[Eamonn1200]

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Well after all the talk, I'm off out to the shed now to start stripping the cylinder heads off my 1200. I'll spend about 4 hours a day on this until I get it finished. 4 hours concentrationis about all I can take before I get a fuzzy head and start making mistakes. That will be 20 hours alloted for between now and Friday and I hope that will be succicient time. I'll post a running progress report each day. Young Alan Fizter is helping me out from tomorrow (if he gets off the forum, I see he posted again this morning) so barring any disasters we should get the job done in good time, after all with a Guru helping me I can't go wrong. :gunhead:

 

[Renegade]

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Main task is to HAVE FUN!!! Take your time, have a clean work area available and look at the job as "me time". I concider the time I spend working on my Aspy as sanity time.. Enjoy!

 

[Eamonn1200]

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Done for the day! We managed to get the dummy tank and lower panels off. Then the radiator (drained the coolant into a big plastic tray to save a big mess), timing belt covers, belts (lined up the pulleys and marked everything with tippex), exhaust system (left it hanging down out of the way) and crashbars. That's it for today. I know many more competent guys would have had the heads off as well in 4 hours, but it's not a race and I personally finished the work today feeling fresh and relaxed, instead of all stressed out from rushing.

Problems we had, minor ones;
Broke off 3 exhaust studs but I have plenty of spares.
Top right rad mounting bolt broke off in the mount, so Alan cut the welded nut off the mount and welded a new one in place. All painted with black Hammerite and looks perfect. Nice work on Al's part.

Tomorrow we will take the heads off, and the front engine cover so we can fit a new water pump. If there is time we can take the valves out of the heads as well.

To be continued...

 

[Jason]

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Well done Eamonn & Alan. You've got the hard stuff done. The heads will be easy to take off (just remember the hidden 10mm head bolt at the bottom). The front cover is harder, there is about 4 different length of 8mm head bolts there so place them somewhere so you know which bolt goes into each hole later on. Clean all the old gasket off, I mean every speck so you won't have leaks when the job is done. Also be careful not to pinch the neutral switch wires when refitting the front cover. Take your time and you will be fine.

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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Don't just twist those timing cover bolts as hard as you can to get them out. Try gently rocking them back and forth to get them loosened, otherwise you'll be learning how to do helicoil installations in the engine block and that's not so easy consdering that the block is aluminum and the bolt is steel.

Some come out easy and others just break off, so just be gentle. Upon reassembly, always use anti seize compound when joining disimilar metals like the steel bolts against the aluminum.

Good luck and don't turn the crank when doing the belt change.

Vic

 

[Guest]

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Hey Eamonn1200, :waving:You cant go wrong with three "Gurus" helping you. :jumper: Good luck with the job, :clapper:I will wash and polish her when you are finished. :cryinglease let me be a "Guru" :weightlifter:

:leprechaun: :18red: :leprechaun:

 

[Renegade]

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Hey Redwing.. As far as I'm concerned, you've already earned "honorary Guru" status in my book... I've basedmy opinionon your concentrated efforts of encouragement for each and every repair effort shown on this board; Your deep and determined satire for those of us who take life too seriously; Your patience and persistance to see all the "techies" through the tough times; and last, but not least, the auspicious, inherent caliber in the way you cancall a Spade a Spade and still look GOOD!!! Here's to you Redwing!!! :dude:

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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You may get guru status Redwing, but, who would cheer us on afterwards??

I would really miss you as a very active member and being a guru would mean that you'd have to get all serious and could never make a mistake again without hiding your head in shame and dishonor. Would you really want that to happen to your cheerful and supportive personality Redwing?

