I have seen a small part of your videos, and the passion you put into your work is clear to understand. Seeing people like you stimulates me to cultivate my passion for motors that I have had since I was a boy. I now have a 1987 yamaha xv1000 virago gold edition and a 1981 Golf Cabriolet mk1, and I'm still working on the latter. Greetings from Italy and thanks for your videos!!
I love how you are about 4 months ahead of my project, working out all the issues that I know I will encounter. I am extremely excited about how you will be treating the side covers. Mine are just as bad as yours!
Hey Paul!! Thanks for the comment! That's cool that you're also restoring a Virago - they're getting harder and harder to find these days and it's good to know that someone else is out there keeping the breed alive. I just installed my engine and posted that video - it will be live on 18 December. As for the chrome plated side covers, I want to leave them for a sort of "final reveal" but I can tell you that they turned out great but it wasn't easy. The local chrome shop quoted more than what the bike is worth and they're about the only place in town. Not only that, they wanted all the bushings, bearings, seals, sight glass seals, etc all removed before they would electrically & chemically remove the old chrome. They suggested media blasting and since my options are limited, that's what I ended up doing. All my chrome plated aluminum parts have now been media blasted, sanded and polished, including the side covers which look great. I've got a complete video for that coming soon.
Thanks Joe!! The side cases were a LOT of work - much more than I had planned for that's for sure. I've got to figure out if I'm going to overhaul my original starter or buy a new one but I have to make that choice before I put the left side cover back on. Also have to check all the tolerances on the clutch discs to see if they need replacing before I put the right side cover back on. Thanks for watching and thanks for the nice comment!!
At 12:31, the "Bushing" you're pointing to is actually an oil seal, probably the most critical seal in that engine as it supplies the connecting rod bearings with pressurised oil. It goes hard over time and the oil pressure to the crank reduces, resulting in premature wear and, in extreme cases, destruction of the bottom end of the motor.
I explain that further in the restoration videos. Like you mention, it is a seal but it's there to seal the channel that pushes the oil up from the bottom end of the oil pump to the top of the engine cylinders (camshaft, etc) via the external oil tubes. Unlike many of the other seals, it's high temp and dual lipped since the rod it seals also spins. It was replaced later in the rebuild along with all the other oil seals.
Thanks Ralph!! Got the engine back in and all the chrome removed and aluminum polished up. Next video coming in a couple of weeks as I head back to work. Cheers!
I have seen a small part of your videos, and the passion you put into your work is clear to understand. Seeing people like you stimulates me to cultivate my passion for motors that I have had since I was a boy. I now have a 1987 yamaha xv1000 virago gold edition and a 1981 Golf Cabriolet mk1, and I'm still working on the latter. Greetings from Italy and thanks for your videos!!
I love how you are about 4 months ahead of my project, working out all the issues that I know I will encounter. I am extremely excited about how you will be treating the side covers. Mine are just as bad as yours!
Hey Paul!! Thanks for the comment! That's cool that you're also restoring a Virago - they're getting harder and harder to find these days and it's good to know that someone else is out there keeping the breed alive. I just installed my engine and posted that video - it will be live on 18 December. As for the chrome plated side covers, I want to leave them for a sort of "final reveal" but I can tell you that they turned out great but it wasn't easy. The local chrome shop quoted more than what the bike is worth and they're about the only place in town. Not only that, they wanted all the bushings, bearings, seals, sight glass seals, etc all removed before they would electrically & chemically remove the old chrome. They suggested media blasting and since my options are limited, that's what I ended up doing. All my chrome plated aluminum parts have now been media blasted, sanded and polished, including the side covers which look great. I've got a complete video for that coming soon.
Excellent job again Ken as usual. Looking forward to seeing how you treat the side cases.
Thanks Joe!! The side cases were a LOT of work - much more than I had planned for that's for sure. I've got to figure out if I'm going to overhaul my original starter or buy a new one but I have to make that choice before I put the left side cover back on. Also have to check all the tolerances on the clutch discs to see if they need replacing before I put the right side cover back on. Thanks for watching and thanks for the nice comment!!
At 12:31, the "Bushing" you're pointing to is actually an oil seal, probably the most critical seal in that engine as it supplies the connecting rod bearings with pressurised oil. It goes hard over time and the oil pressure to the crank reduces, resulting in premature wear and, in extreme cases, destruction of the bottom end of the motor.
I explain that further in the restoration videos. Like you mention, it is a seal but it's there to seal the channel that pushes the oil up from the bottom end of the oil pump to the top of the engine cylinders (camshaft, etc) via the external oil tubes. Unlike many of the other seals, it's high temp and dual lipped since the rod it seals also spins. It was replaced later in the rebuild along with all the other oil seals.
Hi Ken looking Cherry as the car guys used to call some of my rods !! Ralph from west Coast BC
Thanks Ralph!! Got the engine back in and all the chrome removed and aluminum polished up. Next video coming in a couple of weeks as I head back to work. Cheers!