[MikeD]

WOOT SPEEDOMETER DRIVE WORKS! I took the ring gear from the guts of the Emgo unit, whose final gear wouldn't engage the speedo cable properly, and swapped it into the original Smiths drive. Not as nice and easy as it sounds, but the job is done and dusted.

The good news on my front brake cable is that the threaded stud, where the adjuster screws into the brake plate, isn't damaged like I thought it was. Turns out the adjuster on my new cable, which is the correct length (shorter free cable than my existing one) has a different, but very very similar thread. So I gotta run down the specs and get a new cable with the right adjuster. I may trim the old cable and solder a new end on, too, but I don't have the right cable end or any flux right now...probably easier to get the right cable pre-made.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

WOOT SPEEDOMETER DRIVE WORKS! I took the ring gear from the guts of the Emgo unit, whose final gear wouldn't engage the speedo cable properly, and swapped it into the original Smiths drive. Not as nice and easy as it sounds, but the job is done and dusted.

The good news on my front brake cable is that the threaded stud, where the adjuster screws into the brake plate, isn't damaged like I thought it was. Turns out the adjuster on my new cable, which is the correct length (shorter free cable than my existing one) has a different, but very very similar thread. So I gotta run down the specs and get a new cable with the right adjuster. I may trim the old cable and solder a new end on, too, but I don't have the right cable end or any flux right now...probably easier to get the right cable pre-made.

I just may have a cable end or two...

 

[MikeD]

o rly?

 

[johnbryanpeters]

 

[MikeD]

Hm, alas I need the huge pear-shaped one for the lower wire... The barrel adapters I have on-hand use a different style of cable end, too...

Unless that barrel is of the right size for a lever, in which case I could use the whole assembly. If that's the case and you can send in the regular mail for the price of a stamp, I'd appreciate it; offers me an option!

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Hm, alas I need the huge pear-shaped one for the lower wire... The barrel adapters I have on-hand use a different style of cable end, too...

Unless that barrel is of the right size for a lever, in which case I could use the whole assembly. If that's the case and you can send in the regular mail for the price of a stamp, I'd appreciate it; offers me an option!

Wilco...

 

[MikeD]

That's actually a nicely-composed photo of cable ends...a little color tuning or a b/w conversion and you're in art territory.

Ed: Actually, I think I like the color better...not great at color editing but it needs just a little something to be right. This is moodier but I may prefer the original.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Sent...

 

[MikeD]

Muchas gracias, amigo

 

[johnbryanpeters]

De nada.

 

[MikeD]

Ahora, debo buscar algún fundente.

(y ahora puedo dicer "flux" en Español...)

 

[johnbryanpeters]

el flujo...

 

[johnbryanpeters]

En realidad, cualquier palabra.

 

[MikeD]

Encontré "fundente" en Spanishdict.com.

"Flujo" significa "flux" como "flow..." No como la cosa necesaria para soldar.

 

[MikeD]

Was prepping to shorten my brake cable tonight...thankfully before I snipped anything, I noticed my solder pot was a 220v model with a funky overseas plug and i can't think of a way to use it.

Wish I hadn't bothered to buy more flux. Ugh.

Ed: Hm, perhaps I'll just torch it up...or stovetop. My buddy has a tiny iron skillet in the garage he used for melting lead to cast into his kids' pinewood derby cars.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

Was prepping to shorten my brake cable tonight...thankfully before I snipped anything, I noticed my solder pot was a 220v model with a funky overseas plug and i can't think of a way to use it.

Wish I hadn't bothered to buy more flux. Ugh.

Ed: Hm, perhaps I'll just torch it up...or stovetop. My buddy has a tiny iron skillet in the garage he used for melting lead to cast into his kids' pinewood derby cars.

A propane torch allus worked well for me...

 

[MikeD]

A propane torch allus worked well for me...

I did it on the stovetop with the tiny iron skillet.

(Mike, in the kitchen, with the skillet? [/Clue])

 

[MikeD]

Burned up two spark plugs with gaps set incorrectly...guess I know the mag is throwing some heat...

