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Message started by VOLKY on 12/27/11 at 18:18:44

Title: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by VOLKY on 12/27/11 at 18:18:44

Finally done doing some tinkering on my bike. Polished right and left engine cover and new gaskets, new chain tensioner (thanks to our friend), Harley Dyna muffle, ceramic coated down pipe. Here are some pic of before and after.
http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF3743.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF4155.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF4156.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF4155.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF4156.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF4157.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF4158.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF4160.jpg

http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x459/volkyland/DSCF4159.jpg

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/27/11 at 19:40:43

If you were gonna put a for sale sign on it, the before price & after price would be vastly different. Good job.

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by scottnj on 12/27/11 at 20:33:06

Looking good! :) I need to polish the left engine cover on mine -- glad to see how nice it came out for you. How'd you do it? Any tips?

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by Serowbot on 12/27/11 at 21:10:00

For now, is right... I've been screwin' with mine since 'o6....
Lookin' luvly though... ;)...

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by stinger on 12/28/11 at 00:45:05

I have polished my casings til they almost look like chrome and it's simple to do! Strip the clear coating off with a dissolving solvent. I use these foam sanding pads that come in course, medium and fine. I use the medium until the finish is dull , then the fine until you begin to see a shine. Then polish on a buffing wheel with some compound until you can read fine print from a newspaper on it. You can use a small polishing wheel on a drill but it takes longer. You can do a whole case from beginning to end in a hour or two after the clear coating has been removed. I must be doing a pretty good job at it because I have had several offers to do polishing on other,s bikes after seeing mine. It is best to not clear coat the new polished casing because it dulls it and will flake. You can hand polish it from then on to bring back the luster.

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by VOLKY on 12/28/11 at 18:30:57

scottnj:

First I removed both casings from the engine (bought new gaskets). I removed the factory clear coating with aircraft paint stripper (bought at Advance Auto Parts). I use this type because it removes the clear coat without damaging the aluminum.

Second I started sanding the casings with 320 sandpaper. I did everything by hand without the use of any power tools. Use wet/dry sand paper. From the 320 grit, i went to 600, then 1000, and finally 1500 grit. Always sanded with water.

Third I polished with Meguiars Aluminum Polish cream.

Done!!!!

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by scottnj on 12/28/11 at 21:17:50

Thanks for the info -- may be a good winter project to tackle. The before/after difference on yours is pretty impressive. I have the same corrosion you did and want to make it go away.

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by AlphaBarney on 12/29/11 at 04:45:13

Did you use a clear on your casings after you polished them? How long will that shine last before you have to do it all again? I'm torn between painting and polishing, but you just put a huge plus in the polishing column. Looks great!

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by VOLKY on 12/29/11 at 19:45:00

AlphaBarney:

I decided not to clear coat because I heard eventually the clear coating turns yellowish and dull. After all the hard work I didn't want to take a chance. I looked into painting the casings flat black, but again, with road chips chipping away the paint, means more work later.

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by built2last66 on 12/29/11 at 20:15:42

darn fine job on the polishing... I'm just wondering if you painted the head pipe black to stop blueing? They make this stuff called Blue-Job that cleans the blue right up:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ta7KvVBfUYw[/media]

But anyways, you think painting the crankcase is really gonna get chipped by road debris?

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by VOLKY on 12/30/11 at 05:06:50

built2last66:

My down pipe was rusted at the front and bottom. A new pipe cost $150 and i had mine ceramic coated for $100. I thought i better off ceramic coated and not to worry abt rust or blueing on a new pipe. I have a 1971 volkswagen and the headers and muffler are ceramic coated for five years now and not one spot of rust anywhere.

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by built2last66 on 12/30/11 at 10:01:31

6B72717664717C73791D0 wrote:

built2last66:

My down pipe was rusted at the front and bottom

Blue-Job gets rust off with ease! Granted it may eventually rust again or blue again, the stuff cost's $20 and works like magic, plus you can just wipe your pipes down without taking them off.

Anyways, how does the ceramic hold up? I'm considering painting my custom drag pipe and I have 3 options, 2000 degree rustoleum, buying high temp powder coat out of my own pocket and having it professionally applied (the company here doesn't stock the high temp stuff), or possibly the ceramic.

Another question, did your crankcase gaskets stick or tear any? If they did what method did you use to scrap the stuck pieces off? Do you have any oil leaks? I'm thinking a scraping razor would work but I don't want to damage anything since I'm a newb at this stuff... thanks :D

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by ralfyguy on 12/30/11 at 22:23:12

Another tip for finishing polishing. I did my clutch cover with 0000 steel wool and after put car wax on three times in a row. Keeps the shine way longer. It kinda prevents moisture to get aggressive with the aluminum. Nevertheless always make shure to get moisture or water off as soon as possible. Droplets of water will etch into the aluminum. The car wax helps with that quiet a bit.

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/30/11 at 23:37:54

41525F554A54464A330 wrote:

GOOD! I just hate the sound of oxidation.

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by VOLKY on 12/31/11 at 14:27:17

built2last66:

I have a 1971 VW with ceramic coated headers and muffler for four years or so. No even one speck of rust anywhere. About the rustoleum paint, is up to you but i tried before and eventually will burned and peel off.

About the gaskets, you are right. In some places they were stuck to the engine case and cover. I used paint thinner and let it soak for a while. Then i used a one sided razor blade and scraped it off carefully without making scratches on the aluminum. So far i have no oil leaks anywhere. Before taking the covers off, i had a leak on the left engine cover right under the kick stand. No more.

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by Drifter on 12/31/11 at 15:46:04

Looks great, a few hours with your bike is always a good thing!

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by NHthumper on 01/03/12 at 05:33:51

I want to paint my cylinder/head black and then sand off the edges of the head to show the aluminum like I see a lot of S40s. I hate the all-aluminum look! I'm new to this bike, so I don't know if some years were black from the factory. Some hints/guidance, please. I'm certainly willing to take stuff apart but no more than I have to.
Thanks, Peter

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by verslagen1 on 01/05/12 at 09:51:10

'02 on are black

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by splash07 on 01/06/12 at 06:13:20

05033F233E263B2E394B0 wrote:

This is a worthwhile endeavour. I just finished mine and I think it looks great. I would clean the engine up really well then scuff the whole thing with a scotch brite pad so the paint wont chip, then all you have to decide is what paint you want to use. Some have used high heat engine paint while other used grill paint (like myself) it just depends on what finish you want and how much you want to spend. Here is my motor

http://i882.photobucket.com/albums/ac30/splash07s/0827111430.jpg

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by built2last66 on 01/06/12 at 06:15:05

Nice Splash, what kind of paint did you use?

Title: Re: Done Tinkering with my S40 (for now)
Post by NHthumper on 01/06/12 at 09:58:55

Thanks, all, for your input on painting. When I finish cutting down and mounting my Fatboy bars, paint and exhaust system are next... then carb mods.