Front Brake Lever Piston Seized (Day 84)

So having opened the front brake reservoir I now need to dismantle the front brake lever piston assembley which I know is also seized.  And I am not very sure about this glass piece in the reservoir.  It's very hazy and lined (click on image to enlarge).  Does this bit come out and can it be replaced?

 Here is the piston after the brake lever has been removed.

 This is going to be another caliper piston story.  But this time I can't use an air pump to push out the piston as there are also holes in the reservoir chamber where the air can escape so no pressure can be built up.  What to do?

 

Front Brake Reservoir Screw Problem Solved (Day 84)

I have got the drill out today.  And this little srcew is coming out.

 Much simpler than I thought being it was the first time I had ever done this.  Started with a very small drill then upped the size and having looked at the other screw guessed how far I would have to drill in to get it out.  The trick is to go in far enough to get the head off but not too far to hit the thread on the casting.

 So the lid come off nice and easy.

 Very surprised to find it full of brake fluid (which looked in OK condition being as it must be about 15 to 20 years old).  Why would the fluid not have drained when I took the banjo off? 

 Still need to get the rest of the screw out.  Luckily there was just a couple of mm of thread standing proud of the casing.

 With a hacksaw I cut a slot in the remaining screw part.

 And it came out easy peasy.  Obviously the part that was seized was the head of the screw onto the lid.  I could virtually unscrew the remainder with my fingers.

 And this is what a screw looks like that had been decapitated.

Front Brake Caliper Piston Removal (Day 77)

Just can't believe those guys on the GS Resources Forum.  I was able, with their advice to remove this pesky piston:

To get the pistons out hook up an airline to the hole where the banjo fits. Make it a push fit using a plastic round piece that you get in the kit for pumping up an airbed etc. Place a thick rag quadrupled over on top of the piston - it'll fly off (and keep fingers out of the way). If the pistons are marked on their sides - even slightly - throw them away. Replace using stainless steel ones and the job is done forever - I think Nick Chambers has them.

This is exactly what I did.  Have to say I was pretty pessimistic that it would work.  But it popped out like a champagne cork.  I would have flown off and caused some damage to me or something in the garage had I not covered it as suggested with a rag.

What I did was to take a valve from an old bicycle inner tube.  Cut it down and screw it into the hole where the banjo fits.  Then I attached a foot pump and pumped away.  It was necessary to hold the valve in very tightly and it took 2 of us to do.  But there you are; done.  Thanks Hampshire.

 This is where we started.

 The bicycle valve.

 Inserted into the banjo hole.

 After some pumping with a foot pump she popped out.

 Can this piston and caliper be repaired / cleaned up / put back to use?

Inside the caliper is a bit rusty.

The Stator is Revealed (Day 69)

 The famous Suzuki stator is revealed.  I am emptying the engine of oil and taking the LHS cover off is part of the job.  There is quite a magnetic force between the stator and the surrounding rotating cup.  It all looks in good repair.

 

And the biggest joy so far is to find that I can wrench the engine over easily.  The cylinders are not seized.

Front Brake Caliper LHS (Day 68)

Getting more stuff off the bike and I find another problem.  I knew the brakes were seized but how do I get the piston out of the caliper?  Is it even worth doing this?  If the caliper is rusted surely a new piston would not make the part serviceable and I need a new caliper as well?

 

 

 Rusted interior

 

 The last time I moved the bike the front fork seal popped on the LHS which accounts for all the oil over the caliper.

 Gunk parts washer.

 

 

 

 

 

Starter Motor Wires / Stator Wires (Day 63)

Not sure is this is a conventional wiring set up. Looks to me like stator wires have been soldered here as I can't get them apart. I am going to have to give them the snip. They were also well taped up.

 

 Starter motor and stator wire (running alongside starter motor).

Wiring Harness Routing (Day 63)

Front Indicator Removal (Day 63)

Instrument Holder Frame (Day 63)

Instrument holder frame removal.

Retaining nut washer and rubber mounting.