I use an automatic center punch to release the float pins. It's still a scary operation.
Float pin removal tool
I read on one of the forums that this tool will work for our carburetors. You can probably get it from Dime City or MikesXS.
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Float pin removal tool
I read on one of the forums that this tool will work for our carburetors. You can probably get it from Dime City or MikesXS.
The bushing had worn down to the bolt threads in only 2600 miles which was a pretty poor service life but not entirely surprising as brass on brass it not a good combination.
Would have to +1 Downeaster's comment....my TX650A had 20k miles on it, and the brass bushing in the clutch lever screw looked just like yours; worn completely through on one side. I guess I don't know if it was the original, but based on yours it would have had to be the 9th or 10th replacement haha.
Yes, the float pins on the BS38s are just a rather loose sliding, slip fit and can be removed and installed from either side. Use some carb cleaner along with the penetrating oil to melt some of that gas varnish away. Also, applying some heat will help. This holds true for the slides too, but don't use carb cleaner on them. Getting any on the rubber diaphragms could destroy them. You don't need high heat, a hair dryer will do the trick.
Or it's possible that it gets down to the steel threads quickly and then wears at the normal (slow) brass on steel rate. I did notice that on the partzilla parts fiche the replacement bushing is steel. I would have bought one (or the newer shoulder bolt) but it didn't take long to make and I would have had to wait for it to arrive. The replacement should last a bunch longer, I hope.
Ahh, didn't think of heating up the old gas/varnish. Thanks 5twins! I haven't used any carb cleaner yet, just penetrating oil. That melted the gunk on the throttle shafts and slides quicker than I would have guessed.
Float pins are out, no animals or carbs were harmed...
Float pins are out, no animals or carbs were harmed...
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Good to know jetmech, lord knows I will be ordering parts.
I cleaned up the carbs this weekend. Looks like nobody has ever been in there, no buggered up screw heads and all jets and settings were stock.
No real drama, all the screws and jets came out reasonably easy some needed a little more persuasion than others but none were stuck. One carb didn't pass the slide drop test and close examination revealed a pinhole so I will need a new diaphragm. I recall others having good luck with JBM, they actually aren't too far from me so I'm thinking I might as well replace both diaphragms as they seem pretty reasonable. Also need to add float bowl gaskets to my growing parts list and stop by McMaster tomorrow for the needle jet O-rings.
No real drama, all the screws and jets came out reasonably easy some needed a little more persuasion than others but none were stuck. One carb didn't pass the slide drop test and close examination revealed a pinhole so I will need a new diaphragm. I recall others having good luck with JBM, they actually aren't too far from me so I'm thinking I might as well replace both diaphragms as they seem pretty reasonable. Also need to add float bowl gaskets to my growing parts list and stop by McMaster tomorrow for the needle jet O-rings.
Wow, carbs look pretty clean inside.
Today I decided to trial fit the rear fender, taillight and turn signals I collected years ago for this project. Everything fit but the turn signals brackets will need a little tweaking to get things straightened out before final assembly but it's nice to see the back end more complete.
The brake fluid had leaked out of the master cylinder decades ago and corroded it and the right hand switch assembly pretty bad. All the wires are run inside the handlebars so getting the wires out and cleaning-up the switches would be a lot easier on the workbench so I opened up the headlight to disconnect all the wires. Looks like nobody has been in here either. All the connectors look like brand new and no hacked up wires.
I haven't opened it up yet but I assume the master cylinder is a "goner" and I want to switch it for a 12mm master anyway to get a higher caliper/master cylinder ratio so no big loss.
The brake fluid had leaked out of the master cylinder decades ago and corroded it and the right hand switch assembly pretty bad. All the wires are run inside the handlebars so getting the wires out and cleaning-up the switches would be a lot easier on the workbench so I opened up the headlight to disconnect all the wires. Looks like nobody has been in here either. All the connectors look like brand new and no hacked up wires.
I haven't opened it up yet but I assume the master cylinder is a "goner" and I want to switch it for a 12mm master anyway to get a higher caliper/master cylinder ratio so no big loss.
