charliechitlins

If your search expands to the US, I got some very reasonably-priced NOS parts for a '70's Mont I was working on.

The agent that raises the viscosity can be as simple as ground-up rubber that expands and makes the oil more viscous, and it definitely shears and loses its effectiveness with use. As kevin says, clutches and transmissions are particularly harsh where shear is an issue.

Supposedly, 10/40 would be thinner when cold and thicker when hot. But I've dumped more than my share of hot multi-grade oil, and it comes out faster than when it goes in.

Looks OK to me. Several bikes have the 180 deg spoke angle. Just make sure the nipples are square in the holes and don't seem to be cocked. Make sure the spokes from one side of the hub go to the holes on the corresponding side of the rim. Make sure you grind off any spoke protruding past the inside of the nipple.

I Loctite-ed the housing widget in and screwed a bolt (6mm, maybe) in where the switch was. I cut the bolt to the proper length and put it in with Loctite as well. Done deal. I did the same to my son's bike, but I left the bolt long and put a spring on it so I could adjust the lever position and his hands and/or preferences change. What the heck is this thing, anyway?

The rule for tightening steering head bearings is to find that sweet spot where there is no slop and no binding. You'll want to loosen the top fork clamps while adjusting.

I seem to remember a power steering cooler from some American car that was readily available and cheap. Oldsmobile maybe. About 2.5" wide 1.25" deep and 8" long...if memory serves.

That's right! I like those things to get BIG before they die so I can ride over 'em! It's so strange hearing you Brits talking about cars, and I have no idea what you're talking about. The markets are so different. I would LOVE to have a van that gets 53 mpg! Even if it is a VW (my last VW was my LAST VW!)! We love those Land Rovers here. Anything that gets 13mpg makes us Americans happy...as long as it's got plenty of cup holders.

Update: The switcheroo is not a simple swap. I would have to shave a few thou off the mounting bosses of the Hebo caliper and shim the AJP out just as much for it to work...so the disk would be properly centered. Looks like I'll have to save my allowance and buy new. In the meantime, I have stepped on the scale and it has read, after a long, hard winter, 205 American pounds. I don't know how many stone (stones?) that is, because I think we have different size stones here...and they don't all weigh the same. I have decided to remove my rear brake and take the safety wire out of my tool roll to save weight.

There are fuel filters that are very small. I have not yet seen a bike that I couldn't put one on without pinching the hose. And the idea of "if it needed it, it would have come with it", if it gained popularity, would completely wipe out the aftermarket parts industry.

Yes. If you get a batch of dirty gas (or pour in the dregs form your gas can), you can clog the filter and get stuck. You can carry a small length of metal tube to replace the filter with. Or, take it out, and attach the outlet end to the hose coming from the petcock, and turn on the fuel and flush some dirt out. BTW--it's a very rare occurrence that an inline filter clogs enough to restrict flow...especially if you've checked it occasionally.

Very close! It means "Don't let the *******s grind you down" And it's fake Latin. Like conjugating the verb, to spit: "Spittus, spattus, ach tui, splattus" Latin jokes are never gut-splitters.

All 4! Sometimes I think he's tempted top reach over with the other hand!

A bad burn could do it. Bad (or old) gas. Bad plug. Air leak. Dirt in carb. See if a little choke makes it go away. You can put a small ziptie on the shaft to keep it open just a little.

Don't you hate it when some smart a*** comes up with the bleeding obvious. Duh! What's worse, doing too much work, or finding out you're a dope? Thanks, Lineaway!

I had to get 2 old oil tank out of my house basement or our prospective buyers wouldn't get their FEMA loan. As it turns out, one of my neighbors was a pretty highly-paid engineer, and his specialty was fuel tank removal, reclamation, stabilizing, etc. He said, "Heck...you've got a cutting torch, don't you?" That's all you need for fuel oil. There are no combustible fumes. Gasoline would be another story.

A good time to move them down and back a bit while you're at it.

Uh, oh...I think I'm confused. So is that a geometric measurement that checks that the outer edge of the flywheel is parallel to the shaft?

My son's TXT 80 has a lovely 4-pot caliper that I'm thinking would make a dandy replacement for the 2-pot one on my 2.9. I need more stopper than he does! Anybody know if the master cyl is the same for 2 and 4-pot calipers? On some bikes (non-trials) you need a new master for moving the extra fluid.

How did you check the runout? AT the shaft, or actually at the flywheel?

Sounds like a lot of work! Heads with copper gaskets usually come off fairly easy. Asbestos gaskets hold on a good deal better. Some people will use goo or glue, which complicates matters. If I get a stubborn one, I stick a big, fat screwdriver between the cylinder and the head and twist it...with a wrench, if necessary. Use some heat from a torch and things may loosen up a bit. If you feel that you must pry with the screwdriver, pry UP, with the screwdriver pushed in as far as you can, as you'll be prying where the most meat is. If you pry down, you'll have pressure against the outside of a cylinder fin, and it will snap right off.

Not sure about the TL, but lots of Hondas from those years do not have a removeable HT wire. A bad wire means getting a new coil. It's a bummer.

If you decide to use tank sealer, contact aircraft supply places. They'll sell you something that will probably say "Not for use in aircraft" on the can. Insurance liability, y'know.

On my '01 this happened more with 5w30 than with ATF.

Always clean down to metal before you paint. Old paint will peel and take your new paint with it. Metal won't do that. If you but a chrome pipe, paint the inside with hi-temp paint. It'll keep the chrome from discoloring. UCTT#974