Forum

[Beezabryan]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/GM550-Non-Conta ... 623&sr=8-6& keywords=no+contact+thermometer
Used one of these to check a 6 cyl engine that was missing a beat. Obviously in that context I had something to compare with to find the lazy pot but with a single cylinder aircooled engine we are perhaps looking at an unknown quantity, what do we compare the temp reading with? Does anyone we know what is the working EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature)?

[Jojje]

Intermittent air leak provoked on the move?
I've had an air leak on my Electra (Dell'Orto, though) which I didn't notice until the retaining screw from the cylinder flange dropped off. Wobbly carb had had surprisingly little effect during starting or idling. (Just checked these screws the other day and they were a bit loose again.)

[Adrian]

Jojje,



the Dell'orto and Watsonian alloy flange on my project bike were starting to part company (Redditch frame, so no Electra-x airbox). As I had a an unused Yamaha SR500 carb rubber I bought in for the TM36 pumper carb on the Electra, I had a play to see if this would fit the Dell'Orto PHF. Almost. Take the odd mouldings off the end of the rubber stub, then take off another 3 or 4 mm all round, about the same off the end of the Dell'Orto's alloy stub, and it all fits like er... a Mikuni! There's a bit more work needed on the flange of the rubber mount as the stud centres for the RE cylinder head are 60mm but 70mm on the Yamaha, so there's a few minutes to be spent with a rat tale file to elongate the mounting holes inwards, and a bit of trimminf with a Stanley knife to make room for the heads of the allen screws that hold the carb flange on. Ideally it also needs a narrow jubilee clip over the rubber, but it's on and feels pretty solid, oras far as it can be with a rubber mounting. This might still work with the original airbox on an Electra-X if you use a tapered carb spacer.







A.

[Adrian]

Typos - sorry!

[Leon Novello]

Adrian: That looks like a moonshine `still on there, are you sure it`s just for oil mist?

[Jojje]

Is that a "steam punk" breather system, Adrian?
I have a machined flange on my bike and it has worked quite well - I don't mind tightening th srews in every 4 years...

[Adrian]

Jojje, you could just tighten a couple of screws every four years, but where's the fun in that? Meanwhile my interest in steam engines and other vintage machinery goes back long before the current Steam Punk fad, so I like to think I'm er... expressing myself via the media of 10mm reinforced rubber hose and 1/4" BSP fittings rather than jumping on any particular bandwagon!



Les, it is all functional, the latest version has grown with the addition of a second breather from the rear rocker box. I just wanted something to replace the missing (but not missed) Redditch battery box/air filer tinware. The original plan was for a Fury-style battery, but I gave up on trying to work out how it was supposed to be fitted (someone has since sent me a explanation). Or I could have just used a duck bill breather pipe.



A.

[Nick Name]

Thanks for all the suggestions I'm working through them. Just a thought but would contaminated fuel cause it to splutter and stall?

[Jojje]

Nick, now that you mention it, considering petrol: I usually empty tanks from my motorcycles during in Finland unavoidable hibernation, but last time in December on my Electra I didn't. So when started in March the petrol was four months old and indeed: starting was this time more difficult. I've owned the bike ten years. Also some spluttering was observed during acceleration which I thought was normal at so low temperatures. Behavior was much better after filling up.

Adrian: That is indeed a handsome contraption! Not to mention the red frame... The older I get the less I want to tinker.

[Adrian]

Contaminated petrol is definitely not an aid to forward motion, and there are regular warnings that the ethanol added to most modern petrol can absorb water from the atmosphere. How old is the juice in your petrol tank? Might be worth getting rid before popping in a fresh 4.54 litres of 98 Octane and trying again. As you say you have stripped the carb and found no blockages, you presumably checked or blew through all of the jets. If there are no air leaks, the petrol is good and flowing freely, and the carb is all clear that points back to something electrical, if the trouble persists.



Jojje, if your Electra-X is running OK, don't mess with it too much, get another one cheap (if local used RE market conditions permit) for a custom/restoration project (please not a bobber, though!). The inspiration for the colour was this, though it has turned out a bit darker in the picture: