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Post subject: First post
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dale-j What's an RD? Joined: 28 Jun 2008 Total posts: 4 |
Hey all, first post. New to the site, and the new owner of a barn fresh 1979 RD400 Daytona Special that's been unridden since 1982. Needless to say there's work to do but with only 6,800 original km on the bike and nicely cafe'd with some period clubman bars, stadium bar end mirrors, K&N pods and aftermarket pipes, well, you could say I'm pretty excited. First bike I ever rode was an '80 RD350LC so this is a blast from the past, and a bit simpler to work on too. Good thing.
Anyone got suggestions as to how to prep the bottom end to turn it over from 26 years of inaction? I need to clean and line the tank, do the carbs and will change the gearbox oil (as well as tires, fork seals, master cylinders and calipers...), how can I make sure that I don't have rust score the big end needle bearings if it's a bit rusty down bottom? Anyone spray oil in there and let it sit first???
Cheers...
Steve Dale-Johnson
Delta, BC, Canada
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 5:56 am
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Vin Mmm, Fully Synthetic! |
Hi and welcome
If it has been stood for 26 years then the chances are the seals have perished and will need replacing, even if they haven't my advice would be to strip it too make sure all is well as you could do more harm than good try to start it as is!
The air cooled forum may be a good place for some particular model advice!
Good luck and some pictures would be cool 
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:49 am
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jante350  RD/RZ Jedi Master Joined: 05 Aug 2003 Total posts: 5372 Location: Bergen, Norway |
Your crank is probably fine, as it should be well lubed up, even after all these years.. only if its been stood outside and somehow got filled with water will there be any issues.
Good advice has been given here, to strip and rebuild the whole thing with new seals everywhere... has it done many miles? Maybe a top and bottom end rebuild is a good choice while its all apart aswell...?
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:45 am
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| dale-j What's an RD? Joined: 28 Jun 2008 Total posts: 4 |
| Vin wrote: |
Hi and welcome
If it has been stood for 26 years then the chances are the seals have perished and will need replacing, even if they haven't my advice would be to strip it too make sure all is well as you could do more harm than good try to start it as is!
The air cooled forum may be a good place for some particular model advice!
Good luck and some pictures would be cool |
I'll get some pics up today if I can figure out how to get them loaded... I wondered whether it might be better to pull the engine and do a full rebuild, was hoping with 6,800 or do km (4,300 miles) I might get away with a tank/carb rebuild, soaking it with some oil and having a go. The gearbox oil is clean and full so the gb hasn't been leaking (changing it anyway), but the carbs have leaked and a few of the seals are suspect. The bike has original tires and they are not checked or particularly hardened (yes, changing them anyway) but I hoped this might bode well for the other rubber bits on the bike.
Thanks for the input. It may be a bit bigger job but I'm sure it will be worth it, and gaskets are cheap.
Steve
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:17 pm
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ief Powerband Master Joined: 27 Jan 2004 Total posts: 782 Location: netherlands |
i'd try it first as is, if the seals leak you will know (if you pay atention  )
can allways do a total rebuild later if nessesery.
so, get carbs in tiptop condition and try, don't just go driving but keep your eyes open.
but...just my 2 cents.
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Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:29 pm
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griffinslcPowerband Master Joined: 30 Oct 2006 Total posts: 805 Location: dublin,ireland |
more than likely the old 2 stroke init will have kept any rust away in th bottom end.
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:32 am
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| dale-j What's an RD? Joined: 28 Jun 2008 Total posts: 4 |
| ief wrote: |
i'd try it first as is, if the seals leak you will know (if you pay atention )
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What seals are likely to leak? I know the fuel system ones are shot, and I figured that the gearbox seals might be, like the clutch cover gasket and output shaft seal, but is there anything other than that on a stroker? It all seems pretty simple to me, and the gearbox oil is still full and clean so once changed, I'm hoping that the engine itself might be OK. Nothing is rusty or corroded on the bike, but as the bottom end and cylinders are fuel/mix lubricated I wondered if they might have rusted up in a way that a 4 stroker wouldn't have.[/img]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 6:51 pm
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| dale-j What's an RD? Joined: 28 Jun 2008 Total posts: 4 |
[img]http://4541740506155330287-a-dale--johnson-ca-s-sites.googlegroups.com/a/dale-johnson.ca/dogs/bikes/barn%20fresh%20RD400.jpg?attredirects=0 [/img]
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 6:53 pm
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| p51bombay Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Total posts: 10151 |
| dale-j wrote: |
| [img]http://4541740506155330287-a-dale--johnson-ca-s-sites.googlegroups.com/a/dale-johnson.ca/dogs/bikes/barn%20fresh%20RD400.jpg?attredirects=0 [/img] |
Linkie no good, probably a somewhere which does not do hotlinking. Might want to visit USA 2 Strokers as well, lots of air cooled stuff there (mostly LC's here) as well as water cooled, quite a few Canucks on there as well plus you can upload pix directly off your PC on there. I'd strip the engine at least to put in new seals/gaskets and a good inspection, cheap insurance and with the low KM that's probably all it would need - run over to Pacific, they will fix you right up with the bits. I'm just down the road from you.
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Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 9:38 pm
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