Topic: 1985 GL1200 Aspencade

[MD]

I committed to buying a 1985 GL1200 Aspenwood Aspencade today. 
,
The known issues are it will need a battery, windshield, and speedometer fixed.  Tires are in reasonable shape.  The bodywork is in decent shape.  Other than the standard fluids and rear drive oil, what would be the recommended things I work on first?

Thanks,

-MD

[05c50]

It's probably an "Aspencade", not "Aspenwood", although I do like the name Aspenwood. Anybody familiar with the old wings will tell you that the first thing you need to do is replace the timing belts, unless you can verify when they were replaced. They're still available from Honda, but there are aftermarket ones available.

...Paul

[MD]

It's probably an "Aspencade", not "Aspenwood", although I do like the name Aspenwood. Anybody familiar with the old wings will tell you that the first thing you need to do is replace the timing belts, unless you can verify when they were replaced. They're still available from Honda, but there are aftermarket ones available.

...Paul

Paul, 

Thanks for the response.  Is there an easy way to tell how old a timing belt is?

-MD

PS,  I have attempted to correct the title.

[05c50]

Unless the po can tell you when they were replaced, there's no way to tell the age of the belts.  The belts may look OK, but without knowing the actual age, I'd replace them.

.....Paul

[becken]

I had a 1984 Aspencade before I got my GL1800. Agree on the timing belts, if one breaks you will bend the valves and possibly break the pistons. Another item is the connectors from the stator. Make sure that the connectors have been removed and the wires soldered. Also that the main "dogbone" fuse has been replaced with a more modern one. This is a good source of information on the older GLs:

http://goldwingdocs.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=5&sid=a201520d8d40fe07a71363dea240cdf9

https://www.randakks.com/

[Bankerdanny]

Your GL isn't a naked bike, but regardless the Naked Goldwings (NGW) forum is a fantastic resource for the 4-cyl GL's: https://ngwclub.com/forum/

There are a lot of SOHC/4 members that are also GL owners (or like me a former GL owner) and are members there too.

You should also familiarize yourself with Randaak's. He has lots of great info and his carb rebuild kits are the gold standard. They are expensive, but I wouldn't buy from anyone else. https://www.randakks.com/

You can get replacement belts at any auto parts store. There is a section over at the NGW forum that has part numbers. That is the best source for them as Honda will charge substantially more simply because they can.

*edit* I missed that becken had already linked to both sites. So allow me to just give a big second. Start with them and you will have a big head start in making sure the bike is sorted and ready to enjoy.

[MD]

Thanks for the replies.  I joined GoldWingDocs.

Pictures upon delivery.

-MD

[becken]

Check your coolant hoses to be sure they're in good shape and the clamps are tight. There is an automotive hose that can be cut in half to make both hoses. Any doubt about how old the coolant is, change it. Use non-silicate coolant only, I use the Honda coolant, a little more expensive but you know it's the right stuff. If you change the timing belts make sure the idler pulley bearings are in good shape. Check the water pump for ant weeping out the weep hole. It's a great bike, but my wife wanted something newer before we took any long trips.

[MD]

Snow stopped and the sun came out.   

I was able to get the bike home today.  The bike needed a battery.  NAPA had ones that ranged from 18 to 30 amp/hr.  I decided to spend the extra bucks and get the 30 just in case I leave the key in accessory position.  First lesson learned today is that the bike does not like starting sitting on the side stand.  On the center stand or holding the bike up it will start.  I also discovered that the choke advances the throttle and idle speed.  I really need to get an owners manual.  I did figure out how the set the clock.  Clock LCD stays on with the key in the off position and removed.  Once warmed up the bike will idle at 900.

-MD

[MD]

Downloaded an owners manual and completed reading it.  Now the real work begins.

