Odo-Day!

Happy Odo-Day to the KLR!

The lil' guy turned 17K on the way to work this morning. I can still remember when we rolled off the lot with less than 10 miles on the odometer. We've gone a long way in the past four years...

17K miles, I guess I should replace the stock doohickey and check the valves. --That is a good Odo-Day gift, right?

Come to think of it, I should replace the wheel bearings, rebuild the forks (with progressive springs), and get a new rear shock. Maybe that is what it gets when it turns 20K.

Fun at Tahuya

I'm thinking Pulitzer Prize here:

http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/kitsap/pat/news/107596218.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+kitsapnews+%28News+-+Kitsap+County%29

Pelican demo

Wilder, here is how you can open the Pelican case without stuff falling out. You can see the two straps on the inside, and a plastic hook that connects them in the middle.

Waiting at the door.

I spent the morning rescheduling jury duty and the rest of a long day at work.

Today was a good day. The package arrived.

I found the refinished cylinder block, new pistons, rings, pins and clips waiting for me on the doorstep when I got home.

The parts look great. A few more pieces of the puzzle are here. I can't wait to start putting the beast back together. I have to get the quote on the valve work and get that started. I know it will take the shop some time to get to the job once I approve a quote and tell them to start the project.

There is still a lot of clean up to do on the engine before I can start bolting parts back together. Like the squirrels, I am hoping to start tightening nuts in January. (I guess squirrels don't really tighten nuts, they just eat them.)

I need to start diving into the rest of the bike. I haven't done much with the rolling frame yet. I know I need a few major parts like the stock oil tank, left side cover, front fender and stays, tachometer, cables, seat, electronic ignition, and a new wiring harness to start the list.

It would be nice to come home every day and find a box of parts waiting for me.

Moto Show

Purchased a Moto Show ticket today.

Block Head and the Piston Rings

I ordered a cylinder block, pistons, rings, pins and clips Monday.

I had been waiting on a quote from a local machine shop to repair a small ding in the old cylinder block. The cost to repair a nick at the top of one of the cylinder sleeves, hone both holes, resurface the top of the block, purchase new pistons, rings, pins and clips was +/- $5 the cost of the pistons/rings/pins/clips and refinished block on eBay.

The new pistons are the same brand (Emgo) that the local shop was sourcing for me. The pistons are 0.040 over.

-As Dietrich says, "There is no replacement for displacement!"

I'm looking forward to the arrival of the new parts. I can try to sell the old cylinder block, or bring it to the office and use it as a pencil holder.

The transmission camplate arrived a couple weeks ago. The transmission is ready to go back in. It seems to shift through the gears with ease. I'm hoping that it still does once i get it back into the engine! The cylinder and pistons should arrive Monday. I'm still having the local shop seat the valves. I'm hoping I will be able to pick the head up by the end of the month.

Next parts to order is a stock oil tank and left side cover. I can sell the aluminum Webco oil tank on CraigsList to ease the blow to the pocket book. Returning this thing to (mostly) stock will be worth it in the end. -at least that is what I keep telling myself.

It is starting to come together, but the list of parts still needed seems to grow every time I look at it.