Author Topic: The '08 AVL Needs A Different Look  (Read 38564 times)

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tooseevee

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Reply #180 on: July 28, 2020, 03:14:55 pm
         I know not many care about this, but be very careful when you buy the petcock I bought for the '08.

         There are 2 Part#s and they look exactly the same unless you look close.

         Neither of these has a Reserve position on the lever. They are both either On or Off.

         The two Part #s are 83-2800 and 83-2801. 83-2800 does not have a Reserve standpipe. 83-2801 does.

         The one I bought has the Reserve standpipe and the ad said it was Part #83-2800 which it is NOT. It's an 83-2801 with a 1 1/2" standpipe.

https://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/products/british-standard-petcock-fuel-valve-main-no-reserve-for-triumph-bsa-norton?pr_prod_strat=copurchase&pr_rec_pid=4342666166319&pr_ref_pid=4342272983087&pr_seq=uniform

         This means I will ALWAYS have an inch and a 1/2 of gas over the petcock when my carb runs dry.

         The bikes these vintage replica petcocks were for had TWO petcocks; one on the Left and one on the Right. When the petcock with the standpipe ran the carb(s) dry, you shut it off and turned the other one on, the one with NO standpipe. That was your Reserve petcock.

          I won't go into why. It's too hot and nobody cares anyway and I'm going to go stick my head under the shower  :)

          The tap arrived yesterday BTW.

           PS: I did not get it from LowBrow. I should have. They have MUCH better explanations about these petcocks.

         
 
« Last Edit: July 28, 2020, 03:20:30 pm by tooseevee »
RI USA '08 Black AVL Classic.9.8:1 ACEhead/manifold/canister. TM32/Open bottle/hot tube removed. Pertronix Coil. Fed mandates removed. Gr.TCI. Bobber seat. Battery in right side case. Decomp&all doodads removed. '30s Lucas taillight/7" visored headlight. Much blackout & wire/electrical upgrades.


heloego

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Reply #181 on: July 28, 2020, 05:41:06 pm
Good info to have, Twosy. Thanks for posting.  :)
I have used Lowbrow before, and they are definitely better than some in their descriptions.

Local news:   
   Got the bike running pretty good. Slight burbles on decel but no pops. The Slash-Cut exhaust is surprisingly just a "quiet" as the Goldie on my ElectraX, and a good thing, too, as most of the folks in my neighborhood are retired like me.
   As I expected, bumping the Needle Jet up a size made the all the difference, but I still need to go for a truly decent run before I'll release it to my bud. I think it's still slightly lean, but a good run should let me know better.
   While helping Sunday, a sudden stop let fuel get past the shitty seal on the gas cap, and even though the VHT paint is supposed to be the tits for chemical resistance the gloss forward of the cap got messed up.  >:( Tank has been cleaned up and re-coated as needed.   While removing the headlight to replace the RH switch gear terminals the "protective rag" used to cover the front mudguard had something in it that messed up the gloss coating. >:( Get to remove, clean up, and re-paint that today.


  This project has been a constant "one step forward, two steps back" since last year, but it's turning out pretty good, we think.
   Next Sunday it gets rolled out, cleaned up, wiped down, given a serious waxing, and photos all around which will be posted to Imgur and this forum.

   All things considered, I could just be a bit optimistic. ;)
'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


tooseevee

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Reply #182 on: July 28, 2020, 06:07:51 pm

   While helping Sunday, a sudden stop let fuel get past the shitty seal on the gas cap, and even though the VHT paint is supposed to be the tits for chemical resistance the gloss forward of the cap got messed up.  >:( Tank has been cleaned up and re-coated as needed.   While removing the headlight to replace the RH switch gear terminals the "protective rag" used to cover the front mudguard had something in it that messed up the gloss coating. >:( Get to remove, clean up, and re-paint that today.
 

     OhBummer  :( :( :(  But the feeling I! get is the this guy is lucky you're there  :)
RI USA '08 Black AVL Classic.9.8:1 ACEhead/manifold/canister. TM32/Open bottle/hot tube removed. Pertronix Coil. Fed mandates removed. Gr.TCI. Bobber seat. Battery in right side case. Decomp&all doodads removed. '30s Lucas taillight/7" visored headlight. Much blackout & wire/electrical upgrades.


heloego

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Reply #183 on: July 29, 2020, 04:56:34 pm
So the tank is ready for a scuffing and final coat.
Mudguard is waiting for another coat.

