Multi-problemed bike (electrical + ???) - Page 2

Goose51683 · 01-23-2014, 01:18 PM

Wow that s a lot of questions.

You can usually take used oil to a mechanic or autozone (or similar) and they will take it)

You can use Q-tips to help clean between the fins, that or a twisted up rag, whatever works.

For the head bolts, I would put a wrench on it and make sure they are at least reasonably tight, if you had a torque wrench you could check that way but not to many people have torque wrenches starting out

As far as removing the gas, you can pull the small black hose that goes from your petcock (the gas selector switch) to your carb, direct that into a gasoline safe container, and then turn the petcock to prime and it should drain out. Then hook the little black hose back up to the carb.

And yes...we are awesome.

Guys, did I miss and mess anything up there?

Goose51683 · 01-23-2014, 01:19 PM

John, from now on when I think of you I will think of Ace Ventura....it probably fits better than I'll ever know.

alantf · 01-23-2014, 02:35 PM

Like goose said, use whatever to clean the fins. Everyone has a different way, but the one I use is a squirt of zippo lighter fuel to soften the oil, then an old toothbrush for the easy to reach places, then a piece of paper kitchen towel (soaked in zippo fuel) wrapped round a screwdriver to get to the awkward bits. Just be imaginative, and do what suits you.

alantf · 01-23-2014, 02:44 PM

BTW... No "iff's", "but's", or excuses. Get the battery checked NOW. :p

Another quick heads up...When you get the new oil in, a quick check before every ride .....If you can see oil in the window while it's still on the stand, pull the bike upright, and if you see oil shoot up the glass (it'll change from a clear glass to a brown glass :rolleyes

you'll know you're good to go.

ImaginativeFig · 01-23-2014, 02:46 PM

Goodness gracious good mood, good mood *knock on wood*
I came home to google where the closest service-y place is, not only is the Batteries Plus where I bought my battery less than a mile from my house, but the shop in my town that stocks lots of Suzuki parts is right by it. I could push Cooter there if need be!

So I headed out to buy oil and get my battery tested and as soon as I step out the door, there's a dollar bill sitting on my door step (litter regularly blows into my front yard and it's a particularly windy day today). If finding a penny's good luck, a dollar must be 100x that, right?

Anyhoozles, I got to the shop and they said my battery was untestably dead, but they could charge it up and test it and call me with results (which sounds kinda like the ill-advised quick charge that I saw you guys railing against in another thread, but maybe they're not charging it up all the way? I should have clarified, but I'm kinda assuming the battery's toast at this point anyway).

I talked to the counter guy about swapping out dead gas and if they had a receptacle or whatever for it and he asked if I knew how to take the old gas out and because of you guys I was able to give the right answer and sound like someone who knows some stuff (but only a little).

Water Warrior 2 · 01-23-2014, 03:01 PM

Nobody mentioned it yet so I will. Are the battery connections good and tight?? Are they clean and free of corrosion?? A loose connection will not allow a good contact.
As for the gas I would agree with draining the tank and starting with some fresh gas with some Seafoam added to help clean things up internally.
Testing the battery at a parts store is free so do as suggested. If it is bad a new one will likely solve most of your problems. These bikes need a little TLC like any other bike but the rewards are gigantic and satisfying.

Oh.....after the fins on the engine are cleaned up you can sprinkle some talcum powder on them to show where the source of oil is coming from after you get it running.
Ditto on the tire pressures too. I would always run 2up tire pressures for less tire wear.

**jonathan180iq** · 01-23-2014, 03:09 PM

For Iffy.

Good use of multi-quotes from a forum noob. You will not, however, receive the same kind treatment from me.

Yes, by "changing" the oil it means to drain what was in there previously and replace with it a fresh amount of over-processed dinosaur remains of your choosing. While it may not appear to have any oil in the sight glass, there is, undoubtedly, some oil still in the crankcase. Also, don't listen to anyone else on the forum but me. There IS such thing as an oil fairy. Simply place the open topped container of used under your bed at night and by morning it will be gone. Oil fairies also are said to love children and pets. Make sure your open container of used motor oil is located within access to them so that they can share in the magic.

Cleaning fins requires something as complex as a stiff bristled brush and some foaming engine degreaser.

Leave the bolt torquing alone until you discover the actual source of the leak. These things are known for a very common brown residue that emanates sometime after purchase and really never goes away or worsens. Let's make sure that's not your issue before we go getting all heavy handed on some feeble nuts.

