Duuk posted:

I am intending to check spark + compression as soon as I get my hands on suitable tools. What I ask from you is what else should be checked to get the problem pinned down?

Bugdrvr posted:

As someone who just sold a Bandit 400 with issues I'd say be very careful. I'm pretty experienced with returning motorcycles to running condition and was annoyed enough by this bike to give up and sell it on. Cleaning the carbs properly got it to run ok but never well. I also had a really strange problem of losing random cylinders while riding. I'm sure given enough time and energy I could have fixed it but it needed other work as well and I quickly tired of the whole thing. Another negative on that bike is they only imported them for a few years in pretty small numbers so finding good spares is sometimes a pain in the rear end.
Personally I would pass.

eviljelly posted:

Argh.

My new-to-me 1995 Kawasaki Vulcan EN500 with just under 16k miles is giving me trouble. It was fine for about 50-100 miles, but now when the engine is on with the choke off, it starts leaking gas out the carb overflow tube and shutting down. On full choke, it doesn't seem to have this problem. There's also unburnt gas coming out of the left exhaust pipe.

We cleaned out the spark plugs and switched the left one to the right side and vice versa - same problem, and the unburnt gas still comes out the left exhaust pipe.

Any idea what this could be?

eviljelly posted:

Argh.

Over flowing gas from carb float

-Inu- posted:

What's the best method you guys have found for moving your body position from side to side on the bike quickly without putting any pressure on the bars? Whenever I take a left followed by a quick right or vice versa I wind up pushing/pulling on the bars and countersteering when I don't want to. I'm thinking about waxing the seat to make it easier to do without grabbing onto anything, heh.

Gnomad posted:

Comparing the numbers will tell you more than the raw numbers themselves. The head gasket could be leaking, allowing oil to seep into the combustion chambers, the valve guides could be bad in one or more cylinders, there could be broken/sticky rings, so here is the general rundown.

1 cylinder low-do a wet test (a small spray of oil in the cylinder). If the number increases appreciably, suspect piston sealing. If not, look to valves/head gasket.

2 adjacent cylinders low-head gasket, or, head cracked.

all cylinders low-you poor bastard. At least you now get the "opportunity" to go through the entire top endof the motor.

Bob Morales posted:

What color is the smoke and does it always do it?

Also, what color are the plugs? It may be something as simple as an exhaust leak if it's black smoke.

-Inu- posted:

What's the best method you guys have found for moving your body position from side to side on the bike quickly without putting any pressure on the bars? Whenever I take a left followed by a quick right or vice versa I wind up pushing/pulling on the bars and countersteering when I don't want to. I'm thinking about waxing the seat to make it easier to do without grabbing onto anything, heh.

-Inu- posted:

What's the best method you guys have found for moving your body position from side to side on the bike quickly without putting any pressure on the bars? Whenever I take a left followed by a quick right or vice versa I wind up pushing/pulling on the bars and countersteering when I don't want to. I'm thinking about waxing the seat to make it easier to do without grabbing onto anything, heh.

Z3n posted:

Do squats. A lot of squats. It's all in leg muscle and ab/back muscles. You should give NO input to the bars unless you are turning them. Pushing them both will essentially lock up the suspension, preventing the bike from self correcting from small bumps. It is also helpful to lock your outside leg into the bike by locking it into the crook made by the peg and it's support.

Ideally, you should be able to transfer from side to side with your hands simply resting on top of the bars. It takes a lot of lower body and core strength.

Duuk posted:

Edit: One thing though - what do you mean by "spray"? Is this some special stuff or should I find a way to spray 10w40?

BotchedLobotomy posted:

Speaking of chains, I dont know which chain to get!

http://www.bikebandit.com/1992-suzuki-gs500en-street-chains/c/a697193a622987a697146a697129?m=6052&t=1&s=6#productlist

Any reccomendations on Brand or what I'd need exactly? I have a GS500 so I'm not exactly throwing down wheelies or ripping up the street. I just want one that lasts, it doesn't need the tensile strength of propelling a rocketship. I'll get new sprockets too, probably drop a tooth in the front as that seems to be a popular mod to do. Can I get one of the basic 20-30 dollar chains or should I just man up and get the badass one?

Also Z3n my offer still stands to give you some side biz on helping me with my seals and valves. Just let me know when you're free

Methusulah posted:

Or are clip master links not all that bad?

Gnomad posted:

Regular motor oil is fine, you need to get it into the spark plug hole without it running down the fins or whatnot carrying dirt from the engine into the chamber. Not too much though, just a bit to seal around the piston. Too much and you can hydraulic your motor. It will give a very impressive compression reading, once.

Bob Morales posted:

A clip is fine.

Harbor Freight has a $15 chain tool.

dietcokefiend posted:

dietcokefiend posted:

What should I deal with mounting this in place for a trip back to WI?

Duuk posted:

I primarily had in mind that coercing 10w40 to turn into minute particles may not be easily doable with the admittedly ghetto looking tools that I seem to have a habit of constructing. I'll look around for something purpose-built.

Hydro locking the engine while trying to diagnose what is wrong with it would certainly have some poetic irony to it.

dietcokefiend posted:

What should I deal with mounting this in place for a trip back to WI?



It rests perfectly on its own, doesnt weigh more than a 2nd passenger, and looks badass as gently caress

I am thinking about using some 1" conduit clamps bolted to 2x4s, then some chain or 200lb test robe wrapped around it. Trip length is about 400 miles or so from here back to WI. Yes I am serious.

bobula posted:

So uh, anyone know offhand the fork oil capacity for an 83 GS1100E? They're the ones with the anti-dive units. I have the specs for 82 (8/8.3 oz) but I don't recall if they're the same forks and I don't want to put the wrong amount.

Plinkey posted:

Quick question about some 1980 GS850 brake calipers.

Here's a picture:


So I've got them off and apart. What is the highlighted bolt for? I think it returns the pads away from the rotors...maybe? Two of them come out/move at all (the one laying on its side). One of the two has a little boot/collar on it. When this one is pushed back it that little collar part makes a seal and almost seems to act as a spring. Is that what they are for, and do they need grease or something to go back to "working" instead of "frozen in place".

E: Here's a schematic.
http://www.cmsnl.com/suzuki-gs850-g-1982-1983-usa_model16058/partslist/95324.html

Raven457 posted:

Looks like you're talking about the caliper slide pins (numbers 9 and 10 on the schematic). They should move freely in their bores since the caliper rides on the slide as the pads stop the vehicle and wear down. Your local parts shop should carry some high temp brake parts grease that you can use to lube the slides.

If they are frozen up and can't be freed, or there is a lot of rust and pitting in the bores and the pins, you may need to replace the caliper mounting bracket (number 6) and/or the pins.

Z3n posted:

Change the oil/filter! Also, adjust the clutch cable, it's likely that it's running tight.

Also please get your mother to the MSF or some form of good training if she hasn't already...reentry riders are at very, very high risk, comparable to the 18-24 year old bracket.