Stuff you have fixed today

[Wedg1e]

Extensive Ducati wiring repairs, fork seals on a 1968 T100 Triumph and ZZR1100 valve clearances amongst other stuff.

The ZZR was a rare one, all 16 valves needed re-shimming, all below minimum clearance!. Ended up at maximum clearance when I'd finished with it.

I ride an '05 Honda ST1300, bought it in 2010 with 21K on the clock. I think it was due a valve clearance check at 24k but it was running well so I didn't bother checking them.
Time passed, and one fine day about... er... 7 years later I thought it was about time I had a look at the clearances; after all it had just hit 50K
So I pulled the head covers off and got jiggy with the feeler gauges... and out of 16 valves, one was 'a bit close' to the minimum allowance.
Well, no point in fannying about with that then, just put it back together
It's about 170 miles shy of 80K now, and as far as I know the clearances haven't been altered (if ever) since its first 12K service... in 2008.
You can't even synchronise the throttle bodies (well you probably could but Honda say they're factory set for life and provide no data to set them up).
Just keep chucking oil and filters at it...

 

[Keithmac]

I like that insert idea , it looks much better than the old helicoils . I take it that the OD of the insert & insert tapping drill bit are in their own sizes and thread angles

The M8 x 1.25 Timesert requires an M9x 1.25 thread (the threads are in sinc / time)

You get a drill bit, rebating bit (for head of insert to sit flush), thread tap and finally a fitting tool.

The insert has an end that flairs out locking it into the work piece when finally fitted, I use a dab of Locktite as well, belt and braces.

A lot better than a helicoil imho.

 

[Keithmac]

 

[Keithmac]

I ride an '05 Honda ST1300, bought it in 2010 with 21K on the clock. I think it was due a valve clearance check at 24k but it was running well so I didn't bother checking them.
Time passed, and one fine day about... er... 7 years later I thought it was about time I had a look at the clearances; after all it had just hit 50K
So I pulled the head covers off and got jiggy with the feeler gauges... and out of 16 valves, one was 'a bit close' to the minimum allowance.
Well, no point in fannying about with that then, just put it back together
It's about 170 miles shy of 80K now, and as far as I know the clearances haven't been altered (if ever) since its first 12K service... in 2008.
You can't even synchronise the throttle bodies (well you probably could but Honda say they're factory set for life and provide no data to set them up).
Just keep chucking oil and filters at it...

Hondas used to be 90% chance of not having to adjust any, recently CBR650 on 17,000 miles required a few.

Triumphs nearly always need shimming, same with the Yamaha MT'S.

Honda ST's are relatively painless to check, some Sports bike it's a days job to get in and back out even if they didn't need any!.

Seen a few stretched chains over the years as well.

 

[dobbslc]

Any idea if the TRX/TDM engines are prone to the valves going out at low mileage?

 

[sardine]

Oo, hang on, I think I have some of those rattling about in a scrap brass pile... might be hot/cold versions, I'll check.

Brass Tap Head Cartridge Carrier Adapter from 20 Spline (7.8mm) to Square | eBay

Tap Spline Handle Carrier. Converts an A6 Spline (20 Teeth x 7.8mm) to Square.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

So the French Polish was removed, the wood sanded and sealed. Then more polish applied.

But the wood is not as good as the contents. The wood is a thin cut of a soft wood. I will be placeing a dark wax on the blend it in.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

New Chimley, new wick and old scented oil.

 

[Keithmac]

Any idea if the TRX/TDM engines are prone to the valves going out at low mileage?

TDM 900 is every 24,000 miles for valve clearances, I've been in a few and can't recall having to adjust any but you can't know for sure until you've checked them.

Most Yamaha's are radiator off and go in from the front to remove valve cover (if you can get coilpacks out).

 

[Migmac]

Haven’t fixed anything today but a Torro lawn mower/ mulcher arrived today for me to fix.Might get at it over the weekend

 

[DAPPH]

View attachment 372609

New Chimley, new wick and old scented oil.

Ardy is that a tiny dent at the front of the brass bow, just below the wick holder ?

 

[minimutly]

Hondas used to be 90% chance of not having to adjust any, recently CBR650 on 17,000 miles required a few.

Triumphs nearly always need shimming, same with the Yamaha MT'S.

Honda ST's are relatively painless to check, some Sports bike it's a days job to get in and back out even if they didn't need any!.

Seen a few stretched chains over the years as well.

Yamaha xj seats made of toffee, but at least you don’t have to lift the cams.

 

[Wedg1e]

Honda ST's are relatively painless to check...

Just remember to put the blanking plug back in the front of the engine before you press the go button...

I once checked the clearances on my 550 Katana, found one that was a bit close to tolerance so went over to see my mate who worked at a bike shop in Darlington.
He presented me with a bucket (literally) of used shims and a micrometer and I spent bloody ages finding one the right thickness and diameter (talking midgie's todger difference here).
Got it all back together, couldn't tell whether it had made any difference at all.
That's the main reason I left the ST alone: didn't fancy wasting another day of my life fixing things that aren't broken.

Yet...

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Ardy is that a tiny dent at the front of the brass bow, just below the wick holder ?

No it is not.
it is an annoying dent.
I had pushed most of it out. But it took a tiny amout of pressure for it to deform again.

 

[awemawson]

When I got my JCB 3CX a previous owner had lashed in a genuine 'Face Level Fan' crudely into the cab light feed, and then physically broken it's mounting bracket, so the fan assembly was on the floor with all the other broken rubbish that I had to clear out of the cab.

I'd tried super gluing the broken plastic but it wasn't strong enough, so the fan has sat on my desk for the best part of a year making me feel guilty.

Today at long last I made a replacement brass bracket - yet to wire it to the correct branch of the loom (that I discovered under the head lining when fixing the cab light !)

 

[DAPPH]

No it is not.
it is an annoying dent.
I had pushed most of it out. But it took a tiny amout of pressure for it to deform again.

What did you use to push it out Ardy ?

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

What did you use to push it out Ardy ?

I welded a ball bearing onto the 4mm rod, bent it to shape. Warmed the brass a bit and taped it out.

 

[DAPPH]

I was going to suggest several different sized ball bearings welded onto 400 mm 10 mm rods and hot bent to give swan necks "S" & "J" shapes at various bend angles to cover a variety of angles & fitted with longish wooden handles like a lathe chisel

So, you can go in from the top hole after precisely annealing the area and then gently wipe the dents out as well as microscopically stretching the brass from the inside to stop it popping back in.

If you can, use well packed leather sand planishing cushion or similar to support the outer surface as you wipe the dimple out & reduce the likelihood of damaging it elsewhere.

My brother's old Sunbeam fuel tank took two of us a couple of hours to get a couple of bad dents out & stay out.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I was going to suggest several different sized ball bearings welded onto 400 mm 10 mm rods and hot bent to give swan necks "S" & "J" shapes at various bend angles to cover a variety of angles & fitted with longish wooden handles like a lathe chisel

So, you can go in from the top hole after precisely annealing the area and then gently wipe the dents out as well as microscopically stretching the brass from the inside to stop it popping back in.

If you can, use well packed leather sand planishing cushion or similar to support the outer surface as you wipe the dimple out & reduce the likelihood of damaging it elsewhere.

My brother's old Sunbeam fuel tank took two of us a couple of hours to get a couple of bad dents out & stay out.

I ahve done a few in the past. This time the 0.7mm Bross has streched. As the unit was only £5, it not worth much time to spend on it.

The Brass 1957 Steam engine boiler (6mm holes) was worth the time to do.

 

[AVI_8]

My headlights, they were so yellow and cloudy I doubt they’d pass an mot.
I‘ve used the Holts headlight restoration kit before on another car and it worked well.
The results speak for themselves