Feet are good.

If this were the 1970's I would just tell you to pour you old gas down the drain and help enliven the fishes of your local watering hole. Unlike the oil, there are no fairies for gas removal. It's suitable fuel still. Save it for your lawnmower.

There's lot's of magic in these parts. Replace the spark plug again anyway...actually, do it about 4 times. 4 is a magic number.

It's going to be hard to ride the bike to air, since they are bound by the limits of gravity and thus will only ever be able to be ridden to road. But knock yourself out.

We are the coolest, foshizzle. Anyhoozles, good luck. And keep us posted.

ImaginativeFig · 01-23-2014, 03:10 PM

ok. So I got 2 quarts of oil and I'm waiting for results of battery test...
The service manual (and Jonathan's oil changing thread) says oil should be replaced when the engine is warm, does that mean that I should wait 'til the engine is a goin' or will I need the oil in there to make the whole going thing happen?

ImaginativeFig · 01-23-2014, 03:17 PM

I'm a noob to this forum, but I was on a site that was once called go-gaia for the majority of highschool. Like seriously, that was my social life. I'm a cool kid.

You guys seem to swear by this seafoam stuff. I guess I'll have to acquire some.

The oil they gave (sold) me was (reading straight down the bottle) SAE 10W-40 Kawasaki Performance Oils 4-Stroke Engine Oil ATV/UTV... I see no API starbursts anywhere. Does that mean it's not certified? Should I take it back? On the back it says "Service Category CJ-4/SL, JASO MA and JASO MA2 engine oil"

Goose51683 · 01-23-2014, 03:26 PM

You are going to want to make sure you have the proper level of oil when you try to crank the bike over. NEVER ever turn over a motor without oil in it.

After you get the cooter running again you can get the engine warm and then check the level again but don't wait.

Also, I've been around for a few months and still don't know how you did that whole quote thing so you're one up on me.

Otherwise it sounds like you've got some good fortune on your side. Hopefully you and your cooter are back in tip top shape soon.

01-23-2014, 01:18 PM	#11
Goose51683 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 621	Wow that s a lot of questions. You can usually take used oil to a mechanic or autozone (or similar) and they will take it) You can use Q-tips to help clean between the fins, that or a twisted up rag, whatever works. For the head bolts, I would put a wrench on it and make sure they are at least reasonably tight, if you had a torque wrench you could check that way but not to many people have torque wrenches starting out As far as removing the gas, you can pull the small black hose that goes from your petcock (the gas selector switch) to your carb, direct that into a gasoline safe container, and then turn the petcock to prime and it should drain out. Then hook the little black hose back up to the carb. And yes...we are awesome. Guys, did I miss and mess anything up there? Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-23-2014, 02:35 PM	#13
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,715	Like goose said, use whatever to clean the fins. Everyone has a different way, but the one I use is a squirt of zippo lighter fuel to soften the oil, then an old toothbrush for the easy to reach places, then a piece of paper kitchen towel (soaked in zippo fuel) wrapped round a screwdriver to get to the awkward bits. Just be imaginative, and do what suits you. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-23-2014, 02:44 PM	#14
alantf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tenerife (Spain) Posts: 3,715	BTW... No "iff's", "but's", or excuses. Get the battery checked NOW. :p Another quick heads up...When you get the new oil in, a quick check before every ride .....If you can see oil in the window while it's still on the stand, pull the bike upright, and if you see oil shoot up the glass (it'll change from a clear glass to a brown glass :rolleyes you'll know you're good to go. __________________ By birth an Englishman, by the grace of God a Yorkshireman.
	0

