Topic: how long is too long?

[Buffo]

O.K....here is the story that I got...

I, Mr. Buffo, have been approched by a freind of a friend... He wanted to know if I wanted to buy a motorcycle off of him...He has a Kawasaki KLR 650, which is a duel sport bike...he claims it is a military version...he has the title...

The thing is he has had it for quite a few years and has never started it...never did anything to it...it has sat in his garage civered....

of course it will need tires and hoses and all the brakes checked out but my question is this...

I dont think this thing has been started in like 10 years...it has like less than 100 miles on it...what precautions need to be taken before I try to start this bike...I have heard of horror stroies about starting a bike that has sat for a long time with no attention at all...tings like burning up bearings and "spinning" something(s)... I cant remember what...

would any of you know how to see if it was/is supposed to be a military bike...it is not military colors...it is stock kawasaki colors...I have not seen the bike yet...i kind of what to know what I am getting myself into first

Buffo The Magnificent

[cb650]

Cleanin the tank/fuel first.  Carbs will be most likely gumed up.  rotate engine to get some oil pumpin before startin. It might leak after runnin from dried gaskets/seals.



                          Terry

[Buffo]

I know of all of the possible fuel system problems...carb rebuild and clean and flush...I was told to dump a little mystry oil in the spark plug hole...put the bike in top gear and rotate the engine with the tire...slowly..before hitting the starter at all...

my main conserns are for the internals of the engine...things that maybe only a motorcycle restorer might know...

I dont want to get this bike and run into an assortment of internal engine problems that I cant address myself...

[Buffo]

ohh yeah...he wants like $1500 for it

[ditchen]

My dual sport riding bud, well is a KLR guru. Send the VIN and I can check for you about the military part.

Now as far as starting up a bike that sat for a while,,, just been through that on my 75 750. Sat fer 20 plus yrs in a barn.

Pull the carb and clean, pull the plug (one lunger), pull the exhaust out far enough to spray foggining oil in the exhaust. Spray fogging oil in the intake and down the plug hole. Let it sit, crank motor over and spray some more. Flush the tank. It more then likely has a vaume petcock.

The worst thing that will happen is that you will foul the plug.

Those bikes has been unchange for serveral years. Lot of parts out there for them.

Good luck on the new adventure. I really love my dual sport.

[Buffo]

I will try and get the Vin number ASAP. The guy who has the bike now "got" it from a guy who owed him  something like 2g's...so he got the bike...the guy is out of town alot but I should be able to track him down and get him back to his warehouse in a week or two...

Thanks for the foggeing oil tip!

I will post more info as I get it...

Buffo THe Magnificent

[Bob Wessner]

My K0 sat for 22 yrs in my garage  and covered?. It had a host of problems, but engine not turning wasn't one of them. After cleaning the electrics, changing the oil and a new battery and squirting a little oil in each cylinder, she turned over freely. I've put about 1,500 trouble free <knock on wood> miles this summer after all the other work and she is running pretty well actually <surprised look on face>.

[Uncle Ernie]

Tough one here Buffman. Aside from the usual gas problems recited, there is the oil problem that restores worry about, as you mentioned.  The question is- was it run enough to build up moisture that turns to acid?  That's a big reason you're not supposed to ride for less than 20 miles- the condensation doesn't evaporate because not enough heat is built up.  Also, the reason you should change oil every 3 or 4 months- that's about how long it takes for the condensation to become an acid. You won't have any problems right away, but depending on how long it's been going on, the bearings could be etched, the muffler rotting from the inside, etc. It's a bit of a crap shoot...  That's why I'd rather buy an older car with more miles than the proverbial low-miles "gem".  I've seen those gems blow up.

[Buffo]

crap. 

I really dont want a problem child...

He claims it is in perfect condition...outside that is...maybe I will buy it...get it running and make a little money on it...I have to see what they are worth and all first


turn it around as quick as I can...I'll have to check it out first though

[ditchen]

well ya got to ride it before ya turn it. I thought that was the code

Wait till ya inspect it before ya call it a problem child. Them puppies are more durable then ya think.

Just my $.02 worth

[Buffo]

with my luck it will have Acid in the engine case...Varnish in the fuel tank and the only thing greased will be the brake pads.


I wish I knew a bit more about this type of stuff...

[ditchen]

my KLR bud bought the last one, an 89 with less then 500 miles on it. It now is pushing 18K on the clock. I did forget to mention I already flushed the oil 3 times and once before I fired it on that old 75 honda I got from me Pop.

[Dennis]

I wish I knew a bit more about this type of stuff... 

 

Buffo,
Bikes like that are a bit of a crapshoot for any of us.
Even those of us, who have a little more knowledge cannot see what is inside of the engine cases.

with my luck .......the only thing greased will be the brake pads.

ROFLMAO     

[Uncle Ernie]

Your loaded- what's the worry?! You may well be able to pass this on to your grandkids- and they'll be asking the same questions...
Check with www.thumperpage.com  They're a bunch of swells similar to this place.  I think the originator has traveled all over the country on your future bike.

