Children grow up, parents pass on, jobs change -- but the guts of my torn apart motor from my 1980 Suzuki sit immobile in boxes, plastic baggies, and at least one egg carton. No surer sign of a procrastinator ever presented itself.
I had promised myself that I would rebuild my motor and repair the oil leak. I even told people that once I was done, I'd celebrate with a new tattoo. Well, my arm remains free of any motorcycle-themed tat.
Nearly two summers ago I managed to remove the motor, by myself, and tear it apart. I bought all the new gaskets and seals and rings and bolts I needed to put it all back together. Heck, I even cleaned and painted parts of the motor.
And then I stalled. But this summer, I said aloud in front of witnesses, would be the summer when I finally piece together this jigsaw of gears and shafts and metal casings. Now if only there were some King's Horses and King's Men to help. Oh wait. They're useless, aren't they?
At the moment, I've managed to wriggle the cylinder body over the cylinders with the new rings installed. The rings were actually what stalled me almost two years ago, trying to get them to stay put and compressed with my fingers while slowly lowering the cylinder body over them. I broke one ring in my first attempt.
But new ones are in place and I'm hoping (and praying and lighting candles) that nothing shifted in the process.
Next step - re-installing the cam followers and valves in the cylinder head.
As I said to my friend who visited today, "It's OK, I'm not in a hurry."
"No kidding!" was his reply.
Fortunately, I have this baby to ride!
I had promised myself that I would rebuild my motor and repair the oil leak. I even told people that once I was done, I'd celebrate with a new tattoo. Well, my arm remains free of any motorcycle-themed tat.
Nearly two summers ago I managed to remove the motor, by myself, and tear it apart. I bought all the new gaskets and seals and rings and bolts I needed to put it all back together. Heck, I even cleaned and painted parts of the motor.
And then I stalled. But this summer, I said aloud in front of witnesses, would be the summer when I finally piece together this jigsaw of gears and shafts and metal casings. Now if only there were some King's Horses and King's Men to help. Oh wait. They're useless, aren't they?
But new ones are in place and I'm hoping (and praying and lighting candles) that nothing shifted in the process.
Next step - re-installing the cam followers and valves in the cylinder head.
As I said to my friend who visited today, "It's OK, I'm not in a hurry."
"No kidding!" was his reply.
Fortunately, I have this baby to ride!
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