FJowners.com

General Category => Maintenance => Topic started by: Goetz on October 17, 2012, 08:54:26 PM

Title: so, what do you think...
Post by: Goetz on October 17, 2012, 08:54:26 PM
should i replace my front sprocket? (popcorn)
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8474/8095636346_68251a3a41_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/87853494@N07/8095636346/)
20121016_205236 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/87853494@N07/8095636346/#) by goetzjordan (http://www.flickr.com/people/87853494@N07/), on Flickr
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: FJmonkey on October 17, 2012, 08:58:27 PM
A bit more chain tension, easy on the throttle, another 1000 miles based on the size of the remaining lobes.... Oh, forget the lube at this point, it will only get worse....
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: Goetz on October 17, 2012, 09:01:49 PM
 :good2: I like the sound it makes, kinda like baseball cards in the spokes... :good2:
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: FJmonkey on October 17, 2012, 09:12:39 PM
I have to ask, is your rear tire full of metal bits???
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: Goetz on October 17, 2012, 09:16:26 PM
i will certainly take a look, as the rear wheel assy is up on the workbench as i await new chain/sprockets. The sprocket cover and everything around it was coated in a thick layer of grey looking grease (metal shavings in accumulated road grime) which is a pita to clean.
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: fj11.5 on October 17, 2012, 09:17:34 PM
should be fine, at least it will save in chain wear and getting hooked front sprocket teeth
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: FJmonkey on October 17, 2012, 09:22:30 PM
WD-40 is my new cleaning solvent, it sucks as a lubricant, but cleaning....It is the SHIT.....
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: Pat Conlon on October 17, 2012, 09:49:43 PM
How did it feel when it failed? Sudden? Bam crunch no power with the engine screaming?
I have never seen a countershaft sprocket in that condition. Rear sprockets yes, but not the countershaft sprocket. That's amazing.

I imagine Andy has seen it with drag bikes, or Randy and Bob with the Legend cars, but on a street bike?
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: Goetz on October 17, 2012, 10:12:50 PM
Well,last friday i was up in the mountains and it started slipping a ljttle under heavy load. Tightend the chain and forgot about it. Then, on tuesday, ride home from work and it just starts spinning... when i bought the bike it was set up for drag racing, the shock spring had been cut. Freakin po did jack all for maintenance on this bike.
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: andyb on October 17, 2012, 10:23:40 PM
Nah, dragbikes only do that to aluminum rears.  That thing took a long series of careful neglect to get that way.
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: racerman_27410 on October 17, 2012, 11:04:54 PM
LOL.... definitely got ALL the good out of that sprocket!



KOokaloo!



Frank
Title: Re: so, what do you think?
Post by: Pat Conlon on October 17, 2012, 11:09:23 PM
You are planning on a new chain and back sprocket, correct?
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: ribbert on October 17, 2012, 11:14:05 PM
Quote from: Goetz on October 17, 2012, 10:12:50 PM
Well,last friday i was up in the mountains and it started slipping a ljttle under heavy load. Tightend the chain and forgot about it. Then, on tuesday, ride home from work and it just starts spinning... when i bought the bike it was set up for drag racing, the shock spring had been cut. Freakin po did jack all for maintenance on this bike.

What about the co's maintenance?
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: ribbert on October 17, 2012, 11:27:16 PM
Quote from: FJmonkey on October 17, 2012, 09:22:30 PM
WD-40 is my new cleaning solvent, it sucks as a lubricant, but cleaning....It is the SHIT.....

Sounds a bit expensive and leaves a residue you then need a cleaning solvent to get rid of.

What's wrong with good ol' kero, or throw a bit of petrol in with it. Cheap and cheerful, or for small jobs you can buy pressure pack degreaser for a fraction of the coast of a can of WD40.

Noel
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: WhiteBeard on October 18, 2012, 04:41:58 AM
Quote from: FJmonkey on October 17, 2012, 09:22:30 PM
WD-40 is my new cleaning solvent, it sucks as a lubricant, but cleaning....It is the SHIT.....

