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kirkcudbrightMore babbling about the motorpickle. You've been warned.
At first, I thought the fuel leak was caused by a cracked fuel hose. Now, the fuel hose connect to the carburetors (there are 4 of them ganged together) directly under the frame. Replacing the fuel hose requires removing the carburetors, which is a bitch. (And putting them back is a bitch and a half.)
But that wasn't the problem. If I'd bothered to take off the side panel, I would have seen that the fuel was spewing from the carburetor vent/overflow hose. The problem was a stuck float or float valve in the #1 or #2 carb (they share the same vent hose). So, remove the carburetors a second time, crack open the #1 and #2 carb bowls, and fiddle with the floats and the flowat valves. While I'm at it, clean the float bowls. And put back the old fuel hose, because the new one is too soft, and kinks up.
Re-installation goes a lot faster, because I'm prepared to use a) my foot, and b) a crowbar, to get the carbs roughly back into place. Then a lot of mandatory cussing (step 7 in the shop manual), as I try to re-attach them to both the engine block and the air cleaner, plus all the vacuum hoses, and shit I forgot to re-attach the throttle cable while it was still fairly easy.
And by now, I've run down the battery to the point where I have to jump-start it to establish that YES it doesn't spew gas!! (Do a little dance.) Half-mile ride to the end of the street, and tool around the school parking lot. (Dressed in the death-wish outfit of sleevless T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers.) Huh, the rear brake doesn't work. At all. Could it be because the rear brake fluid reservoir is entirely empty? Hmm? I may yet be able to get this thing inspected this week, just in time to go on vacation.
So, yeah, I'm 40 years old, and I've just got it in my head to get my motorcycle back on the road. But it's really a pretty poor mid-life crisis vehicle. For one thing, I got it when I was 30, and it was made when I was 20. A real mid-life crisis bike would be a Harley or a Gold Wing, and I can't picture myself on either one. Really, I just wanted to see it outside the garage. And the only reason I'm having this educational experience is because the bike shop won't look at my bike until the end of the summer, because it's, like, 20 years old or something. Fuck 'em. Go me.
At first, I thought the fuel leak was caused by a cracked fuel hose. Now, the fuel hose connect to the carburetors (there are 4 of them ganged together) directly under the frame. Replacing the fuel hose requires removing the carburetors, which is a bitch. (And putting them back is a bitch and a half.)
But that wasn't the problem. If I'd bothered to take off the side panel, I would have seen that the fuel was spewing from the carburetor vent/overflow hose. The problem was a stuck float or float valve in the #1 or #2 carb (they share the same vent hose). So, remove the carburetors a second time, crack open the #1 and #2 carb bowls, and fiddle with the floats and the flowat valves. While I'm at it, clean the float bowls. And put back the old fuel hose, because the new one is too soft, and kinks up.
Re-installation goes a lot faster, because I'm prepared to use a) my foot, and b) a crowbar, to get the carbs roughly back into place. Then a lot of mandatory cussing (step 7 in the shop manual), as I try to re-attach them to both the engine block and the air cleaner, plus all the vacuum hoses, and shit I forgot to re-attach the throttle cable while it was still fairly easy.
And by now, I've run down the battery to the point where I have to jump-start it to establish that YES it doesn't spew gas!! (Do a little dance.) Half-mile ride to the end of the street, and tool around the school parking lot. (Dressed in the death-wish outfit of sleevless T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers.) Huh, the rear brake doesn't work. At all. Could it be because the rear brake fluid reservoir is entirely empty? Hmm? I may yet be able to get this thing inspected this week, just in time to go on vacation.
So, yeah, I'm 40 years old, and I've just got it in my head to get my motorcycle back on the road. But it's really a pretty poor mid-life crisis vehicle. For one thing, I got it when I was 30, and it was made when I was 20. A real mid-life crisis bike would be a Harley or a Gold Wing, and I can't picture myself on either one. Really, I just wanted to see it outside the garage. And the only reason I'm having this educational experience is because the bike shop won't look at my bike until the end of the summer, because it's, like, 20 years old or something. Fuck 'em. Go me.
