Hi Ray,
what works better is to swap out the rubber-faced washers for Dowty seals.
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Miss November XS2 tribute
- Thread starter Raymond
- Start date
what works better is to swap out the rubber-faced washers for Dowty seals.
Hi Fred, swapped the composite washers for Suzuki copper ones a while back.
Went for a test ride yesterday and I'm not sure if the leak is stopped. The amount of oil you lose is negligible but I don't want an oily engine.
Went for a test ride yesterday and I'm not sure if the leak is stopped. The amount of oil you lose is negligible but I don't want an oily engine.
Hi Ray,
while solid copper washers are a step in the right direction, copper is still kinda soft.
Dowty seals are solid steel with an inner elastomeric sealing ring. Look 'em up, eh?
Tuesday, went for a longer ride - went to see Elliot in Northumberland. 110 miles there & back on my route of mainly minor roads and lanes, just one stretch on A1 trunk route. The oil leak might well be stopped - if still leaking, it's really not much.
But the bike has started stopping. When we set off, coasting down to the main road half-a-mile from home, the engine cut out. Two or three kicks and no sign of life. Pushed the bike to a less in-the-way spot and the engine started after another two or three kicks. Hmmm. Put it down to not fully warmed up yet.
On the way home from Elliot's, barreling along a farm road at 60-ish, the bike was running well, until I part-closed throttle approaching a kink and I felt the engine shut down. Of course, it's still turning. Tried opening & closing throttle, and as we lost speed tried selecting a lower gear, but no go. Coasted to a halt and the engine was dead. Two or three kicks and no sign of life. 'Nother two or three kicks and still no sign of life. Checked the battery earth - firmly attached. Another two or three kicks and she lights up. Rode the remaining few miles home without further incident.
What does that sound like? Going to check the battery earth again, going to check the battery is fully charged. Should I be looking at electrics? Carbs? Fuel taps? IDK.
But the bike has started stopping. When we set off, coasting down to the main road half-a-mile from home, the engine cut out. Two or three kicks and no sign of life. Pushed the bike to a less in-the-way spot and the engine started after another two or three kicks. Hmmm. Put it down to not fully warmed up yet.
On the way home from Elliot's, barreling along a farm road at 60-ish, the bike was running well, until I part-closed throttle approaching a kink and I felt the engine shut down. Of course, it's still turning. Tried opening & closing throttle, and as we lost speed tried selecting a lower gear, but no go. Coasted to a halt and the engine was dead. Two or three kicks and no sign of life. 'Nother two or three kicks and still no sign of life. Checked the battery earth - firmly attached. Another two or three kicks and she lights up. Rode the remaining few miles home without further incident.
What does that sound like? Going to check the battery earth again, going to check the battery is fully charged. Should I be looking at electrics? Carbs? Fuel taps? IDK.
Stop press - started by checking battery earth again. Seemed tight enough when I fiddled with it yesterday but when I put a screwdriver on the wee securing screw today, found it was only about finger tight. Tightened it down snug.
Then on a whim, went and found a short screw with an allen head and replaced the old cross head with that. Whanged* it down tight with an allen key.
I now suspect a loose-ish battery earth caused Miss November's occasional fit of the vapours on Tuesday. Score one more to the bloke on the Lonely Ones forum who stated years ago that 99% of all electrical gremlins turn out to be loose battery earth.
* technical term meaning to make good 'n' tight but without using a torque wrench
Then on a whim, went and found a short screw with an allen head and replaced the old cross head with that. Whanged* it down tight with an allen key.
I now suspect a loose-ish battery earth caused Miss November's occasional fit of the vapours on Tuesday. Score one more to the bloke on the Lonely Ones forum who stated years ago that 99% of all electrical gremlins turn out to be loose battery earth.
* technical term meaning to make good 'n' tight but without using a torque wrench
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The same happened to me while being chased by a thunderstorm in the dark a few years ago. Fortunately, it never shut down all the way. I discovered the loose negative cable the following morning.
Test ride - went to Gala and shoved some petrol in the tank.
Mixed results. Bike started first kick and felt good even just heading up the street. Definitely crisp response to the throttle. So I'm thinking 'Oh, yes! That's better!'
Coming home on a route over Mosshouses, bike was running so well, till it wasn't anymore. Felt the engine just give up. Same as Tuesday, coasted to a halt with a dead engine. Same as Tuesday, started up again after a number of attempts.
However, still running good again and even gave 'er 70 mph along the A68. This bike makes seventy feel fast - the noise, the vibes, the gale force wind.
But what is the matter? Surely must be electrical? Maybe a loose wire somewhere?
Mixed results. Bike started first kick and felt good even just heading up the street. Definitely crisp response to the throttle. So I'm thinking 'Oh, yes! That's better!'
