First project bike gsx1400

honda boi · 12-06-2018 4:20pm #1

Well lads,
Got meself a gsx1400 as a project bike to keep meself busy.
Tank is rusted too bits,holes forming when you tap it!
No battery
Front forks need changing which will be fun!
And need TLC else where.
Question tho, eventually got the spark plugs out with a bit of effort. Been looking and seen its best to put a table spoon of oil into the cylinders by the spark plug holes to lubricate it,good idea?
Also want to get it started and make sure it actually runs and starts.
Any tips on getting it running temporally Without a tank?

GavPJ · 13-06-2018 11:03am

honda boi wrote: »

Well lads,
Got meself a gsx1400 as a project bike to keep meself busy.
Tank is rusted too bits,holes forming when you tap it!
No battery
Front forks need changing which will be fun!
And need TLC else where.
Question tho, eventually got the spark plugs out with a bit of effort. Been looking and seen its best to put a table spoon of oil into the cylinders by the spark plug holes to lubricate it,good idea?
Also want to get it started and make sure it actually runs and starts.
Any tips on getting it running temporally Without a tank?

Funnel connected to the fuel line with a small bit of petrol in it.
Where did you pick the bike up if you don't mind me asking.

Gavin · 13-06-2018 2:07pm

Can also just spray a small bit of fuel into the cylinder for a small test. Check out this guys Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JDqXVn0T-M&list=PLZJS6Md1UOg3tHE1jjqFuPj4_OOs9w7Pq

He is very good at doing the bare bones necessary to get an engine running

honda boi · 13-06-2018 2:38pm

GavPJ wrote: »

Funnel connected to the fuel line with a small bit of petrol in it.
Where did you pick the bike up if you don't mind me asking.

Thought about that but I thought that only worked on carbs and fuel injection is a different story.
Looking online seems it needs a fuel pump since fuel injection needs certain psi ? And this bikes fuel pump is baked in rust!!
Picked it up in Dublin.
That you on biker
Who spotted me near kilcock

:D

honda boi · 13-02-2019 4:26pm

Haven't had much time to go at this bike with other crap and obviously sh***y weather.
Managed to pick up a tank with a dent in it but usable.
Got a second hand fuel pump and sender unit on eBay.
Changed one of the fork tubes and seals(first time ever do doing a fork job

). A washer is missing in the other tube so can't do that until the part arrives (still waiting 3 weeks)
When taking the exhaust header bolts out,6 out of the 8 bolts managed to snap off!!!!!
So engine was out , welding a nut on didn't work so drilling it out was needed( needed help with that)
So engine back in place,new exhaust headers and collector box in place now.
Today with the weather fairly windy I said I'd try taking the calipers apart and do it in the house.
Started on the rear caliper,
One of the bolts securing it decided it didn't want to come out so snapped off!! Grinded that fecker off now need to drill this caliper as well to remove bolt!!!
Took it apart but struggled getting the pistons out. Primal instinct took over and I stupidly tried to take it out using a cloth and pipe grips( Don't do this). That didn't work but managed to scuff the piston. Then I just got the car tyre compressor and used that to get it out( much easier way!!)
Anyone Tell me if this piston is still useable? Haven't fully cleaned it.
Will put up another if you can't see the scuff marks on the top

Max Headroom · 13-02-2019 6:41pm

First thing to do is get it running, everything else can wait..i know youre full of enthusisam but you could be pissing money away...;)
Get a syringe and squirt some petrol into the inlets and try to fire it...
Dont like the look of that piston..looks like the coating is gone in that area

honda boi · 13-02-2019 7:09pm

Max Headroom wrote: »

First thing to do is get it running, everything else can wait..i know youre full of enthusisam but you could be pissing money away...;)
Get a syringe and squirt some petrol into the inlets and try to fire it...
Dont like the look of that piston..looks like the coating is gone in that area

Thanks max headroom
Meant to say got it started back a few months ago,not long after I got it.
So hopefully the engine hasn't crapped itself from being outside the past few months

.
So do you think new pistons are needed?
Was planning on just cleaning everything and put new seals in.

