Homegrown Restoration! 1982 Standard - Dressed

[backyardtrouble]

great job..... opcorn: .... :builder:

 

[mcgovern61]

At this point, we are 10 months into the restoration. Remember in my first post when I said, "There is no such thing as free!"? Granted the bike was donated, but at this point we are into it for about $1500 dollars! :shock:

'81 parts bike - $510 (I underestimated it in the earlier post - looked up may costs later)
Replacement saddle bags, trunk, mounting brackets, bars and bumper - $150
Vetter windshield - $42
Tires- $292 (BTW they are Bridgestone Spitfire S11's)
Replacement Ebay forks - $99
Fork Seals - $70
Misc stuff - $100
Helmets and gloves - $250

And that is not counting title, registration and insurance to get started - $219! Now before we get any complaints.....the money was not much compared to the experience my girls and I had doing this project!!!

Still have to do timing belts, few gaskets and seals and some more paint. At this point, the bike is staring to really take shape! You will notice in the pictures that the floorboards and heel toe shifter are off. Found a set of front pegs and determined that I liked them much better. (At this point...Ebay is nickel and diming me to death :hihihi: )

Did the belts and seals, changed the front rotors to the '81 rotors as I found out they are different than the vented '82's, rear master cylinder rebuild, front master cylinder reservoir, and TUNES!

For my birthday in 2008, the girls gave me a new radio and speakers for the Vetter fairing! It is a Sony Marine radio - AM/FM/CD/iPod/Aux with new 4" Infinity speakers. The radio came with a remote which I velcro'ed to the tank. The iPod is attached with a special cable that works with the radio so that I can use all of the iPod functions with the remote, not just an Aux input (which it also has).

 

[mcgovern61]

This bike is finally ready for NJ State inspections...and for me to take my MC test! Now...I already had an MC License from PA back in '81, but after we moved to Connecticut in the '80's and I sold my Suzuki, CT did not recognize the MC License transfer to CT from PA and they wanted me to take another test. Well, the bike was gone by then and I didn't see the need for a MC License while we were raising kids. BTW, here is a pic of my first and only bike, my brand new '81 Suzuki GN 400:

It was a lot of fun to ride! Single cylinder, air cooled, kick start and 72 MPG!

Back to the Wing. I had to get my License again so I got my permit, rode around with my buddy that has a '06 GL1800 and went for the road test. (On the Wing of course). Showed up at DMV and was told to go around back. Behind the building is a small course with traffic cones set up????? :shock: The Officer looks at me....looks at the bike and says, "Go ahead slick". Well, I don't have to tell you that I couldn't even make it halfway through the course! The wheelbase on the bike was longer than the distance between the cones!

I stopped and the Officer came over shaking her head. She said, "Ya know, this couse isn't really set up for big road bikes." (Like I couldn't tell :Awe: ) I asked her why?? She said, "To be honest with ya slick, most people don't get get monster bikes for their first bike and they surely don't try to pass their road test on them. This course is set up for 125cc or less." Just then, the other applicants arrived on their rental "road test" bikes....it was a little bigger than a mini bike! :smilie_happy:

I borrowed a friends 250 and came back...NO PROBLEM!! :clapping: :Egyptian: :clapping: :Egyptian:

 

[mcgovern61]

Well it is spring '08, I have my MC License, the weather is breaking and it is time to put this baby on the road! (YEAH... :Egyptian: :Egyptian: ) Not too bad, runs good as far as I can tell, exhaust is a little noisier than I expected (which at that time I didn't know it was aftermarket). It had downturns that made the sound reverberate right back at me off of the road (very annoying). So I took my dremmel and cut the ends off and sent the sound out the back! (Helped a little):

I had been reading that if you used steel wool shoved up the pipe, I could quiet them down. YEP, worked great!! Sounded real nice and quiet! Took it out for a ride with my buddy on his 1800 again and while we were heading down the highway...THE STEEL WOOL FIRED OUT LIKE A GRENADE! :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

Big old orange balls of sparks! Maybe it wasn't the best idea! :smilie_happy: :mrgreen:

 

[dan filipi]

"Go ahead slick" :smilie_happy:
I could just picture it.

 

[mcgovern61]

So what are the lessons learned so far? (Of course, that is the main reason for the thread) The main lesson is, "THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FREE!!!!" :smilie_happy:

I would not trade the fun and family time I had with my girls for the money we have spent up to this point (about 10 months into the project). :music:

But the lessons.....first, weigh the costs! A bike in this condition when received is going to cost much more money to bring back to life than say the '81 wrecked runner we bought for the engine! :read:

I don't want to belittle the '81 purchase....for $510 we got a running engine, rebuilt carbs (or so the PO said), some good wiring, non-rusty kick stand and center stand, gas tank, faux tank, side covers, Saddleman Road Sofa seat, good throttle grips, good aftermarket exhaust, chrome engine covers, good speedo and tach cluster, stainless steel brake lines on the front, chrome valve covers, good engine guards, chrome timing belt covers, good radiator, decent brakes (still needed work) and misc chrome nuts and bolts. (Not really a bad find!)

