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You'll always read the sight glass with the bike on its wheels, standing straight up, unladen, and on level ground. Any other way introduces too many variables.
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Mar 6, 2012 15:00
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AncientTV posted:You'll always read the sight glass with the bike on its wheels, standing straight up, unladen, and on level ground. Any other way introduces too many variables. MSF taught is this as well. MY Suzuki manual also says to measure with the bike upright. Ziploc fucked around with this message at 15:15 on Mar 6, 2012 |
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Mar 6, 2012 15:06
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Fiendish Dr. Wu posted:Dumb newbie question. I'm about to do my first oil change on my bike. It needs to be standing up vertically level...so no kickstand. The roll on stand...is that your rear stand? If so, it will still give you a slight false reading, but close enough. I do a balancing act with holding the bike vertical while holding the passenger hand loop. You can get a friend to hold it for you while you look. You're shooting for halfway between min and max. After you finish and go for a ride, recheck the oil level...it will probably drop slightly, so add a small amount more if you need to. Don't forget to replace the crush washer when you check/clean the oil screen (which you should). Check out ducatimonsterforum.org (I post under the same username)...prepare yourself to be consumed for a couple days while you try to digest all of the info you can!
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Mar 6, 2012 15:10
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so the oil will show probably in the site glass, should the bike just be on the kickstand or should it be on my roll on stand?
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Dellikose posted:Don't forget to replace the crush washer when you check/clean the oil screen (which you should). If you get half way through changing your oil before realising you forgot to buy a replacement washer, like I sometimes do; You can use a blowtorch, jet flame lighter or gas ring to heat up the old washer (suspended on a piece of wire) until it is glowing pinkish-red, and then quench it in cold water. This will re-anneal the washer (make the metal soft again) and you can re-use it. Better to just remember to buy one though.
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Mar 6, 2012 15:30
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Anyone with a supersport using a GPS? How do you have it mounted? I bought a GPS holder to attach to my handlebars, and I was just gonna use my phone for GPS, but uhhh there's no room on the handlebars to mount it. This guy here: http://www.amazon.com/Arkon-GPS032-Handlebar-Mount-3-5/dp/B003FMUP0K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1331045343&sr=8-2 What is everyone else doing to mount theirs? I have an 06 ZX6R.
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Mar 6, 2012 15:49
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I've seen GPS mounts that stuck into the hole in the middle of the top clamp, which may require modification depending on how big that hole is on your bike. Or you can get a small tankbag and toss the GPS in there.
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Mar 6, 2012 16:09
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Not sure about a ZX6R/supersport, but I did this on my FZ6: It's just a copper pipe, cut to fit, with bent ends and BBQ painted. There were already bolts in that spot. All I haded to do was grab some rubber washers and longer bolts.
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Mar 6, 2012 17:18
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Ram has mounts that connect to the fluid covers on either side as well. Actually looks like for your bike it just bolts around it...lame. https://www.ram-mount.com/Products/MotorcycleMounts/tabid/128/Default.aspx#/wizard?Device=0&Device-1=0&cycle=6&cycle-1=26&cycle-2=22 When I looked up ones for a Ninja 250 ram had mounts that screwed right into your clutch or brake fluid reservoir like this http://www.ram-mount.com/CatalogResults/PartDetails/tabid/63/partid/082065077045066045049056051085/Default.aspx I'm not sure why it wouldn't work on another. I ended up finding a bit of space on the bars for a bar mount but you probably can't get away with that. nsaP fucked around with this message at 18:31 on Mar 6, 2012 |
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Mar 6, 2012 18:25
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I feel like a huge newbie but after years of riding shaft and belt-driven motorcycles, I need to replace a chain and it may be time to ask questions. A quick look at the fiche on the DT175C indicates the chain it wants is a "428-110L". I assume that means a 428 chain with 110 links, correct? Roller chains are my option for that type, it seems. What is the difference between a roller chain and an o-ring chain? What does the 428 designation mean and what is the difference between that and say a 520 or a 420? Is that the thickness of the sprockets they fit on? My sprockets are in good shape, but the chain is slack as hell and I can't pull the axle back any further. Do I need to replace the sprockets if they are looking A-OK? Fiendish Dr. Wu posted:2003 Ducati Monster 800Sie My DT175 has those. I've always assumed it was to keep engine noise down. I've also read (on the XS750 forums a long time ago) that the resonant vibrations they dampen, left undampened, can eventually fatigue the fins enough to crack but I smell bullshit there. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 21:09 on Mar 6, 2012 |
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Mar 6, 2012 20:20
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My friends and I are using a 93 SECA II as a group project. I volunteered to do the painting. Previous owner did a pretty crappy spray job that's peeling off badly. The frame's red. I'm thinking white or yellow. Thoughts?
