Big Maintenance (for Me!)...

Hey Sam, thank you so much for your kind words; you are indeed right that I wouldn't be doing any of this without the help, patience and input from others on this forum...

Everything is daunting at first...the whole point of what i am doing on this thread is trying to get to change the throttle cable - the air filter was just along the way...and then, so were the plugs...and, as I'm that far in...so is the fuel filter....

Although...it seems the throttle cable requires the throttle housing removal(!) so I'm getting more and more, deeper and deeper in to the bowels of the bike - far beyond what's comfortable but hey; it's already in bits...may as well keep on keeping on... I'm hoping slowly slowly will get me there...it has to...I need the bike back on the road in 2 weeks!!

Lots of photos, I'm hoping, will guide me back to a working bike ...

I have attempted to video what I'm doing for an upload...but it's not a great picture.... but I'll see if I can get an edited version worthy of your perusal!

Many thanks for the encouragement Sam, it means a lot.

Cheers
Daniel

 

Interestingly (debatable, I know... depends on your pov ), but I think these O rings look pretty sound from what I can see with the throttle body currently in situ, the rubbers still feel flexible with no immediately visible deterioration...however...the rubber 'trumpets' going down from the airbox onto the body did have a misaligned connection with the rim of the boot snagged and not entirely over the centre air inlet (is that the hole that has the butterfly in it that the throttle opens?)... And the bottom rim of that trumpet has thick white brown oily sludge around it..



Next ache...is removing the throttle body (or "dislodge" as Mr Haynes calls it), so I can finally replace the throttle cable... requiring another bloomin gasket when I replace the body... Any advice on THIS activity...? Am I headed for disaster, or is it just screws and nuts...?

 

Actually...I'm not going to touch the throttle body. This is going well beyond my capabilities...Me Haynes talks of throttle synchronisation and all sorts...and that only after valve clearances checked...

I know my limits....I'll clean up the throttle cable ends and lubricate...

There's no snagging or anything...so perhaps I'm chancing my luck or over thinking that there's an issue when there isn't...

Time to clean up and put it all back together....

 

Dozers Dad; it does not offend me at all!

I do not know if I am or am not mechanically competent? If you have done things dozens of times, does that make someone competent? Does learning to do it once make you incompetent?

I have built my own extension from the ground upwards. Am I a builder...!? I work in IT!!

But I just feel I want to have a go...and understand what I am doing...but that means if something isnt 'as expected' I simply have to clarify...is it wrong? Am I wrong? Have I misunderstood? I would far rather ask and ask again to be as sure as possible...how else did others learn ?

Having said that...I recognise my limits...so I'll stop at this point...whilst I still remember where the screws go!

But you are right....I am massively grateful for the input from others...and it truly IS why this forum is so wonderful!

 

Thanks for that Dozers Dad...and i really do appreciate you and others' support...

Your building story is entirely familiar - and why I did mine myself! Similar prices...plus, I have paid full whack for 'proper' builders to do a bad job...and I simply can't afford that.

My philosophy is never; "I could do better than that". It has always been; "I could do it that badly, but for half the price!"

As it turns out, I did it for a third of the price...and possibly a pretty good job - it doesn't leak and the walls are straight...

You are welcome to ask any questions you like about IT...I only kinda work in IT...but not really...but that is the best way to explain it... . But i do know people...so, ask away!

Cheers!

 

Thank you freck - and again, just to reiterate my absolute gratitude for your help and advice to date...

You do realise I am building up to a question of "how the 'freck' do you get these boots on and sealed when its all 'under' the airbox"...any tips...?

 

Deal!

 

When removing the fuel tank i took great pains to label the two narrow rubber tubes from the left (nearside) of the tank to ensure they are reconnected the correct way round, as advised by My Haynes...

I believe one is the breather tube (so you don't get a vacuum and can open the fuel cap), the other is a drain - for any water that might collect around the cap...

However..the other end of the tubes didn't go anywhere, that I could tell...they just dangled downwards, open...!

Any thoughts? Have I inadvertently ballsed up by letting the other ends become disconnected...or, are they not supposed to go anywhere - in which case...what was Mr Haynes' concern...?

 

Superb, thanks again freck...

There are a surprising number of open ended tubes in this maintenance task, i have noticed...

As I am putting it all back together this afternoon...there's an outside chance that this thread is finally done!

Unless I message in a bit asking "where does this left over screw go..."?

Sincere thanks to all!

 

thank you very much Duck...

I think that there's some activities we can tackle, and some we can't...I am learning my limits...!

 

Just an update...to all those patient enough to have read and/or helped...

Bike is all up an running...the throttle seems better after a clean and lube. I think all is running better after plug and filter change...

Thank you all!