We debated often the logic of restoring the '82 since it appeared the '81 really had more going for it. But the '81 had a bad frame, destroyed rear (never greased? It was a shredded metal mess inside), bad rear shocks (not even the right ones for the bike), bent forks, bent handlebars, some other bad wiring, worn swing arm, bad tires and front wheel.

I believe there is a lot to learn in those statements alone! But the specific things we learned up to this point (this is not the entire list yet) are:

- Join CGW and get GREAT SOUND ADVICE! :clapping: (OK, you are already here and reading this so that step is out of the way :hihihi: )
- get the Haynes AND Clymer manuals, they both offer different information that is real useful
- Make 5 posts in the Forum to get access to the GL1100 Shop Manual (Are you getting the picture that access to information is more than likely the best place to start BEFORE you turn a wrench!)
- Be prepared to have a budget that you can live with because restorations of any type can easily get out of control. We decided that the restoration budget should not (excessively) exceed the value of the machinery and the value we are willing to place on the experience. Face it, for up to $3000, you can have a really nice operating 1100 motorcycle that can pretty much go anywhere across the country when complete! Try getting an equivelant HD for that money!
- Clean all wire connections (cannot be emphasized enough)
- Good tires are a must!
- Fork seals are easy to replace!
- When you pull carbs - replace the intake O-rings!
- When you drop the exhaust pipes - change the copper crush washers (that I did not know were there)
- Change your first oil filter - be sure that inside the canister is a filter, spring AND WASHER! That washer is real important for the relief to work correctly.
- Change the timing belts - DO NOT CRANK THE ENGINE RIGHT AFTERWARDS! Hand crank and make sure there are no valves touching! Do not fall into the false pretense that "one tooth off" on the timing belts is acceptable!
- As soon as you get a bike, pull the plugs and perform a compression test to get a baseline for the condition of the engine.

There are many more tips coming, but I want to take you through the chronological order that I discovered the major issues so that you can see how to resolve them, learn from my mistakes and prevent them if possible...it really will save you time and money in the end!

 

[dan filipi]

I would not trade the fun and family time I had with my girls for the money we have spent up to this point (about 10 months into the project). :music:


- get the Haynes AND Clymer manuals, they both offer diferent information that is real useful
- Make 5 posts in the Forum to get access to the GL1100 Shop Manual (Are you getting the picture that access to information is more than likely the best place to start BEFORE you turn a wrench!)

There is so much truth in what was said there!

The time with my son turning wrenches, the long discussions with my wife when things looked bad then getting it all sorted out, then the long trips my son and I have taken are simply priceless!

Learn up on how to work on these bikes.
Believe it or not the first heads I pulled from this motor I used the same method I always used on cars to pop the head loose, by cranking it and using the compression!
This was my first experience bending valves, learning the hard way these are interference engines!

Between the manuals and forum discussions anything can be fixed on these bikes.

 

[Bloodbeard]

- Change the timing belts - DO NOT CRANK THE ENGINE RIGHT AFTERWARDS! Hand crank and make sure there are no valves touching! Do not fall into the false pretense that "one tooth off" on the timing belts is acceptable!

No doubt. I just did mine last night and somehow the right side slipped a tooth when I wasn't looking. I too though one tooth wouldn't be that bad. Sure glad I hand cranked it first. about 3/4 the way around ummph hey why doesn't it want to move anymore.

Great read on the rebuild

 

[mcgovern61]

Thanks for the comments guys! :thanks:

 

[mcgovern61]

The bike is on the road and I finally have a chance to experience a Goldwing! :clapping:

Everything seems pretty good that I can tell. Engine makes some funny noises, throttle isn't exactly what I thought it should be, braking is OK I guess, stereo is GREAT!! This bike came with a Vetter Windjammer V fairing with lowers and I noticed that the lowers are doing a real good job on those chilly mornings keeping my legs warm. I am not riding too far since I am not quite confident in everything just yet (I mean face it......it was a basket case when I got it!) Not being an MC mechanic and not really knowing much about Wings...I am literally "Winging it"! :smilie_happy: (Sorry, couldn't help the pun)

I do notice though that it starts a little slower when it is hot. Next thing I know, the radio is beeping on the dash??? :roll: Park the bike at Pep Girls to gets some parts and stuff, come out and no start! Dead battery??? It is brand new???? Luckliy, a car comes by and offers a jump. Not taking any chances, I have him stop his engine so that I don't blow up my little battery. Starts right up and everything works fine???? I thank him and ride home. This bike does not have a volt meter, so when I get home I check the battery and it is 12.2 VDC. MC.......small battery.....seems right for now?? (BTW...this is one of those teaching moments where you can learn something) If I had any wits about (and not self righteous pride) I would have gone to my resources and looked up the issue. But NOOOOOOOOOO, I can do this myself!

