Getting it cleaned up and started - suggestions needed...

[k-vette]

'85 nighthawk S

I picked this up from my father in law (He has another one, red instead of blue, his won't turn over, don't know why yet)
So far I've swapped out the front fairing, left side exhaust, turn signal stays, battery, front wheel/tire/rotors.

It's been sitting for a few years.  I hooked up the new battery and here's what I've got:

Oil light turns on
Right front blinker doesn't flash (rear right flashes 2x as fast)
I have not tried to start it with the old fuel in the tank.

1.  Is that probably the right front blinker that's dying?
2.  How do I properly drain the old fuel out of the carbs and tank?
3.  Any oil recommendations.  (Unless the oil light is supposed to come on before it starts)

[gammer]

  to the forum.

Got any pics? 

Now the serious stuff...check out this excellent 'how do I':
http://nighthawk-forums.com/index.php/topic,9609.0.html

[skramer360]

Oil light should be on until engine starts to produce pressure.

[flynavyj]

Oil light is normal as Skramer mentioned. Your turn signal issues could be ton of issues, but the ones that always pop to mind first are low charge on the battery, and missing/burned out bulbs, or a broken connection somewhere.

[k-vette]

Ok, so here's where it's at....

I drained out the old fuel.  I'm thinking the fuel was drained out of the carbs when it was parked, they were dry.  Battery had a full charge on it, so I went ahead and tried to start it with fresh fuel.  It turned over nicely, but didn't fire.  I have not checked the spark plugs yet, but I'm not sure if fuel had a chance to get to the carbs yet. 

Oil pressure looks good, light went out after when attempting to start it.

1.  What's the best way to prime this?  Do I set it to the reserve position, or can I pull out the air cleaner and dump in a little fuel there?
2.  I swapped the left signals to the right, and right to left.  The signals still don't work correctly on the right side.  Where do I look next?  Does this sound like a bad relay?  I'm not even sure where it is yet, the shop manual is a little confusing to me, guess I need to study it some more.

I don't have any pics yet, but will get some soon.   

[Brittles]

It can take a while for empty float bowls to fill with gas and they won't fill without the engine turning over which is hard on your starter and battery. Best way would be to unattach your vacuum hose at the petcock and attach another hose to manually get fuel flowing......via your mouth or vacuum pump.

[ExTex]

Don't worry about the blinkers until the engine runs and you get decent tires.
The old tires are probably dry rotted from age.

Add some fuel system cleaner to the new gas, it may help clean some fo the old varnish out.


Enjoy.

[ariwhiteboy]

As tex said use some fuel system cleaner..Seafoam works well, just don't over do it.  Hopefully if the bike carbs were drained they aren't too bad and you won't have to pull them.  Remove a sparkplug wire and insert a spare plug, fire the bike with the plug touching the engine block to verify spark. Repeat this for all four plug wires.  If spark is good then go ahead and change out the plugs for new (properly gapped) ones. Also when cranking crank for a few seconds then give it a break, no matter the result. That will prevent you from burning the starter up. Keep us posted. 

Oh and  to the forum!

[Laminar]

Ok, so here's where it's at....

I drained out the old fuel.  I'm thinking the fuel was drained out of the carbs when it was parked, they were dry.

Over time, gasoline will evaporate out of the bowls leaving a nice varnish behind that clogs your jets and passageways.

[Josh R.]

K-vette, you may want to check the hoses voming out in between the carbs for dirt dobber nests or clogs...I picked up an old 83 650 and couldn't figure out why it would barely start and sometimes not....but those hoses were clogged, after I unclogged them it helped a lot

[k-vette]

I got my first chance to hear it run on saturday, sounds great.  Carbs looked clean inside, once they got some fuel it started right up.  I let it run for a few mins, then shut it off.  2nd time it started right up, no problem.  This is the first time I've heard a nighthawk run, I like the sound.  :)

So the main thing to get it roadworthy is a short somewhere with my blinkers.  The right front doesn't work correctly....