[ElCheapo]

Well here's the gig as I see it. I picked to two bikes last week that had been trapped in a sand pit for two years as they slowly fell over after the owner died. So bad that the tank on the 76, 750 SS had holes the size of golf balls. The SL350 had to be dragged with a car to get it out of the hole as the rear tire would not turn. The point, I got them both home and gave them a little turn of the kick start just to make sure I was not going to waste any oil on a boat anchor. Much to my surprise they both run the 350 with no carbs runs with the old carb spray trick and the 750 seems to runn ok aside from the rattling clutch basket.

Here is the process I use almost daily to resurect the dead that have been dead a long time and left to rot.

Naturally I check the nasty oil and make sure it full - nasty or not. A no brainer is never start a motor with milky oil. This is water and will wreck a bearing faster than any acidic junk in the oil. I have only seen this once.

1. Check Petcock. Does petcock turn normally. Hard to turn = gelled seals Super easy = seals gone. Anything other than normal plan a tear down later.
2. Remove the air box and I feed the intake PB Blaster. This stuff works wonders on rusted and gummed up stuff.
3. Pull the plugs and give about 1 ounce of transmission fluid to each cylinder. Smokes like hell when you get them started but it blows off all the carbon in the cylinder and frees stuck rings from the lands in the pistons.
4. I always use a small lawn mower tank to feed the motor gas rather than dumping it in the tank to start. Saves gas from junk and contaminents in the tank. Come back later and clean it.
5. I always give the motor about 10 revolutions by hand if I can with out the plugs in it (sometimes the damn ratchet in the kick start jams and acts like a locked motor) You can use the turn it over using the rear wheel in gear but usually at that point I just give'em the power and turn them over in little spurts and pray for the best.
6. Next without the plugs in or fuel hooked up, turn over motor with the starter and keep feeding the carbs carb spary. Cover the cylinders with a rag to catch any oil coming out. Yes this will make a mess, but remember transmission fluid is 10 weight oil with heavy detergents (which cleans just about anything nicely, just don't brush your teeth with it). You HAVE to watch for the plug wires or you will get a fire ball. You only need to do this long enough to circulate the carb spary in cylinders which will make all the fun stuff you put in fire better. Maybe 10 seconds.
7. Put plugs in and test fire it with the carb spray. Gas from a tank would be nice yes but the second you stop spraying it dies doing it this way, also in the event that something is not right you wont have to panick for a switch. ( for 2 stroke smokers use a spray bottle with the proper gas oil mix in it in place of the carb spray for starting purposes).
8. Now that you got her to run go about changing the oil. You guys all ask why wait until last to change the oil. With the exception of one water cooled bike I have never found water in the crankcase of any bike I have worked on as of yet. While the oil is crap it is ok for running a few seconds. Remember all we wanted to establish is that it would run before we wasted all that oil in a boat anchor motor. If you have changed the oil and it still appears nasty drain out about 1/2 quart and add 1/2 quart transmission fluid. Start and run at IDLE ONLY. this will remove gum and junk in the motor. In most instances I only have to run them about 1 minute then drain the oil and refill once more. On high miles motors have a oil pressure gauge handy as cleaning as I mentioned before can knock out the junk that might be helping the oil pump still do its pathetic job. This too I have also only seen happen once. There is a dirty trick with a grease gun that can be done at this point to make it regain pressure if it has a true filter but we wont get into that.

With the final oil change I am a firm believer in Dura-Lube. This will help with most damage that any oil gone acid has created over the years. This stuff is awsome.

[Bob Wessner]

With the final oil change I am a firm believer in Dura-Lube. This will help with most damage that any oil gone acid has created over the years. This stuff is awsome.

Seems like the FTC might not agree..

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/05/duralub2.htm

[Teach]

would any of you know how to see if it was/is supposed to be a military bike...it is not military colors...it is stock kawasaki colors...I have not seen the bike yet...i kind of what to know what I am getting myself into first

Buffo The Magnificent

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think all military vehicles are required to run on diesel, so if it's actually a military version it'll be diesel powered.  Hey...I read it on one of the cards at the Barber Museum.

[Buffo]

thanks for the info and especially for the thumper forum!

i have asked them about my conserns as well...

Diesel huh...

[Uncle Ernie]

I was just reading about the military diesel, but I can't remember where...

Anyhoo- let us know what happens.

[Buffo]

I asked the same qustion on the kLR site and someone posted that they two heard that all the military KLR's were deisel and also that that was the bike to be had...however he said tht they were green, tan and black with no crome at all and the only bare metal was on the engine case and maybe a bigger gas tank

we shall see...I am supposed to be getting info this weekend but where I live that doesnt mean crap. I live in the magical land of tomarrow...

I will most likly buy it even if it isnt a military bike they are still cool

Buffo

[Sam Green Racing]

The lengths we go to to make a buck

[Buffo]

upon thinking of this so called "military" KLR, I came to wonder about its parts...

the parts that turned it into a deisel that is...did they convert the stock engine to a deisel or is it a totally different engine

how hard is it to turn a gas powered engine in to a deisel? I dont imagine it would be easy...

I understand that parts for stock KLR's are readily available but what about a bike such as this one...where would I go about finding replacment parts for a converted engine or a totally different engine for that matter...what about normal maint...

I am starting to worry...Do I really want to adopt another red headed step child...

Buffo