Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Apr 14, 2018 16:46:35 GMT 1
Has anybody ever tried to electroplate the inside of a tank? Zinc would be the obvious choice, but copper would be easier, I think.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jan 17, 2018 9:36:17 GMT 1
I just put G cramps on the top runners to secure the top of the door. Steel bolts into the floor secure the bottom. Neither of these show from the outside.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Dec 20, 2017 10:14:24 GMT 1
It's almost certainly caused by interference from new 4G mobile phone signals in your area. Blame the government for selling off the frequency that Free-to air TV uses to the phone companies. There is a company set up to try to solve the issues called "At800". Look at www.at800.tvor phone 0333 31 800, and they will send you a filter to put in the arial wire which is supposed to cure the problem. We have got one, and we still have the problem after dark, but it's OK in the day. Since we have Freesat and Virgin Cable as well it's not too much of a problem for us. Cheers Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Nov 9, 2017 10:09:31 GMT 1
One possible explanation is that Yamaha were using two different suppliers for their castings, or more likely, two different die makers for the moulds. The different numbers on identical castings would allow them to identify the source.
I do know for sure that Yamaha are closely tied up with other companies. They make parts for other factories, and buy items from outside sources.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Nov 5, 2017 10:14:06 GMT 1
Only one clip?
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Sept 21, 2017 9:30:42 GMT 1
I use an old Boxford, which came with a good box of tooling, but with a three phase motor. So I had to buy an single phase to three phase inverter. However, the inverter came with a programmable speed controller. The result of that is that in the last three years, all the change wheels have stayed in the box, because I can easily vary the speed between about 20rpm and 500rpm. That has saved me a lot of time and fiddling about. Just a thought, seeing that three phase lathes are less sellable and tend to come more cheaply. Cheers
Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Sept 15, 2017 9:21:21 GMT 1
How far North West? I know a good place close to Stoke.
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Dave B
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Posts: 240
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Post by Dave B on Aug 20, 2017 9:43:29 GMT 1
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Aug 20, 2017 9:39:03 GMT 1
Kettle descaler is often Formic Acid, what ants use to sting you, it does remove lime scale. Brick cleaner, for getting cement stains off brickwork, is often Hydrochloric acid, which would wreck an aluminium cylinder very thoroughly. I tried it as a possible way of removing some very stuck rings from a Kawasaki triple piston. Overnight, the piston diameter reduced by 3mm. The ring was still stuck! Some people swear by Phosphoric acid, which is a very good rust remover, and you can find it in dilute form in Coca Cola. That might be worth a try. I have heard of people who used to use Hydroflouric Acid to clean aluminium. It apparently dissolves aluminium oxide, but leaves the bare metal. Don't even think about it! It cleans ally very well, but it also dissolves your bones, and glass. If the white deposits are lime scale, a calcium compound, any acid will dissolve it. But Aluminium and Calcium are very close chemically, so what dissolves one will nearly always dissolve the other.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Aug 1, 2017 9:13:06 GMT 1
Now I know it's possible, I'll carry on with plan B, which is to make one out of perspex, use that to mark up the correct positions in each gear, then use that as a template to make out out of paxolin. Paxolin is old fashioned, but it has two advantages. It is a good insulator, not affected by heat, and more importantly, I've already got some. Cheers
Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jul 29, 2017 9:16:45 GMT 1
On my hybrid I have fitted a digital dashboard. When I was checking all the connections, I must have had the connector block upside down, because when I tested the neutral light, it indicated that the bike was in third gear. That was easily fixed, but it occurred to me that if I were make a new plastic plate for the neutral switch, adding another six contacts, and wire each one through to the dash, I could have a proper gear indicator. The dash allows for six gears.
Does anyone have a spare plastic neutral light plate that I could have a try with? It's been a long job getting this bike sorted, and I dont want to delay it any further by adding complications at this stage.
The dash has an input for fuel level too- but I can't see any way of making that work. I think the tank is from a FZR600- and I have no plans to start cutting holes in it.