[cjbear11]

 

Glad to hear you got your bike running! The blinker issue is important yes, however the main thing to do in order to get it on the road is to buy new tires. I wouldn't ride it with with the old tires on there. You're begging for trouble if you do. See the tire review thread if you need help selecting some.

http://nighthawk-forums.com/index.php/topic,7497.0/highlight,tire+review.html

[flynavyj]

Good job getting it running, and as stated tires are gonna be the most important thing for you to get this on the road...you can always use hand signals to give directional information to the other drivers/riders around you...lol. I recently got an 83' NH650 back together about a week ago, and absolutely LOVE the results, they're great little "do all" bikes and should provide you with tons of happy smiles and miles of great riding just keep up on the maintenance and be safe!

[hppants]

+1 on tires - safety first.  The blinker can wait for now.

After tires, you need brakes.  I would bleed your front brake thoroughly and ensure you have a good firm handle.  Inspect your front brake pads for wear, and check the entire system for leaks.  Put the bike on the center stand and check the rear brake for smooth motion, good feel, no unusual noises, etc.  Its not a big deal to remove the rear tire and clean up and lube the rear brake assembly.  I seriously doubt your rear brake shoes are worn as I have never seen this before.

While you have the brake fluid out, bleed and flush your clutch system as well.  Check your rear end oil or change it - cheap peace of mind.  Use only hypoid gear oil, and be mindful of the fill plug - it's made of pot metal and does not need to be tightened very much - note the O-ring on the inside of the plug.  Only tighten until that o-ring compresses a little.  Run about 1/2 can of seafoam in your first tank of gas.  Check your fuel and vacuum lines for cracking and replace as necessary.  Check your throttle cables for wear.  Lubricate them or replace as necessary.  Are your forks leaking any oil?  Change your oil and filter.  Examine the old oil for the smell of gas, shavings, etc.

Once you get to this point, your ready for a short spin.  Take it slow at first and work your way up.

One more suggestion - get the riding gear.  Get the riding gear.  Get the riding gear.  Trust us - you don't want to take the pavement slide without it.

Hope you enjoy your nighthawk.

[k-vette]

Thanks for all the tips.

1.  Got the gear
2.  New front tire
3.  Replaced front brake rotors
4.  Seafoam is in the tank
5.  Cables checked, no cracks or leaks

[creaky]

Sounds like you got a nice bike, congrats. Turn signal......RF not working, RR flashing fast. Check the bulb for being burned out and the bullet connectors on the wiring for the RF loose/corroded/unplugged.

[k-vette]

Per everyone's suggestions, I've been looking at tires.  The front is new (came with the wheel).  But there are so many different choices for tires, I don't even know what to look at for the rear.  

Just so I can make sure I'm looking at the right options, what is the correct tire size?  And what will fit?  (Without any modification)

I was considering this:  http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/3/31/401/6100/ITEM/Kenda-K671-Cruiser-ST-Rear-Tire.aspx

Or:  http://www.amazon.com/Metzeler-Feelfree-Rear-Tire-70P-16/dp/B0024O6PZ4/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1309404407&sr=1-2

[ExTex]

I'm nor a tire expert so I always buy the same brand/model tire for the rear & front.
Since you have a "new" front tire, that would narrow it down for me.

I am sure that other 700 owners will let you know the size it should be.

What is the manufactured date on the "new" front tire ?

I hope is is not weather cracked.

Ride Safely,

[skramer360]

Correct rear tire size is 130/90 per the manual.

[Laminar]

130/90-16.

Check out this thread for tire reviews.

[mattrowe19]

If you haven't got the blinkers working right yet, check the ground on the RF blinker. A bad ground can cause all sorts of problems. Also, check the bulb.  and keep us updated!

[k-vette]

Thanks, forgot to mention that I got that figured, blinkers are straight now.  One of the leads was simply plugged into the wrong place.  (It's nice to have a 2nd hawk that's wired correctly to compare to...  Not so nice when my father in law wants to borrow parts!  Lol)

[k-vette]

Front tire is a Sakura.  Anything to watch out for when picking out a rear to match?

http://cheng-shin-rubber-xiamen.tradenote.net/images/users/000/117/686/products_images/Motorcycle_Tire.jpg

[k-vette]

Decent match?  Seems like a good tire for someone on a budget - me. 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043YGZ0I?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1

[Laminar]

I run the 712 on my Nighthawk. The rear only lasted about 5000 miles or so, but it was definitely cheap.