It is finally about time...

[Dave 2]

Nice work AZ, thanks for all the descriptions and photos. Dave 2

[azcycle]

Thanks, Dave.

Not a lot of progress today, but I did get the carbs disassembled and cleaned thoroughly. As I mentioned, the guts were cleaner than I expected them to be but they certainly needed attention.

What first greeted me... a nicely stripped screw which I bunged up even worse.  Managed to get it removed through lots of PB Blaster, drilling, and hammering with a hardened slot screwdriver. It made enough of a notch that I could get a bite.


And just to refresh your memory. Before:


After:


Next weekend she WILL fire up.

[azcycle]

She's done!  While I wasn't able to get out and ride yesterday due to mother nature deciding we needed rain ALL DAY. In a place that averages 360 days of sunshine, I was frustrated that I wasn't able to go for a break-in ride. But on the other hand, I was glad to see our parched desert get a much-needed soaking. We gotta water all those golf courses, right?  

So to the sound of rain pattering on the garage roof, I removed, stripped, cleaned, and repainted the valve covers and installed new brake lines, then bled. With new valve cover gaskets, I hope to solve the annoying slow drip from both sides.


After, but before I sanded the horizontal fins:. I'm sure my neighbors didn't appreciate hearing the buzz of my electric sander at 7 in the morning.  


And I got to my first brake bleeding job EVER. It wasn't quite as frustrating as I thought it would be, though there were a time or two when I ground my teeth. I purchased a couple speed bleeders to help with the process.

First off, the system was NASTY.  I first bled the left caliper and there was so much muck in the system that as I pumped new fluid in, it just pushed the nasty stuff up into the master cylinder. Brown fluid with bits of rubber lining. It took quite a few flushes to get it all out. I think there was something wrong with the left-side speed bleeder, as it didn't behave as normal. I thought "aren't these supposed to make the process easier?" I actually had to use it like a traditional bleeder and tighten/loosen by hand. But eventually I got it bled. However, the right caliper bled like a dream! It literally took 5-minutes with the speed bleeder.

But I think I got it, and the feel on the lever is nice and firm. A world of difference.  Makes sense considering this is what came out:


Thanks to all of you with your advice and patience as I worked my way through this, which I know is "old hat" to many of you. I learned a lot about the bike, and now am nowhere NEAR as intimidated about it. I have no fear about working on it now.

I will save my Vapor digital speedo/dashboard install for a later date. My intent was to get her back on the road. And just in time, as tomorrow (11/15/2012) will be the two-year anniversary of my father-in-law's passing. I'm going to ride the bike to work in his memory. I think he'd be proud of what I accomplished.

[Dave 2]

Congratulations on your fine work and documentation. Enjoy your ride, I'll be thinking of you. Dave 2

[azcycle]

Thanks, Dave.

[montmil]

Graeme,

If the shifter shaft seal is leaky, simply lean the bike over to the right and rest it on some padding. Otherwise, your fresh transmission oil will run out when you pull the shaft and seal.

IIRC, there are a couple different seal sizes. Check yours to see if it has a size embossed on the circumference. Local bearing shop may have your size.

Great work. Excellent photos. Here's to your dad [smiley=beer.gif]

Monte

[azcycle]

Thanks, Monte. I'm not sure the seal is shifter shaft seal is leaking. It sat for well over a week with fresh fluid and when I came out this past weekend, it was bone dry. I probably dripped a bit of gear oil on it when I was filling the transmission. Will keep an eye on it, though.

[azcycle]

Went for my first spin tonight in more than a year! It was only a little jaunt around the neighborhood to make sure everything worked correctly. Shifts great and brakes well. I have a flat spot while accelerating that I've got to figure out. Might need to break them open again but will run some clean gas through (the stuff I put in had a tiny amount of old, possibly bad gas) along with some sea foam.

[Adrian]

Hi nice looking bike mate. I keep reading about sea foam and cleaning carbies. What is this stuff please.

[Matt Chapter]

Hi nice looking bike mate. I keep reading about sea foam and cleaning carbies. What is this stuff please.

http://www.seafoamsales.com/

Essentially it's a fuel additive with cleaning power. Supposedly.

[azcycle]

^^^^ Yep, what he said. Helps keep everything clean.


Well, so much for riding to work this morning. Went out to start it up and when I looked down, noticed a large (and growing larger by the second) pool of fuel on the ground next to my left foot. Traced it back to the carb. Can't tell exactly where it is leaking, as it's coming from the engine side. I took off the bowl and it was flooded. I suspect the float needle isn't seating correctly. I didn't replace it when I rebuilt the carbs but might have to go back in and inspect/replace.

Bummer. Really wanted to ride today...

[azcycle]

Went home on my lunch hour to pay the plumber (long story there...) and quickly dropped the bowl and float. The float needle definitely needs replacing.  So I just ordered a new #6 set and a manual from Bing Carbs.

  When he gave me the total, I just about fell out of my chair. Oh well... it's only money, right?

[Dave 2]

I hope the new needles sort out your leak and flat spot. My sister lives in Tucson and she was complaining about the cool wet weather last week, I hope you are back up to riding temps.  [smiley=bmw_smiley.gif]Dave2

[azcycle]

Thanks, Dave. I'm sure I'll get it figured out soon, though the weather right now is just gorgeous for riding. It was "unseasonably" cool this last weekend but I still chuckle at how wimpy we Tucsonans are when the weather drops below 50F. That is "freezing" to most of us.  For me, the cold and rain was a welcome distraction, even if it did keep me off the bmw.

[tvrla]

The rubber tipped float needles can develop a ridge from contacting the seat, and leak at that point. I've succesfully fixed them by chucking in a drill and lightly dressing with fine sandpaper.

Did you try letting some fuel flow (with float bowl off), then raising the float to see if it then turned off? Lots of times, it's just some crud coming through that holds the needle open just slightly.

Another area that's fooled me before - the fuel inlet line tends to deteriorate quickest at the carb. I think it's because the carb does get hot in use, and then fuel sits in the hose after turning off. It's also very close to the transmission, and it gets hot in running too. All these things contribute to that little short bit of fuel line deteriorating much quicker than the rest. And when it starts leaking, if you don't know to check, will drive you nuts!

Also, even though it doesn't seem logical, dealer prices tend to be much cheaper for Bing parts than getting them from Bing.