WARNING: Sport Classic content. Hope someone finds this useful...
[img width=600 height=511]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/dietrichpfeifer/15kService/15000mileService1.jpg[/img]
I decided to tackle the 15,000 mile service on my 2007 GT1000 myself. Started gathering tools and parts from a couple online vendors and local shops. The best sources I found online were:
www.ca-cycleworks.com (DML supporting vendor)
www.desmotimes.com
I used multiple resources for instruction,torque specs, etc., including LT Snyder's 2 valve book, an electronic copy of the workshop manual for the Sport 1000, and of course the wonderful message boards.
My list included some "want to do's" in addition to the "should do's". The first thing I did was service the fork. My ultimate plan was to check, regrease, & torque the steer tube bearings, you know, to make sure the wheelies weren't hurting anything. ;D I ended up dismantling the forks, pumping out the old oil (stinky!) and replacing the stock 7wt with all new Bell Ray 5wt. I held the front of the bike up by using two long 10mm bolts in some existing threaded holes and supporting those on jackstands. Worked great. The bearings looked fine, even though the grease was a little sparse. I repacked with synthetic bearing grease. Also had to bleed my steering damper because when I took it off and cycled it a couple times I notice it "skipped" where there were air bubbles and lost resistance. Forks and steering are nice and smooth now.
[img width=600 height=704]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/dietrichpfeifer/15kService/15000mileServiceFork.jpg[/img]
While I had everything apart I went ahead and filed off the casting seam on the lower tripple clamp and gave it a good sanding and polish. That took about 8 hours trying to sand through the anodizing. I since have found easier ways to strip it. :
[img width=600 height=465]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/dietrichpfeifer/15kService/15000mileServicePolished.jpg[/img]
Then replaced the belts. Super easy. I couldn't get any share-ware frequency analyzers to work with Vista operating system on my laptop, so I just used a frequency generator and tuned the belts by ear. I play guitar so it wasn't hard at all, you definitely can hear the difference between 140 and 142hz. I set them both to 142. I buttoned the bike up for a couple quick rides at this point (had a duc meeting to get to!). Checking the belts a couple days later they were much looser. I wonder how shops deal with this when replacing belts? Do you come back for a 30 day checkup to get them set after they break in a little? I reset them and expect them to stay put for awhile.
I changed the fuel filter in the tank and also replaced the stock fuel line. I had already replaced the clamps, and everything looked fine. Found one of my quick release o-rings chewed up, so replaced the black ones on both. I also picked up a little Y fitting so I could combine the vent and overflow fuel lines into one and have one less line going down the bike. Replaced the air filter with a new one. As a side note, here's a pic of the Monster tank pad I installed under my tank to help quiet the intake bark (I removed the DP airbox lid completely and replaced it with an aluminum plate for better airlfow):
[img width=600 height=429]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/dietrichpfeifer/15kService/15000mileServiceTankPad.jpg[/img]
Next was stripping the bike to get to the valves.
The hardest part was getting the airbox out, but necessary to adjust the valves. You really have pretty good access on these bikes, much better than expected.
I made a little engine turning tool out of an 8mm bolt and welded on handle. I downloaded a degree wheel from
http://www.machinerycleanery.com/index.htm printed it out and spray glued it onto a thin piece of aluminum. I cut it out on a scroll saw and then put holes in it so I could see the marks through the stock sight glass in the crank case cover. Using a bolt works OK, but sometimes comes loose (upsetting your degree setting) because you turn the engine counter clockwise (lefty loosy). Made a pointer out of scrap aluminum. Worked well enough for me. [thumbsup]
[img width=600 height=450]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/dietrichpfeifer/15kService/15000mileServiceTurningTool.jpg[/img]
I got all the valves checked and then figured out which ones need adjusting. I had ordered a shim kit earlier in the week, among other things like forceps, feeler gauges, magnet tool, etc. It was REALLY nice to have an extra set of hands. My vertical intake & exhaust closers were really loose (which is what I think I was hearing as noise in the valve train). Also had a tight vertical exhaust opener and slightly loose horizontal intake closer. It wasn't too bad changing shims, but I'm not sure how I would have got the collets back in by myself. With practice Pennyrobber and I got pretty fast changing and measuring. I did have to sand down two exhaust closers to get them right, which I did on a piece of glass and three grades of sand paper.
When it was all said and done I had every valve within 0.0005 of each other at my desired specs.
Changed the oil, cleaned the oil screen. I check the engine mounting bolt torque, kickstand bolt, etc. About the only thing I didn't do on the maintenance schedule for 15k was to check the oil pressure. I'm not worried about it. Maybe at 30k.
The service was fairly simple. I recommend reading everything you can and then making your own best judgments from there. the hardest thing I had to deal with were things that I did to myself (polishing the lower tripple) or changed (vent lines). I spent a lot of money on tools and parts, and probably spent over 24 hours working on over the course of the week.
Dietrich "Mr.Dietrich, that will be $90 x 24 hours = $2160 for labor + parts please..."
Dietrich "Wow, that much? No problem, here take this."
Dietrich "Thanks, I'll just put it towards my next mods..."
The bike purrs now. :angel:
[img width=600 height=450]http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n85/dietrichpfeifer/15kService/15000mileServiceDone.jpg[/img]
