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My 78 has had a LOT of problems, contributing to it not being on the road, and me being nickel and dollar'd to death, and keeping me busy. I will be going camping this weekend, and I really wanted to take the bike, as it is only an hour ride away to the camp site. So after adjusting the tappets and adjusting the cam chain today and a number of other checks, I took it for a spin, and had it in my mind to get used to the feel of it again before taking it on the highway. I didn't want tomorrow to be the first time having it on the highway since I will be following a group of people. (I don't know where it is!! ) So I piddle around in stop and go traffic, all vitals lookin good, the clutch slips a little when I really give 'er but a half turn on the clutch cable might fix that.
The stator is what took it out of service a bit over a year ago. Thank goodness, because the cam chain tensioner was broken and I didn't find out until I was in the motor. I was on the highway long enough where I was practising avoiding patches in the road just for fun. Pretending they were road kill or other undesirables. I need to have the carbs synced really bad as they have been off the bike many times and separated.
The shop manual says that the rpm should be 1100 + or - 100 rpm. I put the new tach cable on it today and found that I had been running it on a bit of a high idle. Which was a little bit of a relief since I was seeing a charging voltage of 15 volts at idle. Now that I have the idle down I'm getting 14.5.
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Happy to see that since I rewound my own stator, and had given it a few extra winds. BUT!!
With the idle at 1100,, when I snap the throttle, when it comes back down it dips below 1000 and sometimes kills. In first gear, clutch pulled in, and just slowly releasing it, I have to let go of the clutch really slow in order for it not to kill. Or give it a little gas. I don't mind compensating as I drive a manual car and I almost never release the clutch without giving a little gas. But turning around in the driveway or doing slow turn manuvers, sometimes you want to let go of the clutch real slow without giving any gas. I have killed it a few times like this. I know I could just raise the idle rpm up a little closer to 1500 RPM and I would be fine.
I have an H-box with huge harley cans with the baffles in them. And a bit of an exhaust leak where the header pipes meet the H-Box. I have played with the mixture screws, turning them in until the motor doesn't sound healthy, then a half turn out, then do the same for the other side. I'm guessing I have them about 2 turns out. Do you think that a sync will fix my idle dipping below 1000 when set at 1100 idle? Or is my exhaust leak more of a problem? Also, when I first start the bike, I burn a little oil out of 1 pipe, but it goes away within just a few minutes of running. It looks white and misty but smells like oil. Have replaced the head gaskets and used red high temp rtv as per a write up Shep did. I also replaced all the seals and o-rings and mech seal in the rear case. Maybe I have a leaking valve seal? Noticed today that one of my valve springs was installed the opposite way on the intake stroke. The tighter side of the spring should have been facing the head. OOps!!! Not sure how serious that is, but other than the few things I've stated here, it is running really well. I'm going to be posting a short vid of the white misty and the sounds of the motor tomorrow. I really like the sound these pipes give!
Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know it's been a little long. I would also like to give a big thank you to all of you that have been helping me along the way. THANK YOU!!! I've been trying to do the same for others here and there, as I can.
The stator is what took it out of service a bit over a year ago. Thank goodness, because the cam chain tensioner was broken and I didn't find out until I was in the motor. I was on the highway long enough where I was practising avoiding patches in the road just for fun. Pretending they were road kill or other undesirables. I need to have the carbs synced really bad as they have been off the bike many times and separated.
The shop manual says that the rpm should be 1100 + or - 100 rpm. I put the new tach cable on it today and found that I had been running it on a bit of a high idle. Which was a little bit of a relief since I was seeing a charging voltage of 15 volts at idle. Now that I have the idle down I'm getting 14.5.
With the idle at 1100,, when I snap the throttle, when it comes back down it dips below 1000 and sometimes kills. In first gear, clutch pulled in, and just slowly releasing it, I have to let go of the clutch really slow in order for it not to kill. Or give it a little gas. I don't mind compensating as I drive a manual car and I almost never release the clutch without giving a little gas. But turning around in the driveway or doing slow turn manuvers, sometimes you want to let go of the clutch real slow without giving any gas. I have killed it a few times like this. I know I could just raise the idle rpm up a little closer to 1500 RPM and I would be fine.
I have an H-box with huge harley cans with the baffles in them. And a bit of an exhaust leak where the header pipes meet the H-Box. I have played with the mixture screws, turning them in until the motor doesn't sound healthy, then a half turn out, then do the same for the other side. I'm guessing I have them about 2 turns out. Do you think that a sync will fix my idle dipping below 1000 when set at 1100 idle? Or is my exhaust leak more of a problem? Also, when I first start the bike, I burn a little oil out of 1 pipe, but it goes away within just a few minutes of running. It looks white and misty but smells like oil. Have replaced the head gaskets and used red high temp rtv as per a write up Shep did. I also replaced all the seals and o-rings and mech seal in the rear case. Maybe I have a leaking valve seal? Noticed today that one of my valve springs was installed the opposite way on the intake stroke. The tighter side of the spring should have been facing the head. OOps!!! Not sure how serious that is, but other than the few things I've stated here, it is running really well. I'm going to be posting a short vid of the white misty and the sounds of the motor tomorrow. I really like the sound these pipes give!
Thanks for taking the time to read this, I know it's been a little long. I would also like to give a big thank you to all of you that have been helping me along the way. THANK YOU!!! I've been trying to do the same for others here and there, as I can.
