Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 1848 Location: Norfolk, UK
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 12:55 pm Post subject:
You could try tying the clutch lever back to the grip when the bike isn't going to be used for a while, as that would take the spring pressure off the plates and may stop them sticking? I'm not sure I'd want to be hitting the lever with a mallet on a regular basis?
Surflex plates are an aftermarket kit and should be available from British bike parts suppliers? From what I've read on other forums, many US T140 owners seem to have a poor opinion of Barnett plates!
To quote one owner's opinion (member sboyd) from the BritBike Forum:"I would get new plates anyway for sure as long as you're in there. Recommend MAP or Surflex or even Emgo, anything but Barnett.
Lots of low mileage T140's have the original plates and they look great, but they're way too sticky and hard to free-up. If you free it up by jamming it into gear as some have recommended on other threads, sooner or later something real bad will happen."
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 127 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:14 pm Post subject:
L.A.B. wrote:
You could try tying the clutch lever back to the grip when the bike isn't going to be used for a while, as that would take the spring pressure off the plates and may stop them sticking? I'm not sure I'd want to be hitting the lever with a mallet on a regular basis?
I didn't mean to give you the impression that I was severely beating the lever, Les. I've often used a similar technique to loosen rusted bolts. My experience is that pulling hard or using an extension to remove a rusted bolt (there are none on the Bonny) often results in breaking the bolt in it's threaded bore. By fitting a socket with a straight handle and tapping on it, a rusted bolt can often be loosened without damage.
That's the same idea with the clutch. I held the kick start lever aft to take all slack out of the mechanism and hit the lever itself repeatedly with the plastic mallet. I suspect the vibrations caused the "glue" to let go.
I wonder if tying back the lever would eventually weaken the clutch springs? I think the answer, if the plates continue to stick, is definitely new plates.
Quote:
Surflex plates are an aftermarket kit and should be available from British bike parts suppliers? From what I've read on other forums, many US T140 owners seem to have a poor opinion of Barnett plates!
I think I'll take Grandpaul's advice and buy the Emgo plates as soon as I can find a place to do so. The local British Bike shop seems to only carry Barnett and are sold on them. If they're as good as Russell brake lines, I'll go for anything else.
Quote:
To quote one owner's opinion (member sboyd) from the BritBike Forum:"I would get new plates anyway for sure as long as you're in there. Recommend MAP or Surflex or even Emgo, anything but Barnett.
Lots of low mileage T140's have the original plates and they look great, but they're way too sticky and hard to free-up. If you free it up by jamming it into gear as some have recommended on other threads, sooner or later something real bad will happen."
That sounds like a fine way to destroy a transmission, or at least a gear. I like the idea of jamming it into gear only a little better than placing the front wheel against a curb and doing a burn-out. I certainly don't like either one well enough to try it!
We no longer have a real Triumph dealer in Tulsa. Does anyone know an on-line supplier of Triumph parts? I'd consider a reputable place in England. I just bought a new camshaft for my 928S from an English Porsche dealer and saved a lot of money over ordering one from Germany through a local dealer. My car is a European model. The cams fitted to the American models are quite different.
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 127 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject: Speedometer malfunction
As I said earlier, the Speedometer on my T140D doesn't work.
I removed the cable at the instrument and rotated the rear wheel. The cable end does not turn. Therefore, I must assume the problem is either with the drive or the cable. Either may be broken or I may not have fitted the drive properly at the rear wheel.
I have been unable to find any mention of the speedometer in the manual. As you know I'm still using the "78 and earlier manual but I feel certain that Triumphs built prior to '79 have speedometers, too.
I hate to get out the lasers a third time, but I think I'm going to have to remove the rear wheel to find out what the problem is.
Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 1848 Location: Norfolk, UK
Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 12:40 am Post subject:
Tulsaalva wrote:
I wonder if tying back the lever would eventually weaken the clutch springs?
The clutch springs are always under compression. A rough measurement of clutch lift only puts them under 0.110" or so extra compression? Even tying the lever half-way back would probably be enough?
Tulsaalva wrote:
That sounds like a fine way to destroy a transmission, or at least a gear. I like the idea of jamming it into gear only a little better than placing the front wheel against a curb and doing a burn-out. I certainly don't like either one well enough to try it!
