Scud

There's a silver sport with a nice fairing and exhaust at GP Motorcycles in San Diego. That would be an easy Fly-and-Ride. It's only a couple miles from the airport. It's a great shop (and where I bought my Scura). http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/mcd/5814620077.html

Yup - 1 washer. Mine's out right now, I just looked at it.

I have no idea what you're talking about... But as the saying goes, if the shoe fits... Here's a low-mile red and grey LeMans: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/mcy/5845706502.html Where is "new member" located? Try searching all of craigslist: http://www.searchcraigslist.org/

That's cool. Looks all original (except the huge K&N pods) and well-loved. Will she be an as-is rider - or do you have other plans? What year is it? I think the new V9 tanks have some similar lines to those.

Master Chuck Hammer

My new career... that's what one of my neighbors says too. I think I could earn about $3 per hour (just enough to buy me some suspenders). There's a lot of time in the pre-paint prep of these intricate pieces, and I think the timing cover is the most difficult thing I've ever painted. Weirdly, the crinkle paint on different parts reacted differently to the stripper. The easiest was the reaction rod - it basically peeled off. The paint on the rear transmission case turned into a tar-like substance that required several applications of stripper. Only 5 more parts to paint: Transmission main case and intermediate case. I still need to split these and am hoping they are not cracked (was leaking oil) Engine block, sump ring, and sump pan. The block is going to be tedious with all those small fins at the bottom. Does anybody know if the cylinder fins are painted - or are they bare metal? They look bare, but I need to know how careful I need to be with the stripper, because I am not going to remove the cylinders.

I am even more impressed with the VHT engine case paint (and engine primer). For comparison, the driveshaft collar is powdercoated. BBCode (replace photobucket's img with this in your post) ...and all the shift-improvement work is done - polished contact surfaces, new springs, new bearing (instead of solid roller) - and ready to reassemble.

Bummer - electrical gremlins. I have a spare regulator with a broken fin. Maybe good for testing purposes. Your for free if you want it. It so happens that I also have some spare maxi holders and fuses (it was about the same price to buy 10-packs as to buy 2 of each). Also yours for the asking - and In the mail tomorrow if you want 'em.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the real-time advice. A little more tinkering is on the agenda for today... just trying to get things cleaned, sub-assemblies ready to re-install, etc. Working from the back to the front. The engine paint is a mess on the outside, but I just "discovered" yesterday that inside of the case around the timing chain is more than 50% coated with the crap paint - so if (when) that peels off, it goes right into the timing chain before (hopefully) finding it's way to the oil filter. You can see the paint already starting to flake off from inside the timing cover (bottom right).

Thanks guys. It feels good to get rid of the crappy crinkle paint. And it seems the concerns are not purely cosmetic. Look at that ring of paint around the clutch pushrod bore. It came off in my hands - a few more miles and it would have been gumming up all the moving parts. I was also surprised at how much overspray was inside this cover and inside the shift preselector cover - and it was all starting to work loose from being soaked in gear oil. I didn't count on stripping crinkle paint from the inside too. On the bad news front - I stupidly scratched the bore while removing the output shaft seal. I suppose I have to put in a little silicone with the new seal - to be sure it doesn't leak at the scratch.

Time to have another look at your bike then... If you start at the crossover, the bottoms and the curves are the same, then the LH is longer on the top to reach the cylinder that is further back.

Here is an early pipe and one from my 2003 LeMans. The early ones take two half-circle spacers and have finned flanges. The later ones have captive flanges and do not take spacers. You can see that the spacers, when installed, duplicate the shape of the later pipe. Another way to think of it is - the later pipe has "built-in" spacers. I had the cross-over holes welded shut. That worked great, but then I found a used set from a 2002 bike - and that's what I have on there now. I have 5 used pipes that I'd gladly let go: the welded pair, the "early" pair (which I bought by mistake) and one RH 2002 pipe (captive flange and no crossover) - PM sent. On the different lengths: The two pipes are supposed to be different. The LH cylinder sits further back, so the top part of the pipe has to come further back to meet the head.

