After finally finishing the tune-up it rained all week. I don't take the FZ1 out in the rain if I can help it so I didn't have a chance to do a test ride until the following week. When I finally rode it to work I smelled coolant as I pulled into the lot. Looking closely I noticed coolant leaking from the water pump hose where it attaches to the radiator. So I tightened the hose clamp.
Upon returning home I propped up the tank, revved the engine, and looked for more leaks, but didn't see any.
Next day I rode to work and smelled more coolant but couldn't find any leaks. On returning home I waited for the engine to cool, then checked the coolant level in both the radiator and the overflow tank. Both were fine.
The following day I rode to work and smelled more coolant. After parking in the lot I put the bike up on the center stand and looked at the engine carefully with a flashlight. There was a pool of coolant on the right side of the valve cover in the indentation underneath the right side valve cover coolant hose. So I tightened that hose clamp, checked for leaks when I got home that night, and found none.
The following day it rained and I rode the Bandit to work.
The following day I rode the FZ1 to work and smelled coolant again. Once again I propped the bike up on the center stand and checked for leaks. I saw a drop coming out of the top end of the same right side valve cover coolant hose. I didn't have the 6mm socket and extension I needed to tighten it at work so I got to it at home. Also topped off the radiator and overflow tank.
It's rained most days since then so I haven't taken the FZ1 out since tightening the third hose clamp. I'm now carrying a 6mm socket and extension with me in my tank bag just in case. All of the leaks have been slow and hard to find, and the bike hasn't used much coolant.
Coolant leaks appear to have been the only mechanical fallout from this project so I'm grateful for that. The more important and lasting fallout has been the realization that this project consumed three entire weekends, a vacation day, and some weeknights in between, and I really don't have that kind of time to devote to routine motorcycle maintenance. In fact I really don't have much free time at all. During the valve service the dog didn't get walked, the house didn't get cleaned, I did no yard work, I didn't go to the gym, and all the other routine things I usually take care of were left undone, including taking care of the other bikes and the truck. I realized there are a nearly infinite number of opportunities to make major mistakes and cause serious engine damage during a procedure like this. I realized that, regardless of my relative level of mechanical skill, I work slowly. And I realized installing spark plugs makes me break out into a cold sweat. I'm not sure what the long-term implications are, or whether I'll attempt this service again. What I am sure of is that in another 26k miles I'll have at least four exhaust valves that need shims, and someone will have to do this again.
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