I am a true believer in the power of WD40 and its ability to release anything that has got stuck. However, people often forget the other magic ingredient in getting things unstuck with WD40...... time!
WD40 will unstick anything if you give it enough time to penetrate. A little squirt of WD40 daily for a week or two will in my experience unstick pretty well anything.
So why oh why didn't I listen to my own mantra when it came to unbolting the cylinder head a number of weeks ago when I started to strip the engine? In my excitement, I sheered one of the cylinder head studs. I was very annoyed with myself and have wondered for a few weeks how I was going to replace it.
Its a M6 x 120 stud. I thought other scooters might have something similar, but Gransport scooters werent aware of anything this size, and nor was my local lawn mower repair center, so when I popped into Vale Onslow the other day to ask about a possible carburettor banjo (they couldnt help), I hesitatingly asked about cylinder studs - I say hesitatingly because the old fella there behind the counter has a clear distain for scooters and, I think, amateur hobbyists like myself, however to his credit, he went off to have a search through his Aladdin's cave of vintage motorcycle parts.
To my delight he came back with a brand new M6 x 120 stud (albeit a little narrower on the shank).
"Wow! Thats great" I said, "Thank you, what is it off?"
"A Yamaha" he replied
"What model of Yamaha?" I asked thinking it would be a useful reference for anyone else foolish enough to snap a Manurhin cylinder stud.
He looked me in the eye, "Just a Yamaha" he said pointedly.
He is a wise old man and I am not worthy to push him further. As I left the shop £2.40 lighter, I think we were secretly both pleased with the transaction and if I am not mistaken I am sure there was a twinkle in his eye.
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