A friend sold me an 87 K75s with 25000 miles on the clock that he had not been able to start for the last 1 1/2 years for $1200. Nice stock metallic red color, looks like it spent time at high speed on gravel roads by the look of the lower faring.
Got it home and in the garage, and a week later a friend and I began to trace the problem. Symptom was the fuel pump was not coming on, and therefore the bike wouldn't start or run. The previous owner had made a direct bypass to power the pump using the center wire from the fuel injector relay, but still couldn't get it to start. That of course would never work as that causes the computer to be unable to determine the state of the system to be able to start and run the engine. We figuredo the problem was electronic, and once we corrected the disconnected relay, we began tracing from the battery through the electrical system, checking the operation at each junction by using the wiring schematic. The injectors had power, the engine had spark, and the computer had power. All fuses were good.. we worked our way finally to the tank, and found a corroded power pin in the connection between the wiring loom and the tank. We replaced the connector, and tried to start the engine, and heard the fuel pump engage-causing us to shout after two hoursof work. We kept trying to start it for another minute, when I remembered that I had pulled the muffler, rear wheel and final drive in preparation for switching to a k100 drive with a taller gear ratio. I knew that without the pressure of the muffler, the mixture probably would be to lean for the bike to start, so while my friend kept cranking it over thinking that after a while it was bound to start, I turned on the choke, and the engine started. Of course we gave another cheer, and then I saw that it was blowing oil smoke. It had spent some time on its side stand, and we all know what that means. No problem there. I mounted the drive, buttoned it up, and started it up. After leaning this bike to the right for about20 seconds the smoke dissipated, and I rolled it out of the driveway. Drove it gently up the road, filled the tank with ethenol free gas, put air in the tires, and...chickened out because of the indeterminate age of the tires, drove home. Very smooth, no misses, no smoke, no leaks. Flushed the radiator, put new tires on it, double checked the oil--good level, pretty clear so will change oil and filter later but soon, and took it on its first real test ride--then as I pulled into the street, it bounced so much that I stopped after 50 feet, turned around and headed back towards the garage. My father in law stopped me before I got to the driveway. Big one inch gravel stones had stuck in the tread of the new tires. Pulled that out and the bike rode and drove as it should. First real test cruise, I gently let the engine warm up to operating temperature at 30mph, then took the bike up to 45 mph for about 15 minutes, and returned home to check it out. No leaks, no smoke, very smooth. Nice.
The next day, there was a drip on the floor at the front of the engine under the water pump. First felt slippery like oil, then stickylike rubbing your fingers on a balloon. Smelled like rubber, not antifreeze or oil. Bottom of the engine is dry, no drips from the coolant drain plug, no oil leaks. What it is, and where it's coming from is a mystery to me. Any suggestions?
Doug
Got it home and in the garage, and a week later a friend and I began to trace the problem. Symptom was the fuel pump was not coming on, and therefore the bike wouldn't start or run. The previous owner had made a direct bypass to power the pump using the center wire from the fuel injector relay, but still couldn't get it to start. That of course would never work as that causes the computer to be unable to determine the state of the system to be able to start and run the engine. We figuredo the problem was electronic, and once we corrected the disconnected relay, we began tracing from the battery through the electrical system, checking the operation at each junction by using the wiring schematic. The injectors had power, the engine had spark, and the computer had power. All fuses were good.. we worked our way finally to the tank, and found a corroded power pin in the connection between the wiring loom and the tank. We replaced the connector, and tried to start the engine, and heard the fuel pump engage-causing us to shout after two hoursof work. We kept trying to start it for another minute, when I remembered that I had pulled the muffler, rear wheel and final drive in preparation for switching to a k100 drive with a taller gear ratio. I knew that without the pressure of the muffler, the mixture probably would be to lean for the bike to start, so while my friend kept cranking it over thinking that after a while it was bound to start, I turned on the choke, and the engine started. Of course we gave another cheer, and then I saw that it was blowing oil smoke. It had spent some time on its side stand, and we all know what that means. No problem there. I mounted the drive, buttoned it up, and started it up. After leaning this bike to the right for about20 seconds the smoke dissipated, and I rolled it out of the driveway. Drove it gently up the road, filled the tank with ethenol free gas, put air in the tires, and...chickened out because of the indeterminate age of the tires, drove home. Very smooth, no misses, no smoke, no leaks. Flushed the radiator, put new tires on it, double checked the oil--good level, pretty clear so will change oil and filter later but soon, and took it on its first real test ride--then as I pulled into the street, it bounced so much that I stopped after 50 feet, turned around and headed back towards the garage. My father in law stopped me before I got to the driveway. Big one inch gravel stones had stuck in the tread of the new tires. Pulled that out and the bike rode and drove as it should. First real test cruise, I gently let the engine warm up to operating temperature at 30mph, then took the bike up to 45 mph for about 15 minutes, and returned home to check it out. No leaks, no smoke, very smooth. Nice.
The next day, there was a drip on the floor at the front of the engine under the water pump. First felt slippery like oil, then stickylike rubbing your fingers on a balloon. Smelled like rubber, not antifreeze or oil. Bottom of the engine is dry, no drips from the coolant drain plug, no oil leaks. What it is, and where it's coming from is a mystery to me. Any suggestions?
Doug
