This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Messages - matthewmosse
Pages: 1 ... 123 124 [125] 126 127
1861
« on: April 06, 2008, 07:21:33 PM »
I've read in another thread on this site that some members have the know how / data to relate frame numbers to date's of manufacture? I've been intending to find out the dates for two projects (cb500f's) I got off ebay, I'm fairly sure the rustyest example is a '72 example, got a few interesting features too, like a cruise controll function on the throttle? looks too well done to be a diy job really, and a pretty cool exhaust, Dunstall I think. The reg no. on the other leads me to suspect it's a '73 example but it could be a '72 if I was really lucky. Are there cirtain prefixes that could tell me year of manufacture? I'd love to dodge paying road tax and if I've 2 tax exempt examples there'll be one more on the market for another skinflint........... 
1862
« on: April 02, 2008, 10:15:41 PM »
It's Alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
1863
« on: April 02, 2008, 03:16:38 PM »
Hi, thought I'd doo an update before heading back to my cold, damp shed  Thanks to florence for the suggestion of a brass rod down the plug hole it solved at least one (bloody obvious when you think about it) problem. Doh! The advance retard mechanism looked perfectly normal, functioned fine etc. BUT when removed and closely compared to a spare it turned out to be a rouge one from godknowswhere. looked identical appart from the peg in the back is about 120 degrees out. No idea what it should be on as I've no other 4 cylinder bikes so I binned it. Just got to heliciol 3 rocker cover screws and put it back together, fingers crossed it will work! Geuss the cam timing wasn't wrong in the first place after all! Doh!!!!!!!  Thanks All for the advice!!
1864
« on: April 01, 2008, 09:48:55 AM »
I think this one is always gonna cause arguements someplace. It's basically a matter of oppinion partly. When it comes to standard noise levels, I've never seen a sohc on standard pipes actually run, and I own 6 of these types of machine in varying condition (none near mint obviously). Point is how many testers today have seen machines this old sporting std pipes? I've always been led to belive that the rule of thumb is there want to be visable sighns of baffles, and period pipes are ok if they were legal at the time by virtue of 'grandfather rights' I geuss. It's not unknown for the poweres that be to get their own rules wrong! I got charged with breaking Lighting regs 1985 once on a 1981 ped, Got to court and pointed out age of machine plus MOT from 7 hrs befrore police stopped me plus relayed MOT mans comments when asked to inspect the bike again to stamp the 'Fix it tickett' Charges were dropped. Unless your taking the piss you should be able to get most things thru. Even my old Laser system hasn't attracted attention. My MOT tester is always off to check the MOT rule book these days but so far I've always passed with whichever set of pipes I happen to have bolted on (I've never interfearedwith baffles in any way). Main thing is to find a decent tester. And not push your luck. Bike shops sometimes are intent on trying to sell you bits you don't need or a new bike so I go elsewhere. Had one set of shocks fail so put them on a similar machine at the same place and the same guy passed them More to do with how nice the bike looked!. Testers vary a lot
1865
« on: March 31, 2008, 11:40:25 AM »
The system my 550 had was a banjo bolt on master cylinder onto braided line. If you want a brake switch it is just a fancy banjo bolt which fits in master cylinder/ hose union just needs it's wires extending. On the caliper end the bleed/ banjo bolt combi just bolts into the caliper with as far as I know no tapping or drilling, leaving the stuck bleed nipple undisturbed. On the 500's and 550's they are old enough not to need both brake light switches for MOT perpouses. On newer machines, I think post 1985, then 2 switches are required due to some nasty construction and use regs. Also post 1985 machines need stamped, approved exhausts etc. Pre 1985 bikes are a Lot easyer to live with in this respect, less lights, no need for indicators / mirrors / only one brake light switch / exhaust just 'not deemed excessively loud' / not blowing, lights not needing to be so bright. Should have seen my 6 volt 'ped. I used to use push bike lights to actually see by!
1866
« on: March 31, 2008, 11:17:42 AM »
Yep, I can when it's running properly cover 15 000 miles in a year going to work plus (If I trust the bike and have time off, a trip to Stafford etc.) Hence bike is showing about 80 000 miles, and on it's second speedo (last one self destructed but cb250 superderam one fits inside the original casing and is accurate)
It's a funny thing, Reason I prefer the 500/4 is it's simple mechanics and electrickery. Now I'm thinking of messing with them! thing is I'm resighning myself to the fact I'm not too clever at setting points. the 'original' set went on forever but when they died the death the replacements seem to just not want to co operate. Keep pitting or slipping out of adjustment. I've tried a strobe light but the timing wanders all over at tickover. Had a go at carb balancing but I don't have much of a clue when it comes to carbs so I decided to leave well alone. When the bike is finally back in commission I'll seriously consider looking for a competent mechanic to go over the set up issues. trouble is I'll be going some distance, the only bike shops round here are either moto crossers who don't, quite understandably want this kinda job or the main dealer round here who has some crinimally incopetent monkeys in his workshop! Try this one for a horror story:- I go in at the time knowing next to nothing about the tech side of bikes with a bare spoked wheel for a tyre to be fitted. Takes 2 weeks and when it's done (
1867
« on: March 29, 2008, 07:31:50 PM »
Thanks for that, I geuss the beer might help me understand all that technical stuff! Not a clue what all that about 3 ohm dynas is  If I'm understanding it right I can run standard coils (or dynas?) with this ignition and be using less power. And save lots of cash . I geuss some LEDs for the tail lights would be a worthwhile try as long as the numberplate is still illuminated and a good clean for all the connections. Or just carry on shoving a car battery in the sidecar for those long winter rides
1868
« on: March 29, 2008, 02:46:20 PM »
Price sounds good. Alarm bells ring on mention of more current drain though, I have extra lights on the chair cos If I leave it at the bare min (ie Just a pilot on the chair then people don't realise the width of the outfit and I end up in the hedge on our narrow roads) anyway the problem is I know the heated grips and lights cannot run at the same time unless I'm moving at over 60. Either I need coils that don't tax the electics more than the exsisting ones. Or I need to uprate the charging system. Anyone had expirience of upgrading the altinator? (re winding perhaps?) something I've been tempted to do for a while anyway.