Well... since I have the Electrosport as a backup, I have another available for somebody else. It was from my parts bike (which crashed). The bottom fin is broken - but I did get the bike running before I stripped it, so I think the regulator still functions - and would make a good emergency backup for somebody's garage. Free to good home (just pay shipping). Whoever wants it: Claim it here - or send me a PM.

Got a little preview of how things will look... and she can roll again. Which means my wife will be able to park in the garage next week. Powdercoated: Swingarm (and new bearings) Driveshaft collar Brake caliper carrier (modified for 2003 longer pin and retaining clip) Painted: Final drive Reaction rod Lots of cleaning and fresh grease... no hammer required today. ...and a new Angel GT 180

Ha - that's a lot of wiring for aesthetics. I think I'm going to spray it with a little flat black - my busy hands are happy enough already.

Thanks - I've got some taps too. Was thinking of lubricating with paint stripper to get the loc-tite out - or is oil good enough? My current "engine stand" is some blocks of wood on the garage floor. Did you have to make any sort of adapter to get the engine on a standard stand - or did you just need find the right combination of bolts and spacers? Pics appreciated if you have time. I'm probably going to swing by Harbor Freight and buy their smallest engine stand later today.

I'm inclined to put it back in the stock location, unless there is some advantage to relocating it. As you mentioned, this would be the time to do it - in fact this is the time for almost any other project - since it's stripped down to the frame, forks, and wires.

How's the project going? What do you use to chase the threads? I've got an engine out right now and many holes have loc-tite residue in them. Also - are you using an engine stand? If so what kind?

Thanks guys. I bought it a while ago as a spare - so it can go back in the box. I am going to run an extra ground wire to the engine case.

Wondering if I should install this, since I've got the stock one out. I'm not having any problems (just had to disconnect it to get the engine out for clutch replacement). I thought I read that this was an improvement over the stock unit, but I can't seem to find that thread again (maybe it was on wildguzzi). Although I did find some threads about problems with the 510 unit. So... does anybody have experience with the 515? If it's better, can you explain why? Should I put it in - or just keep running the Ducati (OEM) regulator? Plugs and wire colors are identical.

It may be no coincidence, but my father-in-law used to swear, too . . . That said, no one swears like *dangerous* . . . he has taken it to an art form. Ha - I was thinking of Dangerous today. I greased the bloody farking uni joints on my driveshaft. It was easy, cuz the driveshaft was on the bench. Now it's ready for when it's time to reassemble (except one should not lube the middle fitting until it's on the bike and the bike is supporting it's own weight.) So carry on... bleed the hydraulic fluids, then move on to the three (find 'em all) grease fittings on the driveshaft. Two are easy to find, then there's that bloody farking front one: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=18602

I think he also designed the Griso. I sure like the Greenie with the LeMans fairing.

Speed bleeders are nice, but you can bleed fluid with just a clear hose and a wrench. Just apply pressure, loosen the fitting to expel some fluid, tighten, repeat till fresh fluid starts coming out (be sure to keep refilling the fluid reservoir so your don't suck air into the lines). Front brakes are easiest. Rear brake is best if you take off the caliper and have the bleeder pointing up while you do it. Clutch slave cylinder is hard to reach - but it can be done. There's probably a youtube video.

If you're going to remove the cover, check out this thread: http://www.v11lemans.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19547&hl=%2Bshift+%2Bimprovement While the sift pawl spring is a common thing to replace, I replaced all three springs. I found that they were weaker, and slightly out of shape - compared to new springs. I also put in a roller bearing instead of the standard disc-roller.

I've been enjoying the look of it in bare metal too. If I had not already gone so far down the path of darkness, or if I had a silver sport, I would be tempted to paint it with nothing but clear-coat. BTW - that aircraft stripper also removes powdercoat (tested on purpose - not accidental discovery).