Author Topic: She's been sitting outside for 7 months  (Read 6779 times)

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tradrockrat

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on: January 23, 2008, 10:06:34 pm
and she hasn't been started in all that time. :'(

Hey all - first post.  found ya cause a friend was just given - that's right, given as in no cost to her whatsoever - a 2006 Bullet.

It doesn't run now but did 7 months ago the last time the previous owner was on it.  That's all I know right now until I get into my garage to tear into it and get it running for my friend.

My question is what can I expect to need to do to the bike other than the basics?

I'm gonna drain all fluids and replace em, clean the carb and replace / check the battey - but am I in for any "Royal Specific" surprises?

I'm new to Enfields, but this ain't my first rodeo.  My stable curently has a Road King, a 1200 sporty cafe racer built by me, and a 1978 SR 500 (that's the more important bike... ;)  ) so thumpers are not a new beast to me.

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.


Vince

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Reply #1 on: January 24, 2008, 01:38:16 am
Before doing anything you should invest in the Snidal service manual. You sound reasonably knowledgeable, but if you haven't worked on a British bike, you will be in for some surprises. Good luck!


Thumper

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Reply #2 on: January 24, 2008, 01:43:44 am
and she hasn't been started in all that time. :'(

Hey all - first post.  found ya cause a friend was just given - that's right, given as in no cost to her whatsoever - a 2006 Bullet.

It doesn't run now but did 7 months ago the last time the previous owner was on it.  That's all I know right now until I get into my garage to tear into it and get it running for my friend.

My question is what can I expect to need to do to the bike other than the basics?

I'm gonna drain all fluids and replace em, clean the carb and replace / check the battey - but am I in for any "Royal Specific" surprises?

I'm new to Enfields, but this ain't my first rodeo.  My stable curently has a Road King, a 1200 sporty cafe racer built by me, and a 1978 SR 500 (that's the more important bike... ;)  ) so thumpers are not a new beast to me.

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.

Welcome trr!

Well one thing to determine is whether it's a Classic or an Electra X. Much between them is the same. If it has a disc brake up front then it's almost certainly an Electra X. The engines are not the same however (neither are the decompression mechanisms for that matter).

Here's my maintenance checklist and most of the items apply to either variety:

http://members.verizon.net/allofusmorrows/RE_maintenance.htm

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress!

Matt
« Last Edit: January 24, 2008, 01:46:46 am by Thumper »


LJRead

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Reply #3 on: January 24, 2008, 02:06:22 am
Thanks Matt, Everything you post seems like it has your signature on it, neat and organized.  You may know that I just bought the new (19km on odometer) 2002 Machismo which has been subject of Customs seizure for the past five or so years.  Same sort of problem as our new friend here, except his is used and only been sitting seven months.  Do you think your maintenance list applies or should I go deeper into the engine and see what is actually happening there.

Thanks for this and past advice,

Larry


cyrusb

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Reply #4 on: January 24, 2008, 02:46:19 am
Bookmark this, it's pretty helpful..http://workshopmanual.tripod.com/
2005E Fixed and or Replaced: ignition, fenders,chainguard,wires,carb,headlight,seat,tailight,sprockets,chain,shock springs,fork springs, exhaust system, horn,shifter,clutch arm, trafficators,crankcase vent.


Thumper

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Reply #5 on: January 24, 2008, 12:42:24 pm
Thanks Matt, Everything you post seems like it has your signature on it, neat and organized.  You may know that I just bought the new (19km on odometer) 2002 Machismo which has been subject of Customs seizure for the past five or so years.  Same sort of problem as our new friend here, except his is used and only been sitting seven months.  Do you think your maintenance list applies or should I go deeper into the engine and see what is actually happening there.

Thanks for this and past advice,

Larry

Larry,

Thanks for the kind words.

In my experience with resurrected Japanese bikes I kind of take the lazy approach. First off, obviously, is to see if the engine turns over by hand (or foot...).
Then of course I do all the maintenance items (like in my list). Next I see if it will run.

If it does, I try to resist the temptation to just run it, and instead go back and do some of the more extensive maintenance like pressure lubing cables, greasing bearings and bushings (or replacing them), cleaning the chain and examining sprockets, brake shoes, replacing tires, etc. Pulling the carb off and cleaning it out (and checking the condition of the diaphragm) is a good thing to do even if it did start-up successfully. Seems like if I don't, there are always little carb nits somewhere along the throttle range...

I always end up sinking more $$$ into these project bikes than I'll ever get out (it's not like resurrecting a BSA or Ducati, etc where it's at least some semblance of an investment); but I've always enjoyed bringing them back to life.

I've never really had to go into an engine under these circumstances, other than to adjust valves and replace gaskets, etc.

Good luck woth your project!

Matt


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Reply #6 on: January 24, 2008, 12:55:29 pm
Before doing anything you should invest in the Snidal service manual. You sound reasonably knowledgeable, but if you haven't worked on a British bike, you will be in for some surprises. Good luck!

This is good advice. The manual is around $50 or so I think, but its worth its weight in gold if you have work on these bikes. It'll tell everything you need to know about the model you have. I know $50 seems like alot but that seems pretty cheap compared to screwing something up or omitting something that costs you later.

Good luck with the project, keep us posted.
Paul
2007 Military 500ES. 2007 Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe


tradrockrat

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Reply #7 on: January 24, 2008, 05:04:57 pm
You guys rock!  THanks for the links, and yes - the manual is a must, as is a dedicated notebook for procedures - I'm WAY too ADD to break down a carb without taking notes...

