New Bike, sort of...

[demp]

So I've gotten my hands on a 1978 Police Edition KZ1000. It's been sitting for ages... So I'd just like some input on what needs to be cleaned/rebuilt to get it on the road again. It was drained of all fluids before it was left to sit.

I was just putting together a list of stuff that I'm going to get for it:

new battery
new chain (630/ 92 links)
new oil (10w40)
brake fluid
new mirrors (have been misplaced over the years)
seafoam
new spark plugs


Will I need to disassemble the carbs to clean them or will the seafoam method safice?

Any input is appreciated, & yes I know "PICS!" I will get some

[bdavison]

The carbs are likely to be your biggest hurdle.

Did the bike have fuel in the tank when you got it? If it is old fuel that has been sitting around for a LONG time....seafoam probably wont cut it, but you can try it.

Honestly, if it was me...and I knew it was stored with garbage gas for a long time. I wouldnt even waste the money on a can of seafoam...I'd pull the carbs and strip them down for a full cleaning.

Cleaning carbs is really easy. Much easier than people make it out to be. It's harder to get them off the bike usually than it is to clean them out.

There's really only a few rules.
1. Dont mess up the diaphragm
2. Dont mess up the diaphragm
3. Dont mess up the diaphragm

LOL...seriously...be careful.

Here's the general steps to cleaning a carb.
1. Open the float bowl drains, and drain whatever nasty gas is in the bowls.
2. Loosen the intake boot on the cylinder side.
3. Loosen the air filter boot on the air filter side.
4. Remove the throttle cable
5. Remove the choke cables
6. Clamp off, or close petcock, and remove fuel line
7. Remove carb(s) from bike.
8. Remove 4 screws from top of carb.
9. Remove top cover carefully!!! There is a spring under there
10. Gently flip upside down, and remove diaphragm and slide, and needle.
11. Put diaphragm slide and needle SOMEPLACE SAFE!!!
12. Remove float bowl
13. Remove floats
14. Clean carb. Toothbrushes, carb cleaner, and some gentle scrubbing. Try to flush out all the passageways.
15. Unscrew the jets ONE AT A TIME....only remove ONE JET AT A TIME. Completely flush the thing with carb cleaner till you can see a nice clean hole through it, and then screw it back into the carb....then remove the next one and repeat. If you take them all out at the same time..you will probably spend the next hour or so hunting down that jet that disappeared.
16. Now wipe it all down till you get all the carb cleaner off of it.
17. Put the can of carb cleaner away...you dont need it anymore.
18. Go get the diaphragm, slide, and needle. GENTLY wipe the needle clean. DO NOT GET ANY CARB CLEANER OR SOLVENT ON THE DIAPHRAGM!
19. Wipe a very thin, light amount of motor oil onto the slide. Just a little bit, and wipe it off so that its almost clean.
20. Reinsert the needle and slide back into the carb. Paying attention to the needle and slide orientation..make sure the needle is lined up with the jet.
21. Gently arrange the diaphragm back around the top of the carb. Be very gentle...if you poke a hole in the diaphragm, you are screwed. Replacements can be difficult to find, and expensive to replace. Put the spring back in the middle.
22. Gently put the top back on the carb, being careful to make sure you dont crimp or pinch the diaphragm, and screw it down.
23. Reassemble the floats, and the float bowl, and reinstall it into the bike.

It sounds complicated, but its really easy.

[demp]

Thanks for the input & detailed instructions, will print this out in the morning and try to follow them & I promise, I won't damage the diaphragm!


The wife, I assume you mean the ninjette?, Never!

[kkim]

Originally Posted by demp

I was just putting together a list of stuff that I'm going to get for it:

new battery
new chain (630/ 92 links)
new oil (10w40)
brake fluid
new mirrors (have been misplaced over the years)
seafoam
new spark plugs

add tires, tubes, oil/filter, air filter to the list, unless they were changed in the last 5 years or so.

I agree... pull the carbs and clean thoroughly.

pictures!!!

[demp]

Originally Posted by kkim

add tires, tubes, oil/filter, air filter to the list, unless they were changed in the last 5 years or so.

I agree... pull the carbs and clean thoroughly.

pictures!!!

omg, I didn't even think about that, are they tubes!? - brand new air/oil filters were waiting for me in the saddlebags

[kkim]

Originally Posted by demp

omg, I didn't even think about that, are they tubes!? - brand new air/oil filters were waiting for me in the saddlebags

sorry... they most likely are not, but if they are, change the tubes along with the tires.

edit- check the tank for rust on the inside, too.

nvm on the pictures... I found one of you on your new bike already.

[demp]

Originally Posted by kkim

sorry... they most likely are not, but if they are, change the tubes along with the tires.

edit- check the tank for rust on the inside, too.

I was thinking about that myself, how exactly does one check the inside of the tank? just a flashlight and peaking in through the top?

[kkim]

Originally Posted by demp

I was thinking about that myself, how exactly does one check the inside of the tank? just a flashlight and peaking in through the top?

that should suffice. I'm going off of the statement that "all fluids were drained". When the gas tank is left empty, they usually rust on the inside.

[demp]

Originally Posted by kkim

that should suffice. I'm going off of the statement that "all fluids were drained". When the gas tank is left empty, they usually rust on the inside.

Yeah... I understand that, and if I do find rust what is the next course of action? finding a new tank? is there any way to clean one? oh and if you're that intent on pictures, once upon a time it looked just like this: http://www.lafayette.in.gov/egov/gal...5780904468.jpg but it's been painted blue since

[kkim]

see how bad the rust is, first.

There are ways to clean it up if not too bad. If very bad, you can prep and coat the inside of the tank with a sealant, though I've heard of coatings delaminating and causing more problems than thy are worth. It's all about how well you prep the inside of the tank.

last option is to find a new tank... good luck with that.

[demp]

Kkim, would I be able to substitute a battery such as this?:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows...n#BVQAWidgetID

I'm actually quite happy the gas tank looks a lot better than I was expecting, some rust to get out, but it could be a lot worse, the manual that came with the bike, is a "1973-1980 Kawaski Fours" repair/service/maintenance book and it explains pretty much anything you can think of that needs to be done on the bike, very happy with it.

[CC Cowboy]

New radar gun!

[Sailariel]

Originally Posted by demp

Kkim, would I be able to substitute a battery such as this?:

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brows...n#BVQAWidgetID

I'm actually quite happy the gas tank looks a lot better than I was expecting, some rust to get out, but it could be a lot worse, the manual that came with the bike, is a "1973-1980 Kawaski Fours" repair/service/maintenance book and it explains pretty much anything you can think of that needs to be done on the bike, very happy with it.

Had the gas tank from an NSU come into my shop. There was a fair amount of rust in it. I washed about three handfulls of dime sized crushed stones and put them into the tank. I would then shake the tank vigorously until I got tired. I kept repeating that ritual maybe ten times. The stones were then poured out along with a lot of rust dust. I then poured in a quart of mineral spirits and shook the tank some more--then pured out the mineral spirits. The final rinse was another quart of mineral spirits. The tank came clean. We were very lucky. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to find a tank for an NSU 250.

[demp]

Thanks for all the help guys I've got her running again needs a few parts replaced, but overall it's good

[kkim]

Originally Posted by demp

Thanks for all the help guys I've got her running again needs a few parts replaced, but overall it's good

give out any tickets yet?

have fun... what work did you have to do to get it running?

[revstriker]

Post some pics.