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I didn't take a picture but the brake fluid must have also gotten into the throttle assembly as the grip was stuck on the throttle tube and the throttle tube was seized on the handlebar. There was all kinds of white powder under the grip which made it a bear to get off and it took a propane torch and a bearing puller and some judicious hammering to get the throttle tube off the handlebar and one of the throttle cables was hanging on by about two strands of wire. (more parts added to the list...)
I am believing the odometer mileage the more I dive into this project, all the footpeg and passenger peg rubber covers look brand new as does the shift lever rubber and there was very little scoring under the throttle tube. The SG had 18,000 miles when I bought it and the throttle tube on that bike had worn through the chrome on the handlebars. I'm still wondering if the owner just stopped riding it and put it in a shed or did it have some big problem that I haven't found yet or maybe won't find until I try to start it, time will tell.
I am believing the odometer mileage the more I dive into this project, all the footpeg and passenger peg rubber covers look brand new as does the shift lever rubber and there was very little scoring under the throttle tube. The SG had 18,000 miles when I bought it and the throttle tube on that bike had worn through the chrome on the handlebars. I'm still wondering if the owner just stopped riding it and put it in a shed or did it have some big problem that I haven't found yet or maybe won't find until I try to start it, time will tell.
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Today I drained the oil and pulled both filter screens to get a look at them. Three quarts came out and it stank like it had some old gas in it which was odd as the inside of the tank was almost spotless so where did the gas come from? Surprisingly the sump filter was not torn and had very little junk in it and the filter magnets and drain plugs had the typical smooth feeling gray slime on them but no chunks I could feel between my finger and thumb.
The upper filter had some crud in it and some small metal flakes but the bulk of it looked like lint from rags.
I will make up a guard for the sump filter and button everything back up with some nice fresh Rotella.
The upper filter had some crud in it and some small metal flakes but the bulk of it looked like lint from rags.
I will make up a guard for the sump filter and button everything back up with some nice fresh Rotella.
Also, what possesses someone to cut a piece out of a seat cover that is in decent shape?
Yesterday I patched the weak areas of the sump filter prior to reinstalling and filling with the engine with oil. Last time I did one I used JB Weld, this time I decided to try adding some fiberglass as I had some CSM (chopped strand mat) left over from another project to give the epoxy more strength. Not that I think it needs it all that much, it was more for grins and see how well it worked. I cut a couple of 1/4" x 1-1/2" strips of the CSM and cut those into about 1/4" long squares that I then shredded into "fluff" between my thumb and finger. I mixed up a blob of JB Weld and mixed in the fiberglass until it looked about the right consistency, thick but still workable. (didn't take much) It looked like it coated the fibers well enough so should add some strength.
Then I spread it around and packed it into the screen material. It was tougher to move and spread around as it was quite a bit thicker but I got it roughly how I wanted it and then covered it with wax paper which made it easy to move around and pack down more and also would give it a smooth surface when cured.
This is what it looked like after peeling off the wax paper and trimming the edges a bit today.
Just for grins I took the leftover glue mix and put wax paper over it and mashed it down to about what I thought the thickness of the epoxy on the filter is to see how strong it was after it cured.
I took a decent amount of force (considering it's mostly glue) to snap it. I didn't have a sample without fiberglass to compare it to so no idea how much strength it added, if any. I did look inside and the JB was well imbedded in the filter mesh so I have no doubt this is strong enough to hold up to the oil pump suction pressure. I doubt it was necessary but it was useful as something to keep in mind for future projects that may be more demanding than the filter.
Then I spread it around and packed it into the screen material. It was tougher to move and spread around as it was quite a bit thicker but I got it roughly how I wanted it and then covered it with wax paper which made it easy to move around and pack down more and also would give it a smooth surface when cured.
This is what it looked like after peeling off the wax paper and trimming the edges a bit today.
Just for grins I took the leftover glue mix and put wax paper over it and mashed it down to about what I thought the thickness of the epoxy on the filter is to see how strong it was after it cured.
I took a decent amount of force (considering it's mostly glue) to snap it. I didn't have a sample without fiberglass to compare it to so no idea how much strength it added, if any. I did look inside and the JB was well imbedded in the filter mesh so I have no doubt this is strong enough to hold up to the oil pump suction pressure. I doubt it was necessary but it was useful as something to keep in mind for future projects that may be more demanding than the filter.
