[RayJay1959]

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Hi all. My 84 aspencade with 110, 000 miles on her has been running at 5-6 bars on the temp gauge. It actually hit 7 for a couple of minutes while we were climbing a big hill doing 70. Looks like overheating is 8 or 9 bars, so I didn't overheat er.... I decided to flush the radiator and change the thermostat. Since I have all this off, the timing belt covers look mighty easy to get to. I have no idea how many miles are on the present belts as I just picked up the bike 6 weeks ago with no history. I've never done anything like timing belts, but it seems the logical time to replace em. Is it very easy? The Klymer book makes it look pretty easy since I've done all the work already of removing everything else. I just don't want to screw the bike up as it runs pretty good as is.

 

[Bike...and Dennis]

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Timing belts are fairly easy. Watch the right side, (as you sit on the bike) as it can move and mess you up.

 

[DriverRider]

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And once you get the crank lined up and cam pulleys aligned on their marks and prior to loosening the belts. Use a dab of paint to make your own easy to see alignment points on pulleys and housings.

Being half a tooth off has troubled many here.

JD

 

[justayooper]

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take your time and the belt job is fairly easy and straight forward. If you have everything off to flush the radiator, the hard part is pretty much done. research this forum for everything u need to know. goldwingdoc.com is another great sight for info. I did mine on my 1100 this spring and just helped a friend do his 86 1200 and had no problems. amazon usually has great prices on belts.not knowing if they were ever \changed would make me do it. if you ask for help, give as many details as you can when asking to getanswers that get to the point a little quicker. good luck

 

[jwhitmore44]

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I think there is a tutorial in the tech section here with pictures that make it easy to follow. The biggest trick is to turn the motor by hand when you are done before you hit that starter button. Pull the plugs and turn it, if it feels like something is hitting, stop and redo the timing.

 

[Bootwing1100]

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Go for it Ray while you have the opportunity. They have very good pictures of the timing belt marks/setup on the engine removal page here.....

http://www.goldwingfacts.com/1200engineremoval.htm

 

[walkabout]

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you might consider taking that radiator to a radiator repair shop for a good cleaning. regards walkabout

 

[RayJay1959]

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Well, I pulled the covers today and the belts looked brand new. The pulleys had markings just like the tutorial. I decided not to change them. If I felt more comfortable, I would have changed them anyway, but didn't want to chance it. I did get to clean and polish the covers. They look 100 times better. Got the bike together and fired er up. Let it idle for quite a while and never got past 1/2 temp wise. I would have taken er for a ride, but noticed my rear tire was bald from the 420 mile trip in the mountains. Lucky, I didn't get a flat...:dumb:

 

[RayJay1959]

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BTW I called the local Honda shop and they only wanted $95 to change the rear tire. Only problem is they can't do it til next Tuesday. I'm grounded til then. :sobbing:

 

[justayooper]

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Just my 2 cents worth but with 110000 on your wing and not knowing if the belts have every been changed, I would do it. You can't tell by looking at them if they are bad or not. If they were to break, the engine will be close to toast. It's what they call a interference engine and bad things will happen if they go. Your bike is 28 years old and rubber gets old. Just saying.

 

[justayooper]

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Wow, my 200th post. Time flies when you are having fun.

 

[RayJay1959]

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Unless Honda used Dayco belts when manufactured, they've been changed fairly recently. There were even magic marker markings the same way my Clymer book showed to do. That is one of the reasons I decided not to change them, especially since I wasn't all that comfortable doing it myself. If they break when I'm cruising, then I'll be kicking myself. In the meantime, I know that I at least didn't screw up the motor trying to change them out. :brokedown: