diving in to front engine renewal project

[BP]

I have collected all of the necessary parts, and now it's time to go.

wish me luck...

if I can screw up an oil change, then I can definitely go very wrong here...

I'm not going to work with haste this time... check and re-check everything I am doing...

It's going to be timing belts, radiator hoses, remove thermostat [replace with new when winter comes], flush radiator and gently clean the radiator fins exterior, 7 volt regulator.

I'm planning to be keeping the original (automatic) fan switch, and disconnecting the 'mystery switch' and using it as an auxiliary manual fan switch. Even the p.o. didn't know what the switch was for. there are wires coming out the back of it but who knows where they lead to. there is an identical switch on the other side that runs some accessory lights but the switch itself lights up in the on position, I don't think the left switch has power to it at this time.

I will allow the head gaskets to stay where they are at. it is unfeasible at this time to replace.

going down the list
Drain Oil and Coolant - yes
Remove Seat - gimme
Remove Shelter - gimme
Remove Radiator - yes
Test/Replace Water Pump - yes
Replace Neutral Switch ('82-'83 only) - no
Test/Replace Radiator Fan Motor - no, it seems to run fine
Test/Replace Fan and Temp Switches - alternate action taken
Replace Thermostat - remove
Replace Radiator Hoses and Cap - yes
Evaluate/Replace Head Gaskets - no
Replace Timing Belts - yes

so there's probably going to be about a week's worth of work there... any advice?

 

[Steve83]

Be patient, be clean, and be thorough. Make sure all mating surfaces are clean and flat! Don't force anything! Gentle taps to loosen stuck gaskets. The aluminum is very easy to scratch and gouge, so be careful with your cleaning tools.

We're here for ya, so ask about anything you're not sure of.

 

[Ansimp]

+1 on what Steve said. I am still using the overide switch that I wired up in Steve's shed and haven't bother to change or service the original fan thermo switch. When I do I will be installing a relay in the circuit for both the thermo switch and the overide as I prefer the current through a relay and not the switches ( including the ignition switch)

 

[BP]

well we didn't get too much done last night. more beers than wrenches in our hands. I was able to at least get the gauges apart and replace the 7 volt regulator. putting it back together was a huge headache. we ended up just letting the bottom portion of the cover fr back of gauges hang and giving a little extra torque to the 7mm on te top. I had to take off the windshield and fairing weight but left the fairing on... for a while was looking like we were goin to have to pull te whole font fairing but we managed. since I'm not such a heavy guy I did replace te fairing weight in accordance with the warning label. now the tank reads at 1/4 and the temp gauge is fan on at approx 5/8 from cold and fan off at 3/8 from cold. first time I've seen the gauges accurate.

 

[joedrum]

great ... id been bleeding everywhere trying to do that with fairing on :shock:

 

[dan filipi]

It don't get much better than than that BP. :salute:

 

[BP]

oh yeah, we traced the 'mystery switch'. the wires just end, it's hooked up to 'nothing' a quick shot of electrics grease and plug it in, once again the switch has power but the other leads don't go anywhere

I'm beginning to think I will go buy a new thermostat and replace rather than remove to avoid having to go back in when it's cold. even the smallest jobs on this motorcycle are huge problems. we freeze a lot in Kansas anyway and I've always ridden in cold as long as it was dry... with this my first full fairing maybe I will have a bit less frostbite by the end of the ride!

 

[Ansimp]

+1 on getting your thermostat operating properly. I can't believe how pleasant my winters ride on Sunday was behind a full fairing. I used the bike last night and a lady commented on how cold it would be riding and I assured her it was really pleasant on the Rats Nest. Admittingly Queensland winters aren't like Kansas !!

 

[BP]

last night we pulled the radiator. bigger job than it looked like, as seems usual.
my friend had a previous engagement so we closed up the garage early.
it was unbearably hot, I was dripping with sweat. I want to say it was 99% as hot as when I worked pulling powder-coated parts out of the oven.

the water pump has metal blades, evidence that it has been replaced, I wiggled it up down left right and twisted it but it won't budge.
didn't open that top part where we believe thermostat is hiding...

the timing belt swap is very intimidating even to my experienced friend. I showed him the 5-page printout of Octane's guide and he's still apprehensive... but this is why we're here... going to open those covers today. I had a short shift today, and he went in early, so we'll be back out in the garage soon here.

Autozone says that they have some other brand (don't remember the name even though I just hung up the phone) cross-reference STANT #13868 though computer, though their computer doesn't specify mounting flange diameter, it does have bypass relief port and is 180 degrees. I guess I could just have them pinch a caliper over it when I get there, the problem being I haven't yanked the old one yet to bring in for comparison and the autozone is approximately two miles and the motorcycle/my friends garage is 12 miles in the opposite direction.

 

[BP]

that bolt in the center of the image, my timing belt cover, won't break loose. a six-sided ten mm socket spins on it, the 9 mm won't fit on it. 7/16 too big and 3/8 too small. what do I do now? it feels like a need an extension to touch it

 

[BP]

box end offset with a wiggling gentle pressure took it off. it's not necessary to "Torquester McHercules" all over these belt covers is my guess, right? we will just replace with the same

 

[joedrum]

cool :clapping:

 

[Ansimp]

Perserverance won through :salute:

 

[dan filipi]

No, they don't need to be real tight.

 

[BP]

ok rear engine generator bolt cap is 17 rounded 16 too small same way 11/16 5/8 can't get it loose

 

[dan filipi]

Try a good channel lock plier on it.
Same thing here, doesn't need to be tight.
This one is worst.

 

[BP]

still no luck

 

[Ansimp]

BP » Wed Jul 02, 2014 1:17 pm[/url]":3n136dva]
still no luck

Post a photo if possible :yes:

 

[BP]

I used the channel locks to chew it up beyond recognition

 

[BP]

Torquester McHercules really screwed me over on this job

this would be great if I had a way to source an extra? https://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16963