On the old 1200, if you recall I swapped out the engine a few months back and ever since it has had a very small oil drip....more like a minor oozing. I had picked up an '85 FI motor and converted it to carbs, mostly because I'd already o'hauled them for the old engine. I had installed a new water pump on the old motor and wanted to transfer it to the replacement motor while I still had it out and on my lift table. It involved removing the front engine cover and while I was at it, I swapped the gear indicator harness so now I also have my new gauge showing which gear I'm in. If the engine is out, making the swap is a fairly easy, albeit messy, job. I had picked up a gasket kit for changing out the water pump and it always contains all the necessary o-rings and gaskets. I remember when done I had picked up all the old o-rings and gasket particles and tossed them out. In that mess was a new o-ring that mounts under the cover and on top of the oil pump body, I figured it was the old one. The shaft that turns the oil pump also turns the water pump, you just don't want them to mix obviously. The water pump shaft inserts through an oil seal and on top of the body where that seal is located is an o-ring....assuming you don't forget to install it.
Today, since the rear fender and side covers are at the painter, I finally got around to pulling the front cover. Replaced all the o-rings, did the necessary cleaning, and used a small covering of Yamaha bond for gasket seal, and to hold everything in place while assembling. As I was taking inventory of the front of the motor, making sure the gear indicator pin was positioned right, etc., something just didn't look right. Took a coffee & BR break then went back out to the shop, just sitting there looking at it, trying to figure out what was wrong. Then it hit me, when I pulled that cover off this time there wasn't an o-ring on the oil pump body as described above. After a couple forehead slaps, I went digging through the old rings and it wasn't there....I had never installed it when I made the change months before. I dug out the remaining parts of the gasket kit and there it was, I hadn't yet put it in place. Got it all back in place, new o-rings and gaskets throughout, tomorrow I just need to reattach the lower radiator hose and then go pick up my newly painted parts....guy called, said they're done.
The tank is off a '99 Valkyrie, silver/black with a thin red stripe separating the colors(think I'll leave the Valkyrie logo on the tank for a while
). The side covers are to be a gloss black with the raised center section a silver to match the tank, and a red stripe to separate the colors. I've his work and it's great so I'm hoping for good results. When all is done, I might ride the bike up and have him do some minor pin striping on the fenders just to break up the solid gloss black. I had also ordered new clutch and front brake master cylinders. I've upped the size from 14mm to 16mm bore in hopes I can get better lever action. Now the brake doesn't hit hard until almost to the grip, not a good thing although it will stop on a dime when they engage. If all works out well then all that's left is the seat, holding the foam in place with duct tape really loses something in the aesthetics of the bike. I might get done with the fool thing yet.
