Hey everyone.
Quick update on the work and question about brakes...
(1)
Front Brake.
Rust or dirty fluid and sediment? Looked at brake fluid because on my way out here (and days prior) I noticed that my braking power in front brake was quite weak. I'm sliding to a stop practically and also squeaking when I'm there; most of the stop is coming from the rear brake. Anyway, opened up the brake fluid reservoir. Clearly it's very low, but I'm concerned about the color and sediment. Do you normally get sediment in there when it's this dirty, or would the only possibility be rust? The solution to which I imagine would be bleeding the brakes and probably a new cable? The lids have residue on them but it's hard (for me) to say if someone put a silent on there or if it's rust or same sediment, though I don't see how the sediment would work its way upwards. I could scrape off what was on lid and wipe off what was in reservoir except for what was on bottom of fluid reservoir--it was pretty on there which seems more rust like. (see bunch of pics below.)
I sucked out fluid and wiped out as much residue as I could and put fluid back in as I wasn't sure what to do with it yet and it was clearly already in my lines. If it's not rust, can I just add more brake fluid and that it? special rust test I don't know about?
(2)
Oil leak. Not sur on source yet, but cleaned up inside LH cover and ran for a bit before I did other work yesterday. Ran for about 5 minutes as I wanted to get to other things but only leak I saw in that time was actually from here first.
So jury is still out there; more investigating on source to do. Didn't see from pushrod seal when I looked in there after. What I did also notice though was that on RH cover, when the bike was running, I didn't see the oil moving around in the oil window the way I normally do when it's running. Then with the bike off, oil showed low on the sight glass. Checked dipstick, showed very low side of normal so perhaps that's all it is but point is that I don't see why the oil should be so low when I haven't seen the leak being significant enough to warrant that and I changed the oil not that long ago. I did also notice that on the RH side where the oil filter goes, a bit of oil pooling at the seam. It wasn't pouring out, but perhaps it had at another time and I somehow missed it.
Saw residue on the exhaust on right side but it was further back than the oil filter location, not running down from there directly. I know there's more investigating to do there, just putting this out there. Wondering if I have a leak coming out from the bottom of RH cover seam judging from residue..
(3) took out old clutch cable and oiled new one and I have the new bars on but not secured yet as I need to make a temporary seat to ride back on (which will tell me how I want to position bars and thus the cable routing) as the seating position is wonky with low bars and normal seat now. I'm thinking steel (gauge recommendations?) cut with angle grinder, foam and leather from an old seat I have around, secure it...somehow, cut it in shape to fit teeth in the front and then some sort of fastener in the back...
(4) tried to look in carb bowl and of course one of the drain screws is stuck. The head has been messed with too many times with the wrong tools it seems. Put penetrant on it. Hopefully that'll work and then I can drain them and take off bowls.
Overall, the bike made it here (an 1.5-2 hour streets/non-highway trip) okay! Brakes were biggest issue.
Needing to have bike in good enough shape to ride back to my place by Thursday. So priorities are cable, oil level being normal (which I'll address after brakes and cable/seat I'm thinking), and brakes. Certainly not getting to all the things I was hoping--always takes longer and you always find things you don't expect!