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Mar 7, 2012 21:50
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Pope Mobile posted:My friends and I are using a 93 SECA II as a group project. I volunteered to do the painting. Previous owner did a pretty crappy spray job that's peeling off badly. The frame's red. I'm thinking white or yellow. Thoughts? Yellow on red = McDonald's bike... That's what I think every time I see one!
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Mar 7, 2012 22:05
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Why didn't I think of that? White it is.
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Mar 7, 2012 22:59
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Pope Mobile posted:Why didn't I think of that? White it is. Day-Glo orange.
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Mar 8, 2012 02:14
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Ouch that hurts just reading that. (Yellow monster with red wheels).
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Mar 8, 2012 03:15
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SB35 posted:Florida may not have the same thing, but there are a few other websites that keep track of those sorts of things. Thanks a bunch for those links, I appreciate it!
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Mar 8, 2012 04:52
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Weird. Took my battery indoors in November, it had been sitting outside for a few months then, it read low 12 or high 11. It has been sitting disconnected on top of the water heater, had tape over the terminals to prevent an accidental short. Today it read 9.86. That's pretty much a write-off right? I wonder if the water heater had anything to do with it - at least it's a good reason to start a new battery myth! It's two years old so it doesn't hurt to replace it, but I did take it inside so it would last longer. Guess some care is better than no care, but still not as good as good care. edit: think I googled up a good explanation. I put it away discharged, didn't charge it up. Once it's discharged, it decays and is eventually ruined. I'll get a new one and cry myself to sleep with regret over the neglect I've shown. I don' trust trickle chargers enough to leave it inside the house constantly on all year, but 24 hours once a month should be fine. Ola fucked around with this message at 13:06 on Mar 8, 2012 |
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Mar 8, 2012 12:58
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You probably have really hard water, as the water flows through your (iron?) water heater the moving magnetic fields will induce eddy currents in the battery and slowly drain it. Just turn the battery 180 degrees and it will slowly charge right back up. e: dammit you googled away my complete nonsense
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Mar 8, 2012 13:23
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Get over your fear of exploding trickle chargers and get this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000CITK8S/ref=mp_s_a_1?qid=1331209714&sr=8-1
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Mar 8, 2012 13:31
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Haha I was nodding with serious science brows half way through your post, Snowdens Secret. I'm still skeptical about keeping it constantly on all winter, but I'll definitely do more than zero.
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Mar 8, 2012 13:59
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Finally getting back to refurbishing my '95 Katana (thread pending), and I'm about to pop the head cover off to check valve clearances & torque the head bolts. The factory service manual says to "loosen & re-tighten the bolts to the specified torque in order" with an easy to follow numbered diagram. My question is, do I loosen all the bolts in order then tighten them all in order? Loosen then tighten each bolt before moving to the next bolt in the sequence? How loose is "loosen?" I figured it just meant turn the bolt enough to break it free before re-torquing. Also the FSM calls for Suzuki-Bond #xxxxx on the gasket going back on. I'm assuming this is just plain jane gasket sealant but it'd be good to know for sure.
