I had some use it or lose it vacation this week and next. With my better half spending a few days with her cousin this has allowed me to spend unlimited time in the shop this week.
Yesterday I tackled the carbs and finished the job as 2 am. Was not stopping until they were done. I had previously soda blasted them and then had the bodies ultrasonic cleaned by Mike Nixon.
http://www.motorcycleproject.com/ He also found two of the pilot jets were clogged so bad they had to be replaced. Highly recommend his Carb book. When I attached the carbs to the mounting plate the chokes were all but locked up! I ended up shimming one corner of the #1 and #4 carbs to get everything lined up and moving freely.
Here is the before:
And the after:
Over the last month I have assembled the top end and degreed the Cam. Used the hose clamp trick to get the pistons in the cylinder.
My degree wheel had an 8mm hole from a prior project and the ignition end of the crank has a 6mm threaded hole. I made an adapter out of a piece of aluminum bar about 3/4 x 1/2 and 3/4 long. Drilled and tapped a 6mm threaded hole in one end and a 8mm threaded hole in the other. Cut off a 6mm bolt to make a stud which I loctited in and then used a 8mm bolt to attach the degree wheel.
Used a piston stop from APE to find top dead center (TDC).
Then a dial gauge to measure the valve movement and locate .05", then record the reading off the degree wheel.
Got lucky and was 106 degrees on the Intake and 108 degrees on the exhaust for the cam lobe centers. The spec I was shooting for was 107 degrees. Was not sure which way I needed to move the cam sprocket so I called Web Cam. Turns out I needed to retard the cam 1/2 a degree to get a 1 degree movement at the crank. They suggested and I agreed it was not worth the effort. Still need to check the piston to valve clearance.
Have the frame back from the painter. I was not pleased with the studs that the exhaust brackets hung from as they were not square to the frame and too flimsy. Used a hole saw to drill a hole in the gusset just in front of the shock mount. A machinist friend made up some plugs on his lathe which were drilled and tapped. Had them welded into the frame using a piece or rod run through the holes to ensure they were square. They are much stronger and square to the exhaust so no need to twist them to match the frame angle.
Here is a picture of the brackets holding the lower megaphone to the upper megaphone.
With one more week of vacation hoping to make good progress before it is back to the day job. Not sure it is realistic, but would like to have it running by June 1. No way I can have it all finished by then, but can't wait to hear the open megaphones!
