Please let something breakdown...

Bad Coil 

firing on one terminal only

Is the cap vented?

How to test - sucks but doesn't blow (heh heh)

weird, the bad coil I was lent says its single fire, measures 4.6 ohms

Bitch Diary

15th

Changed condenser, checked flow from tank, petrol cap is vented. Starts on enerichener!

Ride around the block twice ( I do learn) runs bad and almost dies.

16th

Hot wire to road test - wont start. eventually fires and is running on rear pot only.

Check front plug, cold. swap leads/ plugs same nospark. replace coil as no spark on one side. Remove hot wire. Road test, better but still no acceleration and sounds choked. 

are you as tired of this tale as I am?

 She starts and doesn't misfire, so we finally go for a test ride

Having failed to diagnose the previous non start (no spark).

 A kilometre feels a long way when you're pushing a shovelhead back home

Christine started running rough, no acceleration and finally died, pulled the plugs sparking but dry.

Still, she now starts with the enrichener, 

I just couldn't get some matching brass clothes pegs to hold it open

the mark of the beast...

Finally made a carb support

Putting her back together I decided this will be, or is a problem and found the old carb support that came with the 'flowmaster' back in 1988.  A little work on the fitting and with essential speedholes - job done.

Finally discovered a wiring fault this morning

Third time its happened, usually when I strapped a tool roll on the front.

So remembering this I switched on the lights and puffhhh.

It seems the speedo bulb earth wire shorted touching the live feed.

The Bitch Diary

10th Feb

Have measured valve depth 1.666 (tolerance is 1.600 to 1.645) so it is 26 thou out

and requires new valve seat. This would reduce valve ht.

Decided to take off more metal in rocker cover instead. Ground in valve as well.

11th Feb

Very cold -takes 7 kicks, starts with no falter on tickover, (used to have to build) sounds better and didnt seem to misfire on constant throttle but not warmed up. Take to the road for a test run, fired up twice, 1st on a compression mis- kick, then would not fire twenty odd kicks, plugs dry, mega wet sumping.

I didn't check to see if the plugs were firing. Could the short have caused the non start,  it doesn't seem possible as the lights have there own breaker.

close but no cigar...

double check the valve is the correct length 

 I figured it should be close to this measurement

 and so it proved to be close - but no cigar

Replace the valve seat

Fuck it, take it to an engineering shop and get the lot done. 

Then sanity finally reared its ugly head, the engine had been rebuilt with new valves and guides and cost is a significant factor and so dremeling the rocker cover for clearance will do till the next time the heads are worn out.

off with her head!...

 wet fuel deposits

 sooty exhaust valve

 moisture/fuel? droplets on inlet pushrod

 groove in rocker cover

wear on edge of the exhaust valve collet

Finally decided to take off the rear cylinder head to try and locate anything could be causing the misfire.
After speaking to my technical advisor (heh heh) for pointers to look out for, I mentioned this mark that had appeared again on the cover wall.
If you check back on my build last March (head job) I relieved this area of the rocker cover after it took nearly an hour to get the cover off because the valve collet was jammed against the cover wall.
Is this the cause of my misfire? Is it holding the valve open? Is the valve the correct length?
My valve spring compressor that worked in the past slips over the valve stem keepers on these alloy collets so no removal today.
I'll keep you posted on any further exciting developments...

Breton mania...

 surrounded by girls...

Roland, featured in the Kelt Show write up in this months Backstreet Heroes

Toujours Brittany Mon Ami 

bloke day out

kempton barn-find

clip-on terror

privateer 

factory 

barn fresh

 project roller

 metal men

not period correct 

If I were you...

try a hotwire to the coil

and after a hesitant start, she ran well and revved too!

(the light switch was incorporated when 'moi' wondered how the fuck, if she did start, I could stop her)

and check the compression

big numbers with pete kicking and me holding the tester (not the screw in type!)

Both 140psi and 120s with throttle open.

Later returned to original switch / wiring and she stalled when under load 

letting clutch out to test ride.

hmmmmmmmmmm.

doc, the past isn't the future...

the bluestreak

Right thats fucking it, take the bloody electronic shit off. 

Put the low tech shit on and replace the coil.

Fuck about setting the gap, make sure its the same on both cam lobes, set TDC, then get that little bulb to just light on full advance. 

Kick - b-bum bum , kick, b-bum bum bum - five kicks she catches and runs.

ticks over ok but will not rev.and stalls.

Get her started again, load of smoke out of the rear exhaust.

The rear pot is not firing properly and the coil got very warm.

So it seems the problem is magnified when its not single fire ignition. 

Plugs have been changed so is it the rear plug lead?