Coming home on a route over Mosshouses, bike was running so well, till it wasn't anymore. Felt the engine just give up. Same as Tuesday, coasted to a halt with a dead engine. Same as Tuesday, started up again after a number of attempts.
However, still running good again and even gave 'er 70 mph along the A68. This bike makes seventy feel fast - the noise, the vibes, the gale force wind.
But what is the matter? Surely must be electrical? Maybe a loose wire somewhere?
It will be easier to troubleshoot once it goes hard down. It’s really tough to find a fault when it’s running perfectly.
Check the coils. Could be breaking down when they get hot?
Check your fuel cap is venting. It takes a while for the motor to starve when there's good airspace ... fill it to the brim and it dies much quicker. DAMHIK ....
Been away for a week, but yesterday pulled Missy out from the garage and went to Galashiels, plus the long way home of course. Maybe twenty miles?
Thank you @jetmechmarty, @46th Georgia and @nighthog for the suggestions. Don't think it's a blocked vent in the fuel cap - experienced that once with a YDS7 and the tank would audibly breathe in when you opened the cap, so checked by opening the tank. Plus, the time the bike gave up just 1/2 mile from the house - not long enough to build a vacuum? Likewise with the coil breaking down when it's hot, though dodgy coil is something I'll have to consider.
So yesterday all this was in me mind but the bike ran damn near perfect. Can hardly complain about that! Next will be lots of local errands and trips to the shops, see if the giving up and shutting down thing happens again.
Thank you @jetmechmarty, @46th Georgia and @nighthog for the suggestions. Don't think it's a blocked vent in the fuel cap - experienced that once with a YDS7 and the tank would audibly breathe in when you opened the cap, so checked by opening the tank. Plus, the time the bike gave up just 1/2 mile from the house - not long enough to build a vacuum? Likewise with the coil breaking down when it's hot, though dodgy coil is something I'll have to consider.
So yesterday all this was in me mind but the bike ran damn near perfect. Can hardly complain about that! Next will be lots of local errands and trips to the shops, see if the giving up and shutting down thing happens again.
Since attending to the slight leak at the cylinder head, it really does seem to have stopped. Few more short errands and no oil visible.
And no engine quitting today . . .
And no engine quitting today . . .
Hmm. Engine shut down again yesterday.
Heading home from an errand, maybe 12-15 miles, hooning along, 60-70 mph, bike feels great, all is well with the World. Turned on to a minor road a few miles from home, came up behind a slow car. Like, so slow I had to start changing down as I caught up. And felt the engine just stop. Letting the clutch out makes no difference, it won't catch. So while the dawdler takes the turn for this village, Missy and I are left sat cussin' at the side of the junction.
First few kicks, no signs of life. Next few kicks, still no signs of life. Few more kicks, engine catches, quick bit of throttle in case it dies, into gear and rode home without any bother.
It really is looking like fuel starvation - blocked tank vent? Or a heat-related electric issue, coil breaking down? Or something completely else?
Heading home from an errand, maybe 12-15 miles, hooning along, 60-70 mph, bike feels great, all is well with the World. Turned on to a minor road a few miles from home, came up behind a slow car. Like, so slow I had to start changing down as I caught up. And felt the engine just stop. Letting the clutch out makes no difference, it won't catch. So while the dawdler takes the turn for this village, Missy and I are left sat cussin' at the side of the junction.
First few kicks, no signs of life. Next few kicks, still no signs of life. Few more kicks, engine catches, quick bit of throttle in case it dies, into gear and rode home without any bother.
It really is looking like fuel starvation - blocked tank vent? Or a heat-related electric issue, coil breaking down? Or something completely else?
Unfortunately, it can be any of the above.....
As it appears to not happen at full-song and has happened a couple times after slowing down, I'd tend to think electrical. If fuel related, one would think it might tend to happen when fuel demand is greatest. I'd be going through connections methodically - esp. grounds
As it appears to not happen at full-song and has happened a couple times after slowing down, I'd tend to think electrical. If fuel related, one would think it might tend to happen when fuel demand is greatest. I'd be going through connections methodically - esp. grounds
Great that you are out on the bike; sad its showing a fuel issue; pleased you got home.
No doubt you will sort it out.
Ads.
So, today, two outings. Maybe forty miles in all. Missy behaved perfectly. Even gave her a few beans along a stretch of the A68 - backed off coming to a roundabout and wondered whether the engine would give up and die but it was fine. Just dunno . . .
Well, you know how girls are - especially the pretty ones (attention seekers); perhaps she's just jealous of the saddle time the others have been getting
The joy of antique machinery. If it breaks down in a roundabout, at least you get a story to tell. If it doesn’t, it’s just a mundane trip to keep to yourself.
At the Ozark rally my bike quit running. John Chaves pushed me a mile (or was it 10 miles) with his bike. He did it by placing his right foot on my left passenger peg and us running down the highway like that. It got me to a place where we could get a truck and trailer.
Enjoy!
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