Old member back with an almost running bike

[Steve Northrop]

Pete, if you're really interested in keeping the Geeper, I would look for a 
good ZX11 bottom end w/tranny and bolt on the GPZ cylinder head. I think 
this is the cheapest, most expeditious route. Look for an engine from the D 
model ('94 and up). Finding another complete GPZ motor is unlikely. If the 
one that crashed it let it run while it was on it's side, that's what caused 
the bearing failure from oil starvation.

Steve in Western NY
'96 GPZ1100
'08 KLR 650
'08 Tuono Factory
"You Can't Fix Stupid", Ron White

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "pete weaver" <peteweaver at gmail.com>
To: <gpzlist at micapeak.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 11:45 PM
Subject: Old member back with an almost running bike


> Hi guys,
>
> I was a member up until 4 years ago or so (more lurker than poster).  I 
> was
> living in AZ going to school.  4 years ago I graduated, got married, and
> moved to DC.
>
> I left my 95 GPZ in AZ with the shop that had done some maintenance on it
> and had told me that he was interested in buying it but didn't have the
> money.  So I left the bike with him, kept the title and left the state. 
> He
> never paid me the money so I recently was back in AZ and got the bike from
> him.  Someone had ridden it, layed it down, and scuffed/dinged it up a 
> bit.
> I was just glad to get it back.
>
> I got it started over the weekend (it had been sitting unused for most of
> those 4 years) and noticed that it had a bad knock.  Sounds like the lower
> end.  When I changed the oil I didn't notice any metal in the oil.  When 
> at
> low RPM's especially under a bit of a load the knock starts to really
> hammer.
>
> It sounds to me that I have a rod bearing that has gone out.
>
> I guess that I have 3 options and would really like some input
>
> 1. Sell it/part it out, move on with life
> 2. Find a replacement engine and swap engines (will any 
> zx-11/gpz1100/ZRX11
> engine work?)
> 3. Open the engine up and fix the bearings/crank
>
> The bike has 38,000 miles on the clock and the tranny was in good shape 
> when
> I last ran it.  I am reasonably mechanically inclined, though most of my
> internal engine work has been with automobiles and not bikes.
>
> If anyone can comment on my diagnosis and options I would appreciate it
>
> Thanks for the help
>
> -Pete
>
> BTW is there a good way to search through all the archives without going
> through them month by month?