First wing...Needs a little work

[zeusmann]

Hey everyone! Just wanna say how ya doin and thanks already for all the awesome post I read on here that gave me plenty of knowledge to know what to look for when purchasing my wing.
I bought it just a little over 24 hours ago and have been riding the heck out of it, not counting the 100 miles to get it home.
It's a 1983 GL100 Interstate with 58000 miles. Overall it's running pretty good but it could use a little love. There are a few things that I'm unsure what it could be.
First the bike will idle up at certain times on it's own like the choke is on but the choke looks to be ok. When it does this just the weight of your finger on the rear right carb's linkage will bring it back down. Also when your riding or just sitting and rev it a bit it seems to take the idle a bit long to come down.
Here is a video of my bike running which may give you a better idea of what i'm talking about.
At the beginning you ll see how the idle takes a bit to come down and about a minute in you will see what I mean about the weight of my finger.
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Also, that rattling noise when I get under the bike in the front. I'm trying to figure that out too.

[RoadRogue]

I would start by lubricating the throttle cables and the linkage at the carbs. and it wouldnt hurt to run a Seafoam treatment through the carbs too.

[dingdong]

There may be a bind in the linkage or throttle cables with that extra return spring on # 3 carb. The spring could also be there because the carbs need synching and the P.O. didn't know what to do to fix the problem. That is also causing the timing chain rattle you are hearing. Synch the carbs and both problems will probably go away. Tach needs some attention also.

[RBGERSON]

sticking throttle cables, bad synch, sticking carb slides three most common reasons..check in that order..sea foam as said may clean the slides

[zeusmann]

Thanks for the responses guys. I didnt think about lubricating the throttle cable. What would I use and how is the best way to do it?
Yesterday I put a can of seafoam in the gas but haven't ridden enough to get too much of it through the carbs to notice a difference. I know it is recommended to put it in the oil and then change it after about 150 miles but what else can we do with seafoam on these bikes?

[zeusmann]

Well I start my bike up earlier and a loud squeel started coming from my tach. When I would give it gas it would scream. It only did it for a few minutes and stopped, still works too.

[WingAdmin]

Thanks for the responses guys. I didnt think about lubricating the throttle cable. What would I use and how is the best way to do it?
Yesterday I put a can of seafoam in the gas but haven't ridden enough to get too much of it through the carbs to notice a difference. I know it is recommended to put it in the oil and then change it after about 150 miles but what else can we do with seafoam on these bikes?

You can get a little widget like this: Motorcycle inline spray lubricant cable luber tool

Cable Lubricator

It clamps on the top of the cable, you stick the straw from your can of lubricant into a little rubber piece on it, and it directs all the lubricant down into the cable. When it drips out the bottom of the cable, you're done.

I've used plain old engine oil before, and it works fine, but it tends to get a bit stiff in cold weather, and I don't like the feel. So I now use graphite lubricant - the same stuff used in key locks. It comes in a spray can, and dries almost instantly, leaving behind a very slippery dry lubricant. It looks (and stains!) like black spray paint, so you have to be careful using it.

[WingAdmin]

Well I start my bike up earlier and a loud squeel started coming from my tach. When I would give it gas it would scream. It only did it for a few minutes and stopped, still works too.

Try lubricating your tach cable.

[zeusmann]

Well I start my bike up earlier and a loud squeel started coming from my tach. When I would give it gas it would scream. It only did it for a few minutes and stopped, still works too.

Try lubricating your tach cable.

Awesome! Thanks for the tips...I wasn't sure what to use for lubricant.

[seabee_]

I like that cable luber idea. sure beats making a big mess the old way.

[littlebeaver]

sir, I know you said the bike was new to you, do you know when the timing belts were changed out last? If the anwser is not sure, it may be in your best interest to take a cover's off and see if the date is inside the timing covers... It's a lot of work I know but it's better safe than sorry,..replace them with new if they are unknown.

[virgilmobile]

The noise from under the front bothers me.While your looking over the timing belts,idlers and valve adjustments,pop the cap off the lower radiator hose and see if the water pump impeller wiggles any.It should be stone solid.
Also,if cabling lube doesn't help,there is a return spring on the center of the carb pack.Someone may have loosened it and allowed the spring to unwind.Also,sticky slides may be a cause.
The tach bounce on mine is in the tach cable,just worn out inside.
I never could completely get it to stabilize.A good lube reduced it to a tolerable level.It still bounces a little at idle.