With new plugs, got it running evenly on both cylinders. It was a ticklish balance between getting the slides synched with slight differences on mix/throttle stop on both carbs. Throttle cable needs a good lubing though.

Might put on a new set of handlebars with a little less sweep, but they have to be drilled for the horn/light dip switch so I've been avoiding that.

 

[MikeD]

video-1588097403



^Running snortier than ever. New plugs were necessary, among other things. It loves the new timing advance and the carbs are finally balanced.

Put on new handlebars and levers. Bar shape is better for me. Old levers had lots of flex due to the design and it made the pull even harder than it needed to...you were bending metal along with pulling cable. Got re-pop Amal designs (with adjusters at the bars, even!) and found fitting them was slightly problematic due to the need for a longer inner wire. Had to modify my new brake cable, along with dealing with incompatible threads at the adjuster on the brake plate. Got the clutch cable to *barely* fit as-is by screwing down the gearbox adjuster and removing the handlebar adjuster nut entirely.

(JBP do you recall ever changing the adjuster abutment on the brake plate? The thread is coarser than the two cables I've orderedother than the one you had on there...)

Drilled and tapped handlebar for the light switch. Thankfully an M3 screw works fine here, rather than obscure brit threads.

I also put on these finned valve covers because why not...the intake cover, however, couldn't come on and off with the carbs in place, so that's a no-go. Kind of a business in back, party in the front situation. )


Also used a 1/2" pipe cap as a solder pot with a propane torch and it was easier than my electric Chinese unit in many ways... Little sketched out on the home-done brake cable; I've a few throttle cables but never a brake that's going to be under such stress so often.

Test ride was MAGNIFICENT. Although I have some sticking throttle problem I need to address. I lubed all the cables and they work fine at rest. I can't figure out why it's any different when it's running.

 

[MikeD]

So, the throttle problem was twofold... throttle housing allowing twistgrip past the zero position under hard use, leading to the cable popping out the bottom and perversely hanging up enough inner wire to put it at like 1/3 open. Ordered new throttle. Did this to keep the cable in place till it arrives.

But the engine was still starting to lean out over the course of every ride, getting to the point of no fuel in carb at all. Coupled with my throttle issue the engine was just skyrocketing through the revs...kill switch would barely cut it off. After chasing through sticking carb needles (since applying the tickler didn't give me a gush of fuel) and tank cap vents, I found the cause.

Nice new Tygon fuel lines get even softer and droopier as engine warms up. They start to sag and kink. First I splinted them at the carb, which helped but only forestalled the inevitable.

Turns out I just had to put the old lines back on and voila, nada problemo.

Of course, because I am me, I also lost the oil tank cap, possibly while flogging it back to life by the side of the road on the last test ride, too. So this got me through today's test with the new fuel lines; sushi takeout to the rescue. Replacement to arrive with the new throttle on Monday.

But today's ride was spectacular. Weather, local VA scenery. Blew past the CIA HQ at around 85 but the carb got a little balky at WOT. Maybe needs a bigger main jet?

Certainly the brakes are performing much better with the new cable, but going fast is an exercise in nerve even with them working well. Might put a twin-leading-shoe brake plate up front if I ever plan to use it in anger.

But for today, burbling along at 45-50 with nothing to prove and a big grin may have been one of the best rides of my life.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

I can't remember how fast I used to go according to the speedometer, just wide open, let 'er rip, experience parts falling off.

 

[MikeD]

Welp, the dream is over for now.

It has to get packed up next week for storage for the next 3 years, so I guess things could have been a lot worse, timing wise. But on what was meant to be possibly my final longish local ride in the area, the LH cylinder stopped firing and I found the plug fouled by oil. Also noticed some oil seeping around the back of the engine, possibly between cylinder and head, pooling on the cases around the base of the jug.

I'd noticed the plug being slightly wet before, but never to this extent. Something in there is messed up, whether gasket, rings, or guide.

Luckily I had a good place to wait for my buddy with a trailer when I realized I wasn't gonna make it all the way home on 1 cylinder without blowing it up. Guess I have a top-end rebuild, at least, in the future when it's finally back in my hands again.

This helps explain why I could never get the cylinders to seemingly run evenly, though.