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MDKramer
Moderator
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Posted: Wed Oct 8th, 2008 05:20 am | 1st Post |
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Ok, you've decided to resurrect an old Goldwing. GREAT FOR YOU! I applaud your taste and choice of machines!
The very first thing you want to do before you spend one dime on the carbs is grab a small inspection mirror and a flashlight and inspect the tank for rust. I'd be willing to bet that you find a good coating of barnacles inside. If you can see rust, particles smaller than 2 microns WILL pass your fuel filter and clog up your carburetor in less than an *"ohnosecond".
After you've done that, toddle on over to http://www.rusteco.com and order a bucket of their gel form solution. There are several posts here in the forum on the use of this product to strip all the rust from a tank without removing the tank, and without having to try to figure out how to put some coating of crap that will flake off in a couple years inside the tank afterward without clogging up your pickup screens. Anyone who asks me, and even some who don't, will be told that I did my tank over 4 years ago, there is still no sign of rust in it, and I've kept the bucket of solution for removing the rust from everything from pitted chrome pieces, to tools my son left lay out in the weather, to the lifting chains for my engine hoist.
After you've gotten the tank in order, if you really don't want to spend a ton of time cursing Mother Honda, and pulling your hair out trying to rebuild and reset the carbs yourself, I'll suggest contacting Andrew at Classic Cycle Parts. For around $400, you send him your carbs, his company will strip them down to the bare cores, throw away absolutely everything they remove from the bodies, electrostatic clean the bodies, and reassemble them with all new Honda Spec parts. They will set the brand new floats to the proper levels, bench balance them, and ship them back to you. All you need to do is mount them, synchronize them, and enjoy. Most of the time, if they have good cores in the warehouse, you'll ship yours to them as they're packing up a set to send to you, and they'll cross each other in shipping...will take 3-5 days. If they don't have good cores, they'll rebuild yours, and it'll take a little longer.
Most likely if you've already used a standard carb cleaner (Gumout, etc...) in and on your carbs, the cleaner has eaten all of the rubber parts that it came into contact with. You'll need to go WAY deep into them. If you're the handy type of do-it-yourselfer who likes piddling around with things that are purely maddening, then you can go over to Randakk's Cycle Shack and order his kits. They're quite possibly the best kits on the market that don't come from Mother Honda, and he also sells a video explaining how to install them properly and how to set your carbs. I've never used either, but they come highly recommended from many in the forum.
You will also want to go through the entire braking system. The rubber hoses will be weak, and most of the rubber seals will be junk from sitting and not being used by now. Do not make the mistake of being fooled by pulling the front brake handle, finding that the pads grab the disk, and thinking they're ok. Weakened brake lines = blowout failure under braking pressures. That means you hit what you're trying to stop to avoid. I'd rather see you (or anybody, myself included for that matter) spend a little money on your safety, than read about you running head-long into the side of the Suburban that pulled out in front of you because you blew a 27 year old brake line.
If you ask the question "When were the timing belts changed?" and the answer is "I don't know", then it's time to change the timing belts for the very same reason as you need to go through the brakes. They're old, the rubber will have weakened over the years. $20 at Napa for belt #250274 (for an 1100, forum search if you have a 1200, 1500, or 1800, they're out there too) versus one snapping with a valve or 2 in the open position and hammering them into the tops of a couple pistons, destroying the engine...hmmmm...no brainer there. 
Next let's look at tires. How old are they? You don't know? I bet you can't guess what I'm about to tell you, can you? That's right, replacements are in order. Again, for your safety, you NEED to know the condition of the tires. I personally am not equipped with x-ray vision, and I'd bet that unless your last name is Kent, you aren't either. Nobody can just look at a tire and know that the rubber making that tire up is in good shape just by the appearance of the outside. If you've never tried to get a bike from 70mph to 0 without dropping it while riding on a flat front tire, trust me on this one...It's neither easy, nor fun. The cost of a pair of tires is FAR less than a trip to the emergency room in an ambulance (Or helicopter if you're way out away from civilization like I am normally)
You will run into things along the way that will just make you shake your head...but remember, a Goldwing is made to run, run hard, and run often. They get depressed when you leave them sitting in the corner of the garage all alone. They feel dejected, and will begin to self-harm. This also is normal. If your bike has been sitting for a good number of years, you will find a few tihngs that will need some attention. DO NOT get disheartened! You will find that once you've taken care of all the self-harm issues, you will have yourself one AWESOME riding machine
Now, let's get that old girl running like the well oiled machine she was built to be and enjoy her for many years to come! You are absolutely in the right place to ask for help and advice.
Mike
* An "ohnosecond" is that brief micro moment in time where you come to the realization, far too late to stop it, that you have just really screwed up.
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Mike Kramer
Proudly supporting Viet Nam Vets and Legacy Vets M/C
Red is for the blood shed Black is for the mourning
Been riding that 1980 beauty to the left since 1989
Helpful Hint: Traffic lights timed for 35mph are also timed for 70, 105, and 140!
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rcmatt007
Senior Member
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Posted: Wed Oct 8th, 2008 05:19 pm | 2nd Post |
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There is lots and lots of good advice here in the tech forum and you can also go to http://www.nakedgoldwings.com they have a whole forum on restoring an "olde-wing"
Mike, great advice!
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-Rodger-
"If you don't pursue your dream, you might as well be a vegetable"
'75 frame and parts project, '78 1000, '86 1200I, 05 HD-Road King
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tanygaer
Senior Moderator
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Posted: Wed Oct 8th, 2008 06:33 pm | 3rd Post |
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| Nice article Mike,
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David
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cbltech59
Very Active Member
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Posted: Fri Oct 10th, 2008 05:21 pm | 4th Post |
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Well written article Mike. Kudos brother! 
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Mark
'96 Electric Blue GL1500 SE
'82 CB 750 FA(sick puppy)
RBLR Area Rep for RoI
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