What did you do to your Iron Barrel today ?

[72westie]

Hey Walken,
I have one of those Hitchcock kits on my race bike and it works great. I have it routed from the breather to the filler neck, from there up to some fittings in the rocker boxes covers, to a catch can and finally a hose running to the back tail section. If for some reason oil gets past the filler neck return, it goes up and gives a little extra oil into rocker arms. My catch can gets a little condensation after a couple of months, but no oil. 

If this breather set-up still doesn't work, I am going to route it differently and add a line going out the back of the tail section like a race bike. I am just trying to get it to quit marking its spot.

[forrestt]

I only just now saw this interesting thread.
Yesterday after working in the yard there was still some daylight and the air wasn't too chilly yet so I was able go for a short ride around the neighborhood backroads. It was a great way to end the day.

[LarsBloodbeard]

Yesterday I removed the catch can and put a duckbill hose to the chain instead (really glad to have that junk out of there.  Cleaned off a thick layer of grime that the catch can had created, and I couldn't reach to clean while it was in place.  Moved my coil a bit to accommodate the air box (that Bosh blue coil is quite a bit larger).  Put my battery on a solar charger.  Re-crimped my positive battery lead.  Tried to adjust my snail cams but I found I'm lacking a 30mm wrench for the rear hub spindle nut, so I put in an order to Amazon for one.

[Spitting Bull]

Well, it was  getting dark by the time I'd finished, but what I did was try a different silencer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtQJMPBsve0

Tom

[Chuck D]

Well, it was  getting dark by the time I'd finished, but what I did was try a different silencer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtQJMPBsve0

Tom

Nice sound. Great look.

[mrunderhill1975a]

I just past 22222 miles.  My fuel mileage seems to be dropping in the cooler weather,  using a bit of oil, and I think I saw some smoke out the exhaust.  What are the indications of a ring job?

[Arizoni]

What are the indications of a ring job?

Using oil and seeing some smoke out the exhaust.   

That could also be a sign of the valve oil seals wearing out.

To test for worn piston rings you will need a good compression guage to find out how much compression the engine has.  This test is always done with the carburetor or throttle body at a "wide open" condition.

First, test the engine just the way it's sitting after the last shut down.  Take several readings and record them.

Once this is done, pour about a tablespoon or so of engine oil thru the sparkplug hole.
Then, kick over the engine a few times.
Now, retest the compression several times, recording the values.

If the first and second test readings are very close and 120 psi or higher the piston rings are doing their job just fine so any oil burning is due to leaky valve stem seals.

If the first test is below 90 psi that only indicates something is  quite wrong.

If the second, oiled test shows a marked improvement in compression (like the 90 psi reading goes up to 130 psi) that indicates the piston rings are leaking.  They need to be replaced.

If there is less than 10 psi difference between the first (dry) test and the second (oiled) test but the low compression stays about the same it indicates a burned valve.  This is usually the exhaust valve.  (This assumes the valves are properly adjusted because a mis adjustment of the pushrods could leave a valve hanging open.)

Hope this helps.

[mrunderhill1975a]

Ariz,
Thanks for the info and comments, I will see if I can find a compression tester tomorrow.

[ace.cafe]

I just past 22222 miles.  My fuel mileage seems to be dropping in the cooler weather,  using a bit of oil, and I think I saw some smoke out the exhaust.  What are the indications of a ring job?

It might be a combination of other things.
Winter jetting is richer, and would give worse fuel mileage in cold weather because of that, assuming that you re-jetted.
Smoke out the exhaust in cold weather can simply be water condensation inside the exhaust pipes steaming off. If the smoke goes away after a few minutes, then that's probably what it is.
Using a bit of oil could be rings or guides/seals or leaks. At your bike's mileage, it would be conceivable to need some things like that to be looked-after.
Check your engine breather for any of that white gooey "mayonnaise" of congealed oil and condensed water. That happens this time of year, and it can clog the breather hoses, causing pressure to build up in the crankcase, and push oil up past the rings, or cause leaks anywhere it can get out. Clean out all your breather hoses and related parts.

[AgentX]

Yesterday, I think I got closer to a better mix and timing, but more importantly, internally acknowledged that it'll never be good until I pull out the distributor shaft and bushing and replace whichever, or both, is shot.  The cam has some very visible run-out as it rotates, but there's no play in the shaft that I can feel, so I think it's bent, as crazy as that sounds.  Useless to chase perfect ignition timing when it's probably not mechanically possible.

Today, I adorned my handlebars with some pompom tassels scored from a Rajasthani truck stop, the same kind the big truck drivers hang from their mirrors but trimmed to 350cc proportions.


India:  "If you can't fix it, decorate it!"

[GreenMachine]

agentx - "" Today, I adorned my handlebars with some pompom tassels scored from a Rajasthani truck stop."Sounds like u immersing yourself in the culture on that 350 cc machine...Fantastic...You definitely been riding more than I did when living over there..I just did the Delhi scene and didn't venture out past the city..Sounds like fun. GM

[AgentX]

agentx - "" Today, I adorned my handlebars with some pompom tassels scored from a Rajasthani truck stop."Sounds like u immersing yourself in the culture on that 350 cc machine...Fantastic...You definitely been riding more than I did when living over there..I just did the Delhi scene and didn't venture out past the city..Sounds like fun. GM

Well, I joined a local riders' club and that's been the ticket for me.  Odd, because I prefer to ride alone or in a pair at max...I like motorcycles/bikes to get away from people, not to be social...but in the local environment, having people who know where to go and how to get there is invaluable and the group's enabled me to experience India in a way many outsiders haven't.

There are of course some odd conventions, a lot of hand-holding, and a fairly desperate insistence on having a road name and a name for your bike.  I finally acquiesced and chose a name for my bike today, too...  "Bhenchod."     Given our relationship it's the only possible name I could have chosen.  It seems to have cracked the guys up quite a bit, except one man with no sense of humor.

[Mike_D]

"Bhenchod"

Nice.  I miss riding in India.

[Chuck D]

Potty mouth!

[AgentX]

Bhenchod really likes the Punjabi tassels.  Gave me no problems today except some dying out in traffic on sudden stops.  I hope if I get the distributor and bushing replaced that'll go away.

Will try to get some pics up soon.