1. Three bond 1104 or similar (yamabond, hondabond) is a good thing to put around outside of seal. No, that will not cause any problem removing it.
2. I don't use a gasket on the left side cover. I see no reason to use one. If you want to use a gasket, no need for a sealer.
3. I use a little Three bond 1104 on that gasket, otherwise it tends to leak a small drip.
4. Use 72 in/lbs.
 
I do use the gasket for the left side cover. I'm pretty sure Yamaha put it there to keep water out. I do put sealer on the outer side only so it sticks to and comes off with the cover any time I remove it.

Don't use any sealer on the little gear train cover gasket below the countershaft sprocket. It's not required and would also make getting that cover off in the future very, very hard. I just oil the gasket with motor oil prior to install.
 
Maybe this picture will show why I don't use a gasket on the left engine cover. For the last 8 years or so, I have used spacers to allow some air circulation for the alternator. Its open like that 99 % of the time I'm riding. I only close it if I get caught in a rain storm. Also every car and truck alternator is open from the bottom where water can splash up into the engine compartment.
IMG_5564.jpg
 
Hmmmm - now THAT is an interesting idea. Do you have an elegant way of closing it quickly if it starts to rain, or do you simply whip out a screwdriver and run the screws out and then back in?
 
xsjohn, where the idea originated, carried a piece of duct tape under his seat to cover the hole.
 
Hmmmm - now THAT is an interesting idea. Do you have an elegant way of closing it quickly if it starts to rain, or do you simply whip out a screwdriver and run the screws out and then back in?
Max...............I wish I was smart enough to have developed a solenoid activated mechanism to close it, but sadly I just stop and use an allen key that I carry. I remove the 2 spacers and put the spacers on the outside of the small cover.

Total credit for this idea goes to XSJohn (RIP).
 
Well today was productive, I decided to tackle the clutch pushrod seal and inner bushing and install my NOS long rod push rod and replace the front sprocket ( the rear is getting replaced also as well as the chain, it's all sitting here waiting)
If you remember when I pulled the left side case cover it looked like this.
IMG_3597.JPG

IMG_3601.JPG


Well good greif! After I started working in there it's no wonder. The gear case cover was missing a bolt and several other bolts weren't tight. The drive sprocket nut was so loose I spun it off with my fingers and the clutch pushrod bearing and seal was a very sloppy fit.
Here is the new bushing , seal and pushrod and new front sprocket installed and generously greased.
IMG_3692.JPG


I have one very slight concern. I chamfered the edge of the case as recommended, and added a thin smear of yamabond around the edge of the seal. I even put the seal in the freezer as suggested by Leo. When I installed the seal it went in nice and straight no distortion , but it shaved a very thin little peice of rubber off one spot. And when I say thin , I mean whisker thin. I decided to chance it and let it ride and hope the yamabond fills in any little void. I will watch it and if it fails I have two more new ones waiting! Haha
I also pulled the rear wheel off and removed the sprocket. I went to put it back together for the night because I was running out of time and could not for the life of me get the rear wheel assembly fit together right. I mean I wrestled with it for an hour and never got it right. Later in my recliner I was looking at diagrams and realized I was placing a spacer on the wrong side of the wheel! DOH!!
Oh well tomorrow is another day.
 
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Oh yes I forgot to mention, when I was drilling out the old pushrods bushing, I had just started drilling with the second size drill bit and it caught and just spun the bushing inside the case but wouldn't come out. For a minute there I was worried I would push it into the inside of the case! But finally it caught and I was able to pull it out just as pictured on the instructions on Mikes XS website. Whew!
 
Today I cleaned and de greased everything rearward of the engine. It is a major improvement. I will be taking my wheels off either next week or the week after to go and have new tires mounted up. I am holding off mounting the new rear sprocket until after I get the wheels back from the tire shop. I also plan to go through the whole bike and pull all of the wiring connectors apart and clean them with electrical contact cleaner and then shine up the spade and bullet connectors with some fine sandpaper.
I also pulled the exhaust off and was really surprised to see the amount of crud stuck to the underside of the whole system , especially the cross over tube. Trying to decide what I can use to clean them up that won't damage the chrome.
 
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Well, others may cringe but I've had good success with the (very nasty) chrome on my '76 by using an SOS pad dipped in Windex. The SOS pad deals with the rust while the Windex cuts any grease or other organic stuff - and the part rinses off quite nicely.
 
Yeah I had an old Triumph that had pitted and rusted chrome rims, steel wool actually did a very good job of cleaning them up.
 
I am a member of the Canadian Vintage MC Group (www.cvmg.ca) - a really good bunch of folks actually. The guy in our local section who is the best detailer (and holy cow - is he good!!) swears by 0000 steel wool which can be bought at low cost in a plastic bag at most hardware stores. I think it is used in furniture refinishing - and he says that it is a "slower" than an SOS pad because it is finer (i.e. lower "grit") - but it really polishes up well.
 
These pesky holidays are making it very difficult to spend quality time wrenching on my bike! Today I did a few easy things, I installed new grips, new mirrors, I replaced my left side petcock that pointed the wrong way, with a brand new replacement. I disassembled my clutch worm gear and cleaned and inspected it , then greased it all up and put it back together. This bike had such a hard pulling clutch that I'm really hoping that buttering up that worm gear and my new motion pro clutch cable ( which will get thouroughly oiled up prior to install) will make a significant improvement.
Hopefully I'll have some more time to work on this tomorrow, if I don't have to go spread holiday cheer somewhere.
Haha!
 
Well today after spreading Christmas cheer, I retired to my lair and got a little more work done. I put the carbs back on the bike, I have my clutch cable hanging in the garage with an oil drip going on it to lube the cable. I worked on cleaning up my skanky mufflers that were caked with crud. Cleaned up my air boxes and disassembled my stock voltage rectifier and cleaned the corrosion out of it. Forget the socks, slippers and aftershave, this is my true Christmas present. I get completely lost in the minutiae of cleaning a greasy part, repairing something that's not working. I've had this bike for a month now and haven't even heard it run, and couldn't care less. It will, I know it , it's just a matter of time. And it's the time that I enjoy.
 
Couldn't have put it better myself!!

I bought my '76 in late Jan. 2016 and i couldn't even get it to backfire until early July - but working on that old motorcycle was a great pastime and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once I did get it running, I was even more committed to riding it - and every minute of every ride has been great!!!

PM sent.

Pete
 
PS - don't forget to clean the starter safety relay which looks like the VR - but is under the right hand side cover.

Same deal as cleaning the voltage regulator - two tiny JIS screws (have gotten your snazzy blue "Vessel" brand JIS screwdrivers yet?) to remove the cover and then a bit of spray-on electrical contact cleaner and a toothbrush.

Cheers,

Pete
 
Yeah I'm working my way through all the electrical stuff, once I get things up and running I plan to change over to a modern voltage regulator and try my hand at assembling one of those rectifiers I've been reading about on this forum.
I really should buy me a set of proper screwdrivers but it's funny, I have an old wooden handled Phillips screwdriver with a slightly bent shaft that belonged to my father, that for some reason seems to fit motorcycle screw heads. It's my " lucky" screwdriver! Haha! I use it religiously.
 
Lucky stuff from our Dads is important. I have a lucky jackknife and a spirit level from mine.

Cheers,

Pete
 
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