I finally give in after several stabs at charging the battery and have it drain after riding for a while. You see, the '81 came with 55 watt driving lights and I thought they were way cool! Little did I know (or the PO of the '81) that those driving lights put a serious strain on the stator, wires and regulator. I didn't know this was only a 300 watt stator...I was pulling everything out of it in the local stop and go traffic with the driving lights on, fan constantly running, break lights getting stuck on and the engine running. I find out about the infamous yellow stator wire connection and how to test the stator.

Sure enough, the connector to the wires is burned and melted :crying: I cut out the connector and install individual quick disconnect connectors, test the stator and it works!!!! :clapping: Off I go for a couple a days and on the third day while riding to work, I smell rubber burning?? THE CONNECTORS WERE MELTING AND THE WIRES WERE ON FIRE!!!!!! :sensored: :rant:

LESSON LEARNED: When they say "SOLDER THE THREE STATOR WIRES" it actually means solder the three stator wires! The insulated quick connectors might be the right wiring size, but they surely could not handle the load! I had to cut my wires back to the regulator to get good wire again.

 

[mcgovern61]

So the stator wires are now soldered. In the process of cleaning the wires for soldering, I noticed the large ground wire looked a little swollen.

LESSON LEARNED: Remember that tip I gave earlier about checking all of your connections and making sure they are clean, I might not have followed that one before this. :swoon: I started checking all of the connections and finding that between painting and being eager to get the bike on the road...I overlooked a key item. CLEAN THOSE CONNECTIONS! The dumb part here is, I had the entire bike stripped to the frame, wire harnesses out...that was when I should have done it!

A funny little incident tok place shortly afterward......my wife was taking care of a friends dogs while they were away and she had to go feed them and let them out. I said, "Lets take the bike! :yes: " She says that she only has sandals on. I said that don't matter, we are only going about 2 miles! Now, it is important to understand something here...my wife is only 4'11" and weighs XXX, and I wiegh in about 225. We pull up to the house...I plant my feet while the bike is still running....she starts to climb off to the right and gets her sandal caught in the radio antenna! :shock: Her right foot is on the ground sorta and she is pulling the bike to the right with her leg pulling on the antenna. The bike starts to roll a bit as I try to hold it up...but no luck......with her leaning over at a 90 degree angle and the bike now 10 degrees past center...over we go! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

It was embarrasing to say the least. We were OK...little bit of ego down the tubes, BUTa lttle battery acid on the pipes! I cleaned it off as soon as we got home and topped it with water. That antenna....it came off faster than I can say...

LESSON LEARNED: When dismounting from the bike with your better half, SHUT IT OFF FIRST! I later learned that putting it on the side stand and turning the wheel, I climb off first and then help her to slide off works much better!

SECOND LESSON LEARNED: If you spill battery acid, it will cause damage to anything it touches, but the loss of acid also significantly weakens the battery! The battery no longer had the capacity to hold a charge as long. Stop me from riding?? NOOOOOOOO, I was too dumb to even notice the charging system was taking a real beating from the low acid.

 

[mcgovern61]

I am a little less confident of myself after that (which is ok, sometimes you need to be more careful). As I am riding, I am having trouble with the rear brake locking up while riding...(not while I am pushing on the pedal mind you). It just gets so tight I can't release it without loosening the banjo bolt. MC was rebuilt, I checked the piston and it moved (maybe not as easily as it should, but it wasn't stuck?). The brakes dragged so often that I warped the rotor! :rant: :rant: Luckily, I have an '81 rotor left over! :music:

Install the '81 rotor, check the pads, check the piston, check the fluid levels (already cleaned out the MC return holes)....go riding. (Like an idot) Warp rotor #2 in about 10 days. :rant: I cannot for the life of me figure out why the brakes are dragging...not just dragging....they keep applying themselves like the pedal is being pushed. I am dumb founded. :blush: The pedal is loose, not even remotely stuck. The MC and reservoir are fine...what gives?? I decide that I have to pull the MC and check the seals and look for debris. On my why into the MC, I have to move the mufflers to get access. Before I move the mufflers, I get into position to hold them while I take off the bolts. While underneath, I happen to catch that the adjustment rod on the pedal is just making contact with the muffler? Then it dawns on me.......the mufflers are aftermarket.....do they actually bolt in with no other adjustments needed?