To swap the leads I have to move the coil tomorrow and put on an old set of leads that will then fit.

RTI, IFHE... PART 2, or back to the future part one...

 resurrection

 back in the day 'Acu-time'

a very relable coil, that I know fucking works, 

along with my 'technical advice line' mates sticker

'throw that crap away and put the points back on'

and finally...

right thats it, I've fucking had enough...

 Rev Counter from back in the day...

Advance timing marks painted on to the pulley wheel and primary

and started second kick cold.

Peter (79'shovel) came round with his timing light and we discovered that the timing was virtually spot on, after kicking and it fired and kicking and kicking till it finally picked up and ran.

Tried to go for a test run, would not pick up and run. when she did, ran badly and stalled after a 100 yards and would not start. Fuck it.

size does matter...

Pushrod length

In my paranoia after buttoning up the timing chest I thought it may be best to check the pushrods again.

NOTE – If pushrod kit contains four different length pushrods,

the longest pushrod is for the front exhaust, next longest is the

rear exhaust. Of the two shorter pushrods, the longer one is

the front intake, the shortest pushrod is the rear intake. 

and I found mine are different in size but are also in the correct position.

So... tomorrow its the timing light... 

they seek him here...

they seek him there

Well, as you can see the cam lines up with the pinion drive gear timing mark and the breather gear lines up too.

Its an Andrews J Grind cam, that I really did not want to take out and cause more unnecessary work.

Why? To check if the cam gear had been aligned properly with the shaft when assembled.

Kevin at Blackdog said this could be the problem when I mentioned that the ignition plate is set extremely to the left and showed me a Screaming Eagle (?) cam that required assembly by pressing the gear onto the shaft, to be aligned carefully using the scribed marks.

Anyhow I have now discovered that Andrews Cams are supplied complete so it must be down to timing dynamically with a timing strobe light.

Although how you do that at 2000rpm without a tach is something to discover next... 

get in there!

My non adjustable but loose head bearing mot failure

I rang Joe @ Fenland who addressed my paranoid concerns as to whether there is a machined shoulder for the head race(s) to sit on, the one you can see is so 'one' can get a fucking drift in.

The manual shows no spacer washer in original fittings diagram

I fitted a 2.5mm washer at the bottom of the fork stem above the dust cover, but when assembled the top bearing sat proud of the stem. 

Back together again

So I put it on top of the upper bearing where I found Joe had already installed a machined spacer that had a small shoulder to it, allowing it to centre on the bearing and used now to align my spacer washer.  

And so finally... a Pass

Another very cold early morning and she would not start again.

I had advanced the ignition a smidgeon and she seemed to accelerate a bit better.

Need to put a timing light on her.

Kevin and Tim retested the bitch @ Blackdog and gave a pass!

The tight chain, was the result of the rear axle moving, luckily diagnosed by 'moi' yesterday and adjusted and tightened to 70ftlbs - bastard. (or is it bitch?)

Insured her with ebike on a classic policy, with all the 'modifications' listed, fully comp, 0 no-claims allowance and with breakdown for £140.00 and in bloody record time, on-line!

Kevin reckons that if the ignition plate is positioned extremely to the left, as mine is, its not right and to look at the cam timing. This seems to fit with my probs and is the only bloody thing I haven't checked yet!

Failure to prepare…

Prepare to fail. 

 9.15 am. I should have known, she would not start, 

ran like a dog and we're nearly late.

Put Christine on the jack before the test and checked the frame headstock play amongst other things.

But I didn't hold the axle to do it, takes two, then there's a lot more leverage on long forks. The guys at Black Dog 'we wouldn't do this if it was a bloody scooter' in Staines, had a go at adjusting it out but there wasn't enough - so a spacer washer under the bottom bearing is required (hopefully). 

And I also foolishly tightened the drive chain as it was catching the rear guard - but not that bloody tight, it must have a tight spot. However I loosened it before coming back and it was tight as fuck again when we got home. 

It seemed a good idea to get the test done and find out about MOT requisites...

 But if I was honest of course I wanted her to pass first time.

Kev who runs 'Black Dog' and rides HD reckons the ignition is retarded.

And I think he's right as it hasn't been set 'dynamically' on a timing gun, according to Dynatek that should not be necessary... 

By the way all you lot out there with those little number plates - 

check the size (65mm) of the 'legal' mot plate they made for me.

  

its never enough...

The front brake is lethal, so trying different pads on the stainless disc.

The pipes sound crap, and she goes like crap - so got these expensive Khromeworks HP+ baffles that seem have a good rep out on the worldwide web.

