peterb

Hmmm, lots of things to say. I used to ride 325's in the UK in Nationals in the late 70's, always had a fair bit of ign advance and a thinner head gasket, around 3.5mm BTDC. Yes it was a bit sharp off the bottom, not very good in the wet but that was how I liked it. Used to like the 28mm Bing too, back then. I still have a 325 - sort of, it is a 352cc Alpina motor with the port timing modified, running a PRO reed v/v block with a 28mm Kehin flat slide. The Keihin worked the best from trying a 26mm Mikuni, and a 26mm DellOrto, the PHBL 26BS DellOrto was better than the Mikuni and can be used straight off a PRO with just a change to the main jet, to 95. Rest is just fine. The DellOrto and Mikuni were trialled without the reed block fitted. The bike is used for decent sized rocks and hills. If you are riding in some specific series, you may have to fit a period carb, in this case the DellOrto PHBH could be used - not my favourite carb as the mixture varies a lot with altitude, but fine otherwise and I think these are used a lot in Espana. Bye, PeterB.

Hi Barry, I have ridden trials here in Auckland for over 20 years. There are places to practice in most, if not all, of the centres but in Auckland these all belong to farmers who just need a friendly phone call to get the ok for a days practice. There are no real issues for getting a ride. Good practice spots in the Auckland area need about 30 mins to 1 hour drive to get there. We usually give the farmer a couple of dozen beers for riding a trial on his land, always been ok. One of my friends has a 1,200 acre farm which is always fine for a practice, bril rocks in the dry but just over an hour away from home. Kevin has had some time in Christchurch in the South Island and found wages not so good, wages, opportunities and salaries differ around the regions. House prices have shot up in Akl, it's ok if you already have a place but hard for the first time buyer. Best if you already have a house in the UK and come here with some money. It's a shame that his quals were not recognised. I have a UK City and Guilds IMCT5 (Instrumentation, measurement and control) qualification which was recognised by the NZ Quals Authority and given an equivalent NZ qualification. This is the usual process for assessing a persons academic/trade qualification. As Tim said, there is a real shortage of skilled trades people here, opportunities exist for most of the trades, builders, aluminium welders, mechanics and more, teachers too - maths and technology in particular - good hols, 12-13 weeks! Bye, PeterB.

Hi Nick, I emigrated to NZ (Auckland) from East Yorks years ago, it was a bril move that really suited me. This is a great place to live, climate is more convivial than the UK, people are mostly friendly and the trials scene is great with club trials, twinshocks and National events in most regions. Let me know if I can help at all, probably best to send me a TC message and swap emails. For me, there is an excellent opportunity here to make a good living, brilliant for kids. If you are into the country pub scene, then this is not the place for you, we don't have the same sandstone, brass laden pubs like in Castleton or Reeth for example. Ta ta, PeterB.

Good idea lpd. Mafferz - can you confirm the bike is a 2003 PRO 250. (The airbox is screwed into the bottom of the seat base and the tank sticker has TXT PRO 03 on it) If so, then definately go with 350ml in the g'box. I don't know when the older style motor stopped making it's way to the UK. I would be pretty sure that by 2003 there would only be PRO models available. The older motor would have been re-filled with 700ml oil. Bye, PeterB.

Hi there, Another Guisborough club rider! Haven't worked much on Fantic's, but I am fairly, almost 100% sure the HT coil is the same Ducati unit as fitted to many of the same year Gas Gas's. Have a search for Bill Pye, used to be in Great Ayton some years back. He used to have many Fantic parts and quite a knowledge of these bikes. If the HT coil is the same, you could try White Bros in Darlington for one. Bye, PeterB.

Hi Pocket, I have used a few different types of plug on my B40. BP6ES are fine. Currently using another extended nose type plug - can't remember the type off hand. Using the old 626 concentric, the plugs would wet quite often, every 1-2 trials. It's a carb problem, lots of wear in many places. I have since fitted a Mikuni 26mm carb straight off a Kawasaki KT250 (all standard size jets) and ended up with a needle from a MkII concentric. It runs very well and almost completely revs out. Great response at the bottom end. Need to make a flange to stub adaptor to fit. Also fitted a total loss Gel Cell battery ign system using the existing points and HT coil with an on/off switch to preserve power when parked up at a section. The plug is lasting well now. I am still yet to sort out the top end miss, it's not quite 100% certainly not valve bounce. When time permits. Bye, PeterB.

