[dijeff]

After returning from a 60 mile ride on a beautiful fall afternoon, I noticed several things that needed attention...

1.) Two separate oil leaks. One from the tachometer and the other from behind the points plate. I replaced the tachometer seal, but am hesitant to do the one behind the points because I honestly don't want to set the timing again. If I mark the points plate before I take it off, couldn't I just put it back in exactly the same position? Or is setting the timing inevitable?

2.) It had a bugger of at time shifting into first and second. I had to start from third several times. Not fun! It felt like something was loose/misaligned. No idea what to do for this.

3.) While stopped at lights, it would stall out of an idle if I didn't roll the throttle slightly. This only starting happening towards the end of the ride. Stalling at a busy intersection definitely gets your heart racing!

4.) Oil (and/or fuel) dribbling out of breather tube. On earlier shorter rides, I noticed it was a white, milky substance (my guess is aerated oil). Any ideas?

Other than those issues, it was a blast to ride! Can't wait to take it out again before the snow sets in. I'll post pictures. Also, thanks everyone for your input and advice thus far! My goal is to one day share more ride reports than I do asking technical questions

Cheers,
David

 

[dijeff]

 

[Yellowheader]

After returning from a 60 mile ride on a beautiful fall afternoon, I noticed several things that needed attention...

1.) Two separate oil leaks. One from the tachometer and the other from behind the points plate. I replaced the tachometer seal, but am hesitant to do the one behind the points because I honestly don't want to set the timing again. If I mark the points plate before I take it off, couldn't I just put it back in exactly the same position? Or is setting the timing inevitable?

2.) It had a bugger of at time shifting into first and second. I had to start from third several times. Not fun! It felt like something was loose/misaligned. No idea what to do for this.

3.) While stopped at lights, it would stall out of an idle if I didn't roll the throttle slightly. This only starting happening towards the end of the ride. Stalling at a busy intersection definitely gets your heart racing!

4.) Oil (and/or fuel) dribbling out of breather tube. On earlier shorter rides, I noticed it was a white, milky substance (my guess is aerated oil). Any ideas?

Other than those issues, it was a blast to ride! Can't wait to take it out again before the snow sets in. I'll post pictures. Also, thanks everyone for your input and advice thus far! My goal is to one day share more ride reports than I do asking technical questions

Cheers,
David

Items 2 and 3: maybe the clutch is dragging a little?

Sent from my SM-G903W using Tapatalk

 

[JamesPal]

Awesome! getting a bike out after a long sleep is so exciting.
1. Yes you can mark the pints plate and reset it to your marks. Don't let a simple thing like setting the timing stop you from fixing an oil leak. It is not that big of a deal.
2 & 3, I agree with Yellowheader, this sounds like a clutch adjustment problem.
4. CAUTION!!! before riding this bike any further verify the oil level is correct. You may have fuel diluted oil. If you part the bike with the petcock left on. Fuel may run past the float valves and find its way to the bottom end. Your oil should be clean and not have a gasoline smell. There is an overflow tube in the carburetor float chamber. This tube is located in the bowl and needs to be cleaned when the carbs are overhauled. Typically they are plugged. This is where the overflow hose plugs into the carb. When they are plugged any excess fuel in the bowls will find its way into the bottom end of the engine.

 

[spirograph]

Thought on #3 - I?d guess battery before clutch. The charging on these bikes is borderline at best, and if you?re at the end of a long ride, it can get run down and die at idle (they don?t start charging til 3000+). I cheated and mostly got rid of it by putting in an LED headlamp to reduce draw.

 

[dijeff]

1. Yes you can mark the pints plate and reset it to your marks. Don't let a simple thing like setting the timing stop you from fixing an oil leak. It is not that big of a deal.

Good point (pun intended). I replaced the oil seal and hopefully I was exact enough (or should I say on point...) in putting the plate back.

2 & 3, I agree with Yellowheader, this sounds like a clutch adjustment problem.

I recently adjusted the clutch as per 66sprint's instructions and doesn't have any other symptoms of clutch drag (gears grinding, etc.). My gut tells me it's something with the internal shifting mechanism. My gut is no expert though.

4. CAUTION!!! before riding this bike any further verify the oil level is correct. You may have fuel diluted oil. If you part the bike with the petcock left on. Fuel may run past the float valves and find its way to the bottom end. Your oil should be clean and not have a gasoline smell. There is an overflow tube in the carburetor float chamber. This tube is located in the bowl and needs to be cleaned when the carbs are overhauled. Typically they are plugged. This is where the overflow hose plugs into the carb. When they are plugged any excess fuel in the bowls will find its way into the bottom end of the engine.

Carbs were recently completely overhauled (cleaned, new gaskets, pinholes repaired, etc etc etc). However, my right cylinder is running rich and I normally have fuel dribbling out of the overflow tube for the right carb. Left cylinder is running fine.

Thought on #3 - I?d guess battery before clutch. The charging on these bikes is borderline at best, and if you?re at the end of a long ride, it can get run down and die at idle (they don?t start charging til 3000+). I cheated and mostly got rid of it by putting in an LED headlamp to reduce draw.

I suspected the charging system also as my battery normally comes back with 12.3 -12.4V at the end of a ride after leaving with a full charge. I replaced the regulator and rectifier with a new combo unit from Sparck Moto. I will test it again hopefully before the snow sets in.

 

[spirograph]

Matt's Reg/Rec is a good upgrade, I just got one to put in too. If you're ever inclined, I highly recommend the LED headlamp; it set me back $80 in total, but I'm breaking even at idle now, in terms of draw, and the light is so bright I'm thinking I probably mounted it upside down in the bucket