Vic

 

[exavid]

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Eamonn, punch holes in a piece of cardboard with a diagram of the engine front cover to store the bolts in so you won't have to try and remember which one goes where. Perhaps Redwing ought to be named "Very active Guru member". He'd have my vote if it were a voting matter!:action::action:

 

[Eamonn1200]

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Exavid, I got new head bolts while I was at it, they weren't too expensive. We put in about 4 hours again today and got this done;

Both heads off and front cover. Alan popped the valves out and ground in the valves while I removed the water pump, put in a new one and cleaned the faces of the cover and block. We thoroughly cleaned the heads and checked for flatness and put in the new valve seals and replaced the valves. Very little carbon on the valves, cleaned off easily with a bench wire brush. Only a small amount of loose carbon on the pistons that literally blew off. The valves and seats only needed a light grinding-in with fine paste.

No problems to report today and that in itself is a victory. Tomorrow we will be fitting the heads back. So far we are well ahead of ourselves on time.

 

[Eamonn1200]

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Good going today. Started at 8.45am and put the front cover back on. Just had it finished (Jason was right about all those different sized bolts) at 9.30 when Alan showed up and fitted & torqued the heads down. Camshafts in and bolted and front pulleys and timing belts in and set up by 11am. Took about half an hour to gap the valves and the rocker covers and timing belt covers are fitted now.

Once again no problems and we stopped working just after noon. Off to the pub with Alan for a few well earned pints a the black stuff.
Tomorrow we will finish off, replace, put new oil, filters and coolant in and then check for leaks etc before fitting the plastics. We might even do the brake pads as well if time permits, or save them for another day.

 

[chief43]

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Eamonn 1200 I take my hat off to you for I would never have the nerve to tackle some thing like this, GOOD :15grey:FOR YOU

 

[Eamonn1200]

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Todays update;

Got everything else fitted, ran engine. No leaks or problems, she rattled for a few seconds, but the wingnut told me that would happen until the chambers in the heads filled with oil. Sounds great. Fitted all the plastics and went for a spin. No problems. I feel much more confident knowing we did this work. Alan and me started at 10am and were done by 2pm.

Tomorrow we do brake pads all round. Should be a piece of cake after all we did this week. Thanks to the wingnut for severl tips he gave me (like putting the valve collets right way up and tapping them to settle them after fitting in the head, glad I did as one popped out). Many thanks for Alan for all his help this week, wouldn't have got throug it all without him. Just in from the pub now after filling up with ale. Brake pads tomorrow.

 

[Guest]

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Hey Eamonn1200, :waving:The job is going well and no big problems. I can see promotion on the way. :clapper: Go easy on the black stuff. :whip:

:grinner: :18red: :grinner:

 

[Goldwinger1984]

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Eamonn1200, glad to hear you got it running well and got to drive it.



Redwing, I see you got a promotion. Congratulations.

Vic

 

[Renegade]

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Congrats on your new title Redwing... Keep the dream for Guru status... I'm out here cheering..:action:

 

[Eamonn1200]

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We did the brakes. I had Alan with me for half the day and finished up this afternoon. Heads thumping from last nights drinking didn't help, but at least my GL1200 heads into the new year as fit as a fiddle! Thanks for all the help everyone! :waving:

 

[Guest]

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Eamonn1200 wrote:

but at least my GL1200 heads into the new year as fit as a fiddle! Thanks for all the help everyone! :waving:

Hey Eamonn1200, :waving:Well done mission accomplished. :clapper:Another wing rides into the West. :jumper:

:leprechaun: :18red: :leprechaun:

 

[Guest]

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Goldwinger1984 wrote:
Redwing, I see you got a promotion. Congratulations.


Hey Goldwinger1984, :waving:Thank you, but the fight still goes on. :whip:

:coollep: :18red: :coollep:

 

[Guest]

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Renegade wrote:

Congrats on your new title Redwing... Keep the dream for Guru status... I'm out here cheering..:action:

Hey Renegade, :coollep:Thanks for the congrats, :clapper:but the dream still goes on and will eventually come to life. :crying:Keep cheering. :grinner:

:leprechaun: :18red: :leprechaun: