Waking Donna; a '75 GL1000

[Chainman]

She seems to be holding steady

#3 Float was sticking a bit; good call Pid. I polished all the float components, and the flooding has ended.

I removed the #4 seat and after attempting to clean the screen just eliminated it.

Edit: I should add that I would not have noticed the sticking float if I hadn't tried them right side up and level. I had only tried them upside down or in the float height setting position.

[Chainman]

The carbs are back in place and she runs again .
I will sync them next; first timer.
My fuel pump diaphragm is cracked so I will go electric; a la cfairweather ( https://drive.google.com/file/d/1p_mO94 ... p=drivesdk ).

Then I will go for a ride.

Thinking ahead, I do want to install a mosfet rectifier/regulator; is Rick's universal 10-502 correct?

Edit: a link to Rick's 10-502 https://ricksmotorsportelectrics.com/Un ... tor-10_502

[Chainman]

That about sums it up. I'm off to pull the carbs.

[wannabridin]

I used a regulator/rectifier off a 2012 FZ1, $35 on ebay with low miles... $29 shipped here: https://www.ebay.com/itm/154412009470?f ... OSwAItgdF9~

Then i used a wiring adapter from a site like this: https://www.roadstercycle.com/ (can't recall specifically)

[Chainman]

Thanks.

Then i used a wiring adapter from a site like this: https://www.roadstercycle.com/ (can't recall specifically)

I do like the look of that kit. Clearly labelled Shindegen FH020AA, which is nice.
Was that a random r/r website you linked?
Serendipity!

[wannabridin]

That site does charging related stuff for motorcycles, seems to be good people!

[pidjones]

That about sums it up. I'm off to pull the carbs.

I told you that you would get good at it.

[Chainman]

Some news:
Flooding resolved with Honda needle valves and seats.
Ferrous Oxide sediment discovered in /tank/.
Electric fuel pump installed.
Failed synch attempt.

Some pics:

20210627_160506.jpg

It's like the Six Million Dollar Man; we have the technology.

20210627_172148.jpg

Here's the fuel pump. I'm waiting on a 90* fuel barb.



The long version:

Without the manometer hooked up, the engine idles rough but steady, will race to 3000 rpm, hang there for maybe 10 seconds, then slowly start to drop, then fall, stumble and recover. Over and over.

With the manometer hooked up, If I dont gently nurse the throttle it dosent recover. Also, the vacuum tubes on the short nozzles popped off a few times. A couple of spring clamps didn't help much. So...my first synch sesh didn't bear any fruit. On the up side, 1 and 3 seem in synch; at idle and at 3000 rpm. Lucky me.

Its been a while since any fuel has flowed through the petcock, so I opened it up into a cup and discovered some fine /rust/ sediment. Next day, the petcock has poor flow. I hooked a hand vacuum pump pulled out a cloud of fine sediment. I did this several times. It works for a day, then clogs. So... yeah

I hear the fall is nice for motoring.

[wingrider]

Haha! Yes, fall is a great time to ride!

[pidjones]

The two tubes in the tank can get plugged as well as the screens (you didn't coat them, did you?) Some run a speedo cable down the tube with a drill, or just back-flush it and pump what flushes out out of the tank through the sensor port. Luckily the petcocks are easily rebuilt.

[gltriker]

Some news:

Failed synch attempt.
Without the manometer hooked up, the engine idles rough but steady, will race to 3000 rpm, hang there for maybe 10 seconds, then slowly start to drop, then fall, stumble and recover. Over and over.

With the manometer hooked up, If I dont gently nurse the throttle it dosent recover. Also, the vacuum tubes on the short nozzles popped off a few times. A couple of spring clamps didn't help much. So...my first synch sesh didn't bear any fruit. On the up side, 1 and 3 seem in synch; at idle and at 3000 rpm. Lucky me.

A lean fuel idle mixture backfire into the affected carburetor intake runner is capable of popping the manometer hose off its fitting.
A lean idle mixture backfire event will abruptly register as a momentary rapid pressure change on the manometer.
(Over 40 or so years, I had encountered lean fuel backfires on all kinds of gasoline fueled engines.)
anywho, Simply Open the carburetors' pilot mixture screws to 3 turns out from seated to meter some more fuel into their 'idle' circuit and run a carburetors ' idle speed synchronizing session, again.

A lesson I learned in 2015.
The first time I attempted to synchronize my trike's carburetors, although the hoses weren't popping off their fittings, I could see an intermittent rapid gauge reading change on one intake runner. I suspected a lean fuel mixture backfire was involved.
Soooooo, I removed the hose from that synchronizer fitting and stuck my fingertip onto the open end of it while the engine was running. I was mainly interested if the change in manifold vacuum could be felt on my fingertip. The first time the engine abruptly stumbled, the tip of my finger felt as though it had been stung.
There was a white circle on my fingertip. The same size as the ID of the fitting.
Regretably, I didn't realize the white spot was at least a second degree burn, so I tried the 'test' again with another finger tip.
The engine abruptly stumbled, again. Same result.

There is always something to be learned that hasn't been detailed in a published service document.

[Chainman]

Some run a speedo cable down the tube with a drill

Thanks; nice tip. I hope it doesn't come to this.

meter some more fuel into their 'idle' circuit and run a carburetors ' idle speed synchronizing session, again.

Thanks for that. I'll do it.

[Chainman]

That was it, gltriker! I reset all the idle screws to every bit of three turns out and was able to synch the carbs. She sounds great...well, 45 year old great.

I also cleaned the tank.
I drained the tank and was left with a little puddle of dirty fuel. I fashioned a vacuum from a plastic jug and some vinyl tubing. With my shop vac, I was able to suck the puddle into the jug. It worked so well, I brushed and flushed the tank a few times with iso alcohol and sucked it up with the jug vac. Tank looks good; for now.
Some weird science happened; while vacumming the alcohol, the vinyl tubing would melt in half cleanly and precisely at the point where it entered the jug. I had to replace the tubing several times. Science!

[Chainman]

I'm happy to report that I have finally taken a (short) ride on Donna.

I rolled her out onto the driveway and she fired right up. When I dropped her into first, she had a little creep. I couldn't managed to pull the shifter back into neutral and had to shut her down to do so; hope that loosens up. Fired it back up and headed to the filling station and filled her up with e-free high test; it is her second birthday after all. Then had a ride down to the end of the island and back, all the while keeping her under 3000 rpm. I didn't want any fires.

So ... here's what I have noticed
The shifter is not pulling up into neutral at a stand-still.
Sort of a chatter when pulling away.
And the creep in first while clutch disengaged.


I'm hoping a clutch cable adjustment is all she needs.

Thanks to all who share here

[pidjones]

Clutch is easy (although awkward to access) to adjust. The gasket on the plate in the back is NOT a full seal, so don't worry about it so much. The manual has a step=by-step on it. Feel free to fudge some if you feel the need.

Hard to get in neutral is common, I think. Often you can find it easier while still rolling (its level there on the island, so you can just coast in). Sometimes easier from second, sometimes from first. On Hunley I often have to reach down and do it with her OFF if it is cold.

Clutch chatter should be helped by adjustment to fully disengage.

She really needs regular octane non-ethanol if you can get it. Premium won't really hurt her, but will carbon her up faster.