Spent 4 hours working on the bike...

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sharpmagna · #1 Post by **sharpmagna** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:00 pm

i bought my Magna with about 20800 mile on. It was low on coolant and the front brakes locked up on me (turns out the brake fluid had turned into sludge). Since there were a few things lacking in the maintenance department, I figured I'd do my 24K service early. I bought an air filter, 20W40 oil, K&N oil filter, drive shaft oil, and 4 NGK spark plugs. I spent the next 4 hours getting everything replaced. The spark plugs were in dire shape. They were rusty and yellowish near the boot. Engine oil was very dark but still at the correct level. After all said and done, bike seems to run smoother now. I took it for a ride around the town and it rides great.

I spent a total of $90 for the parts and 4 hours of my time. I'm sure it would have cost a few hundred dollars in labor if I took it into the shop. I still have to get the front fork springs replaced, valves adjusted and front tire replaced. I have the fork springs and tire on order so I'll probably drop off the bike next week when the parts come in. I'm just not comfortable cracking open the heads yet or screwing with the front suspension. I'm sure once I see the shop bill, I'll want to learn how to do it on my own...

Figured I'd share how I spent my Saturday.

KingRobb · #2 Post by **KingRobb** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 5:01 pm

sounds like a good day, only thin gbetter than workin on em is ridin em

Shorts · #3 Post by **Shorts** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 7:02 pm

I bet your bike feels 'shower fresh' now

Now, the work is done, go ride.

sharpmagna · #4 Post by **sharpmagna** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 12:59 am

Yup took an 1.5 hour ride on her afterwords to make sure everything was running ok. This is my first bike so I'm trying to learn on how to work on it as much as possible. The air filter was under the tank so I had to remove the tank to access it. That was a bit intimidating to remove the fuel tank, but it turned out to be very easy. Access to one of the spark plugs was a PITA. I had to remove the horn and also swing the radiator a few inches to gain access. I'll be getting very good at doing that because I have to replace the plugs every 4K miles

Also whoever did the oil change last must have torqued the oil filter with an impact wrench. I spent 30 minutes with a strap wrench to get that sucker off. I guess it finally started budging when the oil filter deformed with all the pressure I was putting on it.

Have a good weekend all!

MotoF150 · #5 Post by **MotoF150** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 1:08 am

and people think im nuts when I change brake fluid?

macktruckturner · #6 Post by **macktruckturner** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 2:48 am

MotoF150 wrote:and people think im nuts when I change brake fluid?

I think most people just think you're nuts period

Just be glad you don't have a GL1800 man - I'm about to head into the garage to give my Dad a hand getting to the air cleaner, which is under EVERYTHING.

I've gotta swing my radiator out, and take off the horn to get at my front plug also - but it ain't that bad, way easier tune up than either of my Camaros ever were

sharpmagna · #7 Post by **sharpmagna** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:44 am

MotoF150 wrote:and people think im nuts when I change brake fluid?

Yeah I hear you. In my first post I mentioned that there was sludge in the front brake master cylinder when I got it. I've worked on brakes on my cars before, so I wasn't worried about working on the bike's brakes. When I told the guys at work, there were a couple who balked at the idea and said they would have just towed it to the dealership and let them have at it. It took me about an hour to drain the brake fluid, clean out the sludge in the master cylinder, flush out the system with clean fluid and bleed the brakes. Who knows what the dealership would have charged me (if they would have even worked on my 20 year old bike).

I figure every dollar I save, I can spend it on something I WANT rather than what I NEED.

BTW, those same guys ride sport bikes. They said they wouldn't feel comfortable doing the brakes because their bikes go so much faster than my cruiser so they'd feel better getting a pro to work on it because they need the stopping power more than I. I told them that was BS because my bike weighs at least 150lbs more than theirs so if anyone needs more stopping power, it'd be me.

macktruckturner · #8 Post by **macktruckturner** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 3:49 am

A lot of people smoke crack when it comes to stuff like that man. Just keep ignoring them. If you RTFM, and pay attention - you can fix 99% of your bike on your own. Provided the right tools - you can do it all. Sometimes it is more cost effective to have a shop do it, when the tools are cost prohibitive. Even then, that is rare. I need to do my brakes in about 1000mi.

#9 Post by **storysunfolding** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:17 am

Glad to hear the bike is running better. My Vision should be ready by the end of next week and then I say we hit the blueridge parkway or skyline.

RegalSwan · #10 Post by **RegalSwan** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 5:35 am

I can definately respect a fellow "wrench in training" my first and hopefully last trip to the shop was when i first got my bike and it was straining to grain RPM, i figured it was a carb problem and having never dealt with a carb before decided id just let the shop clean it. Well, $400 and a broken float later i decided that maybe it was time I learned. So far ive done the brake work, much like yours actually. Sludge, old discolored fluid and some new seals. New pads while I was at it. New master cylinder. Sparks, and quite happily the only time ive brought it in again was for tires, and I actually got an ok deal. Double check everything and keep the shiney side up.