Author Topic: My New Plan  (Read 96455 times)

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AgentX

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Reply #360 on: October 18, 2015, 01:38:50 pm
Morning spent discovering that my mysterious morass of most current issues are charging-related.  Looks like my fancy, expensive (though obtained at a discount from Hitchcock's used pile) Boyer Powerbox has bitten the dust.  I was apparently charging, but very very little.  After a few recent rides home after dark, the battery was way behind.  Swapped in a new, stock RE ("Swiss") R/R via test leads and everything seemed fine, so I pulled the Powerbox and installed that.

It's possible I just cooked the Powerbox by placing it internal to the seat hump.  Thought it'd get enough airflow, but to be on the safe side, the new R/R is under the entire seat assembly.  It may get occasionally muddy but probably will cool much better regardless.

I'll find a $15 capacitor and wire that in separately.  Not gonna blow cash on a new box.

Oh, and I need to investigate some traces of oil, apparently motor oil, I found in the (dry) primary case.  There was enough to leave a few drips on the ground when I pulled the cover last night looking at the alternator when I was first investigating the electrical problems.  Guessing it migrated up the crankshaft...wonder if that's indicative of anything serious, or just another fact of life with these.  Wouldn't be apparent at all if you were running a wet primary.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2015, 01:40:58 pm by AgentX »


ace.cafe

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Reply #361 on: October 18, 2015, 01:44:41 pm
Capacitor will work fine.
10k uf electrolytic.
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AgentX

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Reply #362 on: October 18, 2015, 01:52:40 pm
Thanks!

Any thoughts on the oil in the primary?  Just a few drips.


ace.cafe

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Reply #363 on: October 18, 2015, 08:37:53 pm
Thanks!

Any thoughts on the oil in the primary?  Just a few drips.

To fix it, you have to pull the primary and pierce the seal and pull the seal out with a body repair dent puller, or similar puller, by screwing the end into the hole that you pierced thru the seal, and using the slide hammer action to pull out the seal.

If you are not too concerned about it, you could leave it alone, or drill a little drain hole in the bottom of your dry primary, and let it drip out.
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AgentX

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Reply #364 on: October 18, 2015, 09:23:56 pm
Meh, I'll wait till I'm back in the States.  I'll be taking it apart to adjust base gaskets and I'll do anything vaguely major at that point, hopefully in concert with Chumma.

Just wanted to make sure it was likely a seal problem, and not a bearing about to die or a case cracking or something.

There's a drain hole in the primary already...I made it while riding through some tight rocks.  Punched a jagged hole in the case at the front/bottom, so I just dremeled it clean and fixed a bit of mesh screen in there.

Edit:  Capacitor is on its way, too.  10000uf/25v electrolytic.  Screw terminal.
« Last Edit: October 18, 2015, 09:28:39 pm by AgentX »


AgentX

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Reply #365 on: October 27, 2015, 11:21:16 pm
135-140 on the compression tester now, still under 300 miles.  (no really long rides yet; hope for an hour or two out this weekend.  Mostly been back and forth to work and a few trips to the machine shop about 6 miles away.)  Higher than Chumma had actually anticipated, but I'm still not getting ping, so...awesome!  Guess the rings and bore are happy with each other.  I've certainly been doing my best to keep the rings loaded and working hard while the bike's in motion.

Engine is pulling like a train and is pretty happy at higher revs.  Getting first-kick starts in the morning after a few priming kick-throughs.

Electrical is doing fine and questions/uncertainties about things are kind of dying off.  The tires need a remount and balancing, I guess.  Looking to restore the toolboxes if I can narrow the width of them.  (Someone here did that already so there's a good thread with instructions.)  May just rig up some side covers if that doesn't work, and find a different spot to carry a tool roll or something.


AgentX

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Reply #366 on: November 06, 2015, 10:13:27 pm
Hm, capacitor can run the bike sans battery once started, but the bike just won't start without the battery.  It did so with the Powerbox.

Got a "New Sprague Powerlytic 18000 uF 25 VDC Electrolytic Capacitor" off eBay and thought that'd work.  Did I go overboard and get something too big?  (18 vs 10k uF?)  Does it need to be any specific place in the system?  I tried both between the reg/rect and battery, and between the battery and the rest of the system.


ace.cafe

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Reply #367 on: November 06, 2015, 10:16:55 pm
It needs to go right where the battery used to be. Connect the + battery cable to the + lead on the capacitor, and the - battery cable to the - lead on the capacitor, and you should be in business. If you want to keep the battery in there, then connect the capacitor across the battery terminals, observing polarity as I previously mentioned.
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AgentX

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Reply #368 on: November 06, 2015, 10:19:23 pm
Grrr.  Tried putting it right there already.  Wouldn't start.  Then I put the battery back in with the cap across the battery leads as described, started the bike, and removed the battery from the system (just had it hooked in via alligator clip test leads) and the bike continued to run without missing a beat.


ace.cafe

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Reply #369 on: November 07, 2015, 09:57:58 am
Theoretically,  it should need one kick to charge the cap, and then it should start .
However,  with a Boyer there could be something else involved.
Contact Boyer and ask them.
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AgentX

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Reply #370 on: February 06, 2016, 07:52:48 pm
So it's been running pretty damned well lately.  Rattles and pings all sorted out.  Got the kydex cover on the air filter, but it's not very neatly done; might try to dremel it some to make it less horrific-looking.  I need a new speedometer, because this one is totally busted; must have happened when my guards knocked it over early on.  Might go for a digital unit, might just grab another mini job off Dennis Kirk or something.

Wheels and tires are the major remaining issue; there's something out of balance/true, but it doesn't affect me under 60mph, and I rarely get over that in town.  Sucks for longer pavement trips I've been trying tho.  I also need better gas, but unless I'm truly being an asshole, it won't ping on me.  Air screw or jetting may need changing due to cooler weather--won't start first-kick anymore, but I'll get that sorted.

Got a new camera so I took some vanity pics as the sun was setting.  Didn't have time to run them through Lightroom or anything, but they seem pretty good out of the raw converter:































Chuck D

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Reply #371 on: February 06, 2016, 08:34:37 pm
Lookin' good! 8)
Ace "Fireball"#10 (Beefy the Bullet to her friends.)
 "Featherbed" frame by Rofomoto.

2017 Triumph T120


ace.cafe

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Reply #372 on: February 06, 2016, 09:44:57 pm
Got that "flat tracker" look!
 :)
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AgentX

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Reply #373 on: February 06, 2016, 10:23:59 pm
Got that "flat tracker" look!
 :)

Thanks, guys--I do want to add some side covers, and have some kydex on hand I'll use to give it a try.  Probably mold up a little master cylinder cover with it, too, trying to keep the mud and dust from collecting up near the boot around the shaft.

Will need a place to put tools behind the eventual side covers.  It's too bad the peg positioning prohibits use of the toolboxes, although I suppose I could get them cut, trimmed, and re-welded to give them a narrow enough profile to go back on...


High On Octane

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Reply #374 on: February 06, 2016, 10:48:20 pm
Bike is looking great!  Always enjoy reading your posts.  :D
2001 Harley Davidson Road King