Refurbishing

[Royboy]

I did 650 Central's sprockets and ORing chain. Went with the 530 chain and 32 tooth
rear sprocket. Very happy with the result. Still good out of the hole and down about
300 rpm at 60mph.

Royboy

 

[racerdave]

Downeaster, some pics to go along with your work would be nice?

 

[Downeaster]

How's this?

I'll take a few pics of the major steps as I start to reassemble it. I did get the front end mostly put back together today, maybe I'll trot out to the garage and snap one. (Gotta love digital cameras...)

 

[Downeaster]

Starting to button the engine back up. Covers are cleaned up an polished a little. Not a mirror finish by any stretch, I don't have the ambition or the time to go there, just got rid of the worst of the oxidation.

Got the front end basically back together. When the handlebar mounting isolators and the brake stuff comes in, I'll finish that.

Back end is good, swingarm bushings are tight, shocks are okay for now. Just need to get the tire mounted and balanced and the brakes rebuilt.

 

[racerdave]

That's the kinda pics I'm talkin about Those case sides look pretty good "brushed" like that. Nothing is prettier than mirror shined cases, but the constant upkeep sucks.

 

[Gordon]

Down Easter,
Have you clearcoated the cover's? If not, they will in short time be oxidized again. I used a ratle can clear on mine, the clear used to coat wheel's. Easy to apply and holds up very well to the heat. Lookin' good!
BTW, I also have the Heiden oil cooler/ filter for the side oil screen. Looks great and now I got a real filter in the oil system, instead of just screens.

 

[gggGary]

DE before you put the engine back in the frame read this thread on re-torquing cylinder studs and bolts.

 

[RFLIVES]

If you only knew.........

 

[gggGary]

Oh the steel covers come off the rubber intake boots, they are stainless steel and buff up very nice.

 

[Downeaster]

DE before you put the engine back in the frame read this thread on re-torquing cylinder studs and bolts.

Top of the motor is dryer than a popcorn fart, no sign of any weeping.

OTOH, I have no idea how long it's been since the thing was ridden with any regularity at all, so it probably wouldn't hurt to touch things up while she's on the engine stand and everything is accessible.

Good tips on the 20-50 oil too.

And I'll buff them carb mounts up before I stuff it back in the frame. Hadn't noticed how nasty they were until you mentioned it...

 

[Downeaster]

For Gordon:

Nope, haven't clear-coated the covers. Gotta think some on that, I haven't had good luck with it in the past. Stuff either discolors or peels, and usually both in my experience. Quite possibly either poor product choice or inadequate surface prep on my part.

The bike (I gotta start meditatin' on a name for it...) will spend a large part of the rest of my life sitting in a garage with a cover over it. I may put 500 miles a year on it, but given my schedule, back and shoulders, I wouldn't bet on it.

Same for the oil cooler. 20 mile jaunts to work will be about the longest trip this bike is likely to see, and a day above 80º is a fairly rare occasion around here.

OTOH, it looks wicked cool...

 

[TeeCat]

DE, I have not been of any help, but am following this topic with interest. It sounds as if your riding schedule is about the same as mine, though my saddle time on the TX may increase this coming year, since the bike is finally getting where I want her to be, and because I am retiring in the spring.

TC

 

[cra-z1]

I have been reading the posts and I thought I would mention one thing I found on my bike pertaining to the clutch rod seal. If you have the motor apart be sure to measure the run out on the bore that holds the bushing. Mine was off center by .025 which is not good for the seal. I had a machinist press in some bearing material and turned it true to the shaft. I also made the bushing a little longer for more support.

 

[Gordon]

Down Easter,
I had the same problems with the clearcoat, so thats why I tried the wheel coat, and no problems in a couple years. Yea, that cooler definately looks cool. Of course when I bought it it was real cheap, like $35.

 

[Dusty]

Hey Downeaster,and Bradshaw106. Great to know there are some Mainer's with these bikes. I don't see many in my neck of the woods (Topsham/Brunswick).
Things are looking good on your project Downeaster. I just wax my polished parts,and they stay lookin good. As far as passing inspection, these bikes are over 25 years old so I just register as an antique. No inspection needed. Hope I run into you guys sometime.

 

[Downeaster]

Ah, another Mainer! Long ride to Brunswick tho.

I did ride my '74 to Portsmouth NH and back in one day once, when my GF was in the Naval Hospital down there. Made for a loooooong day...

 

[Downeaster]

Another little update.

PO had replaced the glass fuses with ATC-style blade fuses. He used individual fuse sockets with pigtails spliced into the wiring harness. Did an adequate job, but the resulting gob of wires and fuse sockets just sort of sits on top of the battery and gets crammed under the seat, which doesn't exactly fill me with confidence.

I've seen a number of very nice mods here using the gang fuse blocks and I knew that's the way I wanted to go.

However, I didn't want to butcher the tool box (mostly because I just got done painting and reinstalling the battery box and didn't want to take it all back out). Also, I wasn't a big fan of having to lift the seat to get at the fuses. I'd MUCH rather have them tucked neatly under a side cover.

So, I went out to the (freezing....) garage, pulled up a chair and nursed a cuppa cawfee whilst contemplating my options. A couple of ideas that occurred right off got shot down as soon as I put the airboxes back on. "Oops, that spot is taken..."

Finally, I realized that I don't plan on actually using the tool box (I'll have one of them neato leather rolls for that). After making a cardboard template, I decided I could use the upper rear airbox bolt and the upper voltage regulator bolt as mounts and made a plate out of some scrap aluminum as shown in the first three pictures.

Then I drilled and tapped some 8-32 holes to mount the fuse block to the plate as shown in the fourth picture.

With the exception of having to remove the screw-down clear cover over the fuse block, everything tucks neatly under the side cover as you can see in the final picture.

I'll strip the wiring harness back and splice longer wires into it so I can route them to and from the new fuse block neatly. Just need to find some right-angle female spade lugs.

 

[racerdave]

Nice mod. I did mount mine in the tool box, because my tracker seat cowl has the molded on side panels.

 

[5twins]

You might want to check the fuse wiring to insure that it's correct because P.O.s are notorious for doing bad things. If he attached the new fuses to the original wires then it should be OK but I would check things none the less. The main 20A fuse should be the only one fed directly from the battery. The rest should be fed from the key switch which makes them "switched" .....

 

[Downeaster]

Thanks. When I actually run the wires to the new fuse box, I'll double check everything.