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K75S DIY painting (& polished tank) thread

Jet-Hot Treated Header

Got my Jet-Hot coated header back for my k75s and mounted it today. Rained all day, otherwise would have some better photos.
 

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Received Spiegler lines today but they screwed up...

Just received my Spiegler brake lines today but after opening the box I was soon disappointed. They completely forgot to include the three anodized banjo bolts I had ordered.:banghead

Went outside to match up the four lines to the bike... Disappointment struck again; the line going from the brake pipe fitting in front of the radiator down to the right front caliper has the wrong fitting on the caliper end and is about two to three inches too short.:banghead

The only good news is that the other three lines appear as though they will fit but I won't know for sure until I take the old ones off (the rear lines and master cylinder are partially hidden by the right footpeg plate).

When I ordered the lines I clearly specified that they were for a '94 S with ABS and I needed the top line 1" longer (that one seems OK as best as I can determine; the top line disappears into a thicket of cables behind the fork tubes where it joins the ABS brake pipes). Only the front line to the caliper is the one that's all wrong, but it's disheartening to say the least.

So tomorrow I will have to call them up and send back the wrong line (probably at my expense) and get them to correct the order.

I now realize that I should have removed the old lines and sent them to Spiegler before ordering as I mentioned in a previous post but I thought that that would not really be necessary---if I only knew...

Needless to say, I am not a happy camper. I was all set to redo the brakes this week; now I'll have to wait at least another two or three weeks to get this accomplished.:violin
 
Spiegler update

Called Spiegler and explained everything---they're making up the correct line and sending it out pronto (along with the banjo bolts missing from my order).

Hoping to get everything installed as early as next week, fingers crossed.:clap
 
Received the correct brake line & banjo bolts from Spiegler today.

Am getting bready to do the full brake line replacement now that I've received the correct line and fittings.

Just posed (or re-posed) my previous question about bleeding the ABS modulators in my "Spiegler brake lines on a bike with ABS" thread elsewhere in this forum, in case anyone wishes to respond.:scratch:ear

I'll be proceeding with the work soon, details and photos to follow.
 
New brake lines and new Catz lights, general update

Haven't been working on my bike lately due to a couple of things. First, I had to order some new gaskets, grommets and extra rear resevoir cap to finish building my pressure bleeder. They took a while to get here as one bit was back-ordered from Germany. Received everything last week and today I finished constructing the front and rear caps I'll use with the pressure bleeder.

Secondly, I got pretty involved with clearing a lot of jungle on one side of the house in preparation for installing two large antennas (I'm a ham radio nut also) in the last couple of weeks. I've been inactive on the radio for the last 6 or 7 years but with a new solar cycle coming into play I thought it wise to be prepared for another round of potential long-distance activity on the bands.

I know this is off-topic but these pix might better illustrate where all of my spare time and energy have been going as of late:


AFTER GOING WILD WITH MY MACHETE FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS (should have seen before!)
Jungleclearance038.jpg


These vines are insidious, grow like weeds at an amazing speed and develop branches as big as trees!
Jungleclearance041.jpg


My 50mHz antenna and mast over on its side about to get hoisted up... I cleared this section completely so as to have room to do so:
Antennagoesup044.jpg


With guy ropes already laid out and everything in place, we (wife helped) got it up in the air about 30' above ground. A joyous occasion for a nut like me.
Antennagoesup049.jpg


Easier to see against an overcast sky (typical to our usual weather).
Jungleclearance047.jpg


Now back to the bike:
In other recent developments, I managed to lose both fog lights I had mounted on the front forks due to metal fatique---the DIY aluminum brackets I made just received too much bouncing in the 1000 miles or so I've ridden since installing them.

I heard/felt something snap and hit the bike on one ride to town; later discovering the left light and mount snapped off...

The next ride a week later the same thing happened again (!); the other bracket broke off at the point where it bends.

To make a long story short, I've come up with a secure and totally different mounting system that is downright nifty. I also got a couple of 70 watt yellow Catz lights that will provide even better visibility day or night.:dance

Stay tuned, more details about these and the brake line work to follow... (dinnertime here)
 
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Taking the bike apart again (more or less)!

