The great ST Guy's ST1100 thread.... or a thumper guy learns new tricks

[OaklandF4i]

As the proud and VERY grateful recipient of ST Guy's ST1100 this winter, I am happy to say this project has just kicked off. See the back story of how I became the owner of ST Guy's ST1100 here. :thumbup

I've wanted a big sport touring bike for a few years now to expand my advenutures to cross country trips and attend some Barf rallies. I did make a promise to Budman that I would attend this years Hawthorne rally on a bike (I arrived last year as a passenger in a truck.) :laughing I made a big life change a few years back for the better. But that choice came with a drastically reduced income, so the funds for a fancy new or even new to me touring or adventure bike just weren't available. So this opportunity was fantastic and very much appreciated!

While I intended to get the project started earlier this spring... I should still have time to get her running and sorted for Hawthorne this fall.

This thread is going to cover getting the ST1100 running properly again, sorting her out, and bringing the big girl back to her former glorious condition. This process and thread will probably take place over the next 6 months. arty

The bike, ST Guy and Oaklandf4i

 

[OaklandF4i]

First of all, it was very obvious after corresponding and meeting ST Guy that he loved this bike, took great care of it, and knew his way around with a wrench. It had however been sitting for a long period of time, and was no longer running properly. It would start up and idle with the choke applied, but nothing more. Stumble and die with the addition of any amount of throttle.

So the first order of business was to just get it running before spending money on parts to bring her up to snuff. Proof of concept so to speak.

I know from my thumper experience that a bike sitting for long periods tends to get its fuel system all gummed up. Suspect clogged jets, cracked rubber parts or tubes, and or any number of items. While I have rebuilt and tuned any number of two stroke dirtbikes or fourstroke thumpers.... this will be my first deep foray into a multi bank carb system. What could go wrong? Hold my beer please... :rofl

The bike in its new home.....

 

[OaklandF4i]

First order of business was opening it up and getting access to the carbs. I know there are carbs somewhere under all this plastic....

While gaining access to the carbs took a bit of reading in the factory service manual (didnt want to break or crack plastic) and was certainly a lot more involved than a thumper, the great thing was all the rubber hoses and bits were in much better condition than I expected. :thumbup

Taking my time reading and getting to know the old girl, I slowly found my way to the carbs. :ride

 

[OaklandF4i]

Got the carb bank removed and on my bench to open up. Hmmmmmm..... at first this looks daunting. But after studying it a bit more, I realize that functionally its just four Keihin CV carbs. I'm comfortable and have some experience with these. You folks with lots of experience with multi bank systems are probably laughing at my apprehension about this new to me experience.

As I open up the carbs, my suspicions are confirmed. Clogged jets. One pilot I can't even get my guitar wire through. :wow So going through two cans of carb cleaner and using compressed air.... I clean out every jet, orifice, and passageway in each of the carbs. All the rubber bits look good too. :teeth

Unfortunately, I tore one of the float bowl gaskets. So even though I believe I have addressed the most immediate problem, I'll have to wait until some bowl gaskets arrive to confirm.

 

[auntiebling]

just don't separate the carbs from the rack assembly. sometimes it's necessary but usually not and getting all that monkey motion to do what it's supposed to do again ain't easy.

did the bike come with a tub of molybdenum paste? :teeth :laughing

 

[OaklandF4i]

The initial "to do" list over the next few months based on what I have seen thus far:

- reinstall carbs
- check/adjust carbs sync (going to be another first for me)
- check/swap spark plugs
- change all fluids
- check/adjust valves
- compression and leak down test
- inspect brakes
- inspect all bearings (ie head, swingarm, wheels etc)
- freshen up suspension
- new fork seals
- address fork stanchion tube corrosion/pitting
- tires
- paint ........ while low on priority it does need some fresh paint and already day dreaming of colors. Ford Stealth Gray comes to mind.

 

[OaklandF4i]

just don't separate the carbs from the rack assembly. sometimes it's necessary but usually not and getting all that monkey motion to do what it's supposed to do again ain't easy.

did the bike come with a tub of molybdenum paste? :teeth :laughing

Good advice! :thumbup

No tub.... but I actually found a very old tube of it when going through all my bins of spares to make room for this project. Laughed to myself. :laughing It was even the Honda brand from my f4i days.