Hi there, If the carb is a PHBL, the pilot screw works on the fuel so turning this out richens the mixture, usually 3.5 turns as a starting point. The pilot adjusting screw would then be located closer toward the cylinder. If the carb is a PHBH, the pilot screw works on the air and turning this in richens the mixture, usually 1 to 1.5 turns out. The pilot screw is in this case, located toward the rear of the carb. Sooty plug indicates too much fuel or oil. Should be a light brown colour at the electrodes. Check fuel/oil ratio, I use 50:1 with a mineral oil. Other problem may be with the carb flooding - check float height by holding carb upside down and check to see the float levers are parallel with the carb body. (Once the floats and bowl have been removed). Filter clean? Fuel valve not have any dirt on the seal? Worse case scenario may be clutch side crank seal worn letting oil into crankcase, but not terribly likely. These bikes had restricters in the exhaust and I think the air box - would imagine they have been removed by now. Worth a look. Can you let me know what type carb it is (stamped on the body) and all of the jets/needle. Bye, PeterB.

Hi there, Noticed you didn't get too many answers! I've not worked on any 315 Mont's, but the 26 PHBL DellOrto carbs are pretty universally set up. Going from Gasser experioence just as a guide, approx 30 pilot, D36 needle, 2nd clip off bottom, 270K emulsion tube (needle jet), 115 main, 60 throttle slide. Pilot screw out 3.5 full turns. Bye, PeterB.

Hi there, front end clunks are unusual on these models. Could be a loose head bearing as suggested, if not it may be that there is not enough oil in each leg. Best to drain the oil, strip and clean the fork internals if you have time/inclination, refill with 5 weight, 280ml each leg. The 250 is a good motor, best to change the gearbox oil as this also feeds the main bearings. 350ml of a mineral oil or an ATF rated to Dexron III. Do not use synthetic. Most of our riders here usually run with a 10T gearbox sprocket, for me, the standard 11T tends to be too high in the creeks. The 04 airbox was stronger/better than the 03. Check the airbox is well sealed where it joins the seat base, see if you can pick up an extra large airbox rubber flap - not sure if shirty has them - it really helps to keep the water out. You'll need this if you are riding in the river sections at Harwood Dale! Bye, PeterB.

Hi Anth, Yes, just like you say. But leave the black wire connected to it's original connection. You will just be connecting the kill switch into the circuit as a parallel connection leading to ground. (The kill switch will ground out the black wire going to the HT coil). Are you still able to practice at Carlton Bank? Had good sections there. Good luck in the coast to coast. Bye, PeterB.

Hi Matt, The sound you hear with the motor running is the clutch basket rattle, it is very normal on this model. It is attributable to the basket having straight cut gears and the gears being quite thin in width. It is nothing to worry about. Pulling in the clutch takes the drive load off the basket and so reduces the noise. Can you compare your bike to another PRO model to see if your neutral selection is the same. They are fiddly to get into neutral. Bye, PeterB.

No, don't use 10/40. Replace the oil with 10 weight Mineral only, or an ATF rated to Dexron III. I use 500ml in the 04 onwards bikes, other riders use 400ml. Never use synthetic oil in the gearbox. Neutral is rather notchy to locate on these, better on the later models. Warm the motor first before draining the oil. Was the bike always difficult to change from 1st to 2nd? Bye, PeterB.

Hi there, With the motor off, using your hand, is the gear change from 1st to 2nd still difficult? If so, did you clout the gear lever at all during your last outing? Does the gear lever travel a little more than usual to change gear? If so, problem may be the gear return spring centre locator - looks like a top hat, it is inside the spring coils. Sometimes after clouting the lever, this 2 part top hat can have one of its 2 parts rotate around it's axis - hard to describe. Not such a problem to replace. But can you advise about the above. Other problem, may be the slave seals, though that would have the symptoms of a dragging clutch. Bye, PeterB.

Those 321's are pretty good on the trails, lots of riders use these and the older 370's for blasting across the tracks up the hills over here in NZ, good pulling power. I always found the 321 was easier to manage when fitted with a D34 needle, not so quick off the bottom end. Good luck with the bearings. Bye, PeterB.

It seems like you have end play on the crankshaft, and if the crankshaft bearings are not moving at the same time, then the crankshaft stubs are moving through the inside diameter of the bearings. This is not so good and not the norm on Gassers. If the bearings are the right size, they should be 6206 C3 - important to get the C3 clearence bearings, then there is wear on the outside diameter of the crank stubs for some odd reason. Are you sure that the play is on the crankshaft? Can you measure the endfloat with a DTI, there really should be virtually zero movement. The photos you have posted are for a 249 TXT 2000, is this your bike? These have no history of crank problems. If the bearings are the correct size, I would try fitting the motor together with a bearing loctite on the crankshaft bearing ID's. Hope this helps. Bye, PeterB.