-MD

[RAFster122s]

Carbs really need a good industrial ultrasonic when you have pulled all the brass out.  Verify that it is original Keihin brass as aftermarket stuff Unless coming from Randaakk's is going to be suspect to incredibly frustrating to diagnose and get running well.
Auto store belts and the hose are the way to go. You definitely want to do a good service on the bike making sure it has clean fluids, spare fuses just in case, definitely eith replace both sides of the stator to bike harness or solder it as becken and Danny suggested.  Having experience with the CX it has some similarities with issues.  Some owners install a small high output automotive alternator up under false tank.  Then they have gobs of excess power if needed for any accessories and add-ons. It is a 33 year old bike so, take care with the plastics because even garage stored bikes will have plastics that can be brittle.
I hope you enjoy the bike...it looks nice.  We are having a nasty thunderstorm...
David

[MD]

Timing belts have been ordered.

Concerning the stator, I have read in the past that mechanical bonding is preferred to soldering because vibrations can cause cold solder joints.    Do you agree of disagree?

-MD

[Bankerdanny]

I'm not sure what you mean by mechanical bonding.

Over at NGW the tech tip is to solder, which is what I did with my bike.

[strynboen]

i have solderet the vires on my cbx(..its fine..and easy)Photo  is my 550 stator i think?..but the job vas the same..soldering new vires on and lauqered the copper...

[RAFster122s]

As ling as you are doing a good job soldering you can feel good about it, but the joints need to be a good shiny solder joint, not dull misshapen blobs.  Adding more solder does not help a joint.  Securing the wire so you don't have vibration failure causing the wirs to work harden over time from vibration causing a crack and broken wires behond the soldered joint.  Having solder wick up the wire can make the wire rigid and not as robust.

A coumpound crimpping pliers/too will give you a gas tight joint and usually that mechanical joint is superior.
A good set of coumpound ratcheting crimpers costs you between $35-70 and it can be used to crimp a connection on a one piece splice connection that is a good quality unit and joining the wires go both sides of this crimp tube is going to be ideal.

[Calif Wingnut]

Having owned my share of 1200's over the past 40 years, remove the radiator cap and wipe your finger around the neck and if any oil, it's head gasket replacement time.

[MD]

Succeeded in getting the timing belts replace today.  Even with the spark plugs removed on the right side.  The right side timing pulley wanted to move.  I had marked each side and the crankshaft with a soap stone before removing the old belts.  This made it easier to make sure the belt tooth was in the right spot on the pulley.  I ended up removing the lower ignition pickup to make it easier to get the left belt on and off.

New radiator hose, Gates 21029, will arrive Monday.  Other than measuring it against the old hose before cutting.  Is there anything I should look out for when sizing the hose properly?

Thanks.

-MD

[RAFster122s]

CX guys have had good luck flushing the bike's cooling system with a white vinegar and then flushing the system.  You can use citric acid crystals heated up in water until dissolved and with a container or sink that will fit your radiator immerse it in this solution.  Citric acid is often used in beer making and some candies.  It is not aggressive towards your copper or tin & solder of the radiator but it will attack the build up if any inside the cooling lines in the radiator core.  Flush it both directions with a water hose and let it dry, a car wash or high pressure water hose can clean out between the fins. You can gently straighten the fins (piece of flat plastic from a milk gallon jug can be used, want something    a bit flexible. 
Flat black high temp paint or high heat BBQ paint works well for touching up the paint.  Be gentle with the drain as the CX bikes use a 14 mm plastic drain plug that is easily broken, finger tight when reassembled.  Definitely clean up the electrical while you have it apart doing your maintenance.  Does the temp gauge and instruments use a 7v regulator for the instruments?

There is a way to replace it with a 78S05 5V regulator if you cannot find one from an electronics supplier.  You use a green led ( only works with std green led) and it will allow the output to become the needed voltage.  It biases the transistor to regulate a couple volts higher than the typical 5v to give you the needed 7V.  There are some 7v regulators on ebay but the 78S05 is a 2A regulator rather than the typical 1A of a standard 7805 or 7807 regulator package.  The 7805 or 7807 are a TO220 package, either would require a heat sink and that heatsink cannot be grounded against the bike...
A defective instrument voltage regulator causes the temp sensor on the CX & GL500/650 bikes to indicate an overheating situation when that is not the case.  Worth considering a check of if your bike is showing an overheating condition on the temp gauge.