Cheers
Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jul 27, 2017 9:23:22 GMT 1
The fact is that the Honda was such a disappointment this year, and even worse that that, it was unpredictable and dangerous. McGuinness' bike crashed and injured him when the auto-blipper opened the throttle as he was entering a corner. Guy's bike had a problem with the braking which might also have been caused by the programming of the electronics. It's no wonder that he had no confidence in the bike and was not able to trust it enough to push it to the limits. Little wonder that he prefers classic bikes, where the rider operates the controls, not the ECU. Confidence is everything on the track. All the bad crashes happen when the rider is worried about something on the bike. He's done the right thing to call it a day for Road Racing.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jul 7, 2017 9:09:25 GMT 1
Seems to work, for me at least.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jul 7, 2017 9:08:34 GMT 1
This is just an experiment, but it is a liquid cooled Yamaha, after all. It's a little bit of work I did for Yamaha Marine when I was still working. It's hosted on my own website own websit
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jul 4, 2017 10:56:01 GMT 1
I was thinking about making a fibreglass tank cover, with an aluminium tank underneath for my Suzuki RG50LC. The original tank has huge rust holes, far beyond repair, but it could be made into a plug with wire mesh and plaster, and from that you could make a mould to produce a fibreglass replica tank cover. A much more boxy tank would go inside it. That's if I decide to keep it looking standard. I might just fit Metrakit plastics. I do not rate my chances of finding a good tank for a Far-East-Market only bike, as rare as this.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jun 13, 2017 8:13:05 GMT 1
The purpose of the cutaway, is to hold a slug of fuel/air mix inside the slide. When the throttle is opened quickly, that fuel mix is sucked into the engine to keep it from going lean during the time it takes for the main jet to start flowing. The downside is that a larger cutaway causes more turbulance at full throttle. A big cutaway gives a better pick up for the couple of seconds after you whack the throttle open. A small cutaway gives better performance at full throttle, but may bog if you do whack the throttle open. So the best cutaway size depends on your priorities and your riding style. The cutaway definitely faces the incoming air. Once you know what it's doing, that's obvious.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on May 28, 2017 9:31:44 GMT 1
Petrol in the gearbox/ transmission oil? That's not good. If the petrol tap is leaking, and the float valves are not closing fully, then petrol will leak into the crankcase. The mystery is how it is getting from there into the gearbox. The obvious suspects are the crank seals, which is bad. Otherwise it could be the horizontal joint between the crankcase halves leaking, and that's worse. What worries me most is that the crankcase would need to be holding a very large volume of petrol for it to reach half way up the cases, and I would expect that much petrol to cause a hydraulic lock when you try to start the engine. On your original question, if ther is no sign of corrosion on your original tap, rebuild it. If there is, you need a new one. Cheers
Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on May 4, 2017 8:28:58 GMT 1
Both piston slap, caused by too much piston to bore clearance, and clatter from a loose small end bearing are most noticeable as the engine slows when you close the throttle. While the engine is accelerating, there is enough gas pressure on the piston crown to hold the piston hard against the front cylinder wall, and to hold the small end bearing down. As you close the throttle, the gas pressure falls, and the piston can rattle from the front of the cylinder to the back, and the momentum of the rising piston as it stops at TDC will lift the gudgeon pin in the bearing, making a clattering noise. I've only listened on computer speakers, but I'm pretty sure I can hear both noises from your AR. Incidentally, pistons are tapered, on purpose, but the standard place to measure is just below the rings, not at the skirt. They are often oval too, but let's not bother about that! Personally, I think you need a rebore and a new piston kit complete with small end bearing and pin. Changing parts piecemeal will be money down the drain. Most people will have a rebore done after port work anyway. Cheers Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Apr 30, 2017 10:19:16 GMT 1
Definitely Olivers Mount. You will never get closer to the action, and the circuit is terrifying, narrow, steep and with the tightest hairpins you have ever seen.
I have raced there and it's even scarier on the other side of the fence! It's also in Scarborough, which is a seaside town with lots of places to stay, and is worth visiting in its own right, with a Castle with connections to Richard lll, a history that included key moments in both the Wars of theRoses, and the English Civil War. You can eat some great, super fresh, fish and ride a Victorian Cliff Tram system to get you up and down the very steep parts close to the shore. You could not do better. I lived there for eight years, so this is first hand knowledge!
Cheers Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Mar 11, 2017 10:31:36 GMT 1
I went in a different direction with my old SR 500 racer. I turned it into a pretend Manx Norton
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Mar 11, 2017 10:14:05 GMT 1
Even before those plunger pumps, two stroke bikes often had a measuring tube on the under side of the petrol cap. You could pour oil from the bottle that you carried in the canvas or leather tool box into the tube welded to the upside down cap, which was designed to hold the right amount of oil for a gallon of petrol. Nobody could afford more than a gallon at a time in those days. Cheers
Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Feb 26, 2017 11:34:12 GMT 1
I have a scar on my knee from an accident I had on my Tiger Cub, fifty four years ago. There are a lot of tiny scars on my forehead too , but that is from my early atttempts at welding expansion chambers together. If you don't get the gas pressure right for the nozzle size, it pops back and splatters you with tiny droplets of molten steel. It was a learning experience! You know how people say that you know something 'like the back of your hand'? Well, the backs of my hands now show the scars of all those burns, cuts, battered knuckles, and scrapes that come from a lifetime of making things. Most of those were invisible until age made the skin thinner and less flexible, now they are souvenirs of a thousand projects. I have wrecked three sets of race leathers- but none of those crashes left a mark on me. Apart from that, I'm brand new! Cheers Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Feb 23, 2017 10:52:05 GMT 1
I must go and have a look at that when I next find myself in the Newcastle area. I like a laugh!
