hotprops wrote on 07/18/16 at 21:33:58:


Zilch... Not applicable. Take a look at the video. All gone now. Might have been an option at first, but not anymore.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4ZRc0smdbA

If that's so, I can be even more sure that the only way that bolt's comin' out is in little bitty shreds. Fat chance I'll be re-tapping and installing a helicoil. I planned that anyway.

I swear I'll drench every exhaust bolt I see till it's dripping with anti-seize. One thing you've gotta do on this bike is be able to remove the exhaust manifold for servicing the clutch side bottom end. On any bike, you need to be able to remove the manifold.

I kinda plan on taking the head off. These broken bikes and other things in life are stressing me out.   That Honda Shadow drove me crazy... again. That thing has been almost nothing but trouble. But that's for another thread. I started to pull the motor this evening after losing my sanity on that Shadow, but there were too many troublesome things to worry with. I'm sure it's not terribly difficult, for the most part, as long as I can get that front pulley nut loose.

Oh, wait, I just remembered that the head looked greasy, like it was leaking a little around the lower valve cover or something.

That's some good advice there gizzo. Painful, but potentially useful. I should probably be careful dealing with this person.

I wonder, though... So many people are stuck on minimum wage and other low incomes, but these professionals think they have to have awful amounts of money or they'll go broke, even if their stuff is paid for and their overhead low. And they can't stand it if they don't get that much. What, is it that they feel they can make more money somewhere else? They can't imagine making minimum wage at their own business? Pride?Many poor people would be happy to get $10 an hour, much less $45 or more. Now $45 isn't too bad for a basic mechanic. It's probably the going rate. Don't know what the machinist charges. If he goes wanting $75-$100 an hour and ends up playing around till he asks hundreds This stingy little stinker ain't gonna be happy. If a fellow is good at something and want's that much for his services, he must not enjoy doing it that much.

Beggars... Ha... I'm not gonna be happy to do it myself, but, I'll tell you it isn't out of the question. And besides, I already have a quote (probably not a promise) of $75. He has to compete with that. That's how economics works, buddy--competition. He has to compete with the other guy and myself on price. This thing is a mutual agreement. In sucky monopolies, businesses get to charge whatever the heck they want to, even to the point that everyone wants to run them out of town with pitchforks, especially if it's a necessary commodity. Am I right? Competition makes the world go round. It can also make life hard when you have a hard time competing. If one fellow can't do the best job for the best price, someone else will. If he's a hard workin' man who likes to cut metal, he'll do it for a fair price. Not necessarily an insulting price, but he'll be willing to work for his money.

Telling someone to F off because they don't want to pay Donald Trump's salary is not a way to earn someone's business. And, yes, I'm stingy and tend to DIY, painful as it is. I reckon the lot of people on this forum are the same way. We're warned on this forum to stay away from so-called "stealerships."

When I used to do auto repair on the side, one fellow asked me for a quote to do his brakes
I told him my price, which was a fair compromise between shop rates and what a typical shop pays their mechanics (NOT $45 an hour)
His response was he could get a crackhead to do it for $10
I said "Good for you, good luck getting your money back when you have to pay a real tech to fix what he crappity smacked up"
fair pay has nothing to do with what your client makes per hour, it has everything to do with Fair Market Value
If you want price controlled everything, move to a socialist country
You'll likely get better pay yourself, as well, untill their economy collapses

Getting treated nice by a professional who Could charge you an arm and a leg is not hard. I do it all the time. The attitude is everything. Go in demanding and being suspicious and see how it goes.
Or, remember that you are asking for help, and you've willing to wait while he takes care of others. An offer to sweep the floor, generally help out, never hurts. Be dressed and ready for it.

How to explain why it's such a mess?

You're probably gonna need to make dad the goat..