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/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Resuscitating a dead Savage /cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1184873210 Message started by mpescatori on 07/16/07 at 14:03:52 |
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Title: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 07/16/07 at 14:03:52 I left my Savage last October with... one good battery, half a tank of gas and... ...events got in the way and it wasn't until December that I had the opportunity to ride her a few times around the block... ...bad weather during the winter, I was away for months on end, come back in April but I somehow shyed away from her...it...that...beast waiting for me in the garage... I eventually summoned up some courage, went in and circled her, getting closer and closer, like a man who's been away from farm animals too long and is shy of his old horse... I slipped the key in the ignition, twisted it one click, tried the lights, horn OK, flick the starter... ...chug chug chug pofff coff sclack! ... I went on like this for some 15 minutes, until it came to me I forgot to pull the starter on the carb... ::)...silly ! OK, recharge the battery, check the oil... can't see a thing... how can I check the oil with my head 1" from the ground and balance the bike on its two wheels? I finally managed to find a "helper" to stand the bike almost upright... a stack of Land Rover magazines! So, last time I checked the oil I looked and could see nothing... so I added 1/2 pint... then another 1/2 pint... then another... HOLD IT!!! If I'm adding so much oil and still can't see through the little oil-window, chances are I already had enough oil and overfilled, right? So, find the proper 17mm wrench, balance the bike on the Land Rover magazines, and apply delicate pressure (5lb hammer) to undo said oil plug nut... ...realize I haven't got anything under the sump, race to find suitable container (3 liter laundry soap bottle to which I hastily cut away one side)... undo oil plug which by now is finger loose... hold oil plug firmy between wrong side of fingers (why can't the upper side of our fingers be as grippy as our fingertips?) and presto! expect 6, 7 pints of oil to surge out! drip drip drip ??? 3 pints poured out... black as charcoal... ??? Now, wait a minute, just the other day I had topped up one full liter (2 pints+) and hadn't ever started the bike, and now all she returns is a measly three pints? :o What on earth was going on ? Could I have been running the bike on... one pint ? :-[ PS at least there was no fuel in the oil... ::) (By the way, as two of said three pints+ are actually good, new oil, how can I now recycle the ... stuff I drained? I have a diesel truck with a 65 liter tank - 17 USgal - do you suppose if I pour one pint every tankful I can just burn it away with my diesel? I know it sounds barbaric, but what else can I do? after all, it's a mere 1.5%, no two stroke runs on so little oil...) |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 07/16/07 at 14:06:16 Next steps... 1. refit battery 2. try to change spark plug without removing tank :-X 3. put some new gas in the tank 4. wish me luck!!! (eventually, wash away cobwebs and dust from last Thanksgiving...) |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by Phelonius on 07/16/07 at 14:29:09 Get real! Take off the tank, dump out the antic fuel, while the tank is off do the plug and maybe even check the valves. When you put everything back and charge the battery, put in some 10-40 oil. Start and run the machine for about 100 miles. Now drain the oil and change the filter. Now put in a good grade of the proper oil. Remember, you said about three pints of black goo came out. That is not an encouraging sign. It is indicative of neglect in the past. The 100 mile run and change is to clean out most of the grunge created by the neglect. Consider the loss of oil as the price you pay for that neglect whether it is your neglect or someone elses. The object is to refresh the engine and try to make it trustworthy again. Don't forget to check your clutch adjustment and brake adjustments, oh and while you are down there, inspect the belt and adjust it if needed. neeed I say tire pressure and inspect for dry rot cracks? Jack the machine up off the floor so that no weight is on the wheels and sound the spokes, adjusting as needed. Check your steering head bearings by gripping the forks down low and trying to move them fore and aft. Any movement is unsatisfactory. Tighten as needed. After all this you should be set to enjoy the summer! keep your knees in the nreeze, bugs in your beard, and may you enjoy an hour in heaven before the devil knows you are dead. Phelonius |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by Savage_Greg on 07/16/07 at 14:55:10 Good little check list there :) Since I've started taking other people's "basket cases" into my garage, I'm seeing more and more bikes in serious need of good