Got a good start on the brake line and fog lights work today.

In order to gain access to the ABS brake pipe/front line connection (and aux. lights rewiring) I removed the right side of the fairing, gas tank, seat, both side covers and undid several connectors in the way.

I also disconnected the battery for safety and after a lot of finagleing, got the ignition control module out from it's nook sandwiched snugly between the frame tubes.:whistle This gave me access to the front ABS brake pipe/brake hose junction where it will need to be disconnected after bleeding for subsequent replacement with the Spiegler lines and fresh fluid.

I took lots of photos every step of the way to aid reassembly. I tend to work at a snail's pace so these will help me out in the coming days or weeks ahead whenever I'm putting it all back together.

Here's what the bike looks like now:

Frontbrakepipejointaccess029.jpg


Here's a shot of the ICM as it was perched over the spot I need access to:

Frontbrakepipejointaccess006.jpg


Got the rear connector off and started wiggling it out:

Frontbrakepipejointaccess019.jpg


After a good 30 minutes of this (and wondering how BMW ever got it in there in the first place) it finally slipped out. Some WD-40 helped make the crucial difference, I think:

Frontbrakepipejointaccess023.jpg


Now I actually have a decent chance at getting this connection undone without pulling my hair out (although I don't have much room to turn the wrenches, my fingers are crossed; this once seemed like the biggest hurdle---now it is no longer so daunting):

Frontbrakepipejointaccess028.jpg


I posted much of the above info already in my "Spiegler lines..." thread elsewhere in this forum but am reposting here since it seems this thread has developed a following of sorts elsewhere outside of MOA (I have a link in my sig line on ADV where I am also pretty active).
Since posting the same basic info doubles the time spent typing and uploading pix I'm going to try to post further developments here in this thread only, thus 'kill two birds with one stone,' if I can.:type

So with the bike apart again I'm also planning to rewire the new Catz lights instead of use the old wiring---they're 70 watts each instead of the 35 or 50 watts the Optilux were---so in goes the heavier-duty relay and wiring that came with the Catz.:dance

My power line to the front powerlet jack will also undergo an upgrade while I'm at it.

Enough of typing for today; the sun just popped out so I'm heading back outside to do a bit more before calling it a day. Unless I really make a lot of progress with the brake bleeding tomorrow I'll probably post my next update sometime next week (when I have time off from work to wrench further).

Aufwedersehen!
 
What Catz lights are you using? My Optilux started to leak and when I took them apart couldn't get Hupdty Dumpty back together again so I am looking for a replacement.
 
Catz XLO

Catz XLO, Todd; here's a link to the ebay page where I scored these for roughly 1/2 of usual retail:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CATZ...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item23014ff510

The seller is top-rated and he shipped the lights out right away. For an extra $25 he'll also include a pair of replacement bulbs with no extra shipping if shipped with the XLOs. Apparently these lights are proprietary so I decided to play it safe and grab an extra pair of backup bulbs at the same time. If you Google these lights you'll see they generally sell for a lot more---and are better than PIAAs!

Be sure to get the amber ones (XLOs also come in white but the amber will stand out much more amongst traffic). The instructions are in Japanese but easy to figure out.

Here's a link to the page posted on ADV that sold me on getting them right away, too:

http://smithduck.home.comcast.net/~smithduck/bmw/tech/xlo/xlo.htm

I've already gotten most of the old wiring out but will end up using the Optilux relay after all---it's rated at 30 amps at 12.6v so plenty beefy enough to handle 140 watts IMO (turns out the Optilux 1472s were 55w each; these are only 15w more=30 watts more total. I will, however, run the beefier wiring from the relay out to the lights for good measure. Looks like a full gauge heavier wiring than the Optilux.

I plan to hold off installing these lights until after I replace the brake lines and put that ICM back in place. Should be easier to get it wedged back in that tight spot with fewer wires there is what I figure---then I can snake them by and finish things up.
 