The way I'd try to do it would be to start up with the rear wheel clear of the ground (on the stand) and then select either 1st or 2nd gear, rotating the rear wheel by hand if necessary as the gear is selected, then pull the clutch and rev it up, with the rear wheel still clear of the ground as it will be spinning, and then apply the rear brake sharply several times, using throttle to keep the engine from stalling, until (hopefully) the clutch frees off?
Tulsaalva wrote:
We no longer have a real Triumph dealer in Tulsa. Does anyone know an on-line supplier of Triumph parts? I'd consider a reputable place in England.
There's plenty of Triumph parts suppliers to choose from in the UK, and I'm lucky that I only live three miles away from one!
But I would have thought you could get everything in the US from Rabers, Klempf, British Only, Britcycle and others?
(A certain "British parts supplier" in the Chicago area is best avoided)
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 127 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 6:57 pm Post subject:
The Bonny has been running well until two days ago when it quit while Sixteen was driving 40 MPH down the street. He was able to coast the bike into a neighborhood where a fellow with a pickup truck gave him and the bike a ride home.
The first thing I found was a loose battery cable connection so I tightened it up.
This afternoon, we started the bike but it only runs on the right cylinder. The left side of the engine and the exhaust pipe remain cool to the touch. I cleaned the sparking plug (which seemed wet with fuel) but it did no good. All connections are tight.
The bike has the factory electronic ignition system. Is it likely that only one side would fail?
I have not yet checked compression but will do that next. I have two spare new coils. I also have a new spare electronic ignition module.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to troubleshoot the problem?
Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 1848 Location: Norfolk, UK
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 7:51 am Post subject:
Tulsaalva wrote:
This afternoon, we started the bike but it only runs on the right cylinder. The left side of the engine and the exhaust pipe remain cool to the touch. I cleaned the sparking plug (which seemed wet with fuel) but it did no good. All connections are tight.
Did you actually test for a spark by fitting the plug to the plug cap of the bad cylinder and touching it against the cylinder head while kicking the engine over?
What type and grade of plugs are they?
Tulsaalva wrote:
The bike has the factory electronic ignition system. Is it likely that only one side would fail?
Electronic ignition systems for these bikes (such as Rita/Boyer) normally work using the "wasted spark" system, where the (2x 6V) coils are wired in series, and so produce a spark simultaneously at both plugs once every engine revolution, each alternate cylinder's spark being wasted.
Both coils are connected in series to the same box circuit wire, and both use the same trigger circuit, if the box or pickup develops a problem then that will affect both cylinders.
Therefore the parts that could fail and cause a problem on only one cylinder would be: coil/plug wire/plug cap/spark plug. Try swapping those parts over one at a time and see if the problem swaps cylinders?
Joined: 20 Nov 2004 Posts: 1848 Location: Norfolk, UK
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:07 am Post subject:
Tulsaalva wrote:
The plugs are NGK B7ES,
Then I'd certainly swap/replace the plugs first, as the original recommendation for the parallel inlet heads (E, & D models etc.)was for Champion N5 plugs, which cross-references to NGK B6ES.
Last edited by L.A.B. on Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:08 am; edited 1 time in total
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 127 Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:19 am Post subject:
I also ran a continuity test on the spark plug wire with my ohm meter and got .000. A continuity test on the NGK plug, without bridging the gap showed .044.
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At the end of 1967 the Norton Commando was announced.
The Norton Commando was greeted with a certain amount of scepticism because on first sight the commando appeared to comprise of the old Norton Dominator twin cylinder engine mounted at an inclined angle in a set of new cylinder parts.
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Now nearly 40 years later Norton Commando riders like us are a breed of our own, and as far as we are concerned its still more fun to go for a blat on the old Norton Commando, and fast. As a Norton Commando owner and enthusiast, my goal here is to promote and give credit to those who keep the Norton name going.
It is more deserving to give credit to the Commando itself, for after all these years it continues to be respected. The original Commando designers like John Favill are those who deserve the credit for developing this incredible motorcycle.
The Norton Commando Roadster and Interstate of the late seventies, never died. Although the Norton Villiers factory dispersed the tradition lived on. Today Kenny Dreer in the USA is developing the new 952 CC Norton. What a great looking bike this is, and its engineering is still based on the original layout. It will be interesting to see how the new 952CC Norton does in todays tough motorcycle market. One thing is for sure, I would own one if I could afford it.