Max Headroom · 13-02-2019 7:24pm

honda boi wrote: »

Thanks max headroom
Meant to say got it started back a few months ago,not long after I got it.
So hopefully the engine hasn't crapped itself from being outside the past few months .
So do you think new pistons are needed?
Was planning on just cleaning everything and put new seals in.

Sozz..didnt realise it was an old thread..which is worse ,cause you should have it finished by now...:p

The wear mark (if it is one) looks far enough inside the piston to be ok ..new pads will push the piston almost all the way back in..you might be ok...
Dont forget to really clean the seal groove in the caliper, they tend to get caked in salt and crud...a small wire brush on a drill works a treat...If you dont do it properly you might fcuk up the new seal and it makes it easier to get the piston back in...

honda boi · 13-02-2019 7:33pm

Max Headroom wrote: »

Sozz..didnt realise it was an old thread..which is worse ,cause you should have it finished by now...:p

The wear mark (if it is one) looks far enough inside the piston to be ok ..new pads will push the piston almost all the way back in..you might be ok...
Dont forget to really clean the seal groove in the caliper, they tend to get caked in salt and crud...a small wire brush on a drill works a treat...If you dont do it properly you might fcuk up the new seal and it makes it easier to get the piston back in...

Ah tell me about it!!! Kills me looking at it in pieces. !!!
No garage to work in so outside doing it and with the crappy weather I haven't been able to. That and 3 kids always have something on or need me for something

Sweet I'll clean it up good, and stick in back in. If it goes wrong,no biggy will just strip it again.
And have to do the front brakes, 12 pistons to get out !!!!!

Max Headroom · 13-02-2019 7:42pm

honda boi wrote: »

Ah tell me about it!!! Kills me looking at it in pieces. !!!
No garage to work in so outside doing it and with the crappy weather I haven't been able to. That and 3 kids always have something on or need me for something
Sweet I'll clean it up good, and stick in back in. If it goes wrong,no biggy will just strip it again.
And have to do the front brakes, 12 pistons to get out !!!!!

If you haven't already taken all the lines and mastercylinder apart ,just take the calipers off the forks and pump the pistons out...or if you have, blow them out with your cap pump..or buy that nice clean pair on ebay for 50 quid....sometimes it can save a heartache..;)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Suzuki-GSX1400-GSXR750-Kawasaki-ZZR-Tokico-calipers/173776176015?hash=item2875de038f:g:KOwAAOSwe9VcVx0Z&redirect=mobile

honda boi · 25-02-2019 2:59pm

So a real headache now.
Went to start it for the first time since putting the throttle body in.
So after a lot of cursing and messing up a couple of things.
I eventually got to start her.
Fired up but dies, cuts out when I go near the throttle as well.
Noticed that only 3 of the headers are hot,so she's running on 3 cyclinders!!!
Checked spark plug,was good and clean but swapped it for another to see and no difference , tested ignition coils and tested ok.
Put the new air filter in as a non logical hope approach and nope didn't change anything.
Didn't notice much of a difference when I disconnected the injector. I would of assumed on this bike a fairly code would pop up if an injector wasnt working?
Any ideas?
Gonna pick up a cheap compression tester on Amazon and try that but I'm hoping that's a last resort.

honda boi · 25-02-2019 3:33pm

Nevermind
Swapped 2 of the injectors and found that the injector isn't working !!
Would getting it sent away and cleaned help? Or new one needed?

honda boi · 17-03-2019 3:29pm

So have all the pistons out on the calipers .
Only got 1 side of one of the calipers cleaned up.
The amount of gunk under seals was unreal.
Had to use a flat head driver to scrap it out, may have scratched the inside of where the seal sits but shouldn't matter as the seal is over it.

Got going at the 2 forks again.

That is how the bottom looked like before

And now after ,new fork tubes,new seals and bushings.
Wire brush and some paper on the bottom,gonna stick some etch primer on it and maybe spray it blue???

Sent my injectors of to be cleaned as one wasn't working at all.
Sent to James at injectortune,sound lad no hassle.
Got the injectors back Friday but haven't been able to stick them in and see what there like now. Here's the results sheet he sent with them.