The CX and GL bikes can use a Stant or another brand of radiator cap the auto parts store can order if they do not have it. It is likely your GL1200 might have that same be true.

[detdrbuzzard]

napa also has timing belts for your  wing
do test the stator, there should be a rr on GWD"S

[RAFster122s]

There are RRs on the CX too, just for some reason they decided to ue a temp gauge that ran off 7 volts instead of 12V.  So, cooling problems on a CX might not be cooling problems at all, so you chase things like thermostats and temp sensors or a water pump when it is the voltage regulator for the temp gauge  is causing inaccurate readings...  Granted you don't have cooling issues on your "Aspenwood"...just stick it in the back of your memory down the road...in case the GL1500 has something wierd like this.  Thig are not always what they seem was my point and I didn't elaborate to make this point clear.
Best on getting her tuned up and ready to enjoy this summer.

[MD]

Got the radiator on today.  I re-used the hose clamps.  They were just a bit too small for the thickness of the Gates hose.  It turned out that those hose clamps were more of a chore than getting the timing belt on.  Fired the bike up to burp the radiator.  It sounded smooth and had no problems starting.

I examined the connection coming from the stator.  Someone previously had applied dielectric grease.  I applied new grease.

Next item is to remove the front wheel and replace the speedometer pickup housing.

-MD

[MD]

Got the new speedometer pickup housing mounted on the front tire.  Then proceeded to put all other parts back on.  Things were going pretty well till I tried to get the bike off the center stand.  I don't have a paved driveway so I placed a partial sheet of 3/4" plywood on ground to use while changing the timing belts.  I should have had the bike further forward so the rear tire was on the board when the bike was on the center stand.  I tried lowering the pressure in the rear suspension and pushing a board under the rear tire.  Not enough clearance.  Ended up jacking up the front of the bike placing boards under the front tire, raising the pressure in the rear suspension.  Got it off the center stand.

Good news the timming seems to be dead on.  The bad news, I found out that the speedometer/odometer still doesn't work.  The odometer is the mechanical style while the speedometer is digital.  When putting the cabling back on I rocked the tire so I am pretty confident I got the alignment correct.  Any suggestions as to where I should look next.

-Thanks

MD

[RAFster122s]

no clue...do any other members have a  GL1200?
Post it on the Other Bikes with a question about the Speedo and Tach...is the tach working?
Glad you were able to get the hoses changed easily enough.  I like the ABA hose clamps and there are similar styles made by several other companies. They use the ABA on VW, Audi, BMW, Saab and Volvo cars...or they had for decades, not familiar on the Volvo new cars.  Can't imagine they would use a clamp like you see in the local automotive store as they cut into the hose with their oval slots.

David

[MD]

Got the new windshield installed today.  Ended up using a Memphis Shade extra tall.  That two inches plus raising the windshield puts the top just at eye level.

-MD

[MD]

.  The bad news, I found out that the speedometer/odometer still doesn't work.  The odometer is the mechanical style while the speedometer is digital.  When putting the cabling back on I rocked the tire so I am pretty confident I got the alignment correct.  Any suggestions as to where I should look next.

-Thanks

MD

While trying to get the pickup sensor in place, I stripped the Philips head. :oops: I tried an impact driver to extract the screw but could not get it to hold. Today I took a triangle file to the head to cut in a slot. The slot enabled me to get the screw out. A quick trip to the hardware store got a replacement of the same size, pitch, and length. To test the sensing unit, a small slotted screw driver was inserted and spun with the key on. I had a readout. Now what did I do wrong? Jack the front tire up and spun it to make sure the wheel end was working correctly and it was. I must not have got the sensor lined up correctly. Everything back together and a quick circle of the drive way proved that I had failed to get the sensor seated correctly the first time.

I celebrated by doing a 100 mile run on a twisty road.  I also did some passing on the highway just to see how quickly the bike would be going in 4th when I got past the car.  Let's just say I did not have an indicated speed of 90+.

-MD