[zeusmann]

I'm planning on going through all that....But I wanna get ahold of a guy I know that works on boats, motorcycles, and ATV's and see if he has a carb sync gauge I can use. Just that alone would double the cost of doing the tune up.
Here is my list of things to do.
1. Put seafoam into the oil and run it for about 100 miles and change to fresh oil with seafoam added. Also a new set of plugs
2. Lubricate Choke, brake, throttle, and tach cable.
3. Adjust/replace timing belt
4. adjust valve clearance
5. Check out the water pump like wing admin said....bike seems a little warm at times but being my first wing I cant say for sure.
6. When I get all that lined out sync the carbs
7. change the rear drive? oil
That's it I think.

[zeusmann]

Oh, just thought about the tach and I think my problem is in the tach itself since it started squalling the other night. It seems like something is binding up inside it.
Is there a DIY on rebuilding a tach around here? You would think with all the other awesome DIY's.

[virgilmobile]

Tachs are difficult to get apart.The chrome bezel lip must be carefully pried up on the back side.From there,it's just clean and lube.BUT WAIT....unhook the cable from the back of the tach first to see if the noise stops.
Here's a post about syncing carbs I did.
I have 3 wings and at $165 each to have Mother Honda do them,I came up with this idea.
Can I tell you,it's dead accurate and easy.It can handle the sync on my 1100,1200 and 1500 quickly.
With the mechanical gauges,I got it close,but I've never got a wing idle down to 300-400 rpm as easily as with this.
I could idle it so slow,and still fire on every cylinder that it sounded like a bad running Harley.....Pop,Pop,Pop... ... viewtopic.php?f=16&t=8994

[zeusmann]

Ok got a few updates on the wing...
About two weeks ago I adjusted the valves and changes the oil. Had a problem with a stripped drain plug but fixed it with a self tapping plug. No more leak

I got my old bike sold so now I have some $ to do a few things for the wing.
Getting ordered tomorrow
1. I'm ordering a carb sync gauge.
2. New O.E.M. water pump and seal kit
3. Possibly/more than likely new timing belt
Debating on
1. New Tires front and back. I am debating on doing this now because the front could make it through the season but not into next. The back tire still has plenty of tread but is from 2005 if I read the date code right. Will be done in the next couple months for sure just could wait on it right now.
2. Thinking about making an offer on a Markland Light bar. Again could use the money on other things but for the right price I dont think I could pass it up.

[virgilmobile]

I'll say just one thing.
Id rather ride on a bald tire with new timing belts in the engine.
Replace them!!!

[zeusmann]

I should have added this to the last post.

Does anyone have a link to a good write up on doing the timing belts on a 1100? I know I've seen one somewhere but cant find it now.
Also can someone tell me part#'s for belts that can be picked up at a local parts store such as Advanced, NAPA, Car quest.....those are the ones in my area.

I am pretty sure I'm going to go ahead and do the all the breaks. But my REAR rotor is fairly grooved.
I did a bit of searching and I understand you cant have these turned like car rotors so I guess I need a new/used one. I searched and only could find new ones that had widely varying prices. Can someone direct me to a good place to look?

[zeusmann]

Well I found the part #'s for the timing belts and found some for a good price.
The Gates belts are on Amazon for 15$ each compared to 25$ at NAPA
http://www.amazon.com/Gates-T274-Timing ... ingdocs-20

[virgilmobile]

Did you look under the "how to"section? The 1000,1100,1200 are about the same.

[zeusmann]

Well the Water pump and Carb sync gauges came in today, but no seal kit.
As soon as the mail ran I started unbolting the lower fairing's to get access to the screw holes.
I pulled the plugs out a few weeks ago just messing around and came to the conclusion that the #2 carb was off since the plug was a little wet.
Got the gauges connected, started the motor up and boy did that ever prove me right
From left to right #2, #4, #3, #1

As you can see cylinder #2 was way off.
I was able to get them all fairly close and boy does it help.
Smoother idle, less RPM's on takeoff and at speed which will equal more MPG's
I was already getting around 35-38 MPG with one cylinder that far off, now I think this will put me at or over the 40 mark.

[zeusmann]

Just wanna add THANKS again to everyone who helped me in this thread and also to everyone else that has answered other post that I have read on here.
That gave me tons of info on what to look for when I was looking for my wing.
And without the detailed writeups I wouldn't have been able to do the work I've done to it as easy and be as confident about doing the other things I am planning.