Ladies, Gentlemen, Boys and Girls!
Over the past few weeks, I've had a lot going on at work. Lately, my company has been sending me on a lot of field welding jobs, so I've been going to my union's training center on Saturdays to get some long overdue practice (SMAW, overhead and verticals, challenging if you don't do them all the time). That, combined with home repairs/cleaning, and I haven't had a lot of time to work on the bike and it was driving me nuts. So, yesterday, I made some desperately needed progress and completed the following:
1. Connected the fuel lines to the new petcock and filled the tank with gas, checked for leaks - none found, yay! I love the guzzler petcock - small, clean, and the knob operation works great.
2. Glued on the emblems (didn't use the decals, couldn't get the air bubbles out of them and they looked like crap)
3. Positioned the controls where I wanted them and drilled the indexing holes in the handlebar - I have a jig for this, which worked beautifully
4. Went over the suspension bolts, etc, for tightness
5. Aired-up the tires
6. Started the engine (hasn't run since last summer) - turned on thefuel, let the carb bowls fill, hit the start button and she fired up first crank over (OMG OMG happy happy)
7. Lubed the chain
In essence, the day has arrived - at 9:15AM CST, I took Francine out for the first time on a quick ride around my neighborhood. I had to give myself a pep talk because I was so incredibly nervous (hence taking the bike out early on a Sunday, as my neighborhood is very quiet at this time). This is the first time that I have EVER rode the bike since I bought her in October of 2013. Words simply cannot describe my elation right now - aside from the expected issues associated with the carbs not being dialed-in, the bike performed beautifully. No leaks, no strange noises, no pieces falling off, nada! It is now safe to say that my restoration is 99.9% done!!!
Initial impressions:
1. I was concerned about the Gast fibers and the x3 stock/x3 EBC clutch springs - once I was out on the road, the clutch felt great (no grabbiness, etc) and the trans shifted like butter. All gears are OK with no weird noises.
2. Engine and exhaust sound like pure sex
3. Brakes need to bed themselves in but work well
4. The suspension is firm but comfortable - the seat is friendly to my butt
5. Even though the carbs aren't tuned, the bike pulls like an ffing mule in 1st gear
Things I will need to address:
1. Carb tuning - accelerator pumps are disabled and I have the pilot screws only 2-turns out. At very light throttle, I can hear the carbs sneezing, indicating a lean condition. I'll set the pilot screws at 2.5 to three turns out and see what happens. Once I get this sorted, I will play with the accelerator pump to fix the dead spot when mashing the throttle.
2. Fuel tank and carb bowl vent hoses - I wasn't thinking when I used black PVC hose, which isn't working well with the amount of heat generated near the carbs (getting a bit soft). I ordered some Tygon tubing from McMaster Carr and will install it next week.
3. Slight weep from one of my carbs bowl vent hoses - I may have got some crud in one of the needle/seat assemblies. I'm not worried about it right now, but if it persists, I will check the offending carb's float height (again) and possible replace the needle and clean the seat.
4. Going to install some Motion Pro quick disconnects in the fuel lines to make removing the tank easier.
5. Valve clearance check/adjustment (duh)
Overall, I want to once again thank everyone who provided insight, help, and support during this build. Without the GSresources, this build would not have been possible. As I venture forth in the carb tuning process, I welcome any suggestions or input that you may have. I am in a state of euphoria right now :welcoming:
Some photos for your enjoyment:
Over the past few weeks, I've had a lot going on at work. Lately, my company has been sending me on a lot of field welding jobs, so I've been going to my union's training center on Saturdays to get some long overdue practice (SMAW, overhead and verticals, challenging if you don't do them all the time). That, combined with home repairs/cleaning, and I haven't had a lot of time to work on the bike and it was driving me nuts. So, yesterday, I made some desperately needed progress and completed the following:
1. Connected the fuel lines to the new petcock and filled the tank with gas, checked for leaks - none found, yay! I love the guzzler petcock - small, clean, and the knob operation works great.
2. Glued on the emblems (didn't use the decals, couldn't get the air bubbles out of them and they looked like crap)
3. Positioned the controls where I wanted them and drilled the indexing holes in the handlebar - I have a jig for this, which worked beautifully
4. Went over the suspension bolts, etc, for tightness
5. Aired-up the tires
6. Started the engine (hasn't run since last summer) - turned on thefuel, let the carb bowls fill, hit the start button and she fired up first crank over (OMG OMG happy happy)
7. Lubed the chain
In essence, the day has arrived - at 9:15AM CST, I took Francine out for the first time on a quick ride around my neighborhood. I had to give myself a pep talk because I was so incredibly nervous (hence taking the bike out early on a Sunday, as my neighborhood is very quiet at this time). This is the first time that I have EVER rode the bike since I bought her in October of 2013. Words simply cannot describe my elation right now - aside from the expected issues associated with the carbs not being dialed-in, the bike performed beautifully. No leaks, no strange noises, no pieces falling off, nada! It is now safe to say that my restoration is 99.9% done!!!
Initial impressions:
1. I was concerned about the Gast fibers and the x3 stock/x3 EBC clutch springs - once I was out on the road, the clutch felt great (no grabbiness, etc) and the trans shifted like butter. All gears are OK with no weird noises.
2. Engine and exhaust sound like pure sex
3. Brakes need to bed themselves in but work well
4. The suspension is firm but comfortable - the seat is friendly to my butt
5. Even though the carbs aren't tuned, the bike pulls like an ffing mule in 1st gear
Things I will need to address:
1. Carb tuning - accelerator pumps are disabled and I have the pilot screws only 2-turns out. At very light throttle, I can hear the carbs sneezing, indicating a lean condition. I'll set the pilot screws at 2.5 to three turns out and see what happens. Once I get this sorted, I will play with the accelerator pump to fix the dead spot when mashing the throttle.
2. Fuel tank and carb bowl vent hoses - I wasn't thinking when I used black PVC hose, which isn't working well with the amount of heat generated near the carbs (getting a bit soft). I ordered some Tygon tubing from McMaster Carr and will install it next week.
3. Slight weep from one of my carbs bowl vent hoses - I may have got some crud in one of the needle/seat assemblies. I'm not worried about it right now, but if it persists, I will check the offending carb's float height (again) and possible replace the needle and clean the seat.
4. Going to install some Motion Pro quick disconnects in the fuel lines to make removing the tank easier.
5. Valve clearance check/adjustment (duh)
Overall, I want to once again thank everyone who provided insight, help, and support during this build. Without the GSresources, this build would not have been possible. As I venture forth in the carb tuning process, I welcome any suggestions or input that you may have. I am in a state of euphoria right now :welcoming:
Some photos for your enjoyment:
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