1982 Interstate

[Terry]

wedoo2 » 43 minutes ago[/url]":2e4cie2i]
Yesterday was a red letter day in the wedo garage. I've had this Interstate now for a year and a half. Although a very pretty bike it has given me fits. Two failed motors and more headaches than you can imagine. But perseverance is a mighty force and for the first time since I bought the present motor on a hot day in September, she runs. To me it was kinda of like having a child, or discovering that Viagra actually works.

The past couple of weeks have been hectic as I put on a cleaned up head on the left side that solved a coolant leak. The last head was warped and I seemed to have a couple of others here in the garage. I put on timing belts for the first time myself and once you understand the process it turned out to be quite easy. I adjusted the valves on the left side and of course that had to have an issue just to keep the headaches coming. While turning the intake adjuster on number 3 the bolt just snapped. After appealing to the Lord I went to one of the other heads I have and took off the rocker. Of course the timing belt had to come off and reinstalled after I replaced the rocker arm.

I finally buttoned up the head and bolted up the carbs and of course I could not find one of the intake O rings and figured that would bring things to a stop for who knows how long while I waited on new ones to get shipped. But I have two new kittys and they had moved one of the rings to a safe place for me. I was most appreciative when I discovered them rolling the O ring on the floor testing its roundness.

Carbs ready, check. Motor back together, check. New battery that I've now had for over a year, check. Slapped on the exhaust, check. Sprayed in a bit of starting fluid and damned if the thing didn't start. Now, things are not perfect. It sounds terrible with the sound of a Jimmy Buffet steel drum band coming from the motor at low RPM, but that disappears above 1500-2000. I also have a bit of backfire so I imagine that I am running a bit lean. I can fix that maybe after I sync the carbs. That may also cure the knocking down low. Will get that done shortly.

Still some buttoning up to do, not the least is one of the forks seals leak terribly. But if all holds up I'm going to be riding this thing this weekend. Sorry for the length here but I am fired up.

It does sound like your bike has had a bunch of issues. What I'm about to say is not meant in any way to gloat or rub it in. Your rough ownership experience is not the norm, or at least it hasn't been for me. I own basically the same bike, year, model and even color for the approximate same amount of time with only minor wear issues. All I have done is maintain it, tweek it to my satisfaction and ride it, I say this to give you hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that there can be nearly trouble free riding even of an antique oldwing,

 

[Denver]

Very true serious problems are rare, have owned two used 1100's, three 1200's, five total. Stator's in two 1200's have been the extent of major problems. :roll: Pretty much everything else is wear & tear items. :whistling: Used ignition parts will usually work when no new ones are available, :good: but the new system now available would be a great upgrade. :yes:

 

[dan filipi]

Good on ya for sticking with it!

On the leaking fork seal....I used that plastic seal mate tool which almost stopped mine from leaking, stopped it for quite awhile actually.

 

[julimike54]

Great news, hope all the minor bits stay minor & you're riding soon!

 

[slabghost]

Congratulations. :good:

 

[wedoo2]

Thanks for the replies everyone. After running it for a while yesterday it sounded like some ticking on the right side so I went in and adjusted the valves on that side. I was going to get to it anyhow as I was focused on the left side problem. It seems to have eliminated the tapping, and the backfire. I'm not sure how the bike will respond under load yet so we will see. Was going to take it out around the sub yesterday but it rained all day. Beside I had to clean up oil since I started it up without putting the timing cap back on. For anyone who has not done that then it gives you stuff to do if you like to clean.

I have seen the tool you mentioned Dan but the fluid has came out as if there was no seal on the left fork. And that is with any compression on the fork. I remember putting on the crossover air connector and I'm not looking forward to that. Giving some thought to just cutting it and plugging up the hole and forgetting about air assist. Anyone with a suggestion to get it off without gnashing of teeth please come forward. I will probably change it tomorrow. By the way your timing belt video helped a lot. It just all clicked and replacing it was too damn easy.

And you're right Denver, these are wonderful bikes and after things are sorted out it will be a great motorcycle. I had an 83 about 8 years ago and after the restoration I rode it all over. Even took it down to the Smokies and burned up the Dragon. Well, to the limit the wife would withdraw her fingernails from my flanks. This one should be fine, I've done the complete maintenance chart save the steering head bearings and the swing arm. By the way new clutch plates makes for beautiful shifting. On the garage test anyway. Video is coming of the finished product.

 

[Denver]

Fuel pump on the right side, (mechanical, not electric) makes that side create a bit more noise than left side if memory serves. :headscratch:

 

[wedoo2]

You're right, it is on the right and it is mechanical. But the noise was a tappet sound and the clearance needed corrected. It's all done now. Haven't been able to do much today, the wife had surgery and I'm keeping an eye on her. She's fine. Has anyone decided not to use the air assist on the front forks? At least without progressive springs?

 

[slabghost]

I only have a few psi in the forks. A pair of 1200 valve springs added on top of the fork spring may get you the ride you want.

 

[joedrum]

on the 1000 forks on my bike ..witch are the smallest oldwing tubes ..the oldwing valve springs did a fine job stiffening up my forks ....

 

[wedoo2]

I have changed out the offending fork seal and went ahead and hooked the air assist back up. The ride is kind of choppy but this bike just needs some miles on it. The carburetation is not so good and I figured that it needs to be synced. I have a friend that will do it and has the gauge but I got to reading about single carb conversions and have decided to do that. For that I found two long threads, one here viewtopic.php?f=107&t=8452&p=169934#p169934 and a similar one on the Saunders site by DKL.

This is swinging at a pitch outside for me considering I have had some poor luck with this motorcycle. Some of it with my own hand. But after reading about it and watching some convincing video I have decided to go single. I am still going to have the stock carbs synced, and hopefully running okay, but I am going to do this as soon as I gather all the parts.

 

[slabghost]

Cool we are all here to help what we can.

 

[wedoo2]

I have a question for dlk about the couplings. You list a 1.25 in couple and I assume that they are for the very ends of the manifold. Why the difference in the size instead of 1"?

Should I move this to my restoration thread, or a new thread altogether? I kind of bumped in here and I don't want to hijack a thread.

 

[slabghost]

This is your thread to take in the direction you choose. Larger size is likely to adapt to fit another part. Not sure at this point which part though but I think it might have been the 5 way connector was bigger to gain more plenum space.

 

[wedoo2]

Thank you sir.

In this picture the couplings on the ends of the pipes are what I think are the 1.25" pieces. I think anyway. But it does cornfuse me. But I can get cornfused easily.

It also looks like the cut up piece shown in the picture above the 5 way was replaced with this and just glued on. A later mod that DLK did I think.

I put together a basket at the Flex PVC site. The shipping is almost as much as the pieces so I am going to go down to the local industrial supply people the first of the week to see if they have this stuff. Or Lowes. Going to order the carb today. BTW I want very badly to help him clean his motor. :yes:

 

[joedrum]

:smilie_happy:

 

[dan filipi]

Every time I see the dkl manifold I think damn, that is so easy and cheap to make!

 

[wedoo2]

I know Dan. And the carb looks easy too.

I mentioned earlier about hi-jacking the thread, and hell this is mine. I got confused that I was posting to the original DKL thread. And the thought of me wrenching on an old bike gets scarier every day.

 

[slabghost]

Pretty sure the couplings at the runner ends were to fill the intake horns. And they had to be milled down some.

 

[wedoo2]

I'll re-read about that if I can find it. Maybe DKL will see this and save me the trouble. Maybe tell me about the floor flange as well.