old TLC. A guy brought me a '81 GS550 that he bought at a salvage down at Seaside, OR. He brought it to me on Saturday and today I removed and opened up that rack of carbs. No wonder it would only idle briefly on choke. All of the pilot circuits were clogged. The inside of the bowls were actually rust brown. All of the gaskets and o-rings shattered just to touch them. 4 rebuild kits needed and of course, I'll have to sync them when it's done. Oh...did I mention the mud in the brake caliper? Luckily I got the piston moving after using a c-clamp :P Just a reminder that sometimes a bike should get service before it is parked... |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 07/16/07 at 15:31:34 Hey, Phelonius, how d'ya know I have a beard? :D (well, actually, I only have a moustache... ;) ) Anyway, I do not have a garage the way you guys have, it's more like a set of yellow lines painted on the floor... can't really do much work down there... But you do have a point, drain out the old fuel and clean out the carb etc... and change the oil again! |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by skatnbnc on 07/16/07 at 18:20:50 You can try dripping that 'oil' through a paper coffee filter into a bucket or can overnight. If anything liquid actually makes it through you can throw that in the truck or lawn mower. If you are brave and got nothing better to do... ;) |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by Savage_Greg on 07/16/07 at 19:39:04 skatnbnc wrote:
Good idea...well, sorta. I do that with old gas and then put it in the truck. I have some #2 cones that I use in a funnel. But motor oil? Better have a really big coffee filter and be prepared to wait a week or more.... ...oil goes through a filter under pressure in the engine. You have to be more patient with gravity ;) |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by verslagen1 on 07/16/07 at 20:31:26 Right oil's not going thru a paper coffee filter anytime soon. Use your wifes old nylons, stretch a couple of layers over cofee can and pour away. Make sure she gets out of them first. ;D |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 07/16/07 at 22:47:45 verslagen1 wrote:
Er... would that be a new pair of nylons from an old wife, or do I get a new wife to give me her old nylons...??? With these metric bikes, they're choosey, ya never know... ;D |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by justin_o_guy on 07/17/07 at 05:09:03 I just toss a coffee can full of old oil on the burn pile when I light it. I never filter first. BUt, I really like the idea of running it thru a diesel. |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by LANCER on 07/17/07 at 05:14:07 It is the high tech conversations like this one that I really like about this web-forum ... you just cannot find quality stuff like this anywhere else. ;D |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by Phelonius on 07/17/07 at 12:19:18 mpescatori wrote:
If you do not have a beard, grow one, it makes a fine bug collecter. My own theory is that oil, even at arab prices, is still cheaper than engine rebuild. As for no garage, While living in near wilderness conditions in the Selkirk mountains of the Idaho panhandle, I rebuilt the engine of an old Yamaha 650 twin, inside a home made tent. It was a frame made of conduit pipes covered by a transclucent white plastic that diffused the sunlight to both make for a bright interior and warmth. Even if you live in an urban setting, if you have a yard, this can be done and it does not raise your taxes like a garage will do. If you do this, put down plywood for the floor so that you do not lose screws and nuts in the grass. Set up some old book shelves for parts and keep your tools in the house when not using them. good luck. Phelonius |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by skatnbnc on 07/17/07 at 17:54:55 verslagen1 wrote:
Please note that i said "if you have nothing better to do" since it will be a dogs age before it piddles down. You guys are right though, the pantyhose or cheescloth is faster. ;) PS - you can get knee-high nylons for 99˘ or less at any store. Don't flinch at the cash register. "They are for my girl. Her name is Suzi." Knee-highs fit exactly over most size cans, elastic leg side around the rim. Use a rubberband to secure regular pantyhose to the neck of the can. Been there. Messy if you dont do that. Aren't you guys glad we girls are here to add these details!? ;D |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 07/19/07 at 03:36:49 Thanks for the tip. Incidentally, here in Italy it's quite normal for a guy to go and buy nylons (now don't you guys start!!!) ;) Actually, if a man doesn't go shopping for lingerie, what kind of a man is he? Doeasn't he care at all? ;D OK, off thread... I might do all this, but... I am still looking at quite a few hours' work just to get the bike started, and I've just had word of a job transfer- which means house move... ...and I've only got 4 weeks to do it, so I had better start scootin' and box my things... ::) But then, I really only need a 1/2 gal. can, and let gravity do the rest... |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by LANCER on 07/19/07 at 05:49:27 Do you know yet where you will be living yet? Do you get time from work to go search for a house? |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by Savage_Greg on 07/19/07 at 09:06:19 mpescatori wrote:
4 weeks? That's plenty of time to filter oil :P What part of Italia? |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 07/20/07 at 05:02:03 OK guys, the good news is, I'll be re-joining my family (wife and kid) :D so no need to go househunting... The bad news is, I work full time until Fri 31 August in Naples, and then report for the new job Mon 3 September in Rome :o OK, so it's only 200 miles, but August is holiday HIGH season here and I'll NEVER find a mover in August !!! :-/ Which means having to pay rent in September just to get the furniture out... Naples Rome = 200 miles may not seem much, maybe the equivalent to NYC-DC or similar, but that's the deal I got... take it or leave it... I took it, period. Saves me over $1000/month in rent and expenses alone! Now, to the bike... Weeell, I ... ... finally got the old spark plug out, without having to remove the tank ;) ... drained the tank and fuel bowl from 1y.o. fuel, ... recharged and refitted the battery, ... slipped the key in the ignition, ... tried lights&horn hoping for the best, ... remembered to pull the choke ;) ... squeezed my eyes shut and gave it one shy try... chugchugchugvrrrRRROOOM !!! :D SHE DID IT ! SHE STARTED !! DON'T GUN HER !!! just let her idle patiently... pushed her out of the garage, allowed her to get that new oil in the system and tried to engage 1st gear KERRR-LUNK and away I put-putted into the sunset ! OK, I drove "the gerbil's rounds" a few times (around the condo court), slowly clocked a full 3 Km (2 miles), mostly in 2nd gear, a few attempts in 3rd but never above 2500rpm (I'm a tacho man, no use for a speedo), finally eased her back into the garage... Lay my ear to the ground like an Indian Brave waiting for the train, checked the oil, yep, it was all there, a tad darker but I expected that (oil change in a cold engine) Unfortunately my ear isn't really trained to tell a loose chain, I know what a loose chain sounds like but it's been close to a year since the last bike ride... but man oh man was I a happy kid yesterday evening! So, I'll be busy through the weekend, commuting back to wifey and kid, but come Monday I think I'll start commuting on the Savage again. Whew ! :D |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by jkhulon73 on 07/20/07 at 05:21:09 Man, I miss Naples- lived there for two years back in the early nineties. Good times. |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 07/23/07 at 04:20:27 Hey, JK, where did you work, what did you do? US Services or what? :) |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by jkhulon73 on 07/23/07 at 04:39:12 mpescatori wrote:
I was a Master-at-Arms in the Navy, working out of Agnano and Capodichino. I loved it! I had an apartment out in Lago Patria, right off the Via Domitiana with a stunning view of Ischia from the front window. And when I shaved every morning, Vesuvius was over my shoulder in the bathroom mirror. Had a lot of good times there. Loved the country-side, loved the people. Sometimes, though, I wish I had been a little more... mature, while I lived there. Not that I was acting the fool or anything like that, I just didn't quite appreciate it as much as I could (or should) have while living there. |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 07/29/07 at 04:20:01 OK; JK, I know Agnano and Capo, and Ischia and Mt.Vesuvius... I'm an AFSouth man myself... :D ...so, pray, tell me, where was that house from where you could see both Ischia and Vesuvius ? I live in a Parco, but the place is flat as a board, only a few blocks away from the SatCom site... 8) PS Sorry to read about your Honda, though... :-/ |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by jkhulon73 on 08/02/07 at 20:37:24 mpescatori wrote:
Here's a link to a map I threw together:Italia Map (http://home.comcast.net/~joehulon/italia_map.jpg) When you say SatCom, is that the Receiver Site? There was a bar out there where we could get long-neck Budweiser for a mille... Good times, good times... |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by mpescatori on 08/03/07 at 09:16:51 OK, from where you live(d), in the pic you posted, 1 inch at two o'clock, there's a group of chalk white villas... that's the Parco where I live now... ...stopped going into Lago, though, I don't like those people... :P |
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Title: Re: Resuscitating a dead Savage Post by jkhulon73 on 08/03/07 at 09:32:07 I think I had a really good time at a party in that Parco... many many moons ago ;D |
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