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Post by hopwheels on Nov 13, 2006 17:51:45 GMT -5
UPDATE: Well the 'ol bastard '79 still won't fire. I've swapped out almost all electrical, (CDI swap with my '78 known working) or bought known good (Ignition Coil and Regulator) and still no go. New plugs, both BP7ES and NGK Iridium equivalent, gapped stock, gapped closer in .5mm increments. It's running VP-110 mixed with 100 unleaded. The only things I can think of that are... despite getting what appear to be OK readings from my stator it's in fact no good, and/or the timing is so wrong it doesn't have a prayer of starting. I can swap out the stator... but the timing seems beyond my abilities. Know I'm really frustrated.  PS: The plug is sparking albeit a tiny little nub of a spark. |
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Post by hopwheels on Nov 17, 2006 22:08:59 GMT -5
UPDATE: What I did today on my '79:
1) Spark exciter arrived. Installed it. Made a big difference in spark. Tried to start it. NO GO.
2) Swapped out stator for known good one. Still using Spark Exciter, good spark at plug. Tried to start. NO GO.
3) Swapped out carby for know good one. Tried to start. NO GO.
Ran off battery (instead of bat pac battery eliminator), just in case it made a difference. It didn't. El Bastardo, es no bueno. I have no idea what to try now. I think it'll have to go to a shop. I think the guy I had build the motor a year ago perhaps did something incorrectly. No way to tell (of course he's persona non grata now) without breaking down the motor.
Here's what I'm thinking of trying (someone please check my methods/ideas).
1) Add a copper head gasket to lower compression (I have 1mm gaskets). At least it would be easier to kick.
2) Put the head I'm rebuilding for my '78 stocker onto this bike and try to start it.
3) I can't imagine it's a bottom end issue, so I'll leave that alone for now.
The sound it's making when I kick it is a low frequency, dull "bluuum". And other kicks yield a couple of louder, quick "woosh woosh" sounds. Not sure if that's any help.
Any ideas would sure be appreciated.
Gary
Hopwheels
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Post by fenz on Nov 18, 2006 3:18:55 GMT -5
Sounds like you have covered the basics on fuel delivery and spark.One thing to check is the flywheel key,sometimes these sheer off and allow the flywheel to turn on the crank putting the timming out.Got caught out like this on a xt i bought kicked and kicked swore and cursed lots before i spat it and pulled the engine and started a strip down to find the key sheered off on the flywheel.Dammm it.
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Post by StewRoss on Nov 19, 2006 2:41:53 GMT -5
Hi Gary, I'd start by rechecking the cam and ignition timing... Nice pics of the top end by the way... SR  |
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Post by hopwheels on Nov 20, 2006 0:14:14 GMT -5
Thanks Stew. Timing starts to get over my head. I've read through the Clymers' section on timing and for some reason my brain vapor locks on the details. May be shop time. Especially before I start raiding it for parts for another project...  |
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Post by StewRoss on Nov 20, 2006 2:41:17 GMT -5
Hi, A quick check would be to make sure that the cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke...both valve shut...and a small amount of freeplay in them...at that point the F mark should be very close to the timing mark on the upper part of the case...if it is then the timing should be fairly OK. Normal ignition timing for the SR is 7 degrees BTDC (on the F mark) at idle and advancing to around 33 degrees (33.5)...you'd need a timing light to check that one but the engine must be running first of course. I won't go back thru the postings but I'll just chuck another couple in ...remove the plug after a few kicks and see if the electrode is wet with fuel...if not look at the carby...try using aerostart or similar as a test...squirt some down the plug hole and put the plug in and give it a kick...see what the results are...if it starts momentarily it's probably not the ignition...if it kicks back hard...then the ignition timing is way out... Don't give up just yet. SR  |
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Post by hopwheels on Feb 11, 2007 23:25:59 GMT -5
Well... yanked the motor yesterday and checked the timing. I'm pretty certain it was 180° out. But... put the whole thing back together last night and this morning to no avail. Still a no go. Still haven't tried your aerostart idea yet Stew... going to pick some up. Is that basically starter fluid?
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Post by hopwheels on Feb 12, 2007 23:06:19 GMT -5
Now it's time to get it dialed in ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Post by hopwheels on Feb 22, 2007 18:05:36 GMT -5
I adjusted the valves, the clearances were really tight (especially on the exhaust valve, almost non-existent!) and it sounds a little better. Not as clackity. When it warms up, it actually sounds pretty good. I'm still hopeful I won't have to take the top end off and mess with it. I'm going to try and get the timing dialed in and see what it does. It idles actually pretty well right now. Zipped it up and down the street a few times and man this thing is like a wild animal compared to the stocker. Gotta lighten up the front end. Everyone here said so, and it's turning out to be true. Gonna swap out the rotors for some lighter weight ones I have from MikesXS with spacers for the calipers, and go to a fiberglass fender probably for starters. I have some nice aluminum clip-ons that were for my racer project that I may switch to as well, or maybe clubmans. I guess now the fiddling really begins!  |
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Post by wotavidone on Feb 22, 2007 18:39:09 GMT -5
What a truly beautiful machine. Just standing there you can tell its gonna kick arse.
Well done.
Mick
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Post by wotavidone on Feb 22, 2007 18:42:46 GMT -5
PS am I dreaming or is that a eucalyptus type tree trunk I can see right on the left of the photo?
Mick
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Post by mildmitch on Feb 22, 2007 19:10:20 GMT -5
Hey Hop!
That is Beautiful! Glad it's finally running!
wotavidone, don't mean to step on anyones toes here, but California is FULL of Eucalyptus trees.
They are like weeds. Originally imported from Australia for furniture and other uses in the 1800s I think. It was a big flop, they didn't grow as straight here as in the South. There are still groves all over the North State, planted in rows. Some farmers are now raising them for fuel for the Co-Generation Energy plants.
History lesson for the day. I probably got half of the story wrong, it's been a lot of years since I was in school!
Mitch
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Post by hopwheels on Feb 22, 2007 19:28:03 GMT -5
Yepper... them be euc's. I have about 10 of them now, had many more, but removed some, especially the 60 to 80 footers that were dangling over my roof! The nice part was I was able to trade out some of the labor for the resulting firewood.
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Post by frankyb on Feb 22, 2007 19:47:58 GMT -5
America has given us Harley Davidson, quarterhorses, colt firearms and president Bush, and all weve given them is bloody gum trees? Cheers Franky b. PS nice clean understated look, well done
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Post by mildmitch on Feb 23, 2007 0:52:58 GMT -5
frankyb
Well, we're almost even. Bush/Eucalyptus? Nope, at least we can burn the trees. But you're ahead on the rest of it!
MM
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