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Mar 8, 2012 15:20
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Boat posted:Finally getting back to refurbishing my '95 Katana (thread pending) Well, it's about goddamned time! quote:Loosen then tighten each bolt before moving to the next bolt in the sequence This. You'll maintain the compression on the head gasket. If you loosened all the bolts, you'd have to replace it. quote:How loose is "loosen?" I figured it just meant turn the bolt enough to break it free before re-torquing. 0 ft/lb. Finger-tight. quote:Also the FSM calls for Suzuki-Bond #xxxxx on the gasket going back on. I'm assuming this is just plain jane gasket sealant but it'd be good to know for sure. Yep.
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Mar 8, 2012 16:13
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I was just reading Ask/Tell and a battery expert mentioned that heat is terrible for battery health: http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3343753&pagenumber=367#post401315395 So if your water heater is not well-insulated that could have played a factor in it too.
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Mar 8, 2012 16:54
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Boat posted:Finally getting back to refurbishing my '95 Katana (thread pending), and I'm about to pop the head cover off to check valve clearances & torque the head bolts. The factory service manual says to "loosen & re-tighten the bolts to the specified torque in order" with an easy to follow numbered diagram. Is there a particular reason you're breaking the head bolts loose? Because that's not on any required maintenance schedule I've seen and if the engine hasn't been pulled apart in the past I would just leave it be.
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Mar 8, 2012 17:45
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Without reading too much of the thread, I think the Ask/Tell guy was talking about Li-ion batteries for your phone or laptop. Lead-acid batteries (that are full of water) are designed to live smack up on internal combustion engines, I would assume it would take temps higher than the outside of a water heater to kill them, and putting them in a freezer is likely actively damaging.
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Mar 8, 2012 17:52
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Ola posted:Today it read 9.86. That's pretty much a write-off right? I've successfully recovered batteries that were down at 1.0v/cell (6 volts or so for the whole battery), but they'd only been discharged for a couple of weeks. The one that's been working perfectly in my car for the last year is just such a recovery. Boost it at high current (like 20 amps) for 15-30 seconds to put a surface charge on the plates, so that it reads as fully charged on the multimeter. While the charge is still high, put it on a smart charger until it detects that the battery's full. Disconnect, allow the plates to settle for a few hours, then reconnect the smart charger (boost again if the voltage has dropped too low). Do this several times until when you hook up a multimeter the voltage remains steady around 14v. Place in vehicle and go. Note that I am not an electrical engineer and my idea of what's going on inside the cell is only based on first-year chemistry and google, but the technique does seem to work. I don't know what the total capacity of the batteries is afterwards, but they work fine for starting and running the accessories. Snowdens Secret posted:I would assume it would take temps higher than the outside of a water heater to kill them, and putting them in a freezer is likely actively damaging. High temperatures will slightly increase the rate of self-discharge but it'd only be noticeable if it was really high, like 50+ celsius. Freezing a flooded cell doesn't permanently damage it unless it is fully discharged, in which case the electrolyte is mostly water and it will expand and crack the plates. If there's no physical damage, you can just defrost it and you should be good to go. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 17:57 on Mar 8, 2012 |
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Mar 8, 2012 17:54
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I guess I'm gonna start commuting to work even though it's only 10 minutes away. Should I shorten the oil change interval a bit? Spec is something like 8k but I usually change it way before that, around 3k or so.
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Mar 8, 2012 18:02
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Gnaghi posted:I guess I'm gonna start commuting to work even though it's only 10 minutes away. Should I shorten the oil change interval a bit? Spec is something like 8k but I usually change it way before that, around 3k or so. I'm in the same boat and I'm trying to transition into doing it on a bicycle. That an option?
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Mar 8, 2012 18:06
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Gnaghi posted:I guess I'm gonna start commuting to work even though it's only 10 minutes away. Should I shorten the oil change interval a bit? Spec is something like 8k but I usually change it way before that, around 3k or so. My commute is 10-20, traffic dependant. I've ended up changing the oil every 1500mi, and even then it's black and ruined, the recommended is 3000mi for my bike though, because its Ready to Racetm and that means using oil by the thimble-ful, apparently.
