Ahhh life...

[H_Lime]

Getting old sure does suck ass. Injuries that were shook off in weeks in your twenties take months in the forties
Also, merely looking at donuts makes ya fat

On Nugs recommend...


Two yrs old by the stamp and just over 50% discharged.


Way smaller! Shame its shorter tho... Harder to utilise extra space on top the battery.


Floating her up to spec.

High hopes from this battery, at 109 gbp its the sauciest battery I've bought. In saying that i do remember scratching my head in slight amazement at the odyssey in my old k starting up like a fresh battery after a whole winter without use or charge.

Time constraints the usual mix of mad to crazy but at a minimum hope to bolt down the engine tomo.

[nug]

I seem to remember packing mine up very slightly so I didn't have to lengthen the battery cables. I then used dense foam sheet (similar to that lock together flooring tiles you can get) to drop on top of the battery which then left space for me to pack the puncture kit and then later on the 750 the fuse box for my electrical shit. Alternatively you could make a little frame to stand the battery on which would allow you to put stuff underneath it. Not ideal as you would have to remove the battery to access it. Seems a shame not to use the space it frees up.

[H_Lime]

Small progress.

The capos plastic fuel tank started leaking where the base plate joins and i spent a fair bit of time sorting that. Anyway its squared away now so back to the big.

When Dave was over he eyeballed my carbs and noticed the float height was off a touch, which may go some way to explain the slight richness seen on the dyno.
Having declared the float height "good" in the previous rebuild it seems i was off in regard when to gauge the point that the floats are correctly at rest and measurements are to be taken.

http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/t ... le.347184/
I followed the above posts recommendation on setting float height. Mind you its still a bit short on info on how to arrive at the point where you measure. Also directions on bending the tab upwards or downwards caused the float to extend or sink.... Also, some guides mention holding the float frame downwards as you gauge the float!?

The end result was i slowly tipped the carbs from upside down to about 70 degress whilst holding the flaot frame downwards if ya get me. One was spot on and the rhs one was a bit high. I bent the tab up and both were parallel to the float bowl edge. I'll do a wet test to confirm.


These were rightly shagged.


Brittle out.


As were these. Ive upgraded to the later bowls with overflows and they must have sat an age. Replaced with 18.77 x 1.78. You can see the one on the right is buggered.

Off down to the seal supplier so and replaced with plump rubbery fresh ones in viton. Intrestingly the former seal (float frame seal) is now a firm push fit, which it wasn't before. Should it be?

So thats the carbs sorted (famous last words) and i had fun trying to refit them. Hit the rubbers with herselfs hairdrier and used a 10mm sheet of plywood across the air box side to lever em in once greased. Popped in aftwr ten mins heating.

Now to try and decide which is now next... instillation is the reverse of assembly lol:)

[nug]

Good work The old O rings would have shrunk and lost any elasticity over time hence not being as tight a fit as the lovely plump fresh ones you have. I usually lube em up before inserting....ooh er misses.

[H_Lime]

Good work The old O rings would have shrunk and lost any elasticity over time hence not being as tight a fit as the lovely plump fresh ones you have. I usually lube em up before inserting....ooh er misses.

Good to hear it should be push fit!
Any advice on how and when to measure float height Nug?

[BigBob]

I remember checking float heights back in the dark ages not too long after I got a Big even though it was running perfectly, and they appeared to be miles out according to the Holy Book. Along the lines of "if it ain`t broke..." I didn`t touch them and it right just fine for decades after that.
On every other set of Big carbs I`ve checked (plenty) the float heights were way out according to the Bible but were running fine so I`ve not touched them.
It`s a black art for sure.
As for the airbox rubber.... I put mine in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes and it becomes incredibly soft. I can usually fit it within 30 seconds with one hand.
Make sure the air filter is removed first to help with access. Removing the battery box mounting bolts gives you another centimetre of play as well

[H_Lime]

I remember checking float heights back in the dark ages not too long after I got a Big even though it was running perfectly, and they appeared to be miles out according to the Holy Book. Along the lines of "if it ain`t broke..." I didn`t touch them and it right just fine for decades after that.
On every other set of Big carbs I`ve checked (plenty) the float heights were way out according to the Bible but were running fine so I`ve not touched them.
It`s a black art for sure.
As for the airbox rubber.... I put mine in a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes and it becomes incredibly soft. I can usually fit it within 30 seconds with one hand.
Make sure the air filter is removed first to help with access. Removing the battery box mounting bolts gives you another centimetre of play as well

Yeah perhaps i should have left well enough alone with the float heights.
Heres the craic and maybe ye can shed some light.

Got her started on the bench this evening. The good news is Dave seems to have played a blinder and engine sounds good Total legend and your beers on me mate.

Bad news is she is blowing black smoke. Gases at exhaust tip are way too hot. Sounds poppy and will die unless i hold it above idle. Loadsa soot in the exhaust.

My hope was it was just the shot of oil i bunged down the bore post Daves rebuild (yrs ago) that was burning off but shes still blowing black a touch.

Things i did carb wise was replace a wrecked needle when i bent it. The replacement was a1 but im going to check i got the spring seat installef in the correct order.

I dicked with float heights. Thought i got em right but as Bob says kind of a dark art. Will wet test tomo to see heights definitively.

I changed the float bowls to the later dr big ones with overflows.

I also changed the seals on the float frames. The new ones were a firm push fit.

Can i rule out a timing issue? My guess is yes as Dave is on the ball but is it even likely? I only ask as the exhaust gas temp is mad.

I'll change the plugs in case they are fouled from the oil i dropped down the bore.

So what does the hive mind reckon? Open to any and all advice

[dave#22]

Wow...at last it's running
Obviously, black smoke is too rich, either float heights are too high, needles too high, choke not shutting off properly...excess oil in the bore would give blue smoke and shouldn't be visible after it's been running for a while.
Good luck.
Dave.
ps...how did you repair the Capo tank?

[H_Lime]

Hey Dave,
Would the mega hot exhaust gas temp go hand in hand with a rich condition?

Im going to wet test the carb (engine off yeah?) And report back. Pain in the hoop having to rip it asunder again but sure was great to have it run once more!! Mucho thanks Dave

Capo tank was fairly straight forward, hopefully the fix is good http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/show ... base-plate

[H_Lime]

Oh and i pored a quarter litre (of the total 3300ml it took to fill) down the inlets. I tried priming the oil cooler with oil first but it was a messy proposal. I dry cranked the engine over a couple times too.