Posted by OutdoorLady on March 11, 2000 at 06:41:59:
After three weeks of almost non-stop rain (yes, it DOES rain in So. CA), we had sun and blue skys today. So I decided this was the day for my 600 mile service. The first lesson I learned (after calling several dealerships for comparisons) is that different dealers have different hourly rates for labor. The second thing... some go "strictly by the book" (Suzuki's) when it comes to tallying your time for the job, while others will come up with less time and/or a flat rate. I went to a place that offered the latter using the logic that they "might" be less likely to take advantage of me.
Met a WONDERFUL mechanic; he has 27 years of experience under his belt (mostly Suzuki)...this guy proceeded to educate me on various details by pointing things out as he worked. Since he seemed sooooooo helpful, I asked him the "trick" to gas tank removal (with petcock attached). I watched in amazement at the (approx.) one inch clearance between the petcock and the frame as he lifted it off. After disconnecting all those hoses/and one electrical thingy, he lifted up on the end closest to the seat (my guess is 6" - 8")...*with a LOT of force,* he pulled this toward him (he was standing on the clutch side of the bike). While keeping pressure on the tank to maintain it at an angle, he simultaneously pushed up on the largest (opposite) end of the tank and off it popped! AND...no scratches. He sprays WD40 on those rubber doohickeys before putting it back on in the reverse order.
So a bit later, he decides to tell me to "expect" the infamous oil leak from the little rubber plug (see INTRUDN 2-17-2000). While he was on a roll, I asked his solution.... When he "replaces" the rubber plug (no, you can't use the old one), he puts Suzuki's 1207-B sealant around it (a sealant used for the center case) and this is supposed to keep the oil gremlins away. [Trivia: Suzuki has redesigned that rubber plug about three times he said; the last iteration was maybe three years ago.]
If that wasn't enough - he gives all his customers his email address in case they get hung up with something mechanical and can't get in to see him right away. Needless to say, he just earned a new customer for life today. Maybe this guy is the brother of the guy INTRUDN saw. Thought you might want to hear another positive experience with dealers/mechanics.
OutdoorLady