Help with tank decals

Chel_in_IL · Post by **Chel_in_IL** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:26 am

tz375 wrote:Was the oil black or "clear" and was it running down the pipe or splattered on the front of the pipe?

A common problem is leaking from the header where it bolts to the cylinder and when that leaks it's black dirty oil.

It is small spatter of clean oil drops, it's more likely to be the forks. Replacing seals is easy. The hard part for most people is propping up the front end to get the wheel out and forks legs off.

It was black and splashing on the top of the side case (where it says Suzuki) and then running down the pipes.

Post by **Suzsmokeyallan** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 8:56 am

An easy way to prop the front end of a buffalo off the ground is to use a car jack and a piece of wood placed under the centre pipe at the front.
Then you jack it up till the wheel is just clear of the ground, its pointless going higher as you will have to lift the wheel out and in with the axle.
Then once the front wheels just off the ground you can use a strong support like a concrete block and some layers of wood blocks on top of it to fill in the space across the under engine frame rails.
Its not a pretty sight using these basic items but for a simple front fork overhaul its sturdy and reliable and most people have these items to hand around their house.

Its possible to remove the lower legs to change the oil seals without taking the fork legs out the triple clamps.You will still need to remove the ft wheel ft fender and remove the handlebar from its clamps to gain access to the fork top caps with this procedure.

Suzukidave · Post by **Suzukidave** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 9:43 am

If you have a handy open rafter in your garage or a handy low tree branch a couple of ratchet tie down straps over the rafter and looped thru the upper frame tube will hold the bike up nice so the forks can be pulled out . A leaking exhaust pipe seal can let black gunk get out and all over the front of the engine .

Barry S. · Post by **Barry S.** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 10:11 am

Chel_in_IL wrote:
Barry S. wrote:The Watercooled emblems are available from Suzuki for less than that and you don't have to pay shipping. I don't know if the red side reflectors are correct on a A model, they were on the earlier ones. Which side front brake hose clamp do you need, I may have some.
From what I have gathered the Watercooled emblems are discontinued.

Alpha Sports still shows them for $12 each, I ordered some at local dealer 5 or 6 years ago and got them, the glue was dried up and I used JB Weld to stick them on.

http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm

Chel_in_IL · Post by **Chel_in_IL** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 12:52 pm

Barry S. wrote:
Chel_in_IL wrote:
Barry S. wrote:The Watercooled emblems are available from Suzuki for less than that and you don't have to pay shipping. I don't know if the red side reflectors are correct on a A model, they were on the earlier ones. Which side front brake hose clamp do you need, I may have some.
From what I have gathered the Watercooled emblems are discontinued.
Alpha Sports still shows them for $12 each, I ordered some at local dealer 5 or 6 years ago and got them, the glue was dried up and I used JB Weld to stick them on.

http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm

Yup, then shipping for $8.67. $12+12+8.67 = more than ebay.

($28 shipped)

diamondj · Post by **diamondj** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 1:00 pm

Chel_in_IL wrote:
Barry S. wrote:
Chel_in_IL wrote: From what I have gathered the Watercooled emblems are discontinued.
Alpha Sports still shows them for $12 each, I ordered some at local dealer 5 or 6 years ago and got them, the glue was dried up and I used JB Weld to stick them on.

http://www.alpha-sports.com/suzuki_parts.htm
Yup, then shipping for $8.67. $12+12+8.67 = more than ebay. ($28 shipped)

Try that part number at www.ronayers.com. Lately their pricing has been very low compared to the rest of the on-line services...

Jim

Chel_in_IL · Post by **Chel_in_IL** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 1:09 pm

Ron Ayers price is $9.53 ea, not bad. Shipping is only $5. Best price thus far.

May buy myself a battery tender too.

Post by **oldjapanesebikes** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 1:48 pm

I normally buy from Dillon Brothers - the Liquid Cooled stickers, part 68262-31200 are $8.92 ea.

Post by **Suzsmokeyallan** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:04 pm

Its a pity no one makes the first liquid cooled emblems, those are different with the Q having a piece inside the circular part of it.

Suzukidave · Post by **Suzukidave** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:07 pm

Didnt the water cooled emblems come in Black or Blue .

Chel_in_IL · Post by **Chel_in_IL** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 3:56 pm

oldjapanesebikes wrote:I normally buy from Dillon Brothers - the Liquid Cooled stickers, part 68262-31200 are $8.92 ea.

Everyone forgets shipping.. sure, lowest price, but their shipping is $10.99. So, (8.92*2)+10.99=$28.83

Post by **Suzsmokeyallan** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:01 pm

I NEVER forget shipping, and customs duties i can incur if i send stuff to the island.
Dave the emblems were always black, somewhere along the way someone made repros in the blue colour and they still do. I think HVC has the blue ones as well.

Chel_in_IL · Post by **Chel_in_IL** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:05 pm

Suzsmokeyallan wrote:Dave the emblems were always black, somewhere along the way someone made repros in the blue colour and they still do. I think HVC has the blue ones as well.

My originals were some shade of medium blue. From what I understand the original owner did nothing to upkeep the bike (evident by duct and electrical tape.) Sure they were always black?

...same issue with my guages. You said that the high beam light should be red whereas mine is blue.

tz375 · Post by **tz375** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:09 pm

Back to the oil leak. Try to tighten the two bolts on the header clamp and see if that fixes it (don't tighten them so much they pull teh threads out of the barrel though)

If that doesn't work, loosen the up and loosen the rear muffler mounting bolts and try to pull the header out of the barrel - preferably without pulling the pipes completely apart. Not easy because the whole lot weighs a ton and is very awkward to work with.

Remove the small doughnut exhaust gasket, clean the area and fit a new gasket, liberally smeared with high temp gasket goo and tighten the bolts leaving a 1mm gap between the header clamp and the barrel. Unscrew the clamp for more clearance if it bolts down hard against the barrel.

Chel_in_IL · Post by **Chel_in_IL** » Tue Oct 06, 2009 4:53 pm

Well, it's definitely coming from the one header. Wiped my finger along the flange and it was black oil. One mystery solved... just need to fix it now. Thanks for suggestions on how to do this in the most painless manner.