Kawasaki GT750 1986

[Guest]

Late last year I decided to find another project. I had just about finished my Land Rover and the little Peugeot SpeedFight 2.

The GT came up locally and for the right money.

It has been used as a winter hack and the head gasket was blowing.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/zu9u9a6y.jpg

It was a bit rough but ultimately pretty solid.

[Guest]

The obvious bits that needed attention were,

Head gasket

Centre stand rusted and twisted.

Fuel filler missing

Fuel tank rough

General rust etc

[Guest]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/zanetuzu.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/hena9e4u.jpg

Apologies but I seem to be having trouble with attaching photos on my pc and not being able to upload from Dropbox. I'll be back shortly.

[Hunter]

I had one of these as a field bike when I was a kid. We used to put one on the tank and extend the seat with a bit of wood to accommodate three teenagers they were the days !

[Guest]

I had one of these as a field bike when I was a kid. We used to put one on the tank and extend the seat with a bit of wood to accommodate three teenagers they were the days !

 

Now that sounds like fun.

[Guest]

So after removing the main parts

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/y4amuvu7.jpg

Then the head off

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/e6urevyp.jpg

If you zoom in this photo you can see the hole in the gasket between one and two.

Edited February 8, 2014 by Guest

[Tango]

Liking it so far mate......keep the pics and description coming, I'm interested to see how this turns out.....

[Guest]

Now at this point I was thinking, new gaskets and a swizz over with a cloth and put it back together.

However it seemed that the front left corner of the engine had some damage and would need removing to do a reasonable job.

Also I thought I'd actually like to strip and tidy the old tub up. Maybe even keep something for myself that I have restored.

Plus the new gaskets cost me 120 quid and a Suzuki V-strom, £4000!

[Guest]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/nupara7a.jpg

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/2u4yqe3a.jpg

Not the best pictures but you get the idea.

So that's up to date to now. Back at work for another 3 days then more spannerring.

[Guest]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/a6etesan.jpg

Just a snap of my corner of spanner heaven. Modified to suit my bad back with expensive lifts.

[Guest]

One part I struggled with was removing the release pin/mechanism for the shaft drive.

When you undo the gaiter clip you have about 4mm visibility to find a 2mm hole whilst reaching around to turn the prop to find the hole in the first place.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/ty5ujusu.jpg

And the what's left of the rest

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/u8ysaqyv.jpg

[eastanglianbiker]

One part I struggled with was removing the release pin/mechanism for the shaft drive.

When you undo the gaiter clip you have about 4mm visibility to find a 2mm hole whilst reaching around to turn the prop to find the hole in the first place.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/ty5ujusu.jpg

And the what's left of the rest

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/02/09/u8ysaqyv.jpg

the gt is known for being a nightmare to release the shaft but once you hae done one or two you get the hang of them

[Guest]

In between work and life I got a few hours in on the GT.

I had to clean all the old gasket from the mating surfaces which seemed to take ages but it's done.

I put the base gasket on, then the fun started. I had already preempted that I'd need 2 ring compressors so they were duly added to the tools collection.

After faffing for ages I was ready for the head, which went on quite well until the pistons started dropping with the head!

I made a tool to help.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/16/hy5yvemu.jpg

Although the tool is actually holding the cam chain you can get the idea. Apologies but I didn't get any photos of the early part of the build as I was on my own and hands greasy from oil etc and didn't want to cover my phone in it.

Anyway, the wooden slotty thing works well and slides neatly under the piston either side of the con rod.

Oh and I made 2 of them. Metal ones would have been better but rebuilding bike engines isn't an everyday thing.

[Guest]

Once back to this stage and the head nuts torqued down I had to read up on the timing chain and cam shafts settings.

I read and re read that page about 20 times and still got it wrong! I set the pistons to tdc but on the wrong two. After altering that I then managed to put the 2 cam shafts in back to front.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/16/gesunuje.jpg

Apparently the raised wider ring on the rear left of the back cam is for the electronic tachometer and should be at the exhaust side.

So apart it came again but it was very straightforward after that.

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/16/je2aqa6u.jpg

Oh and I knocked up the little table too just so I could sit down on the job.

[boisdevie]

I can understand taking the time an effort to restore something like a 1980s GS1000 but a GT750? I had one and they're a capable bike but it would be hard to find a bike more boring.

[Throttled]

I love restoration threads, especially bikes which do not necessarily attract much attention.

It is a beautiful machine.

[Guest]

I can understand taking the time an effort to restore something like a 1980s GS1000 but a GT750? I had one and they're a capable bike but it would be hard to find a bike more boring.

 

Each to there own, if you have no interest then don't read about it?

I had the opportunity to buy the bike at a good price and it was the first bike I had experience with as a learner many years ago.

I have restored a few things in the past, mainly land rovers but bikes are much quicker and take up less space.

My choice.

[Guest]

I love restoration threads, especially bikes which do not necessarily attract much attention.

It is a beautiful machine.

 

Thanks, glad you are enjoying it.

[MonsterMunch]

It's always a pleasure seeing a machine being put back on the road rather than being consigned to the knackers yard and there's always something to be learnt from other peoples work.......looking forward to seeing more.

[V1P3R]

Enjoying your resto! Also like the idea of pallets as a work table!! Must remember that fir future reference!

[Harri]

Hi Twiggy, how are you getting on with the GT ?

barcud

[A40man]

well this thread does start off saying that the bike came up locally and for the right money

it's about having something to tinker with, my bikes aren't worth very much but i like them,

of course this makes restoration technically uneconomic which my restoration definitely is

[Alexander]

How are you getting on Twiggy?

Currently helping with a project on a 1982 GT750 with the gf's dad. Its irst time building/restoring a bike and loving it so far.

Would be great to see it when complete.

[Gino]

at speed my GT doesn't seem to be getting the fuel through quick enough on the vacuum system.....how would I go about converting it to injection? costly?

[Mr Fro]

costly?

 

Oh yeah. Doable though.

Do you mean it's running lean at high revs?