what did you wrench on today??

[Guest]

Last night I lifted my needles another half a notch as it's still been a bit hesitant just off idle in traffic during the commute, definitely an improvement today.

I've also done the coil and headlight relay mod's using some 20A micro relays from Eastern Beaver and installed a 3 way mini blade fuse holder in conjunction with these so I now have 3 fuses on the bike instead of the standard single fuse. Add a H4 55/60W headlight and Dynatek coils to the stock wiring and it's just not good... I measured about 1.5V drop at the coils before I did the mod's, now there is no measurable drop at all.

And previously... Tim (landshark) very kindly went and picked up a factory option sports rack for my 450 from Wassa... these racks are made out of unobtanium and I've wanted one since before I finished the rebuild! John (john82q) and I cobbled together an old rack with a spare grab rail to replicate one and while it worked well, it's a little crooked (I assembled it by eye) and... well... it's just not the same... anyway I installed it the other week and it's in pretty good shape too!

[850 Combat]

I've been working on brakes. The Lotus was having left front lock up. The right front caliper was dragging. I just bought rebuilt ones two years ago. The rears seemed ok, but the wheel cylinders seemed very stick when I removed them. I had a new spare set. (no longer available). I pulled the right front caliper, dismantled, cleaned, and reassembled it. Buttoned it up, and couldn't get it to bleed correctly. A lot of checking, and found out the right front brake hose was internally blocked. If I pressed hard enough, the right front caliper worked, but then it wouldn't release. New hoses for it NLA, but I did find one of them new old stock. I removed the bad one, and the rear one, and measured. They were the same except for the length. I sent the bad one, and notes for the rear one to Pegasus Racing in Wisconsin to make up new ones.I'll have it working with the two OEM and one NOS hose tomorrow. The bad thing is, that I spent a fortune on the calipers, Girling 12SP are hard to find now, and I'm certain that my problem was the hose failing then, not the hoses.

Two weeks ago, I went to Maine and wanted to use the '67 Cortina for transportation. The brake pedal went to the floor. Bad master cylinder. The cylinder body doesn't look too good, either. No problem I thought, but it turned out that it was the incorrect model, notfor a GT. New or rebuilts are not available I sourced a Nissan one that can be adapted to fit. Minor modifications required. I found NOS wheel cylinders on E Bay. Heading to Maine this weekend to put those brakes back together.

I pulled the rear drums on the '68 Cortina here to inspect and to adjust. The left one had bad shoes, and the drum was slightly scored. Replacement shoes are not available. Mine will have to be sent out and relined. I have a spare set in Maine, purchased about 4 years ago. I hope that they are the right ones. The ones on that care to not currently require replacement.

Its been a hydraulic and brakes nightmare with my Lotus and British Fords lately. I'm thinking that the Lotus brakes are going to be awesome when the new hoses are done. I bought a new master cylinder for it too, which it doesn't need yet (which will require a new brake line, the identical one is NLA). I've had a spare set of old Ferodo asbestos brake shoes for the Lotus since I bought it in 1987. I'm not putting them on yet. The shoes on it are about half gone.

[Sandy]

Yeah, last time the wife vacated for a few days I baked the paint on the head in the oven. Not the dumbest thing I've done but by far not the smartest either.

Egads no...I once boiled my carbs on the stove.....bad idea. How was I to know it would stink that bad?? next time I boiled them on the BBQ, equally as smelly, and I left the door open..opps

[WilliamGLX81]

New plug wires and end-caps went in the coils tonight Should have them reinstalled by noon tomorrow. Got the brand new petcock ready to go too, and then I have to get my new turbo and exhaust flange onto my car before I tear into too much more on the bike.

[Guest]

Got salty_monk's twin pot brake upgrade done tonight along with new wheel bearings in the front. Tomorrow I will be painting the front master cylinder and finishing off the brake upgrade then on to some electrical system maintenance.


Mark

[Joe H]

Pulled the carbs off a beat GPZ900 I picked up last year. A haul it and its your deal basically, cost me a couple hours siding work. To much rust in the tank, I thought I had it but I guess i didn't. This is the third time around with it?.ARGH? It sat for 16yrs in a shed, Mice and old fuel, and if I ever get it running reliably it will need ALOT more. It may get sold once it runs to fund other projects. The thing is beat, every piece of body work has a crack of some kind. I had it running for a while, it handles well and is pretty fast. But then it quit. I had a filter on it but when I opened up the carbs the bowls had allot of junk in them, If it ran right and had new tires it would be a blast.

[cowboyup3371]

Charmayne and I put her carbs back together and bench synched them today. I then removed the back rest I'm building as I'll have to move it back about another 1.5 to 2 inches to get it to fit the girls correctly

[Guest]

Went and helped a guy I met at the Man Cup race that lives close to me. He was having trouble with his slider clutch set up so I set it up for him explaining what I was doing and why. Now he knows how to set one up correctly. He was a happy camper. I got paid in fresh fish. Mmm ate it for dinner tonight. He also gave me a head to port for one of his motors.

[Guest]

Helped Robert get his beautiful 79' 850G running right. I looked around but couldn't find him on the site now after the recent refresh but some of you might remember he bought this bike back in June from a fella I know here on Vancouver Island. Flew out from Toronto with the intention of riding it back....that plan did not work out. Well he's back on the Island, went over the Vancouver where he left it last time he was out and brought it back to the Island and spent the afternoon in my Sahara Desert of a driveway. We fixed some glaring issues and it seems to be running pretty good right now, should be good to go for the 5000km ride home. I tell you it's the fastest 850G I've ever ridden that's for sure. Was good to meet you Robert and I hope you have a trouble free trip home.

[WilliamGLX81]

Put on new plug wires and caps, cleaned the coils and their contact blades, and installed a new clutch cable - and routed it so that I can't hit it with my knee and make it slip. The shop that sold me this bike must have been run by drunk monkeys, I swear. So many things on that bike are jimmy rigged... or were before I fixed them.

[growler]

Changed the secondary and final drive gear oil on Friday, got my speedometer working on Saturday before the ballgame, and then yesterday helped my best friend mount new tires on her CB550.

[steve murdoch]

That CB is beautiful. I had a '73 CB500.
Noticed the engine has been apart.
Any chance it has a 600ccc kit installed?

[growler]

I believe the PO had it apart just for cleaning when he was replacing the intake and airbox boots. Painted for aesthetics. It runs well and is a lot of fun to ride!

That CB is beautiful. I had a '73 CB500.
Noticed the engine has been apart.
Any chance it has a 600ccc kit installed?

[Guest]

Boy does that CB550 bring back memories. My first real street bike was a 73 CB500 with a CB550 motor I had a 591cc bore kit in it and it was the first bike I ever took to the track. It went 13.30's @ 105 mph. But I don't miss it. I think I threw it away after I beat it to Heck and back. I know I did not sell it.

[gordinho80]

Installed the new starter that finally arrived today! Also dropped the oil pan and replaced the gasket, as it was leaking. Filled it up with new oil and fired it up! New starter kicked it on right away!