This guy is a stone mason. His favorite tools are a hammer, chisel, and wheel barrow. I've seen the work he's done, and he's brilliant. He's done work for the city, state, Robert Duval (did you know his hobby is building bird houses?), and other notable people in and about Santa Fe for years. Just has a serious aversion to any kind of maintenance on his bike.  ;)
I've been his tech support since he bought the bike used from a neighbor back in '12. Then, it was a forest green Classic. He told me what mods he wanted as an end result and I simply followed his basic wishes, adding a few helpful suggestions along the way.  :)
'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


tooseevee

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Reply #184 on: August 02, 2020, 06:08:04 pm
      Latest chapter of The Saga of My PetCock (I haven't even felt like writing). It's been so hot and humid even the birds are walking).

       Thursday all the planets aligned (and the stars, my mood and energy level) so I attacked drilling out  the nipple. I had previously ground and filed both the leftover edge of the nipple that was left (after hacksawwing) and the bung perfectly flat. I worried most about getting the drill bit started exactly in the center of the nipple so as to not leave any of the "meat" of the nipple on one side of the hole. All you want left are the threads or the tapping will be more difficult and, worse, maybe leak.

        P.S. to that paragraph: The drill bit I got has end mill type cutting edges, not the normal twist drill type. I cuts like a MmmmFffer. Chips the size of your grandfather's toenails and you better have a grip on that electric drill. Steady and easy.

        I probably removed and cleaned and regreased and oiled the drill and the hole way more times than necessary, but this HAD to go right. And it did   :) 

        Yesterday (Sat) things more or less aligned again and I went " 'atapping". It was VERY hard (I don't have the strength I usta and my hands and wrists really HURT) and I took LOTs of breaks and again probably overcleaned the tap and the hole of chips more than necessary. You're honking a lot of meat (the leftover nipple threads) out with a tap this large and you only get a tiny bite at a time and you must back off a hair to clear the chips, then again a little tiny bite. And repeat. But it went well considering. 

         There are only barely 6 threads on the petcock before the lockwasher hits the bung. And there is a tiny "wiggle" with it threaded in all the way to the LW. I also found a very thin aluminum washer in my stash that fits PERfectly over the threads.

         I'm thinking fuel resistant Teflon tape (if they have it at Ace Hardware*) plus a sealer of some kind. I'm thinking SealAll or fuel resistant, hardening Permatex. 

          Opinions?  Ideas?  I will NOT have it leak!

          * I think the regular white would probably be OK on 6 threads where the bung is at least 12 threads thick. No tape will ever get in the tank + there are two filters. 

           
« Last Edit: August 02, 2020, 06:25:01 pm by tooseevee »
RI USA '08 Black AVL Classic.9.8:1 ACEhead/manifold/canister. TM32/Open bottle/hot tube removed. Pertronix Coil. Fed mandates removed. Gr.TCI. Bobber seat. Battery in right side case. Decomp&all doodads removed. '30s Lucas taillight/7" visored headlight. Much blackout & wire/electrical upgrades.


heloego

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Reply #185 on: August 03, 2020, 01:45:07 am
Even the cheap Teflon tape from HF will do the job admirably. Be sure to give it a couple good wraps, but you already know that, I'm sure. Glad you went slow on the tap. Would have been a real bummer if it broke, or any of the threads were messed up.
See next post...
'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


heloego

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Reply #186 on: August 03, 2020, 01:48:33 am
It's a DONE DEAL!
Bike's finished and delivered No Refunds. No Returns.  ;)

15 pics, so bear with me ove r the next several posts.
'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


heloego

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Reply #187 on: August 03, 2020, 01:50:36 am
Details:

Added nice door edging to front/rear mudguards.
Replaced the crap Indian stone guard with a high quality one meant for a VW.
Fly Screen, GPS Speedo and 2" bar risers.
Tank (and Mud Guards) cleaned down to bare metal, steel-wooled, and clear coated (two good coats), then waxed four or five times. Dents from accident left in tank for "character".


