Yesterday, 07:49 PM
Read up carb synchronisation and camchain adjustment using the many informative links in the forum and then settled to the task. Here is my tuppence worth of commentary.
I don't know if my camchain is noisy or not, don't think it is really but read the bit about turning the engine backwards half turn or so to make a sticky adjuster move to the next position. Bike on centre standard, select 6th gear with plugs in, tried to rotate rear wheel, ha ha, not it isn't going to budge (I am a weed). Parked it, we will come back to this after I have balanced the carbs and warmed the engine up a bit.
Off with the tank. Leave the rear bolt in loose so the tank doesn't skid off somewhere like the floor and prop the front up with a bit of wood at 45 degrees. (Helps if you have run it down to reserve first). You need to prop it unless you are have super dexterity in one hand to release the electrical connector to the fuel gauge. '98 manual downloaded from here shows 3 hoses, my 2001 only had the single fuel hose, turn of the tap and pull it off. Pull the bolt and put the tank on the floor and inspect what is to come. New to me bike a few months ago, now is a smart time to check the air filter. It's a good one, clearly been replaced very recently.
Oh goodness, those screws are tiny and I don't think I have a screwdriver that will get down there. Actually at this stage I can't see all 3 even with a torch because of the ignition coils and other assorted junk hanging of the cross-bar. Pick up phone, Ebay me a No. 1 Phillips x 250mm long, still think I am going to need it. Fortunately it is a hobby bike, not a commuter so a few days delay won't matter.
Remove the two bolts holding the cross bar and carefully pull the whole assembly up a few inches whilst trying not to stretch any of the wiring attached too much. Slackening off the harness cable ties helps no end. Slide thin bit of wood under crossbar and across top of frame tubes to support it out of the way. Back to the torch, twiddle throttle, ah now we can see all three adjustment screws. Rummage through tool box testing various screwdrivers, yeah might just get away with this. Wrap fuel tank loosely in blanket, put an old cushion on the seat and place fuel tank backwards on seat. Yes, fuel hose reaches back to the tap easily, no bother here. Run rope round fuel tank and chassis, pull tight and knot, I am quite clumsy and don't want a still in good condition tank bouncing off on to the floor. Start engine briefly to make sure I haven't pulled any hoses or wires off, all ok. Watch the loosely fitted black plastic elbow that allows the carb tops to breathe doesn't go walkabout.
The throttle cable had developed quite a lot of slack recently, now I can see why - one of the adjuster nuts is loose at the carb end. 10mm wrench to tighten, nigh on impossible to access with the coils in place, a doddle with them lifted up and out of the way per previous.
Assemble my new Morgan Carbtune. Last one of these I had, long since lost, used mercury. I am about to find out that the current version is much easier to read (and from memory responds more quickly) and yet the shim packs still have an uncanny resemblance to mercury columns shimmering (sorry) up and down.
Pinkies in between the carbs to remove the bungs and back in to fit the Carbtune. Start engine and let engine warm up until radiator too hot to touch. Its October, seems to take ages. Carbtune not fussed about a few blips to 6000 rpm to help the process, don't think you could get away with that in the mercury days.
Engine is warm, the columns aren't even so tweak the balance screws until they are. I haven't read deeply on this, the manual is on the computer which is inacessible right now, so I don't know if there is supposed to be a master reference carb or not. Doesn't seem to matter, we have 4 carbs and 3 adjustment screws and an idle adjuster to get it back to the right tickover speed, I will look it up later (now I have remembered, still to do!). All columns within Morgan's 2cm Hg recommendation, probably nearer to 1cm without any great difficulty. Few throttle blips, no meaningful variation, we are done.
With hindsight, yes I could have checked the balance without fuel tank removal, no I don't see any way on this earth you could make adjustments with the tank in situ although someone will probably tell me I am wrong. Engine seems a little smoother and more responsive, out for 60 miles today and yes it is nicer to ride, particularly when applying small throttle opening albeit fxing the throttle slack would have helped that no end.
Reassembled everything taking the opportunity to do a bit of HT cable and hose routing tidying along the way.
Back to the camchain adjuster. Engine is now nice and warm, put it in 6th gear, drop it off the centrestand and push the bike backwwards a couple of times. Yep, that's a scientific half turn backwards of the engine. Is it any quieter, not sure since I didn't record the noise before I started messing. Today's test ride appers to confirm that I haven't done anything too stupid since everything is beautiful. Aa are the trees along one particular part of my test route. All the same species, close to the road in two avenues for about a mile with leaves turning gold, magnificent, Not many more decent riding days left this year I fear, I am an old wuss now and 14C seems quite chilly.
Hopefully the above waffle is useful to someone, throw rocks at it as you will. Cheers all.