I take the bike off the center stand and put it on the side stand. Well, guess what makes full body contact with the adjuster! When the bike is on the center stand, everything is lower and hanging. Put it on the ground and ...voila....everything sits differently. I loosen the adjustment rod and took about 15 turns before the pedal no longer contacted the muffler! :good:

LESSON LEARNED: If your brakes are dragging...STOP RIDING! There is always a reason and it could end up costing more than a couple of bucks if you keep riding. Check everything! These brakes (unlike the linked brakes) are very simple. Oil in...pull handle/pedal...oil pushes piston.....brakes apply. It it doesn't work like that..stop and fix them.

2nd LESSON LEARNED: If the front brakes wobble when you pull the handle, those rotors are warped too!!

 

[mcgovern61]

In case you have not guessed..at this point, I am an Ebay maniac for parts and pieces....unneccessarily buying parts that I could have saved if I just wasn't so eager to stay on the road and pretend everything works like a charm.

Its summer now and my feet are getting roasted by the engine!! I decide to take off the fairing lowers and see it it helps. Boy did it! Nice and cool now! :music3:

But, now, with more engine exposed, I notice the engine makes a tad bit more noise than I think it should. Kind of a tapping at 3000 RPM on up. When it starts, it makes an awful tapping for about 2 seconds before the oil pressure comes up. If I start it when the temp is lower, it makes a racket! Don't believe me? Listen for yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iS-71Bs_1Oc



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pksFHj4mLu8



Here is the tapping noise while riding:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SyhI7BDnhE

 

[mcgovern61]

Engine noises...where do you start???? Well I am not going to take you down that whole rabbit trail right now.....we would be here for months. We started a great thread on the forum for engine noise...lots info...videos.....tests....but then....THE FORUM SERVER CRASHED! :head bang: :rant: :crying: :crying: :crying:

Those were some very dark days for some of us (literally...the website was darkened and gone! We originally thought aliens did it, but Dan straightened us out :ahem: ) Dan put the Forum back up and we started the rebuilding process for the site. Before long...we had a new thread started on engine noise call "The Knocking thread": viewtopic.php?p=8248#p8248

How about I give the nutshell version? The engine made lots of noises (as you can hear). The cold start...turns out the carbs were not synced....hesitate and then detonate at 2500 RPM or lower....I had the carbs off so much, I never replaced the intake O-rings! Extra spitting sounds at the lower end....no one told me about the copper crush washers on the exhaust . Knocking/tapping at 3000 RPM on up...that is a different story...not so simple. Everywhere I checked there were lots of suggestions....everyone had an idea! The logical place to check seemed that oil was not getting to the valves?? The sound seems to come from the valves. I find out here that there is an oil sump screen that should be cleaned. :Awe:

Everone know where that one is right???? Here is a pic on the '81 engine:

See that oblong cover at the bottom? It is in there! Now.....go look at the right side of your engine...behind the exhaust....behind the frame. Yep......thats the one! Real easy to get to isn't it? :clapping: (BTW...make sure you have drained the oil before you try to pull this cover! :smilie_happy:

 

[mcgovern61]

Between the manuals and forum discussions anything can be fixed on these bikes.

Boy that is the truth! arty: :rocks: :thank_you: :Egyptian: :wave:

 

[toytender01]

Great historical review of the process most of the restorations progress through as we learn about our wings :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:

 

[mcgovern61]

Great historical review of the process most of the restorations progress through as we learn about our wings :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:

Thanks Bob! I will be posting a lessons learned as the last post to make for an easy reference!

 

[mcgovern61]

At this point of the thread, I would like to ask the question, "What is a restoration"? At what point do you call it "restored". There are those that say only a "Full and complete back to original Like New condition" is a restoration. Well...I don't know about you, but I am not going to be in that category any time soon! :smilie_happy:

My goal in this restoration is to produce a Goldwing that is operationally the same as it was when new, good paint, safe and reliable. I am limiting my parts to '80 thru '83 to keep it at least near original. The vast majority of the parts are '81, '82 or new. The costs is staring to add up at this point and we are reaching our cutoff of $3000 quickly. In all fairness, I made mistakes along the way which ended up costing me and buying the same parts more than once to replace items I broke, warped, mismatched or didn't realize were just wrong!

I am going to use the next post to quickly cover engine and carb issues...stay tuned!

 

[joedrum]

at this point geery restoring is out its in the MONGREL zone :smilie_happy: :hihihi: :mrgreen:

 

[mcgovern61]

at this point geery restoring is out its in the MONGREL zone :smilie_happy: :hihihi: :mrgreen:

Your not kidding Joe! :smilie_happy:
However, last time I saw the Mongrel, it looked like this: