KLR You Experienced? I am now...

Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Still working on sanding the tank - hopefully today the OCD in me will give way to the call-it-good. Also will be rebuilding the carb with the new Harley slide and diaphragm which is - surprisingly - a much cheaper option than the Kawasaki part (earlier model KLR's use the same CVK40 Keihin carb as the Sportster), and also with a new DynoJet kit. I'll be modifying the airbox and have a new exhaust system on order - Stage Two jetting all the way.

We had some snow in Montreal yesterday, had to dig my way into the garage...

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So too did the UK. My Dad sent me this extreme weather photo -

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That spells havoc in England. More than enough snow to ground all flights in and out of Heathrow, and - according to my Dad - to "cancel all Brexit plans". It's dramatic stuff.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Problem with Heathrow is its at capacity. A plane lands, and immediately there's another taking the slot to follow it in, and vice versa taking off. The slightest delay means the system collapses, and the only way to keep it running is to lessen the number of flights.

Aside from that, he's right. My countrymen are a bunch of lightweight commie cuddling vegetarians. A flake of snow and the world grinds to a halt because they're idiots.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

The Limey said:
Problem with Heathrow is its at capacity. A plane lands, and immediately there's another taking the slot to follow it in, and vice versa taking off. The slightest delay means the system collapses, and the only way to keep it running is to lessen the number of flights.

Aside from that, he's right. My countrymen are a bunch of lightweight commie cuddling vegetarians. A flake of snow and the world grinds to a halt because they're idiots.

My Mum can certainly attest to that - she lives right under Heahrow's flightpath. Depending on whether the flights are landing or taking off, there's a plane flying over her juniper bushes every 3 minutes in the summer. Heard they're still arguing over whether or not to build another runway - doing so would make sense but apparently means bulldozing an entire town or five. Guess the whole "good idea" thing depends on perspective and geography...

By the way, great avatar mate. RIP Kenny - it was all done in the best possible taste
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

While I'm waiting on a couple of bits and pieces to arrive I've been trying to restore the plastics. Pretty faded after 18 years of sitting out in the Canadian wilderness and in need of a bit of attention. I've learnt from my good friend youtube that the best way to get them back to decent condition is to sand the shit out of them - 320, 400, 600, 1200 and then polish. The sanding is an inhuman ballache but I can definitely see good results after several hours of elbow grease - the faded parts on the rear fender that I've been working on now look close to the original colour, but for love or money I can't get them to polish up - they stay dull.

Ghetto polishing FTW -

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Think maybe the problem may be -

1. drill not spinning fast enough
2. buffing pad is for shit
3. not using the right polishing compound (I'm using Maguires Ultimate Compound and/or Nu Finish Once A Year Polish)
4. I'm not using any water when I'm polishing

Anyone got any tips on how to get this job done without me further losing my will to live?
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

I got a box with a fancy muffler and head gasket in my car to ship you this afternoon ;D

you can try this: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/simoniz-headlight-restoration-kit-0391063p.html#srp

I have used the headlight polish to shine up old dull plastic, not just lenses. It also adds UV protection, or at least the Plastix brand one I have does.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Maritime said:
I got a box with a fancy muffler and head gasket in my car to ship you this afternoon ;D

you can try this: http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/simoniz-headlight-restoration-kit-0391063p.html#srp

I have used the headlight polish to shine up old dull plastic, not just lenses. It also adds UV protection, or at least the Plastix brand one I have does.

That's good to know.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Thanks in no small part to Mr Maritime (thanks again mate) a care package arrived a couple of days ago -

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New Lexx can with mid pipe (not supposed to fit on my C model but I'm hoping with some stubborn will and questionable fabrication skills I can make it happen) and 3 ply head gaskets. The Lexx exhaust is the in-house brand from Rocky Mountain ATV - not available here in the Great White North - but the reviews look good and for $200 it's less than half the price of FMF, Two Brothers, Yoshimura etc. The stock can on these KLR's can develop a "tweety" sound which mine most definitely had, which sounds every bit as bad as the name suggests. Fine for a little yellow cartoon bird, lame on a 650cc dirt-chomping hooligan. Plus it's ugly as blind cobbler's thumb. Looking forward to installing the thing and seeing what gives. That'll be for another day however.

With the new gaskets in hand I installed the new, bored-out cylinder -

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- and discovered it's a tricky thing to compress the rings while lowering the jug. Well, maybe not tricky but certainly there's a knack to it. After several attempts - and making sure I had the spacing correct on the rings - finally got it lowered with a triumphant holler of success -

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That new Wossner piston is sitting in there very prettily indeed I must say. It's shape is going to fill the combustion chamber way more than the stock piston, it's way lighter too. Time will tell how much extra boom I get out of the thing.

Great learning curve - it's all doable with beer. Needed to down tools at that point and make my daily Canadian Tire trip to pick up some crow foot sockets - there are a couple of acorn nuts on the jug that need to be torqued down but access to them is limited. Got the sockets. Got them torqued.

Poured thinners into the head - no leaks through either the intake or exhaust valves. Sweet. I'll give them a clean and will be getting the head on later today with the help of my mate's 10 year old son. We've been building all manner of madness with his computer game Besiege the last few days - today it's time to get his hands dirty with the real thing.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

When you have the cylinder off of your next engine, consider putting a slight chamfer on the bottom inner edge, makes it loads easier to slide it all back together. Just don’t forget to wash it well after unless you want that slick bore job looking like Betty Whites backside.


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Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

farmer92 said:
Just don’t forget to wash it well after unless you want that slick bore job looking like Betty Whites backside.


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Now there's an image to curdle my cornflakes.

The cylinder on the KLR has a chamfer on the inside edge, but as this is the first engine I've rebuilt to this extent I just assumed that all cylinders did.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Most do, usually with a bit of lube and a little love tap everything just kinda pops in.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Looking good, hope the more bang isn't the big bang of the piston grenading LOL.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Pistons grenading, Christ, is that a thing?
 
KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Is that a piston or an overcooked marshmallow? That looks frankly awful.


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Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

Run lean long enough and that's what it looks like LOL.
 
Re: KLR You Experienced? Err, kinda not really.

farmer92 said:
Most do, usually with a bit of lube and a little love tap everything just kinda pops in.

Can we please stick to engine building?! :eek:
 
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