Project CRM

[Ghost Lemur]

And now the questions.

I've decided I definitely want to clean up the tank as I don't want it getting worse. What the best method to remove the paint, particularly considering the fiddly places like where the rad shrouds screw in (which appears to have a space behind the piece of metal spot welded to the tank itself. Once the paint has been removed and rust treated I might consider filling in that space with bog or something to prevent reoccurences), am I going to need to remove/cut off those pieces of metal to get behind them or is there a product/way of getting in there and either treating the surface or removing the rust?

Secondly the frame bits seem pretty easy, rust treat then touch up paint. I hate white frames, but I've already decided I'm not in a postition to do the whole frame. That gold cover is plastic of some sort so don't really care about it atm.

Third is behind the same cover on the other side. No idea what these bits are but as you can see there's a fair bit of rust. Is this and issue, or is it just superficial? What are these bits? Am I going to need to do some replacing or can I treat them? Also obviously the rust is there due to water getting in behind the plastic cover, as it's a dualsport this will continue to happen. Any recommendations on a silicon or something that I could use create a water tight seal between the cover and then engine? Obviously it can't be a permanent bonding (nor needs to be as there's enough screws) because the cover could need to come off again in future.

As you can see the engine is still in the frame, as I'm keep breaking sockets and attachments trying to undo the mounting bolts.

[Motu]

Repco do a product called Rustfix I think - it comes in a spray can and turns the metal black.I use this in a lot of hard to get at areas.Use some of the zinc sprays too,you can get various colours now....the plain grey can be used as a primer,the shiny stuff can go over previously galv parts,and I use the black a lot as it gives a good hard surface.Get some lanolin in spray and grease form....you could use the grease behind that cover.

[Ghost Lemur]

Cheers Motu.

Got a mate over trying to help me get the engine out. Got the rear mounting nut off, but can't get the bolt (attaches frame to swingarm to engine to reverse on the otherside) out. Is there a secret tip where missing? We've sheared sockets trying to turn the bolt we've hit the other side with a hammer trying to push it out. Nothing is working.

[car]

Got a mate over trying to help me get the engine out. Got the rear mounting nut off, but can't get the bolt (attaches frame to swingarm to engine to reverse on the otherside) out. Is there a secret tip where missing? We've sheared sockets trying to turn the bolt we've hit the other side with a hammer trying to push it out. Nothing is working.

A trick I've used a couple of times, not sure if it's suitable in your case, is to get some long, gentle heat into the situation. Set up a hot air blower -- like an electric paint stripper -- a couple of feet away, blowing onto the offending casing. Leave it like that (but probably best not unattended) until everything is good and hot, then go back, give it a whack with a hammer, impact driver, whatever's suitable for the actual fitting.

Works where oxy-acetylene would help, but without setting fire to everything, melting things, screwing up the temper of your metal, etc. It's helped me get stubborn wheel bolts out of drums, for instance.

Obviously, not a great idea where there's plastic, fuel hose, etc.

[Ghost Lemur]

Time for a update.

Nothing to update. Still haven't been able to get the main mounting bolt out. Bought a heat gun. Didn't budge. Air powered impact wrench. Nada.

Driving me crazy. Although as the bank balance isn't looking very healthy it'll probably be a little while before I can afford to take the engine to DAS anyway.

Still it would alieviate some stress if I could just get the damn engine out.

[cooneyr]

Well I don't know the in's and out's on how the chain snapped.
I do know that it would take a lot of strain to snap a pair of side plates on a link.
I have know-en the pins to rust and snap easy on a older chain, if it has not been looked after.

Not sure why (didn't look at chain tension) but it was side links that failed on the group ride too. Looked to me like the side links that failed were well fatigued and half broken anyway. Not sure what would cause that? Doesn't seem sensible, would think the inner links or the pins would go first. Maybe the sprockets are out of line?????

Cheers R

[merv]

I've only ever once snapped a chain and it dates back to my early days with long travel monoshock suspension and I was so used to running the old twin shocks with not much chain slack I was silly enough to definitely have the chain too tight. There I am riding an enduro in 1983 and my chain went BANG and failed just like that - straight through the side plates. Racing down hill at the time in the middle of trees in a forest and all of a sudden no engine braking was a hairy experience, but I survived. Always allowed plenty of chain slack after that.

So what I'm saying is that chain too tight I believe would be the cause and yes they can fail like that. Why not necessarily at the joiners? Well it depends where the chain is on the sprocket run when you hit a bump or come off a jump and seriously compress the suspension tightening the chain is my guess. If the joiner is happily around the back sprocket at that split second moment it survives.