So one of them where stuck.
And got back 9cc ,unsure if that's good:p

CJhaughey · 17-03-2019 6:08pm

If you want the original finish but no paint, use some scotchbrite pad, usually purple is best and some wd40 and rub in one direction.
That will give a brushed finish.
If you are painting them, I'd go with silver/black. To me painted forks look gack but its only my opinion, I don't like anodised bolts either!

honda boi · 17-03-2019 7:32pm

CJhaughey wrote: »

If you want the original finish but no paint, use some scotchbrite pad, usually purple is best and some wd40 and rub in one direction.
That will give a brushed finish.
If you are painting them, I'd go with silver/black. To me painted forks look gack but its only my opinion, I don't like anodised bolts either!

I had thought of like a satin black colour on the forks but I'm unsure what that will look like on the bike.
Thanks for the tip on original finish will do that

CJhaughey · 17-03-2019 9:05pm

honda boi wrote: »

I had thought of like a satin black colour on the forks but I'm unsure what that will look like on the bike.
Thanks for the tip on original finish will do that

Satin black looks fine, its an OE look and the frame is black on the GSX isn't it?

honda boi · 25-03-2019 12:35am

CJhaughey wrote: »

Satin black looks fine, its an OE look and the frame is black on the GSX isn't it?

Ye the frame is black, some of it dirty brown at the minute tho ðŸ˜႒

honda boi · 08-08-2019 5:15pm

So finally got this on the road today after months of hassle getting a logbook.
Suspension isn't good at all,shocks are leaking oil. Can these be repaired or is it a new job?
One of the exhaust headers to the collector box is leaking so will use some exhaust paste for now then get a new gasket?
Front brake pulls in easy , and not as effective.
Hoping it's because I rebuilt the caliper and new pads.
Speedo ,odometer and rev counter not working.
Clocks sweep on first turn of key,fuel gauge and time work. Could the speed sensor be the issue with this?
I had the whole wiring harness out and no splices bar one cable which was for the parking light.
All cables have continuity so not a cable issue.

H_Lime · 09-08-2019 7:01am

honda boi wrote: »

So finally got this on the road today after months of hassle getting a logbook.
Suspension isn't good at all,shocks are leaking oil. Can these be repaired or is it a new job?
One of the exhaust headers to the collector box is leaking so will use some exhaust paste for now then get a new gasket?
Front brake pulls in easy , and not as effective.
Hoping it's because I rebuilt the caliper and new pads.
Speedo ,odometer and rev counter not working.
Clocks sweep on first turn of key,fuel gauge and time work. Could the speed sensor be the issue with this?
I had the whole wiring harness out and no splices bar one cable which was for the parking light.
All cables have continuity so not a cable issue.

Had a read, well done, she sounds like she needed a lot of work, fair dues to you.
Not sure what you mean by "pulls in easy but not effective" but if you mean excessive lever travel before biting then they probably need a re bleeding.
Burping the mastercylinder banjo usually helps. The mastercylinder seal could be shot, they're easily swopped out so worth doing fir all the usual safety reasons.
Actually that delboy fella is mullering a busa into something at the moment on his utube station. He has a tutorial on the above. It brought back lovely memories of doing the same on a busa and zx12r which is prob the exact same as yours. The master cyl was the easy part. Have a special hatred for tok 6 pots.

Maybe check your harness connections for the clock, earths, plugs in the headlight housing and ecu connector. Its possible you have lost the pcb for the sensors in the clock. Speedo sensor may be goosed but wouldnt explain the rest. Check the readings at clocks sensor plug, usually the smaller of the two going into it.

