Topic: Johnie's 76 GL1000 Sulfur Yellow Build

[BenelliSEI]

John
Dot4 is fully compatible with Dot3

Understood. I just don’t see a reason to change?

Better brakes isn't a reason??

Stu…. How would DOT 3 make the brakes batter?

[newday777]

John
Dot4 is fully compatible with Dot3

Understood. I just don’t see a reason to change?

Better brakes isn't a reason??

Stu…. How would DOT 3 make the brakes batter?

Dot4 will give less fade in heated brakes

[RAFster122s]

Higher boiling point yields less fade from fluid becoming compressible , but material of pad has to be capable of handling high heat operation too...

[BenelliSEI]

Higher boiling point yields less fade from fluid becoming compressible , but material of pad has to be capable of handling high heat operation too...

Good points that I consider when working on the brakes for my road race car. Not so much for my +50 year old Honda cb750….

[Johnie]

Okay I promise this is the last anal question :-)  So this GL I changed the oil & filter when I brought it home from the PO. That old oil looked very clean and I think it may have been changed for the season by the PO and then it sat like 20 years. I put in Castrol 4T 20/50 cycle oil and Honda filter to be safe.  I did 700 miles between last July - October and then it sat for this winter in a heated shop at 60 degrees. With the 700 miles I put on do I need to change the oil again. Just don't know if I am being to anal changing it at 700 miles. My thinking is the bike sat for 20+ years with what looked like clean oil, then I changed it and did the work, then put on those miles. Now it's spring my analinity is thinking maybe I should change it again in case there was dirt in the system that my 700 miles shook lose. I've heard the phrase "when in doubt change it." Just looking for your thoughts guys...thanks so much.

[BenelliSEI]

Johnie…… I’d pull the oil filter and inspect deep in the folds of paper. If you find nothing and the pool of oil on your bench is clean, put it all back together.

If the filter and oil are black with dirt you loosened up in those 700 miles, and the oil is dark, change it (and the filter). Cheapest insurance you can buy.

On bikes that have been “asleep” for that long, I often used a Randaak Recipe. Check his website, but I think it was a blend of 50/50 transmission fluid and cheapest 10W30 motor oil. Run the engine for about 20 minutes and dump it. Run it in the driveway, no riding or loading it up. Would come out BLACK.

[grcamna2]

Okay I promise this is the last anal question :-)  So this GL I changed the oil & filter when I brought it home from the PO. That old oil looked very clean and I think it may have been changed for the season by the PO and then it sat like 20 years. I put in Castrol 4T 20/50 cycle oil and Honda filter to be safe.  I did 700 miles between last July - October and then it sat for this winter in a heated shop at 60 degrees. With the 700 miles I put on do I need to change the oil again. Just don't know if I am being to anal changing it at 700 miles. My thinking is the bike sat for 20+ years with what looked like clean oil, then I changed it and did the work, then put on those miles. Now it's spring my analinity is thinking maybe I should change it again in case there was dirt in the system that my 700 miles shook lose. I've heard the phrase "when in doubt change it." Just looking for your thoughts guys...thanks so much.

Can't hurt ($    ) to change it Johnie.
You can use it again if it looks beautiful;run it in your automobile 

[Stev-o]

If you are on an annual Spring oil change schedule, this would be the time to do regardless of miles.

[Johnie]

Just about 1,000 miles on this bike since I got it. Had a little issue to repair the other day. I noticed some brake fluid on the outside of the master cylinder. Caught it before it hit any paint. I was a bit surprised as this was a new MC that I got at an auction years ago. However, new or not it was still 50 years old. In looking at the info on the GL1000 site the guys say to just remove the large o-ring under the cup, clean it and put it back in. I did that and all is well now. However, I did order a new o-ring and have it here in case I need it. The bike continues to be a blast to ride. Shifts so smooth and the engine runs great. And to think I almost walked away from it. Actually, I did walk away and returned when they dropped the price.

[Mikey G.]

They really are very good bikes for how much they're slept on.  Glad to hear it's getting a workout.

[MauiK3]

Solid bikes, and faster than most gave them credit for.

[grcamna2]

Thanks for the update on your nice GL Johnie.

[Don R]

 Weren't the early GL's nearly tied with KZ1000 for speed?

[Mikey G.]

They were very close.  Second fastest production motorcycle when they first came out, but I forget what they lost out to (and it got overtaken pretty quickly in the next couple years after that).  The goofy power delivery didn't help either- the early early bikes are kinda slugs under 4500 RPM, but really seem to take off above that.  Keep it between that and the 8500 redline, and you get a shockingly sprightly bike.

[Stev-o]

They were very close.  Second fastest production motorcycle when they first came out, but I forget what they lost out to...

Fairly certain it was the Kawasaki Z1....

[Johnie]

Okay you GL1000 guys...I have my first problem with this bike today. Appears to be an electrical gremlin. Starting up the bike she turned over nice and as designed the headlight went out during starter activation. Didn't start, but noticed after a couple tries the headlight would not come on anymore when I let off the starter switch as it should. Checked all fuses including the 30 amp main at the back of the bike. All electrical works as it should, but the start button does nothing and that headlight stays off (low and high) all the time now. It is a new HM right hand starter switch. Battery is new and at 12.95. Bike has 16,500 miles on it. Ignition switch contacts seem good. Maybe some contact spray? Ideas appreciated. Thank you for your expertise...
PS I did run the kill switch and ignition switch through some paces. I also put it through the gears to be sure I had a true neutral light.

[newday777]

Did you pull out the start button to see if the headlight came back on?

[newday777]

"but the start button does nothing"
So now when you push the start button it doesn't turn over?

If so check the bottom of the ignition switch, they are known for having bad contacts especially if someone rode with a key ring with multiple keys and today's that end up bouncing around and mess up the switch contacts.

[Johnie]

"but the start button does nothing"
So now when you push the start button it doesn't turn over?

If so check the bottom of the ignition switch, they are known for having bad contacts especially if someone rode with a key ring with multiple keys and today's that end up bouncing around and mess up the switch contacts.

Thanks for the tip Stu. The starter switch is new and the start button springs back nicely. It's not stuck in the switch. But pushing the start button in does not engage the starter. When I turn the ignition switch to on that headlight should come on until I push that starter button. It does not. I will pull the switch to take a look inside at the start button.

[Mikey G.]

A couple dumb questions:

-Is the bike in gear?  The starter won't engage unless the bike is in neutral.  (Just eliminating possibilities, seems like you checked this)

-Does turning the ignition switch on get you other lights?  Neutral, oil, tail light, etc.?

-On the idiot light dash panel, is the one labeled "Light" lit up at all?  These bikes have a Reserve Lighting Unit (RLU) that, in theory, if part of the headlight burns out, it automatically switches to the other filament (so you still have light) and illuminates the indicator (so you know something's wrong).  These are known to fail, and some guys bypass them entirely.

The reason I bring it up is that it might explain the dead headlight, but I don't see how it would affect the no-start issue.

I agree, start with the handlebar switch.  Seems the most likely at the moment.

[grcamna2]

"but the start button does nothing"
So now when you push the start button it doesn't turn over?

If so check the bottom of the ignition switch, they are known for having bad contacts especially if someone rode with a key ring with multiple keys and today's that end up bouncing around and mess up the switch contacts.

Thanks for the tip Stu. The starter switch is new and the start button springs back nicely. It's not stuck in the switch. But pushing the start button in does not engage the starter. When I turn the ignition switch to on that headlight should come on until I push that starter button. It does not. I will pull the switch to take a look inside at the start button.

Johnie, could the damaged wiring in the past,from the PO's relative(I remember you fixed that)have any bearing on this issue ?

[Johnie]

Thanks for all the tips. Will report back when I get a chance to check on it this week.
Grcamna...anything is possible. All those cut wires were carefully soldered with new wiring installed. It has run good for about 1,500 miles. Odd thing is when I first hit the start button today I had the usual starter action twice. Then that was all I had and no headlight.
Mikey...yes, when I turn the ignition switch on I get all electrical (blinkers, horn, tail and brake lights, etc.) The RLU issue, the dash panel has the headlight indicator and the high beam indicator and neither light up.

[newday777]

Then carefully look over the harness for shorts/burned spots. You might also want to ohm out each circuit.

[Johnie]

Got the problem solved. Stu and Grcamna had the right idea. I inspected the big electrical loom under the left false cover which had a number snipped wires from the PO. I found a melted spot on a wire that I foolishly connected 2 wrong gauge wires together. (Basic electrical 101). They overheated and fell apart. Got the right gauge and she works good. Now I can easily keep an eye on the wire as time goes. I also made a spare wire as a backup to keep on the bike. Thanks again guys for the ideas and expertise.

[newday777]

Got the problem solved. Stu and Grcamna had the right idea. I inspected the big electrical loom under the left false cover which had a number snipped wires from the PO. I found a melted spot on a wire that I foolishly connected 2 wrong gauge wires together. (Basic electrical 101). They overheated and fell apart. Got the right gauge and she works good. Now I can easily keep an eye on the wire as time goes. I also made a spare wire as a backup to keep on the bike. Thanks again guys for the ideas and expertise.

Glad to hear you found the problem.