I'm no mechanic. I can change the oil in my car. My lawn mower engine doesn't run smoothly and I don't have the faintest clue where to start diagnosing.

I swear my S40 was louder on the ride home from work yesterday than it was on the ride to work, but the muffler was still attached. I'm hallucinating, right?

I know which end of the wrench to use and expect to damage something while working (already chipped the gas tank getting the brass plug out of the carburetor), but I'd like to do as much of my own maintenance on my S40 as I can.

Where do I start?

I got the 2007 S40 with 700 miles on it. The previous own had:
- oil change at about 600 miles
- new jets in (0.055 pilot and 0.155 main)
- installed a "Harley Dyna" exhaust

I currently have 1200 miles on it. I do have the Clymer's manual, so feel free to tell me to RTFM when necessary.

Here's a list of things I should have done:
1) check exhaust for leaks
 - I've got a bit of a backfire on throttle close
 - Removing the muffler seems easy. What do I need to make sure I install it correctly?
2) "Cylinder Head and Cylinder Nuts and Bolts Tightening"
 - The instructions read more like I'm removing and reinstalling everything. Is this correct/necessary?
3) Decompression cable/valve clearance
 - The instructions on this forum are excellent. I'm confident I can do this one, once I purchase the required tools.
4) Idle speed adjustment
 - I've got a tachometer, I just need to pull the tank off to get to the spark plug cable.
5) "Nuts bolts and other fasteners"
 - On page 54 of Clymer's. It lists 8 categories of things to tighten. Unfortunately, it doesn't tell me where those things are or how many or what I have to take apart to get to them. Any suggestions on how to handle this?

Here's a list of things I will have to do:
1) 1500 mile oil change
 - Any suggestions on where to buy filters?
2) White spacer mod
 - I've got some #4 stainless flat washers. I'm hopeful I'll be able to do this without removing the carburetor.

Random question:
1) Based on what I've read, the jets are probably a bit rich. However, it runs fine (as far as I can tell) and still gets around 55 mpg. I wasn't planning on doing anything about it. Concur?
2) Any other annual or "new engine" things I should plan on doing?

I realize I've asked a lot of questions. As a new rider and a new wrencher I'm a little nervous about putting myself into danger. I appreciate your help.

-D. Dwarf

You need to renew the brake fluid in your front brake system. This needs to be replaced once a year. Cover the tank to protect the paint, take off the brake reservoir lid and suck out the old fluid with a turkey baster. Don't let the wife see this. Open a new can of dot 3 or 4 and refill the reservoir. While the misses holds pressure on the brake lever  open the bleed screw and watch the old fluid squirt. Re-tighten the bleed screw and pump the lever until pressure returns. Do this several times until fresh fluid starts squirting out. Refill the reservoir, don't over fill, and button the lid back down.

Brake fluid not a bad place to start, totally optional if you're not sure of yourself.

Here's a tip, the battery overflow tube fits on the end of the bleeder.
feed that into a little jar.
For a totally easy fluid replacement job and if this is your 1st time get a friend to help.  It'll take about half of the small bottles, so buy a fresh one.  as said put the tube on the bleeder and into the jar.  Turn the bars to level out the top of the master cylinder.  You might want to put a couple of bricks to keep the wheel there, it usually wants to move.  Now open the top and set it aside.  Open the bleeder and once it's open enough the fluid will drain by itself.  Watch the top very carefully.  Just before it starts sucking air add fluid and then keep the reservour full.  I'd estimate the size of the jar and when about half of the fluid is in the jar, close the bleeder.  If you kept it full and didn't hear any sucking sounds at the top, you should be good to go.  No need to bleed any further.  Even if it did suck alittle at the beginning, it shouldn't break the syphon and go go go.  Just let a little more thru.

Now I've reasoned this out after changing out 2 brakes lines on 2 different bikes.  So while I'm pretty confident this will happen exactly as I described it.  It may be different for you.

PTRider wrote on 05/07/09 at 20:17:45:

Is this the filter you mean?
http://www.hiflofiltro.com/17.0.html?sel_uid=1290


PTRider wrote on 05/07/09 at 20:17:45:

Got one made. Haven't had the opportunity to use it yet.


Thanks for the info. Got a few follow up questions:

1) "Cylinder Head and Cylinder Nuts and Bolts Tightening" - Has anyone followed these instructions from the Clymer's manual? Is it important?
2) I've seen people occasionally suggest replacing fasteners (bolts, nuts, etc) (for example, the "Adjusting your valves" thread). Is there a consolidated list somewhere?
3) I've also seen suggestions on how to treat different fasteners - loctite, anti-seize, motor oil, etc. Is this something that mechanics just know or is there a rule of thumb or recommendation list somewhere?

-D. Dwarf

  You should replace your brake fluid as often as you do in your car,I had one bike over 20 years never replaced the brake fluid,Never had a problem with the brakes.

  I changed the oil in a snowmobile shock once.

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 05/11/09 at 19:32:49:

Not to be confrontational, but is there any evidence (other than anecdotal) that a fork brace does anything?

-D. Dwarf

DrunkenDwarf wrote on 05/11/09 at 16:58:28:

the list of fasteners to replace is simple... all of them... get a kit on ebay, or any of the retailers that sell the model specific kits... the OEM bolts and screws are dead soft to prevent stripping the case threads during factory assembly(nobody wants to buy a new bike with helicoils in it)..... over time, they will stretch from load... they will break when you try to re-use them... they will fail from vibration...any right handed thread fastener that rotates counterclockwise in use(as viewed from above the head) that has no locking device should be thread-locked.... ditto in opposite direction for lh threads.... use threadlock compounds suitable to the frequency of dis-assembly(ie: dont use "permanent assembly" locker on an oil-filter cover bolt).... any fastener that goes into a non-bottomed hole should be sealed... copper washers handle that duty, and just like all crush washers, should be replaced whenever removed....all threads without locking compound should get anti-seize compound... and dont forget "rebuild lube" on bearing surfaces when re-assembling....  it seems mysterious at first, but it's really common sense... if a screw gets oil on it, it needs sealing, if it has a rotational load, it needs locking, if it has threads, they need lubing if no locking compound is used....