Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 11:56 am Post subject:
Several days went by while I dealt with a broken cam in my 928, idle problems with Sixteen's 924, and designing business cards and sales brochures for my wife's new business.
Today I finished installing the rear brake and filled the reservoir with DOT-4 so as to do the bleeding. The brake fluid does not flow freely from the reservoir to the rear master cylinder. In fact, it doesn't even ebb.
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 07, 2008 8:16 pm Post subject:
I'm so embarrassed I probably shouldn't tell you this, Les, but the truth is I had forgotten to clean the reservoir.
I took it off and dissembled it and found crud worse than the master cylinder. Yep, the two elongated holes were totally clogged with some sort of ugly material. I had to punch it out with an awl and then scrub the entire shootin' match with DOT-4, a toothbrush and scotchbrite. By the time I was through, it was sparkling!
Refitted, the bleeding was quick and easy. I now have a smooth and strong rear brake just like the front.
Tomorrow, assuming I don't end up designing sales brochures or tweaking old Porsches, I'm going to check the tightness of the fasteners from front to rear, install the battery and take it for a ride!
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:44 am Post subject: Kick Starting tips, please?
Not as easy as we'd hoped, Grandpaul!
When we started work on the braking system, the bike had been started by a local mechanic on the first kick. He remarked about how easy it was to start.
Unfortunately, neither Sixteen, Eighteen, nor myself were able to get it to fire. We haven't touched the ignition, carbs, and (of course) there should have been no change in the compression.
I think it's just that we just aren't able to kick it right. I'm sixty-eight and weigh 134, but Sixteen and Eighteen are both six feet tall and about 190. Age may be a factor on my part but is certainly no excuse for my sons.
Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 1689 Location: Norfolk UK
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 8:19 am Post subject: Re: Kick Starting tips, please?
Tulsaalva wrote:
How can they learn to start the bike?
Shouldn't really be that difficult, as Triumphs normally start easily if they are set up correctly?
First, I would"free the clutch", by pulling the clutch lever in and kicking until there is no resistance felt at the kickstart lever (clutch plates are then free).
Your T140D has Amal MkIIs, so turn on the main (or reserve?) fuel, select choke on for a cold engine (push lever down), turn ignition on, and make sure the kill switch is set to "RUN".
Use the kickstarter to turn the engine *just* over compression, allow the lever to return, hold the throttle *just* off the stop, then give a full kick and it should start? Warm up and switch off the choke when it will run without it.
If it doesn't start and you continue to kick, then it will begin to flood, so the chokes may have to be turned off?
Each British bike seems to have its own ideal throttle positions for hot or cold starting? So you may have to modify what I said to suit your own bike.
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 12:36 pm Post subject:
Les, You're a genius!
Sixteen kicked the bike over using your instructions! (Four kicks, a break, and it started on the second kick after the break. He was so proud he shut if off and started it three more times on the first kick each time. His mom came outside to high-five us so he shut it off and kicked it again. It started on the first kick.)
Not only does it run; it runs great! Sixteen has been riding it around the neighborhood, getting used to it (It's a Triumph, y'know.) and loves it! He came back grinning and saying, "It's fuuuuunnn!" Now he wants to take it around and show it to all his friends, but it's still not ready.
We have a few issues:
The speedometer doesn't work.
The turn signals don't work. I found the blinker relay inside the headlight. It's a round thing, set in rubber with a rubber clip to fit a metal tab. There is a pronounced rattle therein... sounds like a bolt is loose. There seems no way to take it apart.
Can y'all help?
The chain is loose but that'll be easy to fix. I also need to redo the alignment, which I messed up when I removed the rear wheel to work on the rear master cylinder and reservoir.
Two bolts vibrated off the mirrors while Sixteen was riding but we'll replace them with nylon locking nuts, available at our local hardware store.
We can't say "thank you" enough for all the help in this project. Sixteen is sitting beside me and just asked, "Dad, would we ever have gotten this done without the guys on this website?"
Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 1689 Location: Norfolk UK
Posted: Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:42 pm Post subject:
Thats GOOD NEWS! Congratulations to all of you!
I hope you have some fun with it anyway?
OK back to business,
Speedo? Could be a snapped cable? or it could be the unit itself?
It should be easy enough to pull the inner cable out to check it?
I would expect the instruments to be Veglias? If the unit isn't working then it's a job for a specialist, or maybe find another replacement?
Blinker/flasher relay? I would replace it with an electronic one, as any similar auto unit would do?
And your 'D' electrical system is Negative Ground, so you shouldn't have any problem finding a suitable replacement?
But have you checked the rest of the blinker circuit/s & bulbs?
The ground connections from the bulbs can cause problems? As the return circuit from the bulbs has to rely on the "chrome" coating on the plastic Lucas blinker heads for an electrical path back to ground!
A modification that sometimes improves the blinkers would be to feed a ground wire along the stem and connect it between each bulb holder and ground, but in any case that may not be the problem if the blinker/flasher unit is a dud?.
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:22 am Post subject: Clutch plates stuck again
Today Sixteen started the Bonny and was going to take it for a test ride but when he shifted into first gear the engine died. We tried holding the clutch lever and kicking it but were unable to get the lever to slide through. The clutch plates are stuck together again.
Since the bike was ridden three days ago and the clutch worked smoothly, it seems strange that we are back to this problem. We can, of course, take the plates apart and free them again but are we going to have this problem regularly? Should we, as a matter of course, daily kick the bike through while holding the clutch lever? What could be the cause?
Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 1689 Location: Norfolk UK
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:27 am Post subject:
The abnormally sticky clutch syndrome can be caused by the friction material being old? Even when left for a while, a couple of easy kicks should normally free off the plates?
You may be better off fitting some new (Surflex?) clutch friction plates?
Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 1689 Location: Norfolk UK
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 1:02 am Post subject:
I've heard of owners who have removed the friction plates and cleaned them with petrol/gasoline. That is supposed to improve the sticking problem, but it may not be a total cure? You could try it? But if the problem returns, then you may have no option but to fit a new set of friction plates?
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:08 am Post subject: Clutch discs are no longer stuck
Here's what I did to free the clutch.
I tied the clutch lever hard against the hand grip with the transmission in first gear. I folded the foot lever out and pushed the kick starter aft until I felt resistance. With a five-pound plastic-headed mallet, I rapped on the lever itself, sending shock waves ( hope) through the clutch. About the tenth blow the plates separated and the lever can now be pushed through with no resistance as long as the clutch lever is squeezed. The clutch works fine!
It beats hell out of taking the clutch apart again and seemed to work much better than kicking the kick starter and seems far better than placing the front wheel against a curb (kerb) and doing a burn-out.
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:13 am Post subject:
L.A.B. wrote:
The abnormally sticky clutch syndrome can be caused by the friction material being old? Even when left for a while, a couple of easy kicks should normally free off the plates?
You may be better off fitting some new (Surflex?) clutch friction plates?
If this problem persists, Les, I'll fit new clutch plates. What are "Surflex" discs and how do they differ from the usual replacements? We have plates made by Barnett here in the Colonies that seem to be the hot ticket.
Al
Last edited by Tulsaalva on Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:19 am; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 112 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:18 am Post subject:
L.A.B. wrote:
I've heard of owners who have removed the friction plates and cleaned them with petrol/gasoline. That is supposed to improve the sticking problem, but it may not be a total cure? You could try it? But if the problem returns, then you may have no option but to fit a new set of friction plates?
The gasoline bath is what you recommended when we first had the frozen clutch problem. I did that and it worked well.
I think, perhaps, if we ride the bike more the problem will lessen. Maybe? If not, I still have the mallet. As long as I don't whack the kick start lever too hard, I shouldn't think I will do any damage?
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At the end of 1967 the Norton Commando was announced.
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