Round 4, FOAK: 1982 Kawie KZ550 C3 LTD Restoration Options

Thank you for all your help so far. My goal is to keep my Kawie out
of
the grave as it nears thirty years of age. It certainly has been
neglected in every imaginable way over these decades. I intend to
give it a "Progressive Rustoration" which is to fix something, ride,
fix something, ride, etc.

I used the advice from the FOAK to reduce the force needed to turn the
throttle. It worked. I was amazed at just how much friction had
built
up in the old cables and I also discovered that one of them was
breaking individual stands of wire. Two new throttle cables and it's
like riding a new bike! I also replaced the clutch cable.

I can also advise all that using UV or black light oil leak finder
works! It's also inexpensive. I have now pinpointed the exact location
of the leakage and am confident that I can repair without doing too
much or too little. It's also inexpensive.

As for the pod type air filters that we discussed, I did install them
and it seems to run just great. The air box/runners to carbs
configuration that was original leaked unfiltered air into the carbs.
The plastic runners had simply hardened because of age and would not
seal to the carb necks.

The pod filters offer one benefit and that is ease of priming. Now
that it's getting colder the old bike needs a little help in cold
starting so I simply spray the exteriors of the two outboard pod
filters with WD-40 or carb cleaner from a spray can and then hit the
starter. It starts instantly.

The front tire has a very slow leak. It's tubless Dunlop and the rim
is alloy. I have replaced the core in the valve stem twice and have
sprayed the tire with soapy water in hopes of finding the leak.

My question to the group is this: Does "Slime" or other brands of
tire sealants work? Maybe I should just bite the bullet and teach
myself how to change a tubless motorcycle tire.

Hoping to hear from you and my best to TOG, his kind words of advice
and gracious encouragement are always the antidote to discouragement
as I struggle to keep this thirty year old Kawie up and running.

Biker Dude

 

I do not recommend using Slime or its competitors.

As I've said many times before, Slime can cause corrosion and pitting
of aluminum rims over a period of time.


I put Slime into a flat tire and then that tire with the Slime in it
was stored for
seven years. The rim had very noticeable pitting when I removed the
old, hardened tire, so I used a spare wheel when I mounted new tires.


I put Slime into another wheel when the tire was punctured. I didn't
have time to ride that machine for two years and when I installed a
new tire the Slime had started removing the paint from inside the
rim.


Since the propylene glycol medium used in Slime is slightly caustic
at
around
pH 8.0, that may be the reason for pitting. Also, moisture in the air
inflating the tire may contribute to corrosion.


If you pay attention, you may notice that glycol-based brake fluid
will remove paint from your brake and clutch master cylinder where it
weeps out around the
cover gasket.


The aluminum body of the master cylinder will also corrode.


I first learned about the corrosion problem in a motorcycle NG when
an
ATV rider complained about how Slime had actually eaten holes in his
spun aluminum wheels.


Slime requested that he send the wheels to them for forensic
analysis,
and there was some talk about whether a batch of Slime had been
improperly compounded.


Now, consider glycol-based anti-freeze, which is known to corrode
aluminum and steel parts of an automotive cooling system.


Manufacturers of anti-freeze add buffering chemicals to neutralize
the
pH of the coolant, and the buffering chemicals get used up over a
period of a few years.


One of Slime's competitors claims that they do add buffering
chemicals
to their tire sealer.


As to the claim that Slime will somehow help balance a wheel,
consider
what material actually seals leaks.


It's not the propylene glycol, it's a lint-like fiber and that fiber
will initially be carried to the leak by the glycol.


But clumps of the fiber will gather around the leak and the glycol
will dry up over a
period of time and the clumped fiber can be enough to cause a severe
imbalance of the tire.


When you remove the tire from the rim, the fiber stubbornly clings to
the rim and is difficult and time-consuming to remove.

 

On Oct 24, 11:06 am, little man upon the stair <>
wrote:

Really? You admit you are an idiot? That's a first. Green Slime WORKS
and is safe for your rims...unlike you I DO stuff I don't wiki for all
my knowledge then screw up the relay of information. You are a hack
and a fraud.

 

little man upon the stair said:

^^^^
||||

Who's that ****?
And why's he talking bollox?

 

My SOB CBX550 had a similar problem, with no obvious damage to the tyre or
the rim.

