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Messages - exvalvesetdabbler
1
« on: March 15, 2026, 05:42:43 PM »
Sounds like either the starter button or the starter solenoid isn't releasing. If you have a bulb and some crock clips, you could disconnect the thick wire on the solenoid that runs to the starter motor, connect the bulb between the now free connector on the solenoid and chassis, and press away on the button. Worse that could happen is the bulb stays on.
Does the starter button have a good spring back once released or is it gummed up by all the grease/oil from the throttle cable that has accumulated together with loads of crud.
The clutch on the starter shaft could be sticking and the motor is being spun by the engine but things would have to be pretty gummed up for that to happen. From what you described sounds like the starter is free running once the engine speed picks up (faster than the starter)and the clutch disengages.
Regards
Dave
2
« on: March 14, 2026, 02:14:28 PM »
On the 400f at least
Rear brake lever spigot and return spring before the swing arm
Main stand and return spring next, it folds back more with no stop so less spring stretching needed.
Swing arm
All easier when the frame is upside down and the brake return spring and spigot might not even go in after the swing arm.
Regards
Dave
3
« on: March 11, 2026, 05:16:28 PM »
I picked up the carb bodies from the vapour blasters today, they came out as good as expected. here are a few pits remaining , but they can't put metal back on! Bit of a balance between smothing out a few deep pits and not rounding off the sharp edges on the lettering/ keihin logo
Currently removing all the blanking plugs and giving them a buzz in the ultrasonic followed by drying off and a light spray with duck oil to preserve them for now. It will be a few months before I can get the plating done.
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I haven't been slacking though, fuel tap body cleaned up and the brass nut nickel plated
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Regards
Dave
4
« on: March 05, 2026, 08:03:56 PM »
Yes that's how I used mine. A glass container works better than plastic. If it's only small pieces you can float the container half full of whatever cleaner takes your fancy. Those foil recepticals that pies come in are quite handy so long as there not perforated.
Do be carefull of volatile solvents though, if I'm using paraffin or white spirit, I do it outside.
Regards
Dave.
5
« on: February 25, 2026, 06:10:31 PM »
6
« on: February 25, 2026, 05:56:08 PM »
My biggest regret was not buying the milling head to go with my little lathe. It's been worked hard over the last 40 years and has a few faults now. Originally sold as a model makers lathe. It's earned its keep and doesn't really owe me anything if it falls apart tomorrow.
If you tot up the cost of bits made, it's paid for itself with all the screw cutting and machining.
Wheel spacers, collars, main stand pivot, side stand pivot bolt, engine mounting bolts, caliper bolts, some in high tensile stainless which was pushing things it a bit.
Most useful tool next to the lump hammer and mole grips!
Regards
Dave
7
« on: February 22, 2026, 08:13:38 PM »
Better start emptying my loft then!
Be interesting to see if they sell.
Dave
8
« on: February 21, 2026, 07:35:39 PM »
On the 400, the engine can be lifted out of the frame by two people once everything has been disconnected, breather cover and sump removed. There's no need to lay the bike on its side. Just tape up the bottom frame tubes if you care about paintwork. A small wooden box and battons helps to rest it on when it's half out.
Dave.
9
« on: February 21, 2026, 06:54:50 PM »
Things are warming up so been able to spend a bit of time in the garage just catching up on a few odd jobs.
First one was to prep a handful of button socket caps ready for refitting the choke flaps. Just drilled the ends M2 so that they can be expanded with a center punch so they can't escape if they come loose. The primary hold down will be loctite, this gives a bit of extra security and they can be unscrewed if they ever need to come out again.
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Second job was to make the brass post that the choke lever rod attaches to. The original was removed some years ago because the hole was quite worn and there was a lot of free play. Secondly trying to replate something that allows chemicals to get trapped us just asking for trouble later on.
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I used M6 X 0.75 thread and made it so the thread bottoms out just before it gets too tight in the lever. On final assembly the threads can be staked together with a blob of loctite for good measure
Regards
Dave
10
« on: February 21, 2026, 06:38:52 PM »
Welcome to the forum. Don't believe everything they tell you about the yellow 400f being faster, just the owners wizz by fairly quick so they aren't identified as the bloke riding that bike that looks like a ripe banana.
If I didn't care about keeping mine original and was repainting I would be considering a metallic British racing green with gold stripes, a flying gherkin!
Regards
Dave
11
« on: February 21, 2026, 06:21:36 PM »
Going back to the original question, for me it's a case of what mid range bike I can reach the floor on and feel safe pushing it backwards while sat on it. Had mine since about 1980 and no plans to part with it any time soon. Back then the alternatives were. 2 strokes that drank fuel and nipped up just for fun. Lost count of the number of times I help my mate un seizing his KH250 by torch light just so he could limp home on a Friday. We were college students in lodgings Sun- Thur.
Also spares are still reasonably easily found when needed, though I do have to admit to being a hoarder back in the late 80s when DSS was starting up and other dealers were selling off NOS parts for peanuts.
If I were looking for a stable mate for the 400f now I would probably be on the lookout for a late model KH400 or a GT380/550 just to be able to smell the two stroke presence again. Second only to Castrol R.
Dave
12
« on: February 16, 2026, 08:10:19 PM »
The dealer setup manual will show you the cable routes. It's in Ash's Dropbox.
The tacho cable just dangles, clutch and throttle go through the clip.
Regards
Dave
13
« on: February 16, 2026, 08:05:55 PM »
I think the forward facing horn was a requirement in some European countries. Netherlands being one.
The horn bracket goes on the right hand side, and on mine the cable tidy wire piece goes on the front mounting bolt.
The bracket for the rubber strap on the left, there should be a bit on the frame for the other end of the strap .
Don't bother until your done with plugs and tappets. It just gets in the way.
Regards
Dave.
14
« on: February 13, 2026, 04:54:26 PM »
Ash , the one I have is a ex lab Decon model like the beige one in your pics , a 200w version.The QC sticker inside is dated 1990. The problem that I found was with a triac bolted to the earthed chassis. Someone didn't deburr the hole properly and the burr had penetrated the insulator to give an intermittent short. Luckily I had some more insulator pads to fix it after deburring the mounting hole. There's no real chance of getting at the heating element without de bonding the tank from the enclosure. It was electrically leaky sufficiently to fail a PAT test and that's why it was on its way to a skip before I rescued it.
It's amazing the amount of stuff that gets tossed in a skip when a lab closes or no longer needed. My boss would routinely lecture me on hoarding stuff that might come in handy one day, Apparently it costs money to store stuff you no longer need.
Regards
Dave
15
« on: February 12, 2026, 06:53:54 PM »
I have been distracted the last couple of days trying to get my ultrasonic bath working after 15 years sitting in the loft. It's an old industrial one dating from the 90s that decided to start popping fuses coupled with a leaky heating element which is why it was thrown out at work many years ago. Heater perminateley disconnected and the fault on the transducer board now fixed. It frequency sweeps so I didn't want to give up on it because I would never afford a new one having these specs. After 20 minutes running the water is up to 40 Deg without the heater any way. Lots of bits to degrease now including the carb bodies before they go off for wet blasting. No doubt there will be a few watch straps and jewellery joining the queue.
In between fixing this and other jobs I had a look at the pivot pins that locate the floats, none were particularly great so I set about making some new ones. 2 mm diameter brass rod, 23mm in length and chamfered at both ends.
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The two at the top are old ones.
Regards
Dave
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