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But how well does the amber light illuminate at night? I'm more interested in night performance and day visibility.
 
I'll be riding with two little suns soon

70 watt yellow dichroic halogen lights...?

I would think they'd be super bright day or night.

Ever been to France? There's a good reason a lot of the headlights they use over there are a distinct yellow instead of white. These should provide greater visibilty all around, especially in rain and fog but as always, YMMV...

I think I'll stick out like a Roman candle with these on, the whole point as far as I'm concerned; conspicuity every time I'm riding.

There's some day/night photos of an Iowa K1100 with them installed on this forum page:http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24430

At any rate, I'll post some pix of my own once I get them installed (after I finish the brake lines).
 
Half of the Spieglers got installed today---I can't believe it!

I got out my new Mity Vac and bled the old rear brake lines and removed them today.

Not much old fluid came out when I bled the ABS pot first but what did come out was fairly dirty (fine black sediment). I ran some fresh DOT 4 through them a couple of times before proceeding to bleed from the rear caliper.

Even less fluid came out from there and thinking I might be doing something wrong I flushed some more with new fluid in the resevoir (back from the ABS pot again).

Finally figured it was all out so I unbolted the old lines and got the two rear Spieglers ready.

Had to fiddle with them a while to get the banjo fittings at just the right angles to match the old lines (so the lines wouldn't get twisted unnecessarily from their mounting positions). The process went very well and Spiegler includes little plastic blocks to mount in a vise for them. Using the supplied plastic rod I turned them to what I thought would be just the right angle---but I had to redo things several times with each line to finally get them about perfect.

Otherwise it was a piece of cake, relatively speaking. They're all torqued up (where I could fit my torque wrench and socket, that is); a couple of bolts got hand tightened as best as I could estimate 12 foot-pounds or so with a 14mm open-end wrench.

I remembered to install the new aluminum crush washers on both sides of the banjo fitting before tightening them up.

The rear lines are empty now and it may not be until next week before I get time to resume the work and fill them using my DIY pressure bleeder---but that's fine by me. I'm so happy and relieved that so far, this is coming together nicely.:whistle

These pics don't quite do them justice---they look pretty darn spiffy in person.:thumb

RearSpieglers002.jpg


RearSpieglers004.jpg
 
Grand Scrivener 1986 K100

May seem like a simple question, but where do you get the paint? I'm looking for Marrakesh Red Code 641
 
I used a Mercedes-Benz paint code for my steel grey PPG paint that I bought at my local ASC. Any good paint shop should be able to mix up that Marrakesh Red in Glasurit (OEM) or other brands, no problem.
 
May seem like a simple question, but where do you get the paint? I'm looking for Marrakesh Red Code 641

641 is not the paint CODE. It is the paint SCHEME. The original paint was made by Glasurit. The Glasurit (a division of BASF) paint CODE for Marakesh Red is 222.



:dance:dance:dance
 
Stopped raining today and I'm going for it now...

pburbine: Post us (a) before/after picture(s) over in the K-bike photo thread when you get it painted, please. 98Lee especially loves to drool over anything Marrakesh Red.:D

I'm off from work for a few days starting today so I'm going outside now to continue my brake line bleeding and replacement. Wish me luck, folks; especially refilling the new lines and ABS pots...:bow
 
22 June progress

Got a late start but managed to get both front Spiegler lines installed this afternoon. Of course the rain started about as soon as I got out my tools and didn't stop thereafter. While my carport workspace is drafty and dark I didn't let the dampness outside deter me. I bled the front lines, removed them and installed the Spieglers.

The top front line that I ordered 1" longer than stock actually turned out about 1" shorter than the existing old line (but the old line may have been for the C bars the PO had installed before putting the S bars back on). I almost decided to send it back to Spiegler to get a longer line---but since curiosity got the better of me I hooked it up and tightened the bolt/junction finger-tight.

