82 GS1100E Mr Turbo Rebuild

[steve murdoch]

Ha, us rich guys used dimes instead of pennies.
Mostly because i wasn't strong enough to bend the spring over far enough to get those thick pennies in. haha.

[oldGSfan]

Oh jeez now that makes sense, I should have thought of the exhaust because it's hanging a few feet away. It doesn't really seem needed because it stops short of everything and I suppose it was there to protect the exhaust anyway. Thanks all.

[oldGSfan]

Who you calling old? Me? You're damn right! My '54 Willys has drum rears and I just redid those recently. I have never paid for a brake job in my life.

hee hee. Clearly you’re old school enough to have done that on car drum brakes.

[dorkburger]

Good morning,
I was referring to old school technique that young 4 wheel disc guys would not necessarily know.
As far as age, its pretty much a given that most here are of the age that they enjoyed these old bikes when they were new and had functional original stators....
That Willys and Airstream are awesome.

[93Bandit]

My first car had drums all the way around, 1959 Buick Invicta. That was the first thing I had to do to it once it was home. New brake cylinders, flex lines and shoes all the way around.

[oldGSfan]

Thanks - didn't take any other way. I think mine actually has a functional original stator but it only got ridden 1 week a year, 2K miles total.

Good morning,
I was referring to old school technique that young 4 wheel disc guys would not necessarily know.
As far as age, its pretty much a given that most here are of the age that they enjoyed these old bikes when they were new and had functional original stators....
That Willys and Airstream are awesome.

[oldGSfan]

Update - the Mikuni HSR42 will arrive today, it's been a long wait, it was only 25 miles from me for a week, sort of frustrating but I understand it's low priority.

I got a new Yuasa maintenance free battery and am checking the electrics. There are some minor lighting gremlins to explore, will figure it out. All the check lights don't go on (turn, stop, neutral don't light up) and the gear indicator stays at 0. Turn signals go on and stay on, no flashing, and the tail light goes out when front lever is activated. I believe the turn signals should light up as running lights, can't remember. Hopefully it's just flasher/ground/bulb related, and not some control unit (though I have a spare to try). Horn and headlight work fine, had to clean and adjust the horn.

The engine turns over freely (plugs out) on the button. I had put a capful of oil in each cylinder and tested rotation with a wrench a month ago. It spins with no problem by the starter.

I got the EPM wheels back and primed the rear, ready for top coat but rainy today. I was going to powder coat but the front's magnesium and nobody wants to handle it, can't blame them. I've heard some horror stories. Paint will be fine, and easy to change if I don't like the color. I still have to sand and fill pits on the front.

I put the clutch cable on and I can tell there are some heavy duty springs installed, it's a workout!

Other than that, I'm working on fixing one of the throttle cables, making a new solder end because the curved plastic piece that attaches the cable to the twist grip was broken, and since I have a spare I can fix rather than replace.


I tried a little custom touch, a polished aluminum plate on the oil cooler, jury still out if it stays or goes. What do you think? No offence taken if you tell me it's crap . It's just hot glued on to have a look.

[dorkburger]

Regarding the lights, it sounds like you may have some grounds not grounding.
I don't recall either whether the front indicators are running lights or not either. The easy tell would be checking if they are single or dual filament bulbs.

[oldGSfan]

Agree that's where I'll look first

This morning, planning for Sedona to mountain bike, I tackled the Grand Cherokee wiring on the 7 pin connector. I bought an OEM hitch and 4 pin / 7 pin connector unit, and paid the dealer to program it. I didn't have them prove to me it was working, and later I found out the left signal was not working. I checked the Airstream with a battery source and looked at diagrams, all was correct. I had them check when I took it in for the umpteenth emissions/electronics recall (great vehicle otherwise...) and they told me it wasn't the module/electronics. Dang. So I jumpered from the main signal housing as a patch, and just tested it out OK.

Regarding the lights, it sounds like you may have some grounds not grounding.
I don't recall either whether the front indicators are running lights or not either. The easy tell would be checking if they are single or dual filament bulbs.

[93Bandit]

Idk how I feel about the polished aluminum on the oil cooler. It seems a little out of place, being next to the black frame. Not awful, but probably not a look I'd be happy with.

[oldGSfan]

Yeah I hear ya. Maybe have my friend powder coat it black or just paint it, but still use the piece, because the side has bunch of holes that don't look so good to me.

Idk how I feel about the polished aluminum on the oil cooler. It seems a little out of place, being next to the black frame. Not awful, but probably not a look I'd be happy with.

[93Bandit]

Yeah I hear ya. Maybe have my friend powder coat it black or just paint it, but still use the piece, because the side has bunch of holes that don't look so good to me.

Don't change it on my account though, if you like it. I'm just a stranger on the inter-webs.

[Spyder]

I like the oil cooler cover just the way it is. A little bling is great in the right places. Let it ride for a while, see if it grows on ya. If it doesn't, take it off and paint (or powder coat) it. Bike is looking great.

[oldGSfan]

The Mikuni arrived but there's a bit of a turd in the punch bowl, because with it seated fully in the rubber mount to the turbo, I can't get the carb level . It was really tough to know this by dimensions. I don't know if this will be a problem, i'll run a fuel pump so it won't run dry, and most carbs tolerate angles to some degree, especially dirt bike ones.

Other than trying it as-is, my options seem to be:

1) Angle it a bit with a fabricated adapter so that it clears the frame in the back. I've seen this on CB750s with the kit, it's a curved intake manifold. Then the air filter housing won't align with the bike unless I have another angled adapter on it. I can angle it using just the rubber mount, it is solid but is a bit of a hack and isn't on like it should be, so I don't think that's a good idea.

2) get a deeper float bowl for $100

[Spyder]

If you are running a fuel pump, I don't think the angle will be a problem.

I am curious. How does this setup work? Is the turbo pulling from the carb? Or blowing through it? I have never seen one that pulls from the carb...