Reviving a stood bike

[guest7]

Someone asked me what actions to take before trying to start a bike that has been stood for the last 9 years.

He's adamant that he wants to try starting it before pulling it to bits.

It's leccy start only so how best to get some oil round the motor before prodding the switch?

Cheers
GC

[trophydave]

Sparkplug(s) out,bike in gear and push it around?A drop of oil down the bores probably wouldn't go amiss after nine years.

[Andy M]

The brake fluid, battery, oil, coolant, filters and tyres are all toast unless some were stored off the bike. Seems daft going to the hassle of starting it when you know you'll have to do a full service before you can get it to the MOT. At least if you start by dropping the oil you'll get the first hint of just what you are getting in to and if done properly it lets you pre-fill the filter, any oil traps etc. Getting the wheels off logically leads to sorting the brakes, chain and bearings. After that I'd push it round with the plugs out and oil down the bores. The full service won't take much longer than charging a battery IMHO.

Fire it up now and the old oil, siezed pumps, unlubricted bushes, dust clogged air filter or whatever and you might finish what the nine years didn't. If it goes you've still got all the jobs to do.

Andy

[guest146]

Change the oil and filter. Change the battery,Try to start it, If it starts dont rev it much to sttart with and try to see the oil is circulating. If any one thing will cause probs it will be the carb.

My Francis Barnett was last run in 1983.  Cleaned the carb started up no prob but its  2 stroke.

Ken

[Bruce]

And don,t forget to clean out the carb as the petrol may have gone off

[bullet350]

it also depends what kind of bike it is.

an old brit single needs little more than some oil thrown at it and a carb clean. jap multi's need a more careful approach, such as oiling the bores daily for a few days beforehand. also remove the plugs and turn the engine on the starter for a bit (5 sec bursts only). if it is anything modern then the carbs are probably shot and all the rebuilds in the world will not help (i'm speaking from experience). get some carbs that have been in regular use from the breakers. it'll be miles cheaper that the rebuild kits and far more likely to get a result.

finally... check the inside of the petrol tank isn't rusty. if it is then it'll clog the carbs and the tap (which might not be rebuildable).

any idea what bike it is?

bullet350

[guest381]

gettin' the oil around the motor is easy, remove the spark plug and earth it. oil down the spark plug hole then punch the button. As previously said the carb will be full of varnish so it'll need stripping most likely.

[guest7]

Cheers for that. All sound advice.

I'm sure the carbs will be clogged, but you never know. As it's a Honda VF500FII I was a bit worried about getting lube around all the expensive bits before running the engine. You'd have to say that most of the oil will have drained away from the valvegear by now  

The owner will be pulling it all down and rebuilding it properly, but he thinks it might be worth seeing if it will start first.

I'll keep you posted.
GC

[trophydave]

Strange that,there is a VF 500 for sale just around the corner from me.It is at a blokes house who normally has loads of pushbikes,mowers etc for sale.The bike looks to be in lovely condition,I think he wants £1000 for it.

[guest7]

This one is all there, looks quite smart but needs fettling - £300

GC

[guest295]

The area in most need of a bit of oil beforehand is the valvegear and cam bearings. The bores are no worry: oil gets there pretty quick and there's no load; but the cam bearings are always under load and that's the last place oil gets to. Open rocker caps and squirt oil in under pressure on everything. Squirt a little Inox or similar down the bores. Put a socket on the crankshaft end and turn the crank a little while squirting more oil on the camshaft bearings. Clean out the tank and put petrol laced with Seafoam or similar in it. Turn on the tap and open the carb drain plugs. Close the drain plugs. Spin the engine on the starter. Reinstall the sparking plugs, pull the choke and start it. If it goes, it doesn't need rebuilding. If it doesn't, rip it apart.

[guest7]

I think GB500NZ's advice is exactly what I was after... I had thought of putting oil in through the rocker caps, but I didn't know if I was being paranoid.

Thanks for the posts guys, I'll let you know if it goes Brrrrrrrrm!

GC

[trophydave]

I like the V4 Hondas,I am on my second VFR750.I can see this one lasting me a long time being as I tend to save it for 'best' and use the Transalp the rest of the time.As for the earlier VFs,most people probably remember the VF750 used to wreck its engine pretty often,the top ends wore horrendously I think.I don't remember the 500s being anything like as bad.
So,yes oil everything,camshafts,bores,turn it over gently by hand to check it hasn't siezed.I don't know what your mate is like with the spanners but remember that it isnt an air cooled two valve single if it comes to pulling it apart.
Good luck with it.