[strat71]

Hi all,
i know me, i'll post numerous threads each time i want to do something on my Bullet...

i read a lot on the various forum (this one's beeing the best so far...he he!! ), and try to make up my mind by myself, but i like to think twice before doing anything so i'll have a lot of questions, some of them obvious (sorry!!!)...

so i decided to make my own sticking thread not to poison the forum...
this way, those interested in helping and following the young life of my bullet know this is the thread...

two days ago i finally had my legal papers for the bike... long story... i finally  had to pass a technical visit... the two guys who received me were charming, tchating about old bikes and forgetting to be too regarding... old bikes have their charm...

one guy noticed my decompressor leaked some oil... i'd like to check if it's tightened enough but i can't figure how to remove the cable.. can you help, i understood there's something you shouldn't remove or you'll need to get off the head...
another explanation could be the extensive use of the decompressor to stop the engine, would it let some oil going out??? (so it would be normal to find some brown oil here...)
i will try the soap method asap to find some bubbles ( or not )of course...
Ben

[ace.cafe]

The oil is most likely coming from a rocker cover gasket, and pooling at the decompressor well.
Decompressor don't leak oil, and it won't be coming out of the combustion chamber, either.

[Blltrdr]

Leave decompressor cable connected. Decompress spring on decompressor and remove slotted spring cap. Remove cable and spring leaving cable block and split pin in place. Socket should fit over cable block to check tightness of decompressor. Keeping the piston up top will be a good idea also just in case you need to remove slit pin and block. Pretty easy procedure.

[dginfw]

Extra emphasis on the split pin/cotter pin. Pulling that pin will result in the valve dropping in the cylinder.
But as Ace points out, there is no oil flow to the decompressor. It sits atop the combustion chamber, just like a spark plug. If oil was pooling around the spark plug, pulling the plug wouldn't give you much info as to the source of the leak.

[Ice]

Yes oil leak from rocker cover, pooling around de comp.

[strat71]

Make sense guys... should have known no oil can come from the chamber... still a rookie... will check that this morning...
thanks for the decompressor procedure, it'll serve me right...
Ben

[Mr.Mazza]

I have dropped the valve into the engine of the decomp...
Took four hours to line it up right and get it out!

[strat71]

Ok, about the decompressor, i cleaned around it and wait for the oil to appear again, but as you mentionned it's likely a rocket cover leak... will check the screws...

today i received the K70's... one hour later both tyres are on... still ain't been on the road, but i know it'll improve the riding confort... already have some on my 2003 Classic... BIG IMPROVMENT on Avon...

and i couldn't resist, i put the ACE canister and get bigger jets as i felt the engine was sooo weak... it's way better now...
my jet config is:

• 125 main jet
• 27,5 pilot jet
• 2nd needle position (from bottom)

feel great, wayyyy better... plug look great (browny) so far...  could be  little rich but i run very slow (not using the main jet EVER) so i'm mostly running on pilot and a little needle..
i'll optimize that in 3 weeks when i'll receive the short bottle exhaust...
Ben

[strat71]

Litterally... Not kidding...
i was driving in the residence to check my wheels aligment...
back home i noticed the amp-meter needle turned completly to the left... and back to normal... and completly left again... and back to normal, i had just the time to enter my garden to park the bike and noticed a big white smoke... burn smell... and flames in the main light box...
WTF!!!!!
i just had time to catch a water hoze and stop the fire...
looks like a wire behind the main light was not well isolated and create a short circuit...
good news i have been able to stop the fire quickly... and only have to change the main harness... but MAN!!!!

[Adrian II]

Nasty! I'm glad you caught it before any more damage was done.

I'm part way through wiring my project bike, so I shall certainly double check this lot when it is finished:



It is already starting to look better than this!

A.

[mattsz]

i had just the time to enter my garden to park the bike and noticed a big white smoke... burn smell... and flames in the main light box...
WTF!!!!!
i just had time to catch a water hoze and stop the fire...

Jeez!  And on a "new" bike, too!  I don't suppose it's still under warranty... 

Seriously, though, glad you're ok, and you saved the bike from complete disaster!  That amp meter was warning you, wasn't it?  New RE's don't have one...

[strat71]

Yes the Ampmeter warned me but i hadn't time to understand the message before the smoke...

i still don't understand how a short circuit can put my bike on fire? is there no fuse in those bikes??? i'll check that point... seems  odd...

i checked this morning, the main harness is almost still good, except two wires that i can reconstruct easily...
but i'll have to change the small light harness and the right hand control switch set...
no need to say i'll check the entire harness to secure all potential short circuits...
hmmm some delicious hours of working on my bike...
Ben

[Arizoni]

I may have the wrong wiring diagram but it shows a fuse between the battery and the ignition switch.

It does not show a fuse between the reg/rect and the main wiring so if the engine is running there does not appear to be a fuse to protect the electrical system.

Maybe some of the folks who are more familiar with the Iron Barrels will comment?

If my interpretation of the wiring diagram is right, I would put a 20 amp fuse on the + output wire that leads from the reg/rect to the ignition switch (or to wherever it goes).

[Hondo]

The DC side is fused and the AC side is not.  If the harness is is contact with the back of the headlamp it can melt through.  Once the first wire melts its like a hot knife going through butter, and the rest of the harness.  Every circuit on a bullet is in part in the headlight bucket.  Double check you headlight bucket for evidence of burning through.

[strat71]

it's indeed a weak spot on the bike: no fuse on AC circuit... wires and caoutchouc isolants in contact with the back of the headlight which can become very hot when used for a long time... looking for troubles...
anyway...  i checked and fix everything...
the main harness is almost not touched... only two lonely wires had to be fixed...
the headlight small harness is severely burned, i had to rebuild it...
one or two wires had to be re-isolated to make sure they'll be safe...
luckyly, i'm very skilled in electronics and electricity...
the only thing i'll have to buy is the little pilot lamp socket... but the bike is ready to ride again...
Ben