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Feb 8, 2017 10:42:32 GMT 1
Vernier calipers are not very reliable for measuring a cylinder bore. For a start, they can only measure the size at the top of the bore, where the rings have never been- they do not reach into the working part of the cylinder. Secondly, it is not easy to be use that you are exactly on the max diameter, and not slightly offset to one side. There are three ways to measure a cylinder bore. You can use telescopic "T" gauges. You put the gauge into the bore, unlock the telescopic arms, rock the gauge until it exactly fits, lock it, then tilt it to avoid spoiling the reading as you take it out. Then measure the gauge with your Vernier or Micrometer. your chances of getting an accurate absolute reading are very poor. What they are good for is checking taper and ovality. You can use a bore micrometer. It fits onto a T handle, drops into the bore, then you turn the mic screw in the normal way. Like all micrometers, to get a true reading takes practice- lots of it! Finally, you can use a professional bore gauge, they need to be calibrated regularly, ideally in a metrology lab, and cost a fortune to buy. If your reborer has not got one, go somewhere else. They give a true reading on a dial, or these days, on a digital display. If you take a cold cylinder into a warm room, a bore gauge will allow you to watch as the bore size changes.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Feb 8, 2017 10:27:13 GMT 1
Vernier calipers are not very reliable for measuring a cylinder bore. For a start, they can only measure the size at the top of the bore, where the rings have never been- they do not reach into the working part of the cylinder. Secondly, it is not easy to be use that you are exactly on the max diameter, and not slightly offset to one side. There are three ways to measure a cylinder bore. You can use telescopic "T" gauges. You put the gauge into the bore, unlock the telescopic arms, rock the gauge until it exactly fits, lock it, then tilt it to avoid spoiling the reading as you take it out. Then measure the gauge with your Vernier or Micrometer. your chances of getting an accurate absolute reading are very poor. What they are good for is checking taper and ovality. You can use a bore micrometer. It fits onto a T handle, drops into the bore, then you turn the mic screw in the normal way. Like all micrometers, to get a true reading takes practice- lots of it! Finally, you can use a professional bore gauge, they need to be calibrated regularly, ideally in a metrology lab, and cost a fortune to buy. If your reborer has not got one, go somewhere else. They give a true reading on a dial, or these days, on a digital display. If you take a cold cylinder into a warm room, a bore gauge will allow you to watch as the bore size changes.
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Dave B
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Posts: 240
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Post by Dave B on Feb 7, 2017 10:06:24 GMT 1
Black Sabbath made their name on the live stage, so it's only right that they should finish there too. I wish there was time to tell you the story of how their first album was released practically by accident. I came across dozens of fabulous stories, mostly about Ozzy, while talking to some of the musos in Birmingham, including the man who first signed them.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jan 29, 2017 10:56:25 GMT 1
There is a problem with the idea of a power band. if the motor is producing, say 12 bhp at 5000 rpm, and 25bhp at 6000, that feels like an exciting surge in power, and an innocent rider might think it was an exciting powerband. If you actually looked into it, or if you were riding on the track, and interested in the best lap times, you would think of that as a bike with a huge hole in the power curve at 5000rpm, making it a pain to ride fast on, and dog slow on a wet track. Believe me, you are on full throttle for far less than "all the time" on the track, and the pickup from slow corners, like Mallory hairpin, is where those few tenths off your lap times come from.
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jan 8, 2017 18:46:02 GMT 1
No not me! It's been fifteen years since I did any work with big outboard based motors, and most of the serious development was with the threes. We did have a V6 Suzuki that was lined up to go in a GS750 frame, but I left Brid before it came to anything. Cheers
Dave
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jan 8, 2017 18:09:20 GMT 1
That's a tricky one! Unfortunately the computer that ran my exhaust design program is in the rubbish skip, but I can guess that with a 180 degree timing difference, it would be a good start to build a pipe with the tuned lengths meant for a motor that runs at twice the speed. So if you want the power at 7000 rpm, design a pipe suitable for 14000 rpm. The best place for the junction between the two pipes would be either the end of the front pipe, before the first diffuser cone, or, if that does not give you enough room, join the pipes at the belly- the fattest part. This is unknown territory, I've never heard of anyone doing it on a V8. The big problem, just as when you fit a normal 2-1 to a 180 degree twin, is that as one cylinder is at the point that the exhaust port is closing, and the return pressure pulse arrives to stuff the mixture back into the cylinder, the same pulse arrives at the other cylinder just as the exhaust port opens, when ideally there should be a negative pulse there. A half length pipe SHOULD just allow one cylinder always to support the other. It won't at some engine speeds, but it should!
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Dave B
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Post by Dave B on Jan 4, 2017 10:38:36 GMT 1
A chap I know in Australia swears by what he calls Canola oil. That's what they sell in the supermarket as Rapeseed oil- what you cook your chips with. He runs all his machinery with it, from chainsaws to bikes. He reckons that it does not actually burn in the combustion chamber, and so reduces carbon deposits. On the other hand, he rides a Jawa 350. (probably designed to be coal fired!) Actually another friend, in the UK this time, uses it too- but as fuel in a diesel car. He has fitted the pump from a marine version of the motor that is designed for heavier oils. Says it saves a fortune in diesel. (So much for the 'not burning' suggestion!) One thing I do know, a group of us in the seventies all started using Bardahl synthetic at 50:1 instead of mineral oil at 30:1. We all had improved performance, and within twelve months, we all had to replace big end bearings and mains. They did not like the lesser amount of oil at all. Personally, I used 747 for the race bikes, use a semi synth premix on the road, with a few ml of Castrol R for the perfume!
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