Hello All,  
 
Newbie here.  My name is Kevin and I have a problem with motorcylcles....  not enough room in my garage for all that I want.      
 
Anyway, have an 86 Savage, 18K on the clock, for the wife but have  to do some work so she can ride it.    
 
I am in the process of changing the fork seals and brake pads (leaking seals do a super job of trashing brake pads)  

A few questions
 
1)  I have the forks off and drained the oil by pouring out the top of the tube.  Just wanted to make sure that I still need to remove the allen bolts at the bottom to pull the slider and get the seal out.

2)  It calls for 15w oil but the local dealer only had 10w and said it would be fine, a little responsive, any thoughts or experiences with 10w?

3)  I have also read many of the posts concerning the lean mixture.  I just put in a new float valve and needle ( had about 2 quarts of gas in the crankcase) and have the idle mixture screw at about 2.5 turns.  Would the 1/2 spacer help as well since the bike has the 155 jet?
 
Any other suggestions for a well running bike?

Thanks  in advance and I think this is a great site!

Kevin

Gas in the crankcase....   better check the vacuum line from pet-thingy to carb (chrome spring covered).  If it has gas in it, the pet-thingy needs rebuilt or converted to off-on-reserve.  Just happened to me.
Bob

Thanks for the info guys.

I have already done the carb.  I believe my float valve was sticking or not closing.  It runs fine now & dosn't have gas coming back through the breather after the repair.

I think my pet "thingy" (guess its a censor thing) is OK as I don't have a gas leak when the tank is removed.  I assume, please correct me if I am wrong, that if it was bad I would have gas running without the vacuum pulling & eventually draining to the crankcase while the tank was mounted.       Yes / No?

I've not ridden the bike enough to know if it needs the spacer thinned, but it seems as though "others" (anybody watch LOST)     have been in the carb before me.  The plug was pulled on the idle mixture.  

I don't recall there being 3 positions for the clip, but I'll double check.  If not I may try a couple #4's & not trim the spacer. Then I can put it back if I need to.

I'm enjoying the project.  I think I might turn it into a flat tracker after the wife decides if she wants to keep it or get another bike.  Change the rake, remove the airbox, K&N, flat seat, high pipe.    I saw a pix of one somewhere on the web.  Any of you guys seen it or know who's it is?

Back to the garage.

Thanks again.


Kevin

SeattleSavage wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:05:


Thanks!  I didn't know that.  It does & I think it was.  That was probably it.    Oh well, got a partially rebuilt carb now!  

Any tips on rear wheel removal.  I just took it off on a jack and it was pain.  It's off now but I wouldn't mind it going back on easier.

Kevin

OK, I've got everything apart and laying on the bench.

I'm not sure what I'm trying to hold with the dowel.

Am I trying to hold at the top of the lower fork?  (Looks about like where the seal would be on the other side of the slider)

Or, at the bottom of the lower fork closer to the bolt at the bottom?

The position will determine how thick of a dowel I can use.

Still waiting on parts so I've just been checkin' everything out and doing a little cleaning.  Mama's bike needs to look as good as Mama!  

Thanks

Kevin