The shocks can rebuilt I'd imagine, ndm or vmtek. Yss, hagon for budget replacements if they're cabbaged. Yss are better than most think. Know a fella fitted one in a dr used hard offroad and its stood the test of time and damps well he says. Not mad on hagon personally.
Keep with it, and put up some pictars. Incidentially I should be starting into a refurb of your bikes great grandfather shortly:)

honda boi · 09-08-2019 11:56am

H_Lime wrote: »

Had a read, well done, she sounds like she needed a lot of work, fair dues to you.
Not sure what you mean by "pulls in easy but not effective" but if you mean excessive lever travel before biting then they probably need a re bleeding.
Burping the mastercylinder banjo usually helps. The mastercylinder seal could be shot, they're easily swopped out so worth doing fir all the usual safety reasons.
Actually that delboy fella is mullering a busa into something at the moment on his utube station. He has a tutorial on the above. It brought back lovely memories of doing the same on a busa and zx12r which is prob the exact same as yours. The master cyl was the easy part. Have a special hatred for tok 6 pots.

Maybe check your harness connections for the clock, earths, plugs in the headlight housing and ecu connector. Its possible you have lost the pcb for the sensors in the clock. Speedo sensor may be goosed but wouldnt explain the rest. Check the readings at clocks sensor plug, usually the smaller of the two going into it.

The shocks can rebuilt I'd imagine, ndm or vmtek. Yss, hagon for budget replacements if they're cabbaged. Yss are better than most think. Know a fella fitted one in a dr used hard offroad and its stood the test of time and damps well he says. Not mad on hagon personally.
Keep with it, and put up some pictars. Incidentially I should be starting into a refurb of your bikes great grandfather shortly:)

Thanks lime
By pulls in easy I mean there's no real resistance when pulling the lever when there should be some sort of resistance.
Regarding the brakes ,I've rebuilt them and bleed the system multiple times.
I managed to temporarily fix it by tying a cable tie on the brake lever over night.
Works for abit but goes back to the way it was after a awhile. Hate these 6 pots meself now!
Pulled the wiring harness apart and all cables are good bar the parking light cable that was spliced.
I'm hoping there's a gsx1400 around that I can try there clocks and see if it works.
Thanks I'll look into those shocks.
New ones are close to a €1,000 which is mad money.

Took it for a drive for about an hour.
It's spluttering at low rev,not smooth at all. But pulls like a train when you open her up.
It has new air filter,plugs,injectors professionally cleaned. I'm hoping it's just the throttle cables need to be adjusted.
Also randomly driving the throttle will become unresponsive and the bike will just start to slow down and CHEC will appear where the odometer should be.
I need to change down a gear or wait for it to go away and the bike will pick up again.
Must be an electrical fault somewhere so I'm gonna go at all the earth points and hope that fixes it.
I'll stick pics up

H_Lime · 24-08-2019 8:23pm

honda boi wrote: »

Thanks lime
By pulls in easy I mean there's no real resistance when pulling the lever when there should be some sort of resistance.
Regarding the brakes ,I've rebuilt them and bleed the system multiple times.
I managed to temporarily fix it by tying a cable tie on the brake lever over night.
Works for abit but goes back to the way it was after a awhile. Hate these 6 pots meself now!
Pulled the wiring harness apart and all cables are good bar the parking light cable that was spliced.
I'm hoping there's a gsx1400 around that I can try there clocks and see if it works.
Thanks I'll look into those shocks.
New ones are close to a €1,000 which is mad money.

Took it for a drive for about an hour.
It's spluttering at low rev,not smooth at all. But pulls like a train when you open her up.
It has new air filter,plugs,injectors professionally cleaned. I'm hoping it's just the throttle cables need to be adjusted.
Also randomly driving the throttle will become unresponsive and the bike will just start to slow down and CHEC will appear where the odometer should be.
I need to change down a gear or wait for it to go away and the bike will pick up again.
Must be an electrical fault somewhere so I'm gonna go at all the earth points and hope that fixes it.
I'll stick pics up

Any progress with the ol gal Honda?

honda boi · 26-08-2019 11:39pm

H_Lime wrote: »

Any progress with the ol gal Honda?

