Oil Screen Cover Removal GL1000

[Sidecar Bob]

Every design is a compromise. The best ones involve deciding which parts will need to be accessed most often and putting them where they can be accessed with the engine in the frame. Many 4 cylinder 'Wings still have their original stators 4 decades later so putting it in a less accessible place so that things like the oil filter can be easier to get at sounds like good design to me.

[rcmatt007]

Thank you for correcting me Bob. You know what I meant

[redglbx]

Well, I guess I’ll come clean here! My 76 that I bought new has NEVER, EVER had that screen cleaned, I obsessed over it for a while and even tried to access it and after struggling with it decided to “eff it”, it must not be that important or Honda wouldn’t have put it there.

As far as stators go, mine failed within the first 5mi from new and was replaced under warranty. I was not a happy camper having a brand new bike that had to have the motor pulled & the stator replaced on the day that I initially picked it up. Poor design or quality control.

And don’t get me started on the many trips back because of what I now know was the slides sticking due to the dealer not cleaning the shipping cosmolene from the slides on setup and multiple claims of rebuilding the carbs to fix the problem that was pure lies because a guy I worked with (thanks Mike !) that was a former Honda trained mechanic actually did redo the carbs (after 2-3yrs) with me all for a 12 pack of beer that I drank a lot of. My bike finally ran ok.

Then we get to the timing thing, I only set the timing dynamically now with a degree wheel setup on the lh cam gear, Randakk always said that statically setting the timing over advanced the timing 6-10deg and while I have disagreed with a lot of Randall’s comments he is 100% on the money. And then on 76’s there was the problem with properly setting the points due to the point cam not being ground correctly, fixed with a new electronic Prestolite ignition and then we had the mismarked timing marks on the flywheel with the T2 mark being around 6deg retarded to the T1.

My bike must’ve been a Monday morning build and I’m so surprised that I still own it, but it runs so nice any more, like it should’ve from new. Truly surprised to this day that I didn’t trade it on the new 76 Kawasaki 900 LTD that I rode and was looking at trading the GL on if not for the a-hole salesman, I’d probably be on a Kawi forum now.


Oh well, thanks for the little rant and thanks for all the available info here. Good people !

[tlbranth]

]

Re setting the timing: IIRC, it always took me more time to go and get new points than it did to install and adjust them. The hardest part of installing the new ones was always running the wire and setting the points took perhaps 10 minutes for the ones fixed to the plate and 15 minutes for the adjustable ones. Of course, that assumes that you replaced the condensers at the same time because bad condensers can make as much difference as mis-adjusted points.

You're a better man than I Gunga Bob

[Sidecar Bob]

I think the trick is to always replace the condensers when you replace the points.

[redglbx]

Yep Bob, the condensers are critical to any point ignition for longevity.

[Easter]

If you do pry out the frame to get to the screen bolt-----do not use a ratchet wrench. I know, I did! It will loosen the bolt fine until you come in contact with the frame, then you will not be able to remove the wrench to get it out of the way. Only solution at that point is hacksaw the bolt head off. Then hopefully the bolt is loose enough to remove with your fingers.

[rcmatt007]

If you do pry out the frame to get to the screen bolt-----do not use a ratchet wrench. I know, I did! It will loosen the bolt fine until you come in contact with the frame, then you will not be able to remove the wrench to get it out of the way. Only solution at that point is hacksaw the bolt head off. Then hopefully the bolt is loose enough to remove with your fingers.

ouch!