Routing this shorter and thinner line a different way around the right fork tube made just enough of a difference---I can turn the forks all the way to the left and right without undue stress on the line, as far as I can determine. The brake pipe that this line joins is pulled a little higher up but I don't think it's going to be a problem. I even replaced the ICM back into its niche and it looks like it'll all work out.

Tomorrow, probably after I pressure bleed new fluid into both front and rear systems---I'll start reworking some of the wiring underneath the tank to give that front line every little bit of extra room that I can. If I can get my auxilliary light wiring, radar detector audio and power lines and accessory powerlet wires rerouted over to the port side the brake pipe and top line will have a much better chance of not getting scrunched.

I noticed a tiny bit of rust at some points along the frame where cable abrasion had worn away small patches of paint. I'll try to de rust those areas as best I can and spray with some Niox before reassembly, too.

I took photos of the old fluid sitting in the front m/c and it was dirtier than I expected. I'll post some pix tomorrow or whenever I find the time. This work is pretty tiring (I'm often stressing out on minor details and spend too much time looking for answers on the net) so more photos will be here after I'm done with the work at hand.

Anyway, I flushed new fluid in through the front old lines before I removed them and I cleaned the inside of the m/c with Q-tips and paper towels well. Small amounts of black residue (rust or dirt, I presume?) were present and the old fluid that came out was a medium amber beer color. Got about 75ml out of each front/rear system including both ABS pots---suppose that's about right?

I'm beat now and will sign off now and go have dinner---back again soon with further results.........
 
My bike will be out of commission for a while...

Attempted pressure-bleeding yesterday for the first time. What a near-disaster!

:violin

I thought I had the rear brake fluid resevoir cap on tight but it turned out it was on askew. Brake fluid started gushing out as soon as I pressurized the system. Fortunately, the aluminum foil behind the resevoir saved 95% of the area around it from the torrent of DOT 4. I was wearing my face shield at the time but it never sprayed out in my direction, fortunately.

Put the cap back on correctly but it still leaked a fair amount anyway. I'd even put a dab of Yamabond on the little groove on the side (for pressure relief) beforehand so it'd be sealed (or so I thought). I also put some white bathroom caulk on the inside of the cap threads but that "preventative measure" might have been the cause of the failure. It was the correct cap, though and at least more fluid was going into the ABS pot than leaking out the resevoir.

Fast forward to front system: The front m/c didn't have fluid gushing out at all. Thought I was good to go, at least with the front system.

Wrong.

:violin

Front master cylinder has seepage around the base or underneath the piston as best as I can determine; will have to replace before proceeding further. What a shame---I even "felt some brakes" when I pulled the front lever.

The rear brake lever is mush; probably due to all the bubbles in the system. Though most of the fluid going in from the pressure bleeder was bubble-free, somehow the occasional big bubble or section of air came out as and went into the m/c as well. I kept on pumping fluid in thinking it would eventually clear out the pot or caliper.

Trouble is, I can only load my bleeder with half a liter of fluid at a time---otherwise the end of the pump shaft gets submerged in the fluid---not a good thing, either. Now I know why some pressure bleeders are fabricated out of a tall piece of pipe and can hold a lot more fluid to begin with.

What a mess!::sick

I was so downtrodden, disheartened, disgusted and just plain pissed off I called it a day and reluctantly put away my tools. If somebody had come along right then and offered me a sack of beans for the bike I might have stopped to consider...:bluduh

So my bike is out of commission indefinitely now.:banghead

I plan to get either a new front m/c from Beemerboneyard or possibly both new front and rear m/cs and rear fluid resevoir hose/resevoir combo to be on the safe side---but that may be a long ways off as I can't really afford those goodies right now. I don't want to go with used parts, either---so I'll wait until I can raise a few hundred extra bucks to do the re-do properly with brand-new Magura(s).

Hope that replacing the front m/c is not another nightmare scenario!

Sometimes (more often than most would expect) it really is the pits living in "Paradise." (NO K-bike parts/service/dealers/wrenches here at all---which only adds to my frustration and feelings of ineptitude).

Okay, I'm done with my rant, now back to the drawing board and other endeavors in the meantime...
 
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