+1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HREqf4wIukA#t=237s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HREqf4wIukA#t=237s)
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: Goetz on October 20, 2012, 02:56:54 PM
current owners maintenance?
idunno
ive had the bike for 3 weeks. Replaced: Rear shock, fork seals/20 wt oil, turn signals, chain and both sprockets (18t in front now). 2 oil changes, spin on filter... thats all i can think of now
I try to take care of it, its all i got to get around with.
The beast is back on the road. anyone have any good tips for fiberglass repair, this thing had full fairings and they are somewhat trashed.

next step is to take the valve cover off and have a look. Do i need to replace the gasket when i do that?
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: FJmonkey on October 20, 2012, 03:06:04 PM
What???? Even Columbo has more to go on than that!!!
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: Pat Conlon on October 20, 2012, 04:22:26 PM
Quote from: Goetz on October 20, 2012, 02:56:54 PM
The beast is back on the road. anyone have any good tips for fiberglass repair, this thing had full fairings and they are somewhat trashed.
.....next step is to take the valve cover off and have a look. Do i need to replace the gasket when i do that?

Yep, here's tip #1: The FJ body work is made out of ABS plastic...
Here's some nifty ABS crack repair Mike (skymasteres) is doing on his rebuild: http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=7691.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=7691.0)

Sure go ahead and order a new valve cover gasket, along with rubber grommets that seal around the valve cover bolts....

Cheers laddie!
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: fj11.5 on October 20, 2012, 05:27:48 PM
standard fairings are abs for sure , but maybe yours are fiberglass , as my 84 is fitted with an excellent copy of an 89 fairing in fiberglass ,,
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: Goetz on October 21, 2012, 06:58:20 AM
my cowling and belly pan are abs. the mid fairings, which cover everything in between those two pieces, are fiberglass, i suppose bondo will do. gasket and seals, roger. can the valve cover be taken off w/o pulling the engine? Im not sure idwant this thing to be any more powerful, it can already give me tunnel vision. Tho there seems to be a rather large flat spot in the 4-7k rpm range under heavy load, then once it gets to 7k ish its a rocket. That, i suppose, is a carb issue, I havent had them out yet for inspection...
Thank you all for the advice so far, invaluable resource. :good2:
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: andyb on October 21, 2012, 08:54:14 AM
Yes, the valve cover can be removed without dropping the motor.  With some effort, the whole head can be removed without pulling the engine out (imo it's easier if you do, though).  Valve cover gasket may or may not be necessary to replace, but it's quite a safe bet that the valve cover bolt seals will need new rubber grommets (http://www.rpmracingca.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Head%3AFJGrommet).

Your mid-fairings are aftermarket, and the rest is probably OEM.

What you describe in the powerband is very likely a carb issue, likely in the needle circuits.  Fairly painless to adjust that.

Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: Arnie on October 21, 2012, 09:04:15 AM
Goetz,

Valve cover comes off easily.  Remove the side panels, tank, side scoops, loosen and disconnect the throttle cables from the carbs NOTE which one is which, pull the spark plug wires and move them out of the way.  Then, blow all the crap and leaves from the head fins.  You can now remove the 8 acorn nuts and then remove the valve cover.
The gasket is rubber and will probably be fine unless you tear it or it has been torn.  More likely the formed gaskets on under the acorn nuts will be the ones needing to be replaced. Randy RPM has them pretty cheaply if needed.
Whole process above takes only slightly longer to do than it took me to type.  :-)
There are write-ups with pics in the "Files" section.

Arnie
Title: Re: so, what do you think...
Post by: 1tinindian on October 21, 2012, 11:41:58 AM
Quote from: Goetz link=topic=7693.msg 69685#msg 69685 date=1350820700
my cowling and belly pan are abs. the mid fairings, which cover everything in between those two pieces, are fiberglass, i suppose bondo will do. gasket and seals, roger. can the valve cover be taken off w/o pulling the engine? I'm not sure i want this thing to be any more powerful, it can already give me tunnel vision. Tho there seems to be a rather large flat spot in the 4-7k rpm range under heavy load, then once it gets to 7k is its a rocket. That, i suppose, is a carb issue, I haven't had them out yet for inspection...
Thank you all for the advice so far, invaluable resource. :good2:

By just using a filler (Bondo) over a crack in Fiberglas will NOT result in a lasting repair.
The crack will need to be ground down and repaired with Fiberglas mat and resin to bridge the separated pieces.
Then after smoothing this down, a thin layer of filler can be used over the repaired area, then sanded smooth, followed by a couple of coats of a high build, 2-part filler primer.
Let dry over night, block sand with 180 grit, wash and dry, apply a catalyzed sealer, then your base coat of color, followed by a clear coat.
These steps show give you a factory fresh appearance.