Haven't been at her for awhile before today.
Went at it again today as I need it running for next week as I need a commuter.
Ordered rear shocks last week but still waiting on them.
Something wrong with the center stand now,when it's on the centre stand the front and back wheel are still touching the ground .
Im having another issue now . Before the bike would rarely pop up CHEC while riding but today it ran terrible,it was randomly cutting out.
It was constantly feeling like the engine was cutting in and out,no power and would just randomly cut out.
FI would light up intermittently aswell
At idling it would feel the same ,like the engine was cutting in and out
Gonna take the fuel pump out again tomorrow and try a different fuel relay to see if it helps

cantdecide · 27-08-2019 12:57pm

They are known for fuel pump issues for sure as the internal, non-serviceable fuel filter gets clogged. There is a mod to bypass the internal filter and add an external one. There's a huge thread on a V-Strom forum demonstrating this. I've been meaning to do this one myself.

The Secondary Throttle Valve Actuator (STVA) is another culprit for this kind of issue but often, stripping, cleaning and some general attention can have positive results.

Also, have you gotten the code of the FI fault?

honda boi · 27-08-2019 4:41pm

cantdecide wrote: »

They are known for fuel pump issues for sure as the internal, non-serviceable fuel filter gets clogged. There is a mod to bypass the internal filter and add an external one. There's a huge thread on a V-Strom forum demonstrating this. I've been meaning to do this one myself.

The Secondary Throttle Valve Actuator (STVA) is another culprit for this kind of issue but often, stripping, cleaning and some general attention can have positive results.

Also, have you gotten the code of the FI fault?

I had the fuel pump changed before but I took it apart today. Bit dirty,so cleaned it,fitted it again with another fuel pump,nope still cutting out at idle and using any throttle.
Tried another fuel pump relay just in case,nope.
Spark plugs all good.
I'm stumped .
Any ideas lads ?
Bike was able to run awhile ago but now it will barely idle.

honda boi · 27-08-2019 6:40pm

honda boi wrote: »

I had the fuel pump changed before but I took it apart today. Bit dirty,so cleaned it,fitted it again with another fuel pump,nope still cutting out at idle and using any throttle.
Tried another fuel pump relay just in case,nope.
Spark plugs all good.
I'm stumped .
Any ideas lads ?
Bike was able to run awhile ago but now it will barely idle.

After hours of messing around.
I think I found the problem.
I bumped off the fuse box and heard the pump reset itself.
So looking at it I noticed when I touched one of the relays the bike would cut out.
Bit of wd40 to clean it.
Bike starts are revs freely.
Gonna test drive it after a bite to eat

honda boi · 28-08-2019 6:48pm

Pics of how she looks now .

honda boi · 28-08-2019 6:52pm

Cosmetically it's not great.
It won't be cheap to sort the tank out.
Parts are like hens teeth!!
I noticed when I had the tank off and upside down ,petrol leaked out the cap. Surely it shouldn't leak?

Hotblack Desiato · 28-08-2019 6:58pm

Yeah, that means rain can get in.
A Bagster cover could be a lot cheaper than sorting the tank paint job out

CJhaughey · 29-08-2019 8:32am

Have a good look at the frame where the centrestand mounts, if the wheels are touching something is bending and hopefully its not a rusted out frame member.

Hotblack Desiato · 29-08-2019 12:54pm

Would've expected the stand itself to go first, on an older bike I had the centre stand rust from the inside out and almost collapse under the bike once.

Maybe someone did something crazy to the suspension, longer forks off a different bike (?!?) or changed the dogbone at the rear - but people usually want to lower a bike not raise it!

Forget what I said about dogbone, it's twin shock isn't it - possible longer replacement shocks were fitted though???

honda boi · 29-08-2019 1:17pm

Was meant to take it for a spin today but when I checked the chain slack.
It was way off.
So spent the whole morning trying to adjust the chain.
Only one side was able to adjust freely ,the other side the bolt is rusted solid and the head is now rounded off thanks to me going at it!!
So I had to wedge something between the bracket and the bolt itself to get the wheel aligned and chain tighter.
I've no revmeter but I thought it sounded like it was idling high.
So had to readjust the throttle position sensor,so now sounds abit quieter.
Re the centre stand ,looking at it it looks like it's going back too far . Hard to explain so I'll throw a pic up later of it.
The fuel cap in it is one I had to get new because the original one was just a brown ball of rust, so it's probably not dealing because it's cheap crap.
I'm gonna have to try some gasket sealant on it?

First project bike gsx1400

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