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Mar 8, 2012 18:28
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Z3n posted:Is there a particular reason you're breaking the head bolts loose? Because that's not on any required maintenance schedule I've seen and if the engine hasn't been pulled apart in the past I would just leave it be. Mostly because the FSM says to do it: 
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Mar 8, 2012 18:51
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That seems a bit nonsensical.
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Mar 8, 2012 18:55
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^ So does going all frozenphil on an old Katana, but what the hey
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Mar 8, 2012 19:31
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Sagebrush posted:I've successfully recovered batteries that were down at 1.0v/cell (6 volts or so for the whole battery), but they'd only been discharged for a couple of weeks. The one that's been working perfectly in my car for the last year is just such a recovery. Boost it at high current (like 20 amps) for 15-30 seconds to put a surface charge on the plates, so that it reads as fully charged on the multimeter. While the charge is still high, put it on a smart charger until it detects that the battery's full. Disconnect, allow the plates to settle for a few hours, then reconnect the smart charger (boost again if the voltage has dropped too low). Do this several times until when you hook up a multimeter the voltage remains steady around 14v. Place in vehicle and go. Hmmm interesting. I don't have anything that can put 20 amps on it and buying something will probably cost the same as a new battery. I will put it on the charger and see if it says "nope, broken" or if it can charge it up. It'll make it easier to get to the battery store at least. 
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Mar 8, 2012 19:47
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When I was down in St. Maarten for a couple weeks back in January I left my interior lights on in my truck while parked at the airport in Calgary. There were several days it hit -30 and colder and when we got back it was absolutely completely stone dead and probably had been since the 2nd day. Got a boost and drove it home. Battery has been completely fine including -25 and colder starts.
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Mar 8, 2012 19:50
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AncientTV posted:That seems a bit nonsensical. A bit nonsensical to do it, or that the manual says to do it? I figure since it's in there and I'm going to be in there to check the valve clearance anyway I may as well.
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Mar 8, 2012 19:51
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ReelBigLizard posted:My commute is 10-20, traffic dependant. I've ended up changing the oil every 1500mi, and even then it's black and ruined, the recommended is 3000mi for my bike though, because its Ready to Racetm and that means using oil by the thimble-ful, apparently. Yeah this is the 636 not the husky. Worse gas mileage but better oil mileage. I was thinking about a bicycle, but really don't like getting buzzed by cars on main roads or crossing highways.
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Mar 8, 2012 20:00
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Why not just get a scooter?
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Mar 8, 2012 20:02
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I'd rather use what I already have?
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Mar 8, 2012 20:07
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Ola posted:Hmmm interesting. I don't have anything that can put 20 amps on it and buying something will probably cost the same as a new battery. I will put it on the charger and see if it says "nope, broken" or if it can charge it up. It'll make it easier to get to the battery store at least. I use my benchtop electronics power, which is a repurposed old PC power supply. The +12v rail can supply 10-20 amps easily, and some of the l33t g4m3r supplies go to 40 or more. Just hook it up, disconnect it when the fizzing in the electrolyte reaches your comfort level, then quickly swap it onto your regular charger. Basically all you're doing is fooling your charger into thinking the battery is still good so that it'll do its thing. I'm working on one right now -- a battery that was completely new out of the box, but which the previous owner overheated and boiled over on the first charge. It seems to be slowly recovering. I don't have any way to measure the specific gravity of the electrolyte but if at the end of this it holds a charge that's good enough for me.
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Mar 8, 2012 20:35
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Gnaghi posted:I'd rather use what I already have? People like you are the reason this country is failing. Consume, drat you!
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Mar 8, 2012 21:02
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Boat posted:Mostly because the FSM says to do it: Both the factory service manual and the Haynes manual specify re-tightening the head bolts on my Bandit (same basic engine, obviously), but I'd bloody well hope they don't have a tendency of loosening through normal usage, to the tune of having to be re-tightened every 6000 km! The most I'd do is try to tighten them a little bit while the valve cover is off anyway for checking valve clearances. If one of them feels like it had loosened, I'd act. But not before that.
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Mar 8, 2012 21:19
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