New GS1100 G Restoration Project. Rebuilding my Dad's bike

[hampshirehog]

I wouldn't split the crankcases just for cleaning them up. Decent paint stripper (Nitromors is all I have found that works - anything that doesn't tell you that you are going to die on the bottle doesn't work) and an assortment of scrubbing brushes will do the trick and pretty quickly. If you clean the cases up before your pull the cylinders you won't get any muck down inside the engine.

The clutch cover / 'points' cover and stator cover do get pulled though - they're easy.

[althomas101]

sight glass replacement

Sorry for the late reply.
It should come out not in. Here is a good write up on the replacement.

http://wiki.sabmagfaq.org/Site_glass_replacement

There are lots of websites that sell watch crystals just measure the hole.

[londonboards]

altomas101 - you are so kind posting that. Great help. That's another thing I have an explanation as to how to do it. Thanks.

Greetings

[Doona]

Looks like a great project

[londonboards]

Day 100 Rear Brake Cylinder Mystery

Can't get the rear brake cylinder piston to come out. Looking on the parts fiche I am sure it comes out (has to) but does it have a thread?

See my blog: My GS1100G Blog



Greetings

[hampshirehog]

If it's really jammed in there remove the banjo bolt, stick a punch in the hole and give it a smack - making sure you don't hit the sides of the bore.

[Doona]

I had a similar issue with mine (albeit a GS750, so not sure if they are the same) I cut down a pedal bike inner tube and trimmed the rubber around the valve to be a really tight fit in the hole the banjo fits in, then I used my bike pump to pump it out using compressed air ( could use the compressor I guess, but watch your fingers!)
That released one of the stuck pistons, but the other was stuck fast.
So I split the caliper, got a piece of rubber (from the above inner tube) and clamped it over the hole that the hydraulic fluid flows though from one side of the caliper to the other (sorry for the rubbish description) it's the one that has the small rubber seal in it.
Then I fitted a grease nipple where the bleed ni

[Doona]

I had a similar issue with mine (albeit a GS750, so not sure if they are the same) I cut down a pedal bike inner tube and trimmed the rubber around the valve to be a really tight fit in the hole the banjo fits in, then I used my bike pump to pump it out using compressed air ( could use the compressor I guess, but watch your fingers!)
That released one of the stuck pistons, but the other was stuck fast.
So I split the caliper, got a piece of rubber (from the above inner tube) and clamped it over the hole that the hydraulic fluid flows though from one side of the caliper to the other (sorry for the rubbish description) it's the one that has the small rubber seal in it.
Then I fitted a grease nipple where the bleed nipple fits, and pumped grease into it. Hay presto out it popped. Alot slower (and messier) than using air, but it came out easily.
Might be worth a go

[Doona]

Fat fingers, sorry for the double post

[althomas101]

Grease guns can make imense pressure, I saw a guy use one to free a stuck piston before. He put plates over the intake and exhaust ports and pumped grease into the spark plug hole till the motor rolled over. For brakes usually you can just use the master cylinder to pump the wheel cylinder out of the caliper. If the caliper has more than one pot, use something to prevent the pots from coming out all the way, or else you will loose all your fluid and pressure once the first one pops out, and usually one is looser than the other. Once you get them pretty far out you can grab them with a tool and pull them the rest of the way out. Hope that makes sense.

[6pkrunner]

Wow - that's pretty crusty looking. Place a value on your time to fix it as opposed to getting a board (or eBay) version. Unless its a labour of love and every part must be original to the bike, or they're abhorrently expensive in your neck of the woods, I'd go with a nicer one as a starting point. But if you enjoy the challenge.............

[londonboards]

Day 105 Engine Wash

You may read on other threads . . ."and I washed the engine". Just like that. This is another one of those seemingly simple jobs that takes me a whole day.

First I have to work out a place to do it in the garden. This alone required moving a ton of stuff. Then I had to work out an idea to get the engine off the ground and be able to reach the bottom. Then the actuall cleaning took a good long time and hey it's only 3 degrees C here (37F) with a windchill as well. I've now got back ache!

See my blog posting here: My GS1100G Blog

I made up a stand using grandad's old car ramps:





All the grease came off in the end.





Then I got the same set up moved into the garage so I can work on her over the winter:





Greetings

[SVSooke]

Yeah that's "I washed the engine" is hard work put into 4 words.

[Good Times]

I spent days cleaning my motor. Lots of nooks and crannies on those ol' motors.

[Biggie]

Hey nice work man! Be creative and the results are there