon. I don't think it's charging and it's lean in the mid to upper range still.... After riding it around the neighborhood yesterday and today it died at a stop sign and would barely turn the starter over. Couldn't get it to start back up to put a voltmeter on it to check if it was charging. And when I rev'd it up it wouldn't come back down to idle.... it just hung up in the mid to higher rpms and if I applied the choke it died back down

[mlc216]

Hey pete, do you know what size the main jets are supposed to be stock?

[pete]

Main jet should be a 115. FYI it has the stock sizes in the parts fiche for all the jets and needles etc. which is really handy.

If it's not going well mid-throttle though, you probably need to look at shimming the needles rather than touching the mains. If it's WOT, then mains. Of course if it's both, well... it's both

I'd also be checking that charging system ASAP if I was you, don't want to burn up another ignitor!

[mlc216]

Main jet should be a 115. FYI it has the stock sizes in the parts fiche for all the jets and needles etc. which is really handy.

If it's not going well mid-throttle though, you probably need to look at shimming the needles rather than touching the mains. If it's WOT, then mains. Of course if it's both, well... it's both

I'd also be checking that charging system ASAP if I was you, don't want to burn up another ignitor!

I think it had a 115 and I pulled what I think was a 130 out of the other set of carbs... which is a huge difference?! I didn't shim the needles because it looked kind of weird to me. They were different than the other set of carbs... had a c-clip way down in the slide holding the needle in whereas the others just had a piece of plastic and the spring.

Will it burn up another ignitor if it's NOT charging? I cranked it back up a little later and hooked a voltmeter up to the battery and rev'd it and it read 12.3v and never went any higher than that. Earlier when it was too dead to turn the starter over, it still read 12v when the ignition was off. I'm starting to think I don't know anything about electrical systems...

Man cars are so much easier! haha why do bikes have to be so much more fun to ride!

[pete]

What year carbs are the others? They changed significantly in the '83 model year...

If it's not generating too high a voltage I think your ignitor should be safe.

If it's only showing 12.3 it sounds like it's not charging at all, or at least not enough to keep the coils/plugs firing along with charging the battery etc.

Go through the stator papers and charging system troubleshooting guide on the main GSR page, that will help you immensely if you have a charging issue.

Oh, and cars are boring...

[mlc216]

The set I have on the bike now are from the '82 model... no clue what the other set of carbs are... They came on the chopper when I got it and it's definitely a mixed match bike.

I read how to test the alternator in the Clymer manual? Is it really any more complicated than that test to figure out if it's bad or not?

I figured I'd test the alternator when I get home, and if it's good then I'll switch out the reg/rec. If the alternator is bad, well that's one more thing I'll rob from my wife's project bike that she has pretty much decided she doesn't want haha.