Here's a question for ya though -

The bike isn't for me so the young lady in question will be buying the manual and parts needed to make it go, but I really don't want to be her personal mechanic. I love wrenching, and I am definitely going to enjoy getting this bike running, but my bikes take precedence after thatso... 

Will this bike be a good choice for a girl not afraid to get her hands greasy, but with no real mechanical experience?  She seems totally jazzed to have the bike (who wouldn't), but I have told her that this bike will be a labor of love maintenance wise.  Will good general upkeep keep this bike running or is it like my Yamaha and prone to burning out stators and such?  She'll  be fine changing fluids and adjusting the chain, but she won't be interested in getting into the engine - she'll be asking me to do all of that.


Thanks again for all the replies.


Thumper

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Reply #8 on: January 24, 2008, 05:32:58 pm
You guys rock!  THanks for the links, and yes - the manual is a must, as is a dedicated notebook for procedures - I'm WAY too ADD to break down a carb without taking notes...

Here's a question for ya though -

The bike isn't for me so the young lady in question will be buying the manual and parts needed to make it go, but I really don't want to be her personal mechanic. I love wrenching, and I am definitely going to enjoy getting this bike running, but my bikes take precedence after thatso... 

Will this bike be a good choice for a girl not afraid to get her hands greasy, but with no real mechanical experience?  She seems totally jazzed to have the bike (who wouldn't), but I have told her that this bike will be a labor of love maintenance wise.  Will good general upkeep keep this bike running or is it like my Yamaha and prone to burning out stators and such?  She'll  be fine changing fluids and adjusting the chain, but she won't be interested in getting into the engine - she'll be asking me to do all of that.


Thanks again for all the replies.


Most of the maintenance is something that a neophyte can handle. Some of the TLC that an RE requires might not be:
  • Spoke tesnioning
    Ignition timing (points etc)
    Primary chain tensioning
    Checking the oil pump drive/spindle
    etc

Hoping she won't have to mess with things won't necessarily make it so...

Matt


tradrockrat

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Reply #9 on: January 24, 2008, 05:39:08 pm
That's cool - I can teach her that stuff the first few times it needs to be done, and I think she can handle it.

She's the kind of girl that will either just fall in love with the work and look forward to it, or just give it up entirely and buy a Rebel.

The more you guys tell me, the more I want one for myself... ;D


Thumper

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Reply #10 on: January 24, 2008, 05:58:17 pm
Seems like it's a lot of little stuff that adds up to a lot; like everything is just a little more involved or a bit more difficult, or needs special handling (not unlike other niche bikes).

For example, just push the starter and go? No. First fiddle with the decompressor (and heaven help her if it's an Electra X....even 20 year-old SR-500 decompression release design was better...). At least you'll be able to teach her about kickstarting thumpers.

Just check the oil? No. Do you screw in the cap or not? Do you check it immediately after you stop the engine or do you wait a few seconds...a few minutes? Or does it matter (usually, yes).

Do you just change the oil? No, then there's trans oil and primary oil. Also you aren't dealing with a simple oil filter and housing assembly (at least not with the Electra X...geeeeez what a mess).

Do you just loosen the lock nuts on the ends of the swing arm and draw back the chain via the adjuster nuts? Not hardly. Welcome to the world of snail cam adjusters.

I can get used to them. I don't like them, but I can get used to them. The sum total might be too much for the non-mechanically inclined...

One thing the Brits always did well was to take a simple design and add complexity!
(No offense to you Brits, says the fat, under-educated and rude American!)  ;)

Matt
« Last Edit: January 24, 2008, 09:00:10 pm by Thumper »


tradrockrat

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Reply #11 on: January 24, 2008, 06:15:05 pm
well -

One thing I'm thinking of - and it might be sacrilege on this forum, so sorry if it is - is to pull the engine and put it into a rigid for her (or maybe convert swing arm to a fixed rigid), keeping a lot of the stock parts - that would fix the Lucas issue (total rewire job) and the adjustment of the chain / rear wheel issue as well as the seat height issue.  Plus, I would get to build a bobber!  Fun fun ;D

Course all of the engine work / maintenance would remain the same and I would definitely recommend keeping the engine bone stock.

After all, she got the bike free and it would only take about 1100 bucks to get a totally new frame done at my local shop (owned by a friend - I wrench my bikes there if I need to fab anything)

EDIT: spell check is a good thing...


cyrusb

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Reply #12 on: January 25, 2008, 12:56:36 am
If you don't want to be her "personal mechanic" (I think I know what that means),then nix the whole deal. There are so many modern rides out there, that are maintenance free compared to the enfield. Don't get me wrong I dig mine , but you have to have an "acute mechanical  awareness" to live happily with these rides.
2005E Fixed and or Replaced: ignition, fenders,chainguard,wires,carb,headlight,seat,tailight,sprockets,chain,shock springs,fork springs, exhaust system, horn,shifter,clutch arm, trafficators,crankcase vent.


Mr_Gently

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Reply #13 on: January 29, 2008, 01:39:59 am
You could always find her a nice start-it-and-go Honda for cheap and offer to trade with her if it looks like she might not be up for the tinkering.  At least that's what my conniving mind would be thinking :P


tradrockrat

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Reply #14 on: January 29, 2008, 09:33:43 pm
You could always find her a nice start-it-and-go Honda for cheap and offer to trade with her if it looks like she might not be up for the tinkering.  At least that's what my conniving mind would be thinking :P



  ;)     :D