Does the dyna system replace the advancer as well?
1869
« on: March 29, 2008, 02:22:22 PM »
Yep, one of the 550k3's I had (stiil got, in bits) had one fitted, was once chrome but now just gungy looking but works well, far better then potentially wrecking the caliper by trying to extract the offending bit of metal. I've one caliper where last owner managed to break the alloy castinging exposing the thread down the side of the blled nipple. Possible to get welded if I was desperate..........
Bonus is the complete hose system can be replaced with 1 length of braided stainless (or 2 if you feel the need to keep the front brake switch) You can also get banjos with a brake switch built in wich work a treat.
1870
« on: March 29, 2008, 11:27:28 AM »
I'm thinking of fitting a boyer ignition system to eliminate points from the maintenence schedule and variables when finding starting problems. The question is, What brand works best? I'm thinking Boyer at the moment but before I spend lots of cash I thought I'd ask if anyone has any suggestions? The second factor is which system would be best? one seems to replace the points the other the coils as well which costs more but has the benefit of new shiny and smallness, Might free up enough room to put the extra black box under the tank, cos an alarm fills up the tool tray on my 500 and I don't want to bin any (more) of the originallity factor.
1871
« on: March 27, 2008, 12:26:06 PM »
I've had a few overflowing over the years, and as a result found a few ways round this problem that could be worth a try before stripping the carbs off. 1)Tap the offending float bowl with a small bit 'o' wood, Lightly! 2)Turn the tap off when stopped, half off when at traffic lights. Use the bike reguarly, (like every day) and it may start to behave. 3)Drain the carbs, or turn the tap off and running the bike the last half mile home on contents of carb, then disconnect fuel hose(es) from tank and fill with neat redex fuel aditive and leave to soak overnight. Empty the lot out next day(ish) Re connect fuel supply to tank and enjoy a smug ride without the aggro of removing the carbs. 4)Fit an 'in line' fuel filter and possibly even check the one on the tap! (5; having shared the above with the rest of the group go and fix my bike!) 8
1872
« on: March 26, 2008, 07:50:45 AM »
Hmm, I've not yet tried using mixed gearbox bits from 500/550. When I get round to fixing up the original 500 engine I'll look into whether I can save on cost by replacing some of the worn parts from a 550 motor. I think I'll still have to fork out for a new selector fork though Seem to recall they are rather different..............
1873
« on: March 22, 2008, 01:37:25 PM »
If a camshaft was wrong then it would be possibe but it means the exhaust and inlet cams are back to front? can this be done with a dodgy rocker box reassembly? or odd camshaft? any probability of a racing camshaft having radically altered timing? or of one twisting? I'll pull it appart when the bathroom is done(ish) and compare the various components with ones out of a runner just out of interest. I'll post my findings just out of interest. Blocked jets could be to blame for hard to start if it wern't for the clouds of fuel blowing into the airbox which created a mini fireball. One of the reasons I'm not willing to play for a while......... I'll just have to carry on using my good lady's bike until the parts arrive to indulge in my guilty secret, a kh125 2 stroke that kick started my biking career in my 'L' plate days and has been sat in the shed with a holed piston for years til I forked out the
1874
« on: March 21, 2008, 09:31:55 PM »
Hi, I checked compression with rocker cover on and off. I always check the oilways this way on an unknown/ rebuilt engine as the first one I rebuilt had a dodgy o ring that was too big and defrormed when cranked up and closed up the oilway, result a dropped valve, knackerd jornal bearing and camshaft, holed piston and bust con rod and a hole in the cases. all from a cheapo pattern gaskett set with dodgy sized o rings. Moral of the story:- always have a genuine set to compare against and always check oil circulation before touring Scotland and back! I agree on the cam timing comment, I'm thinking maybe someone installed a funny proflied cam. I actually tried spraying easy start up the exhaust and for the first time It tried to run! then I decided to install a new bathroom and tidy the shed! I found an engine that only needs the kickstart sorting! by the way Haynes tell us we need to split the cases to sort the kickstart mechanism. Not true! The kickstarter can be replaced with sump off and cluch cover removed. I tried and succceded! I've found a few bloomers like this in the manuals  the actual reading is a bit duff on compression tester, if I believed the numbers my tester read none of my engines would ever have run but they compare well with known good motor, as in started if I breathed on the button, shame the gearbox and primary chain were worn out. When the bathroom is done I geuss the bike will get a look in 
1875
« on: March 20, 2008, 08:10:59 PM »
I seem to have a few gearboxes with dodgy 1st + 2nd gears ie they keep jumping out of gear. Worn selector forks. Did you have these problems? I recon the stress of tugging a loaded chair for 10 years could have contributed to this wear on the original motor. Who knows what/where how the other engine was used for?  However I don't recall the 500's carbs being that thirsty (with k&n filter and the 4 into 1 with triumph raygun 'silencer' You must really have been kaning it!
Pages: 1 ... 123 124 [125] 126 127
|
Show Posts