I’m back (again)
Things were progressing very well at better than a snail’s pace. But as I started to figure out how to mount the rear fender, it became apparent that the bike was stuck in gear. It wouldn’t shift up or down. … Continued
Finishing the wheels, tires, suspension and brakes (2 of 2)
Well, I ran into a problem after installing the rear wheel. The new Shinko tire wasn’t the problem. The problem is that the rear wheel didn’t move and the gear shift lever felt like a mess. So it’s time to … Continued
Working on the wheels, tires and suspension (1 of 2)
The idea here is to get the bike up and on its legs. It’s been hanging from the engine hoist. Now it needs to stand on the ground so I can see how it measures up. The additions are: The … Continued
A short update
This post is going to be short and, hopefully, sweet. It will be short because time has been at a premium. My schedule—and I use the term loosely—basically depends on two things: other peoples’ schedules and my ability/energy level. Lately, … Continued
Removing a broken screw or bolt from a cylinder head
While waiting for a ZN part (more on that later), it seemed like a real good time to put the cylinder head back together. To get started, all that needs to be done is remove the four camshaft caps. However, … Continued
Finishing the ZN (1 of …)
It’s been on my radar lately…in between the ever-present kidney stone, additional and unexpected issues with the 850, so on and so forth. The first thing is hook up the temporary fuel tank to the carburetors. Prime it for starting. … Continued
Next, the crankcase
It’s been little while since posting because the 850 has been receiving extra attention. By that, I mean it had its cases split. First, the crankcase was wheeled to my extra large sandblasting cabinet (also known as the great outdoors … Continued
Degreasing the motor, and more on cleaners
Getting the motor back into the frame consists of several steps. First, there’s degreasing the upper half of the motor—valve cover, cylinder head, block and crankcase. After scraping, brushing and blasting with Non-Chlorinated Brake Parts Cleaner to remove the heavy … Continued
Removing old gasket material
This job can be one of the most tedious and maybe the most aggravating. Plain and simple, old gaskets are stubborn. Even when they easily lift off the mating surface, they seem to leave a trail or layer of stuck-on … Continued