In a (rare) flash of inspiration, or should that be desperation, I tried the
following...
- With the bike on the stand and an axle-stand under the engine, taking the
weight off the front wheel.
- Removed the valve core and totally deflated the tyre.
- Sprayed Holts Rubber Lubricant around the valve housing and the valve hole
in the rim, working the housing by hand until it would turn with little
effort.
- Replaced the valve core and reinflated the tyre.

This resulted in no subsequent loss of air for the next five years I had the
bike.

YMMV but it's worth a try and can't do any harm.

 

He's an idiot that gives septics a bad name.

 

Keith's the kind of asshole that gives lifers in the peacetime
military a bad name.

 

actually having been a lifer I know for a fact you are a lying piece
of draft dodging shit...and the only things you know about motorcycles
is what you've found on the net. Hacks like you get newbies KILLED.

 

It certainly does. Don't listen to the assholes who wibble on about
unbalanced wheels, it's a load of cock.

 

I've heard speculation by other riders that it MIGHT (not does) might
even, possibly, maybe provide some bit of dynamic balance. It could I
suppose but it's too late in the evening for me to say that it
definately does. <shrug> I dunno, I just use to reduce the risks of
deflation from nail sized holes and smaller.

I also used to patch tubed tires and keep riding on them until I
started using GS about 10 years ago.

 

I'm absolutely POSITIVE that Slime will unbalance your wheels if you
put enough of it into the tire.

When using it on a large automotive wheel, such as used on an SUV, the
entire
16-ounce bottle is required, according to the instructions printed on
the label.

I Slimed one of my Jeep's wheels to stop a persistent leak. The Slime
would move around and I could see a green die spot indicating where
the hole was if I parked with the hole on the upper side of the tire.

Most of the Slime would run away from the hole due to the force of
gravity.

Eventually all the fiber clumped on one side of the wheel and it was
badly out of balance above 60 mph.

 

Good for you. Thankfully nobody seems to give a shit what you think,
no matter how positive you may be about it.

 

:

Yes.

I had a 4 inch screw in my rear tyre about 10 days ago. The screw went in
at an angle and only caused a minor leak. On the recommendation of my tyre
fitter I poured a carton of Slime into the tyre. Puncture sealed and no
noticeable effect on wheel balance.

This type of sealant is routinely used by R-GS riders undertaking trips to
far flung places.

 

If you're a high mileage rider and you burn off a set of tires once a
year, ask the tire ape who installs your new tires to show you the
rims before he mounts the new tires.

Look for corrosion and the presence of clumps of blue-green-grey
fiber stuck to the rims.

If you're the type that only rides 2000~3000 miles a year and only
needs new tires
every three or four years, the Slime could be pitting your rims and
ruining them.

It annoys me to admit that TOG was right when he says that mystery goo
like Slime and the foaming latex sealers are really only a temporary
repair.

 

Well, maybe you just aren't aware of how TOG has been following me
from NG to NG for the last ten years just to argue about motorcycle
maintenance and repair.

Obviously TOG cares about what I think, if only to start an argument.

 

Only an IDIOT like you would put more than the appropriate amount in
the tire...and just so you know. It does come sized for moto tyres.

 

actually LIAR it's you who stalks TOG and myself. Me I don't
care...show up at the front door, I got a surprise for you. Show up at
TOG's? ROTFLMAO you're too broke to make it to the airport much less
england.

 

works well pre-installed. 8^)

 

One set of tyres a year is high mileage: haha.

My tyre ape is my independent BMW mechanic. He has a couple of decades
experience working for BMW before going independent. He recommended and
supplied the goo, stating he has used it on his own & customer bikes for
many years.

The wheel is already corroded, especially the spokes, as it has been
exposed to 9 British winters and rock salt. How can I tell what is
caused by normal wear & tear or the Slime? Do you have an independent
source for your allegations against Slime? Something empirical rather
than speculation on an internet forum?

As the bloke that supplied the goo is the same one that will be
supplying my next tyre I DGAF about anything stuck to the rims: he will
be removing it when he fits the tyre.

I agree. A temporary repair that will last the 2-3000 miles until the
tyre is worn out & replaced. Well worth 5 quid.

 

Krusty, and a zillion other nicks

Because that was what he was put on this planet to do.