A Good Ride Spoiled

While warming up for today's test ride, found several new issues. Fuel leak from left carb, seems to be the bowl drain bolt. Could not completely stop it with a quick tighten. These are new carbs but I did ha ve the drains off when using my fuel level tester setup. Perhaps the gasket cant take reuse.
Next thing I noticed, an oil stain around and down from primary cover fixing nut. Gave it a snug up and wiped off stain. Minutes later notice a drip coming off the primary onto header, giving puffs of smoke. Will need to take it apart and try a new sealing ring.
And, to top it all off, still had puffs of exhaust out right side silencer joint dispite giving the clamping bolt loads of beans. Anymore will likely strip the botl or nut. Ill need to open it up and try some silicone sealant to make it gas tight.

Exhaust roses were both pretty snug, but gave both a wee bit more turn once hot.

So faced with spending most of yet another nice day sat on the cement floor in the dark parkade wrenching on this bike, put it away and took a strategic retreat and rode off on the Bonneville.

I have had them off and on many times with same gasket. Maybe some junk on it?

Loosen up the silence muffler isos before tightening the clamp?

Tornado said:

While warming up for today's test ride, found several new issues. Fuel leak from left carb, seems to be the bowl drain bolt. Could not completely stop it with a quick tighten. These are new carbs but I did ha ve the drains off when using my fuel level tester setup. Perhaps the gasket cant take reuse.
Next thing I noticed, an oil stain around and down from primary cover fixing nut. Gave it a snug up and wiped off stain. Minutes later notice a drip coming off the primary onto header, giving puffs of smoke. Will need to take it apart and try a new sealing ring.
And, to top it all off, still had puffs of exhaust out right side silencer joint dispite giving the clamping bolt loads of beans. Anymore will likely strip the botl or nut. Ill need to open it up and try some silicone sealant to make it gas tight.

Exhaust roses were both pretty snug, but gave both a wee bit more turn once hot.

So faced with spending most of yet another nice day sat on the cement floor in the dark parkade wrenching on this bike, put it away and took a strategic retreat and rode off on the Bonneville.

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How much oil do you have in the primary? I've never seen a leak from there before
Also I never tighten the silencer clamps it can lead to cracking I believe

Followed this with interest. Good to see you're on the home straight. Mine is running lovely, but I have recurring oil staining on front right fin above head joint. Definitely not rocker cover. Am monitoring for now.

Also, I'm currently riding around with my exhaust rose spanner. It's tight when cold, but will tighten up, initially about 1/4" turn when hot. So far the rose is about 1/4 turn further round than when I started, but the amount it tightens is reducing now. Hopefully will get to the point it's happy to stay put.

baz said:

How much oil do you have in the primary? I've never seen a leak from there before
Also I never tighten the silencer clamps it can lead to cracking I believe

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It had the spec'd amount of ATF when last assembled last fall. I've got the DynoDave clutch shaft seal installed so no GB fluid should be entering. Have had issues with crank seal blowing in half from wet sump start up. Now running anti wet sump manual valve with ign defeat so sumping should not give excess primary fluid.
Also had one of the little inner primary cover screws drop out and this let engine oil in to primary and also out around the case to crankcase gasket. Used red locktite on these fastners on last replacement. No sign of leak at gasket.
I think what I saw out of fixing nut was just splash escaping around and under the nut and washer. They have no gasket or sealing surface. Also, my primary is chromed, including the inspection caps and even their threads. So this may be making oil tightness issues.

The drip onto exhaust seems to be from the sealing band, not the fixing nut nor caps.

Did the primary R&R lastnight. Surprised to find the newly installed primary chain very slack...I'd say more than 1" of up/down play. This is the double-row "TheChainMan" UK made chain. Might have loosened up a little but more likely the adjustment on GB had slipped. Less than 1000 miles since installing. Got it re-adjusted to the spec'd 3/8" slack.

When I last fit the primary sealing band, I was reusing the existing oneand was having a heck of a time trying to get it to stay in the groove as I placed around the opening. Spent most of an hour struggling. Had no such issues with this very same band previously times I'd installed it. That band must have absorbed the ATF or Hylomar I'd previously used on it, causing it to swell. Following some advice I recieved on this forum, I resorted to a few drops of super glue along the band. Really helped getting it in place.
Anyhow, trying to remove it lastnight, it had to be torn apart as the glue had quite grip on it. Then I had to spend quite some time scraping the remaining clumps of glue hardened rubber bits out of the groove. I will not use that method again.
New seal went in like a dream. No issues keeping it placed in groove and no "excess" length issues around the entire groove. Everything else in there looking great, no signs of the three little bolts coming adrift (used red locktite) and the alternator to rotor gap looking even (I use a light source pointed toward inner casing behind rotor and can look at the gap....see light through the even gap all the way around).
All buttoned up with 200ml fresh ATF-F.
Also did the silencer joints with silly-con carne sealtant (just the clear bathroom type so should be easier on future me for removal).
Next up today is removing right side carb to check that pilot orifice again and deal with the bowl leaks.

OK, solved the fuel leak from carb...seems it was a bad short hose between carbs.

Got her fired up and dialed in. Both sides responding ok to air screw adjustments and good pressures out each side tail pipe...no puffs out of the joints (sealant doing its thing).
Once fully warmed up...spent a few hours puttering around town, stopping to tweak carb settings numerous times. Each time I'd find a happy place for settings, 1krpm, smooth transition to part throttle, it seemed ok for several minutes riding along, then would dip to 800-500 rpm range at stop lights etc. A few blips seems to bring it back up to 1k most times....but issue kept returning most of the day. Any ideas what might be the cause of that? Wassell EI (a Boyer clone apparently) with new-ish plugs.

Do you have fuel filters in the supply lines?
Glen

The biggest problem with the primary sealing rubber is a lot of people over tighten the centre nut on the outer cover thinking tighter is better, but these rubbers do get old and depends on how many times the primary cover has been taken off and the old rubber seal looses its sealing, I have never in 46 years used any sealing compound on my primary and to this day has only leaked once from over tightening and worn rubber.
If the rubber seal don't sit in the groove by itself then its time to replace the rubber, I have a roll of rubber same size as the primary rubber and cut to size and have the join up the top in the middle of the case, don't even have to glue the two ends together, but new rubber seals are cheap, buy two and have one as a spare, but if you don't over tighten the primary case the rubber seal will last many times of removal and installs.

Ashley

worntorn said:

Do you have fuel filters in the supply lines?
Glen

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Yes. Mesh on the petcocks, mesh fuel filters on each line down the carb inlets and the mesh screens in each inlet cover.

Ive typically only run the main petcock open for most riding. These are plastic tap Paioli's I believe.

Are the o-rings fresh on your pilot air and idle screws, so they're not moving?

Are these old carbs? Drifting idle is a sign of an air leak or worn slides.

One week old Premiers. So yes, o-rings and slides as fresh as can be. That said, one o-ring seemed a bit weak, as that air screw turned really easily compared to other. So I swapped in another o-ring.

ashman said:

The biggest problem with the primary sealing rubber is a lot of people over tighten the centre nut on the outer cover thinking tighter is better, but these rubbers do get old and depends on how many times the primary cover has been taken off and the old rubber seal looses its sealing, I have never in 46 years used any sealing compound on my primary and to this day has only leaked once from over tightening and worn rubber.
If the rubber seal don't sit in the groove by itself then its time to replace the rubber, I have a roll of rubber same size as the primary rubber and cut to size and have the join up the top in the middle of the case, don't even have to glue the two ends together, but new rubber seals are cheap, buy two and have one as a spare, but if you don't over tighten the primary case the rubber seal will last many times of removal and installs.

Ashley

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Hi Ashley, what torque do you tighten the primary case nut to? I have read 25 ftlbs but that already seems very tight to me.
Bruce

Bruce I have never used a torque wench on it in all the 46 years of ownership, I just use common sense, just do it up and a light nip have never had a oil leak doing it my way and the nut has never come lose, I only use a torque wench when rebuilding motors and clutch nut at 40ftlbs.

Ashley