 

[auntiebling]

i like old goldwings, famous for carb fiddliness....

read up on the synch procedure when you get there. it'll likely only be doable in one sequence because one carb is synched to the previous, to the previous, to the "master"

you can get a really rough bench synch with that guitar string as a feeler gage under the butterflies. only helps if you've had the left/right separated from each other to get the crossover mechanism in the ballpark. i'd bank on STguy having them well synched so the cleaning ought to do it.

 

[OaklandF4i]

i like old goldwings, famous for carb fiddliness....

read up on the synch procedure when you get there. it'll likely only be doable in one sequence because one carb is synched to the previous, to the previous, to the "master"

you can get a really rough bench synch with that guitar string as a feeler gage under the butterflies. only helps if you've had the left/right separated from each other to get the crossover mechanism in the ballpark. i'd bank on STguy having them well synched so the cleaning ought to do it.

Thanks, I am sure I am going to stumble somewhere along the line in this process. :thumbup Been doing some reading in the manual and online. I think you are right, ST Guy probably has this sync'ed well. But its also an opportunity to learn a new skill, and frankly a big part of the satisfaction for me on projects like this. Plus he gave me the tools to do it with his home made manometer. Got to use em and learn. :ride

This thread will surely become less of recap and will be asking questions soon enough I'm sure!

 

[ThumperX]

. subscrived :thumbup

 

[1962siia]

Dude awesome! Glad you’re moving forward!

 

[ST Guy]

AWESOME!! What a trip to see my old bike. I'll be following this thread for sure and adding my two cents here and there.

Some comments:

The hoses and rubber have mostly been replaced at some time in the past. None of it, as I recall.

The needles in the carbs are relatively new. Aftermarket as the Honda stuff was very expensive. Also, you ruined a nearly new bowl gasket! :two finger :afm199

What hasn't been replaced in the carbs are the seals for the butterfly shafts, the slide diaphragms, and the fuel enriching valves. If I was going through it, I'd be tempted to replace all that but for now I think you're OK just cleaning and putting back together. The summer before you got it, I had gone through the carbs and it ran well enough to take it for a ride. It didn't have the top end rush it used to so I suspect carb sync needs doing and as a matter or course, replace those boots that connect the carbs to the heads. Don't forget some wheel bearing grease to help pop the carbs in place.

Since the plugs are so deep, use an air gun to blow out any debris before removing them. Make sure to use some sort of anti-seize when putting the new ones in. I use the Moly 60. Just be sure not to get any on the insulators.

Brakes: Rotors are at the lower limit. Need replacing. The SS lines should be good.

Steering stem: Doubt anything needs done there. They're aftermarket tapered roller bearings set up with a light smear of Moly 60 on the races and then Amsoil full synthetic lithium based heavy duty wheel bearing grease.

I know the rear wheel bearings were replaced around 50,000 miles. 'Might have a note in the manual. Fronts may have been done as well.

Use Honda fork seals. And you have the oil spec and levels in the paperwork somewhere. It's what Lindemann recommended after reworking the forks and the valving.

Woo-hoo!

 

[GAJ]

Shouldn't this be in "General" as it shows the BARF spirit at its finest and is of interest even to folks like me who wouldn't know a float bowl from a bong bowl?

Kudos to ST Guy for paying it forward and kudos to Oakland F4i for taking us on his journey.

 

[budman]

Good stuff CJ. :thumbup

See you at Hawthorne..! NO PRESSURE!!

 

[jafo]

:thumbup

 

[ST Guy]

Shouldn't this be in "General" as it shows the BARF spirit at its finest and is of interest even to folks like me who wouldn't know a float bowl from a bong bowl?

Kudos to ST Guy for paying it forward and kudos to Oakland F4i for taking us on his journey.

Methinks you do know the difference.

 

[tzrider]

If the bike still has a vacuum petcock and the bike still runs funny when you put it together, bypass the petcock to see if it makes a difference. The diaphragms in those eventually leak and cause a fuel restriction.

 

[ST Guy]

If the bike still has a vacuum petcock and the bike still runs funny when you put it together, bypass the petcock to see if it makes a difference. The diaphragms in those eventually leak and cause a fuel restriction.

True. I did rebuild the petcock, though.

 

[89fj]

maybe adding a little help here, but, if you're planning to clean the pilot jets out, soak them in laquer (paint) thinner first to break up the varnish.

 

[Slabhappy]

I hope you have have found the ST1100 Archive of wisdom by now
http://www.st-riders.net/index.php?PHPSESSID=35dh303q4v2c4llh0o4mf56h34&board=3.0
Everything (Well almost) you need to know is there and well documented.
Offer still stands if you need some help