Finally got some grips for the bars,  the cheapest, as I thought I needed 2 pairs because of the internal throttle being 1" OD.  But no, it would not turn, so had to wrap tape around the throttle to increase the dia and used just one pair - hmmm, (just as Alex @ Grizzlys suggested, who also had everything in stock).

And loitering in the background a delightful catalogue from W&W, who seem to cater for us oldies and full of more essential goodies.

yorkshire's rising star in BSH...

from the republic of Barnsley

shaun of bobbed to the bone fame

and lately

Von Speed

got his moment in the sun with a feature in this months Backstreet Heroes Rag

hey up Shaun dude!

Good Times, Bad Times,

you know I had my share
(thats me, back row, 2nd in, with the white hat)

I don't care what the neighbors say, 
I'm gonna love you each and every day.
HA HA 


To everyone whom I met in this shitty year
and to those that kindly left a message on this
sad little tale of one step forward and two steps back,


my best wishes to you for a better one in 2012
and... in those immortal words... 
'fuck this... lets ride'...

jam bar from back in the day

getting the crank nut undone can be a bitch bros

I got this idea from shovelhead.us

as I didn't have a compressor to run my impact driver

the jam bar is made of metal (or aluminium if you run a belt and are paranoid)

about 8-1/2" long (7-5/8" for 5 speeds) by 1-1/2" wide and a 1/4" thick

Chamfer the ends to fit and jam in 4 and 10 o'clock position (opposite to tighten)

As you can see I used a bit of wood and it worked!

Oh and heat the nut, if locktite has been used or its tight. 

diary of a bitch

SEPTEMBER

Started and ran for 6/7 secs with andrews flowmaster carb fitted and died

Try to re-start and big bang and flames through carb

Pushrod adjustment wrong, check ignition timing

No start and carb floods or pump is not working

Buy Super E

Will not start, get software to alter ultima ignition to 0 dead revs so I can kickstart

Dyna Factory setting is 3 (unit made by dyna)

(however as you cannot see what was installed originally, it could have been set to 0)

NOVEMBER

Cannot get to start.

Adjust pushrods (too tight) 

Try with no choke and no pump of throttle

Starts fist time

Starts second time one kick

Will not start hot

Black soot plugs, black pipes

Float bowl air passage blocked by airfilter and back plate, drill hole.

DECEMBER

Reduce jets to .70 definitly better the plug tips only black

Then reduce intermediate to .28 as manual suggests (if mixture less than 1&1/4 turn)

Pump adjusted to 1 turn

Still running rich but plug tips only black, exhaust black

Fit smaller jets .26 intermediate and .68 main

Runs like a dog under acceleration

Change up to .28, better but will not pull under acceleration

Will not start easy cold (will not start with enrichener)

Will not start easy hot, fires but will not pick up and dies

Sat 17th

(Linden @ Grizzlys says to use .31 inter, turn off pump and to check coil output as spark may be breaking down when hot)

Installed .295 intermediate,

tried different start method 3 - 6 pumps no enrichener (as suggested)

took 3 then 3 pumps from cold to start

started hot one kick throttle closed

adjusted mixture (but screw is 1 turn out)

then would not start hot, repeatedly fired a few times but  would not pick up - (only got to fire as this after pumping throttle)

checked coil with tester its ok @ 12.85 v when running.

Wed 21st

Changed manifold clamps and rubbers (no difference)

Fitted .28 and .70 jets

Would not start cold till pump was turned up

started hot with tickover turned up , mixture 1 &1/4 turn out

started one kick in street, didnt pull well , no acceleration.

Would not start again, fired  but would not catch.

Thurs 22nd

Fit .29 jet, Try- kick through off kick on throttle closed - no fire - pump a few times and eventually fires. Adjust mixture (larger jet allows more leeway on tickover screw) 
stop her and start hot 5 kicks (turned up tickover)

In street tap kicker to compression and it does it all by itself and starts - weird.

Go up and down the road and then another 500 yards and about to turn round and it dies. kick 5 times and return, on the way dies and push back.

Check petrol pipe take off carb and plenty of flow out of pipe.

So electric prob when hot or valves sticking or cam timing? Lights were on.

Friday 23rd

Checked relays and connections, stop light not working unless lights on (some tosser connected up to light circuit)

Saturday 24th

Decide to run bike till warm to find fault

Took a while to start cold, will start hot if pump used.

Discovered the top rubber petrol pipe from petcock to inline filter kinks on bend when warm - shutting off petrol supply, which unkinked when I disconnected it from the carb to test supply. The 3/8th oil pipe was fitted because of the petcock outlet fitting is 3/8th. Replaced with 5/16th rubber pipe for 'fuel'.

Decided engine is not running rich, but needs the throttle pumped to start hot (or cold)

ROLAND D. LEBAY