It could be said, in fact, that I didn't think. If I had, I would have known better.
So I hied myself out to the garage to work on the Suzuki. It's a nice and cool day, perfect for working outside, because despite the sun you don't really sweat much. (I don't, anyway, when it's this cool.)
First thing I did was to pump up the front tire. It rapidly deflated again; it did not do that in 1994. I am right about it needing new tires.
Then I got to work on adjusting the points. Clutch lever cover came off easily; the left outer housing was similarly simple to remove, thus exposing the flywheel.
The air impact wrench spun the flywheel nut right off without my needing special tools...and I proceeded then to spend the entire rest of my time out there today trying--in vain--to get the flywheel off the crankshaft.
*sigh*
After messing around with it for a bit, I decided, Maybe I'd better consult the manual and make sure I'm doing this right. To my surprise, the manual was where I had expected it to be. You see, in 1993 I got a service manual for the thing, and had stored it in one of my room's two closets. When I moved back in here in 2003, I cleaned out the closets but--mirabile visu!--I actually left the Suzuki paperwork in the closet rather than stash it in some "safe" location.
...so the manual came right to hand.
The manual revealed that the rotor is removed using Suzuki special tool #09930-30113, "rotor remover". Well, hell, any old flywheel remover ought to do the trick, right?
...I tried several different tools before I realized that the valve spring compressor for the Escort would work perfectly...and it did. I was able to hook it to the flywheel and press right on the end of the shaft and tighten it down, and it was nice and tight now, and *oof* now it's tighter and the flywheel isn't moving, so try tightening it a bit more *oof* and this goddamned thing isn't budging, so give it another turn--
*SPANGGG!*
...and it popped right off.
*sigh*
So I kept at it through several iterations, with the following variations: heating the center of the flywheel with the propane torch, spraying it with PB Blaster, heating the shaft itself, hitting various parts with with a hammer.
I put some extra english on the thing the third or fourth time and tried hitting it with a hammer again, and again it went
*SPANGGG!*
...the thing missed me by inches, bounced off the house, and fell to the driveway.
There is just no frickin' way this flywheel has ever been removed from this motorcycle. It's got the weight of 39 years of sheer inertia holding it on that shaft (that and rust, probably) and it's going to take some doing to get it off. Obviously I need the correct tool to remove it.
I looked at the thing, and thought about it; and I figure it'll cost me--what--$70 or so to take it to a shop and have them pop the flywheel off for me. Because it's for damn sure that I can't go buy the tool I need anywhere.
Could I make it?
...
The center of the rotor is threaded; the tool screws into it. Then a bolt or shaft screws into the middle of the tool, and that's how the rotor is pressed off the crankshaft.
The diameter of this threaded boss in the rotor is 2.6 cm (or a bit smaller, maybe 2.5 cm--a smidge bigger than 1" but everything on this bike is metric) and it's a 1.00 thread. If I could find a bolt or a threaded rod that size, I could cut it to the right length, machine flats on the sides so I could hold it with vise grips, and bore a 1 cm hole down the center. (Make it a bit bigger at the inner end so as to avoid the threads on the crankshaft.) Thread that hole and get a bolt the right size, and bingo! I've made my own damn rotor removal tool--
...the problem is, I'd really need a lathe to bore the hole down the center, to do it right.
I suppose a 12 mm threaded hole down the center would do it; it wouldn't have to be precisely centered if it was a bit bigger than it needs to be.
If I was still at [employer] I could make the damn thing in about 10 minutes--and most of that time would be consumed in finding the right damn drill bits. Shit I need a machine shop!
So of late I've been thinking about one of those cheapie mill/drill/lathe machines they sell at Harbor Freight. I've come across web sites and "how-to" guides explaining how you can take a relatively inexpensive machine and make it more accurate and powerful.
Of course, if I get another tool and put it into that garage, it'll be one more thing that I'll be harassed over. The garage must be empty!! when we go to sell the house because you can't sell a house if it looks cluttered!
*sigh*
* * *
Anyway: if the flywheel has never been off this thing, then the points have never been adjusted, and it's no frickin' wonder the thing is so hard to start.
...doing a search on ebay there's a new-old-stock speedo for the thing. I don't know how long this bike's speedo has been broken, but damn... It's $80 and shipping and *whaaa*.....
This guy is parting one out and I wonder if I could get the speedo and taillight bracket for not too much...?
* * *
So I've got a lot of work left to do, since I haven't even got a good start on what needs doing. Guess I'm going to have to start doing some legwork on parts and stuff.
The 4th of July weekend is only 21 days away.