(Haven't touched the TPS, should I have?)
I don't know if my camchain is noisy or not, don't think it is really but read the bit about turning the engine backwards half turn or so to make a sticky adjuster move to the next position. Bike on centre standard, select 6th gear with plugs in, tried to rotate rear wheel, ha ha, not it isn't going to budge (I am a weed). Parked it, we will come back to this after I have balanced the carbs and warmed the engine up a bit.
Off with the tank. Leave the rear bolt in loose so the tank doesn't skid off somewhere like the floor and prop the front up with a bit of wood at 45 degrees. (Helps if you have run it down to reserve first). You need to prop it unless you are have super dexterity in one hand to release the electrical connector to the fuel gauge. '98 manual downloaded from here shows 3 hoses, my 2001 only had the single fuel hose, turn of the tap and pull it off. Pull the bolt and put the tank on the floor and inspect what is to come. New to me bike a few months ago, now is a smart time to check the air filter. It's a good one, clearly been replaced very recently.
Oh goodness, those screws are tiny and I don't think I have a screwdriver that will get down there. Actually at this stage I can't see all 3 even with a torch because of the ignition coils and other assorted junk hanging of the cross-bar. Pick up phone, Ebay me a No. 1 Phillips x 250mm long, still think I am going to need it. Fortunately it is a hobby bike, not a commuter so a few days delay won't matter.
Remove the two bolts holding the cross bar and carefully pull the whole assembly up a few inches whilst trying not to stretch any of the wiring attached too much. Slackening off the harness cable ties helps no end. Slide thin bit of wood under crossbar and across top of frame tubes to support it out of the way. Back to the torch, twiddle throttle, ah now we can see all three adjustment screws. Rummage through tool box testing various screwdrivers, yeah might just get away with this. Wrap fuel tank loosely in blanket, put an old cushion on the seat and place fuel tank backwards on seat. Yes, fuel hose reaches back to the tap easily, no bother here. Run rope round fuel tank and chassis, pull tight and knot, I am quite clumsy and don't want a still in good condition tank bouncing off on to the floor. Start engine briefly to make sure I haven't pulled any hoses or wires off, all ok. Watch the loosely fitted black plastic elbow that allows the carb tops to breathe doesn't go walkabout.
The throttle cable had developed quite a lot of slack recently, now I can see why - one of the adjuster nuts is loose at the carb end. 10mm wrench to tighten, nigh on impossible to access with the coils in place, a doddle with them lifted up and out of the way per previous.
Assemble my new Morgan Carbtune. Last one of these I had, long since lost, used mercury. I am about to find out that the current version is much easier to read (and from memory responds more quickly) and yet the shim packs still have an uncanny resemblance to mercury columns shimmering (sorry) up and down.
Pinkies in between the carbs to remove the bungs and back in to fit the Carbtune. Start engine and let engine warm up until radiator too hot to touch. Its October, seems to take ages. Carbtune not fussed about a few blips to 6000 rpm to help the process, don't think you could get away with that in the mercury days.
Engine is warm, the columns aren't even so tweak the balance screws until they are. I haven't read deeply on this, the manual is on the computer which is inacessible right now, so I don't know if there is supposed to be a master reference carb or not. Doesn't seem to matter, we have 4 carbs and 3 adjustment screws and an idle adjuster to get it back to the right tickover speed, I will look it up later (now I have remembered, still to do!). All columns within Morgan's 2cm Hg recommendation, probably nearer to 1cm without any great difficulty. Few throttle blips, no meaningful variation, we are done.
With hindsight, yes I could have checked the balance without fuel tank removal, no I don't see any way on this earth you could make adjustments with the tank in situ although someone will probably tell me I am wrong. Engine seems a little smoother and more responsive, out for 60 miles today and yes it is nicer to ride, particularly when applying small throttle opening albeit fxing the throttle slack would have helped that no end.
Reassembled everything taking the opportunity to do a bit of HT cable and hose routing tidying along the way.
Back to the camchain adjuster. Engine is now nice and warm, put it in 6th gear, drop it off the centrestand and push the bike backwwards a couple of times. Yep, that's a scientific half turn backwards of the engine. Is it any quieter, not sure since I didn't record the noise before I started messing. Today's test ride appers to confirm that I haven't done anything too stupid since everything is beautiful. Aa are the trees along one particular part of my test route. All the same species, close to the road in two avenues for about a mile with leaves turning gold, magnificent, Not many more decent riding days left this year I fear, I am an old wuss now and 14C seems quite chilly.
Hopefully the above waffle is useful to someone, throw rocks at it as you will. Cheers all.
(Haven't touched the TPS, should I have?)