Help servicing my Honda ST1100

[Streak]

So all of you experienced ST1100 owners out there (and who live close enough) would like to come and give me some instruction and guidance on the best way to service my bike, and give me some pointers on things I should be looking for?

Payment is good coffee,good company, and my shout for a steak sandwich at the local hotel just down the road :)

Also can I get a reccomemd action for oil filter and oil that I can buy from super cheap or repo? Is it simple to change a fuel filter or is it an involved job?

Location of service will be in the good city of Toowoomba 

[alans1100]

Oil filter is not a problem..Ryco Z411 will do at about $11.50 there's also a Z436 and at about the same price. The Z411 is a little taller than the Z436 but the diameter is the same.

Because of our local climate, frosty winter mornings etc.  I use at least a 10W-40 grade of oil. I've refined the oil change process a little over time so that now I only remove the three bolts attaching the grey lower panel on the LH side of the bike. It can be done but you need to be careful of exhaust system when reaching in for oil filter. I'll throw pics in next time I do it.

I've haven't done fuel filter on the bike yet. All our fuels are all filtered at the pump on filling so I doubt if too many nasties get into the tank doing that. But I'm doing the fuel filter at the same time as the timing belt.

This time I oiled/geased the side stand pivot point for the first time in six years. Normally I would just get some canola oil spray can from the kitchen and use that or a can of spray lube (WD 40 e.g) if I had that.

Ive only ever change my oil on distance not time. For me that's every 12,000kms +/- 500kms.

[STeveo]

Go with what Alan said about filters and while your in Repco pick up Castrol Activ 4T for 33.00 per four litres. When you take out the three screws on lower left side grey fairing, swing the side stand down to hold it out so you can get your hand in to the filter. Have fun.  :)

 

[saaz]

The fuel filter is easy to do - the side covers and tank shelter need to come off (while at it check the air filter). based on my recent experinces a good idea to change the fule filter a bit more often.  The Honda filter has bigger connections than most aftermarket ones. I was in a hurry to fix mine so went for a generic one and put some new fuel hoses on the make it fit.

[Streak]

so the invite of a good steak sandwich was not enough???

just joking, thank you for the advice, i shall have a crack at it, will see what honda are going to sting me for a fuel filter, or i might get one from flea bay.

[saaz]

David silver has aftermarket ones for around 5 pounds, original three times as much.  There may be a generic one out there close to the original, but I have not had time to check

[ruSTyEB]

I've done only the one change myself so far. Good fun.

Toowoomba Honda have a change kit inc filter, oil and drain plug washer, for about $60 from memory.  I'll be going to repco next time to save a few $.

[Maverick75]

When were you wanting to do the service Streak?
Mine's coming up to the 100k so I'm going to do plugs, all filters, oil, tappets etc. I'll probably do a carb sync as well just to be sure. Have a shed with enough room for two bikes (have four in there at the moment, but one's sold  ). I'm just north of Highfields.

How far were you going with the service?

I'm busy on a R&D project the next couple of weekends but would be able to do it probably the week after. Could do both bikes in parallel with you hands-on learning as you go. I'm waiting on Iridium plugs and a shim set to arrive.

I'll be using genuine filters but the principles are exactly the same with aftermarket.

[Streak]

ummmm well i had just planned to change the oil, oil and fuel filters, give the bike a good check over.... it is at almost 80,000km

how do you do a carb sync? i am more than happy to do anything that is simple that will benefit my bike 

[Bikebear]

It's all simple Streak  , it's just a matter of getting in there and doing it.  It might take a bit longer the first time but the effort is worth it and you will learn a lot more about your bike doing work on it yourself. 

[Maverick75]

ummmm well i had just planned to change the oil, oil and fuel filters, give the bike a good check over.... it is at almost 80,000km

how do you do a carb sync? i am more than happy to do anything that is simple that will benefit my bike 

Streak, I could do the basic side of the service first. Then If you think you're up to it you can tag along for the internal stuff (no point in doing a balance until we're sure the valves are in spec).

When was the last time your valves were done? In the 110k I had my last ST I only had to replace 2 shims at one inspection. I used to check the valves just after the oil change every 25,000k. Both the valve check and carb sync are simple and on these bikes hardly ever change, but it's nice to know the beaST is running as sweet as possible.

According to this site http://www.pan-europe.utvinternet.ie/guides/extended_maintenance_schedule_km.htm you need to do do plugs, oil and filter at 78000k (plus the relevant inspections). This is extrapolated off the genuine maintenance schedule. I compress everything down to multiples of 5000km which is easier to keep track of. The best thing to do would be to look at what was done at your last service and just go from there. I'm going the whole hog at 100k simply because I didn't get a full service history with my bike. I did Brake, clutch and final drive fluid changes at 95k (when I got it) for peace of mind.

I have all the tools necessary to do any job on these machines, however they end up taking a fair bit of space and weigh a lot, hence the requirement to do it here.

Whatever you reckon you want to do. It's a great feeling when you know what's going on in your machine. I do all my own mechanical work, not for financial concerns but for peace of mind.

[Streak]

At 71,000 brought it home, and put it in for a major service, i spent $800.00 and had every nut, bolt, screw checked, had every oil in the bike changed as well as filters and plugs, i have the service sheet below, i have had one service done since then, but i have not done it since the national rally and it needs doing, as it has done a ton of shirt trips and commuting.

[Maverick75]

Sounds like you could do with a valve clearance check, along with oil and filter. If the valves have been done sometime in the last 80,000km I'd be surprised if they were out, but better knowing than risk burning a seat. Good oil (especially synths) is fine to run to 10000k intervals. But that's obviously a hairy topic on internet forums and I'll just say I've done CAT SOS over a few changes and the results speak for themselves.

That said it doesn't hurt to change more regularly and is cheap insurance.

[STeveo]

I like to change my oil at 5000km intervals as I cannot belive that the black crap floating in the oil does not do some sort of wearing of bits. My dad always maintained that oil was cheaper than engines, and I may be throwing out good oil but I have peace of mind. Don't worry greenies, it gets reused through a furnace.
For ruSTyEB, was in Superceap today and they had Castrol 4T at $33.99 and Z411 filter at $11.88.

 

[Maverick75]

I have a BMW 540i that has 320,000km on it running inboard service intervals (around 20 - 25,000km between changes) and runs like new. It gets the only certified oil for the 4.4l V8 which is Mobil 1 0W40.
I have personally put over 200,000km on a Datsun (Nissan) 260z in 5 years running 15W50 synth at 10,000k intervals (also Mobil 1, but I'm not necessarily brand loyal. We just get an excellent price at our local depot.)

The particle size that gets through your filter shouldn't make a difference if your oil is doing its job, that is; keeping the metal parts seperated. Think of how long Diesel engines last and they send the oil pitch black in several hundred k's.

The main things (and I'm no tribologist, but I do know a thing or two about mechanical design) with oil are its retention of viscosity and it's total acid and base numbers.

If the TAN and TBN stay acceptable, and your VI stays fairly stable, then your oil is still good.

My main client uses this rule (checked through SOS) on machines that are worth millions of dollars (think 34 litre twin turbo V12's  ). If it works for them it works for me.  Each to their own though.

[Tipsy]

  py

That diesel engine oil does a wondrous job on a diesel engine and I use it in my 1100 ... keeps engine clean (can read glass level) 
and it might last 30k to 50 k on those engines but I change both filter and oil every 20k.

everything still working like a dream

Tipsy

[Maverick75]

I didn't mean to turn this into an oil thread  .

Carry on.

[STeveo]

I thought we were!