Great story so far.
I must be weird, I love that style of Silencers.
Keep them safe, someone may need them in future.
I must be weird, I love that style of Silencers.
Keep them safe, someone may need them in future.
I'm with you Rasputin, I like them and am keeping them on the bike, assuming they aren't rotted out inside. They remind me somewhat of the original mufflers on my BMW R75. I even have another set from a 75 to try on "Dad's bike" someday.
I also checked the date codes on the tires for grins. They are Yokohama's, the front is a Y-982 dated 313, 31st week of 1973 (presumably not 1983) and the rear is a Y-981 dated 393 so 39th week of 1973. The steering head sticker says it was manufactured 11/73 so sure seems like those are the original tires.
I just got back from my first ride of the year on Dad's bike, started right up with a couple of kicks and ran good. It was low 70's and sunny today, March days like that are not to be wasted in NE Ohio.
I did notice the license plate is cracked about 1/3 of the way through so need to reinforce that.
I also checked the date codes on the tires for grins. They are Yokohama's, the front is a Y-982 dated 313, 31st week of 1973 (presumably not 1983) and the rear is a Y-981 dated 393 so 39th week of 1973. The steering head sticker says it was manufactured 11/73 so sure seems like those are the original tires.
I just got back from my first ride of the year on Dad's bike, started right up with a couple of kicks and ran good. It was low 70's and sunny today, March days like that are not to be wasted in NE Ohio.
I did notice the license plate is cracked about 1/3 of the way through so need to reinforce that.
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Almost forgot, last night I took some of the "character" out of the rear turn signal mounts (they were a little bent but they were free so I'm not complaining) and pulled the switches off/out of the handlebars. Next step get them working and less ugly. Getting the wires back inside the bars may be a bit of fun but hopefully new sleeving on the wires will make it doable as the original is pretty stiff. I understand the aesthetics of running the wires inside the handlebars but it makes it more of pain if you have to work on them.
I don't remember tires of that type back in 1973. We also didn't have date codes then.
An Oct 2019 quote from XSleo:
So, your tires are most likely from 1993...
I googled tire date codes and the interweb says three digit date codes started in 1971.
and I found a Kawasaki service bulletin that shows the 1974 Kawi S3 had the same Y-981 and Y-982 tires and the treads on mine are the same as in the pictures.
so I'm still thinking they were made in 73.
and I found a Kawasaki service bulletin that shows the 1974 Kawi S3 had the same Y-981 and Y-982 tires and the treads on mine are the same as in the pictures.
so I'm still thinking they were made in 73.
The master cylinder had leaked and the cylinder and the right hand controls were pretty crusty so I've been cleaning and rebuilding the switches.
This is what it looked like inside.
After much cleaning and lubing it's not going to win any beauty contests but it is functional and everything operates smoothly.
A quick scuff, prime and a couple coats of satin black and at least it's presentable.
I still need to fill in a couple of the recessed areas that used to have red paint and get some new stickers and it will be good to go.
The original loom was super stiff and brittle and no way was it possible to reinsert it into the handlebars so I got some heat shrink tubing from McMaster and put that over the wires, it will be a while before I'm ready to reinstall the switches but hoping it won't be too bad getting the wires back in the bars.
The left hand switches were in pretty good shape so they only needed a clean, lube and shrink tube and they now operate smoothly and are ready to reinstall as well.
This is what it looked like inside.
After much cleaning and lubing it's not going to win any beauty contests but it is functional and everything operates smoothly.
A quick scuff, prime and a couple coats of satin black and at least it's presentable.
I still need to fill in a couple of the recessed areas that used to have red paint and get some new stickers and it will be good to go.
The original loom was super stiff and brittle and no way was it possible to reinsert it into the handlebars so I got some heat shrink tubing from McMaster and put that over the wires, it will be a while before I'm ready to reinstall the switches but hoping it won't be too bad getting the wires back in the bars.
The left hand switches were in pretty good shape so they only needed a clean, lube and shrink tube and they now operate smoothly and are ready to reinstall as well.
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