01-23-2014, 02:46 PM	#15
ImaginativeFig Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: College Station, Texas Posts: 138	Goodness gracious good mood, good mood knock on wood I came home to google where the closest service-y place is, not only is the Batteries Plus where I bought my battery less than a mile from my house, but the shop in my town that stocks lots of Suzuki parts is right by it. I could push Cooter there if need be! So I headed out to buy oil and get my battery tested and as soon as I step out the door, there's a dollar bill sitting on my door step (litter regularly blows into my front yard and it's a particularly windy day today). If finding a penny's good luck, a dollar must be 100x that, right? Anyhoozles, I got to the shop and they said my battery was untestably dead, but they could charge it up and test it and call me with results (which sounds kinda like the ill-advised quick charge that I saw you guys railing against in another thread, but maybe they're not charging it up all the way? I should have clarified, but I'm kinda assuming the battery's toast at this point anyway). I talked to the counter guy about swapping out dead gas and if they had a receptacle or whatever for it and he asked if I knew how to take the old gas out and because of you guys I was able to give the right answer and sound like someone who knows some stuff (but only a little). Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-23-2014, 03:17 PM	#19
ImaginativeFig Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: College Station, Texas Posts: 138	I'm a noob to this forum, but I was on a site that was once called go-gaia for the majority of highschool. Like seriously, that was my social life. I'm a cool kid. You guys seem to swear by this seafoam stuff. I guess I'll have to acquire some. The oil they gave (sold) me was (reading straight down the bottle) SAE 10W-40 Kawasaki Performance Oils 4-Stroke Engine Oil ATV/UTV... I see no API starbursts anywhere. Does that mean it's not certified? Should I take it back? On the back it says "Service Category CJ-4/SL, JASO MA and JASO MA2 engine oil" Last edited by ImaginativeFig; 01-23-2014 at 03:24 PM. Reason: Added more questions rather than making a 3rd consecutive post
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01-23-2014, 01:19 PM	#12
Goose51683 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 621	John, from now on when I think of you I will think of Ace Ventura....it probably fits better than I'll ever know.
	0

01-23-2014, 03:01 PM	#16
Water Warrior 2 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Squamish B.C Canada Posts: 11,409	Nobody mentioned it yet so I will. Are the battery connections good and tight?? Are they clean and free of corrosion?? A loose connection will not allow a good contact. As for the gas I would agree with draining the tank and starting with some fresh gas with some Seafoam added to help clean things up internally. Testing the battery at a parts store is free so do as suggested. If it is bad a new one will likely solve most of your problems. These bikes need a little TLC like any other bike but the rewards are gigantic and satisfying. Oh.....after the fins on the engine are cleaned up you can sprinkle some talcum powder on them to show where the source of oil is coming from after you get it running. Ditto on the tire pressures too. I would always run 2up tire pressures for less tire wear.
	0

01-23-2014, 03:09 PM	#17
jonathan180iq Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dalton, GA Posts: 3,996	For Iffy. Good use of multi-quotes from a forum noob. You will not, however, receive the same kind treatment from me. Yes, by "changing" the oil it means to drain what was in there previously and replace with it a fresh amount of over-processed dinosaur remains of your choosing. While it may not appear to have any oil in the sight glass, there is, undoubtedly, some oil still in the crankcase. Also, don't listen to anyone else on the forum but me. There IS such thing as an oil fairy. Simply place the open topped container of used under your bed at night and by morning it will be gone. Oil fairies also are said to love children and pets. Make sure your open container of used motor oil is located within access to them so that they can share in the magic. Cleaning fins requires something as complex as a stiff bristled brush and some foaming engine degreaser. Leave the bolt torquing alone until you discover the actual source of the leak. These things are known for a very common brown residue that emanates sometime after purchase and really never goes away or worsens. Let's make sure that's not your issue before we go getting all heavy handed on some feeble nuts. Feet are good. If this were the 1970's I would just tell you to pour you old gas down the drain and help enliven the fishes of your local watering hole. Unlike the oil, there are no fairies for gas removal. It's suitable fuel still. Save it for your lawnmower. There's lot's of magic in these parts. Replace the spark plug again anyway...actually, do it about 4 times. 4 is a magic number. It's going to be hard to ride the bike to air, since they are bound by the limits of gravity and thus will only ever be able to be ridden to road. But knock yourself out. We are the coolest, foshizzle. Anyhoozles, good luck. And keep us posted.
	0

01-23-2014, 03:10 PM	#18
ImaginativeFig Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: College Station, Texas Posts: 138	ok. So I got 2 quarts of oil and I'm waiting for results of battery test... The service manual (and Jonathan's oil changing thread) says oil should be replaced when the engine is warm, does that mean that I should wait 'til the engine is a goin' or will I need the oil in there to make the whole going thing happen?
	0

01-23-2014, 03:26 PM	#20
Goose51683 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 621	You are going to want to make sure you have the proper level of oil when you try to crank the bike over. NEVER ever turn over a motor without oil in it. After you get the cooter running again you can get the engine warm and then check the level again but don't wait. Also, I've been around for a few months and still don't know how you did that whole quote thing so you're one up on me. Otherwise it sounds like you've got some good fortune on your side. Hopefully you and your cooter are back in tip top shape soon.
	0