« Last Edit: August 03, 2020, 02:13:49 am by heloego »
'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


heloego

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Reply #188 on: August 03, 2020, 01:57:05 am
More details:
Left side. Fake Oil Tank. Remove the cap with the RE decal and access the Lithium Battery and charging pigtail. Black box below is an electronics project box housing the signals relay, brake switch, and 10/15 amp blade fuses. Note that all wiring was covered with a nice wire loom.
Right side. Cap on fake oil tank is removable to access the starter relay. Added a fake oil level sight glass for kicks. Mike prefers the electric start and wanted the kicker out of the way, but available if he needed it, so I bolted it to the upper lug that once held the RH side box.
Right side. Slash cut exhaust.
Left side. Engine detail.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2020, 02:10:20 am by heloego »
'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


heloego

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Reply #189 on: August 03, 2020, 02:07:00 am
Right side. Engine detail and replaced those AWFUL foot pegs.
Right side. Engine detail. Went with bare copper on the oil lines.
« Last Edit: August 03, 2020, 02:10:43 am by heloego »
'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


heloego

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Reply #190 on: August 03, 2020, 02:08:50 am
For a goof replaced the plastic tire valve caps with these.
'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


heloego

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Reply #191 on: August 03, 2020, 02:12:56 am
Just got off the phone with the guy. Checked to make sure he and the bike made it back Santa Fe in good shape.
Nope. Got all the way back to SF and dumped the bike getting out of the back of his truck.  ::) No damage, but slight twist to the bars. Walked him through straightening, and all is good.

'18 Bonneville T-100, Blue/White
'12 C5 Classic
'06 Electra X AVL w/32mm Mikuni and Gold Star system.


tooseevee

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Reply #192 on: August 03, 2020, 12:07:28 pm
Even the cheap Teflon tape from HF will do the job admirably. Be sure to give it a couple good wraps, but you already know that, I'm sure. Glad you went slow on the tap. Would have been a real bummer if it broke, or any of the threads were messed up.
See next post...

           That's my thought also. I feel I can probably make it leakproof with Teflon tape only. I'm going to experiment today with the number of layers of tape it takes to get "the feel" right. I can tell by the torque it takes to finish the last turn to align the petcock properly whether it will be leakproof or not.

            I still don't like the idea of having that 1 1/2" standpipe in the tank. I don't believe that filter is removable (I tried fingers only, no luck) without F-ing it up or I would cut it off (the standpipe). Adrian: If you read this - what do YOU think?

            And next! You have done one helluva nice job on that bike! You should be damn happy with the job you've done and I hope "the guy" gets his shit together and doesn't F-ing drop it again! The kicker is a nice touch (instead of a ballpean hammer?  :)  ;) ). I can see the work and sweat that you put in  :) :)
RI USA '08 Black AVL Classic.9.8:1 ACEhead/manifold/canister. TM32/Open bottle/hot tube removed. Pertronix Coil. Fed mandates removed. Gr.TCI. Bobber seat. Battery in right side case. Decomp&all doodads removed. '30s Lucas taillight/7" visored headlight. Much blackout & wire/electrical upgrades.


Adrian II

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Reply #193 on: August 03, 2020, 02:43:17 pm
Quote
I still don't like the idea of having that 1 1/2" standpipe in the tank. I don't believe that filter is removable (I tried fingers only, no luck) without F-ing it up or I would cut it off (the standpipe). Adrian: If you read this - what do YOU think?

You just want a good supply of clean fuel arriving at the carb, which needs some kind of filter. Exactly what kind of filter is up to you, but if it can pass filtered fuel quicker than your main jet you're winning. I just read AzCal Retred's post in one of the iron barrel threads, he recommends installing a 10 - 40 micron clear filter, so replacing the petcock's filter with an in-line thingy is fine. I think I'd still want the standpipe filter on the petcock, even if it's just for straining out any bigger lumps.

My Dell'Orto carbs have quite a fine mesh filter screen in the fuel pipe banjo, Amals do too, but I think the fuel inlet pipe for the Mikuni goes straight to the float valve - correct me if I'm wrong. I learnt by experience that the otherwise excellent VM32 on my old BSA didn't like crud under the float valve for some reason (and told me so by trying to drain the tank), fitting an in-line filter followed very quickly.

A.
Grumpy Brit still seeking 500 AVL Bullet perfection! Will let you know if I get anywhere near...


Adrian II

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Reply #194 on: August 03, 2020, 02:48:21 pm
You can also get liquid/paste PTFE for sealing the petcock thread, there may be some suitable grades of Loctite too. I also tried Dowty washers, but unsuccessfully!

A.
Grumpy Brit still seeking 500 AVL Bullet perfection! Will let you know if I get anywhere near...