Hello lads, PeterB here from Auckland, NZ. I am entering the cinq jour du Verdon this August, travelling with friend Mario Candellone from Italy. I haven't ridden this before and was wondering what sort of riding gear, tools and what type of sections to expect, also are any English speaking riders entering? (My French is not so good). I've already got time off work and booked the flights weeks ago so am definately going. Mario reckoned I should do the middle route, blue I think. How would these sections compare to the ssdt? Would I need tyre pump, tube, patches and "dog turds" - for the tubeless rims. Are there bike back up teams at the various evening stops? I've read the report from hrc1 I think, very good. I get the impression that it is a bit like an easier ssdt but with good weather and stunning scenery too. When do entries have to be in by? Thanks, PeterB.

I've also used ordinary car touch up spray paint for at least 20 years. Never used wire, no insulation tape and not even hair spray! Spray paint was good enough never to let a grip loose in the Scottish and never lets rain penetrate the seal. Bye, PeterB.

Hi fastgeoff, The fan control unit (rectifier) mounts onto the plastic fan shroud. The voltage reg mounts at the bottom of the headstock, either in front or behind the frame tubes - I can't remember. The ign unit would be mounted under the petrol tank, in the headstock area - not much room there. Bye, PeterB.

Hi there, Do you mean there is end play on the crankshaft? There should be none. Any play here is usually a sign of worn main bearings. As you have fitted new ones, there may be something more sinister! Were the bearings tight in the crankcase housings? Were the bearings a tight fit on the crankshaft? What year TXT200 is it? Bye, PeterB.

Hi Mark, Before you strip out the caliper pistons, try this first. Remove the caliper and work the pistons in and out using force from the master cylinder (not too much as the pistons will fall out) and, though I don't like using it here, WD40/CRC or whatever it is called where you live, sprayed onto the pistons to remove the muck while the piston moves out/in. To get the inwards movement, use a tyre lever or similar rounded tool to gently prise the pistons back into their housings. It's worked for me. Saves stripping the pistons out and bleeding the brake system. Bye, PeterB.

Hi Anth, Have you been practicing at Charltons again? The 2000 TXT has Kokusan ignition fitted. There is a low tension wire (not the HT lead) exiting the ign coil under the petrol tank, usually black. Trace this wire as there should be a spare parallel connection for the original kill switch somewhere. The kill switch will be a single or dual wire switch. If a single wire switch, connect this wire to the spare parallel connection on the low tension wire coming from the coil, Do not disconnect the low tension wire from its present circuit. The kill switch is there to short out this wire to ground. If a dual wire kill switch, connect the other wire from the switch to ground. A picture would be much easier. Bye, PeterB.

Hi Uhoh7, hmmmmm, I see. You must be up some seriously high mountains then. The standard GG rad cap p/n BT280232032 has another part number in the write up, P/N TP50806 which may be the satndard order code for the OEM factory. Just had a look at a spare cap, they do not look like they can be easily stripped apart. was thinking of fitting another spring or stretching the original. Maybe you could make a brass cap on the lathe, in two parts and use the inner from an original cap with a stronger spring. Not sure of the max safe working pressure of the radiator - could be a problem. Just done a quick calc, at 10,000 ft water boils at 193.6 F, at 15,000 ft it is 183.9 F. Maybe if you stayed below 10,000 ft then you might be ok! Another thought, I had a look on my 300, for long rides up the mountains you could fit another radiator in series, mounted sideways on the left side of the frame along the downtube, without a fan. Use a courier for freight to USA, not so cheap out of Italy. Good luck, PeterB.

Hi there, You give us very little to go on. What year bike is it? Is the petrol tank vent fitted correctly, eg: you can blow air into the tank. Is the petrol tap clear of obstructions. Are you running 50:1 fuel/oil ratio (or similar) Have you cleaned out the carb very thoroughly, including removing the emulsion tube, pilot screw, pilot jet and then blowing through the passage ways? If the carb is thoroughly clean, and you still need the choke to start when warm, and the bike is getting on a bit, then the mag side crankshaft oil seal may have failed. Best to provide us with a few more details. Bye, PeterB.

Hi floored, I am pretty sure that the 04 300 has a Ducati electrical system fitted. I would be really surprised if the head is warped, never seen this before on a GG. I must say that since the Kokusan system was fitted to the 06 250, the overheating problem has gone completely. Also, it is really noticable that the fan cuts in far more frequently than peviously. Probably best to check the voltage first at the fan and try a new rad cap. I had an overheating problem on a 96 370 that was traced to the rad cap rubber that had gone off, quite soft, so that when the motor got hot and heated up the coolant, the cap did not seal under an increased pressure. A new cap fixed that problem. Bye, PeterB.

Hi Tony, Have a look at this GG forum, "cooling system capacity" by uhoh7, some interesting pics. There is a Hebo front number plate/fuel tank that holds 1 litre. Anything bigger, you would probably have to make one up. A local aluminium welding company may do this for you (at a cost!) Bye, PeterB.