77D assessment.

[Wingedwheel]

Picked up a seat off FB on the cheap and even though it’s for a 78SE other than the normal issue with the slack in the latch it’s much better than the fart catcher I had on there. Also received the fuel filters I was waiting on so I hooked up the gas line, poured some fuel into the tank and figured I’d see how it runs. First mistake, trusting the old petcocks. Just touched them and gas poured out every orifice the had. OK I have the set I bought that had one weeper that I worked on and figured it couldn’t hurt. Also I’m lucky I had two sets of new screws because the existing ones looked like someone had tried to take them out with a #1 Phillips. The fix I wrote about in the petcock thread must have worked because everything seems fine. Whoop, no, there’s gas pouring out of right carb. Tapped the bowl and that fixed that. Used the kicker to start it and yessir! Runs a little rough due to not having the Airboxes on but runs. Took a spin down the street and she shifts and is really very smooth. Pulled up to the garage and she idles. I looked down and now the left carb has a stuck float needle. Tapping didn’t take care of it so I will have to pull them back off so I can use a q-tip on a drill with a little toothpaste or something to clean those seats better.

 

[nj1639]

That '78 SE seat foam and cover could/should transfer over to your '77 pan if you'ld be inclined, trim the low hanging Special foam flaps and choose which chrome accent to dress it up. It will then match the line of the side covers and also latch like normal.
Looking good.

 

[Wingedwheel]

That '78 SE seat foam and cover could/should transfer over to your '77 pan if you'ld be inclined

As of now I’m still on the fence as far as keeping this one. I need to make some room and finance my ‘72 rebuild but I don’t want to let it go without at least making it a running, riding machine.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Must have been a little garbage I missed because I have no gas issues today. Carbs could def use a little tuning but it starts right up and idles nicely. I could hear a little cam chain noise and a small adjustment took care of that. This would be an awesome and easy project as it has what I consider minor issues but unfortunately it’s time to thin the herd.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Finally had a minute do go back into the bucket and try to decipher the PO firckery.

 

[Wingedwheel]

From what I can see the purple has been spliced into the loom upstream of the RH control. The diagram I’m looking at from the tech section shows a switch however this model does not have this. I need to look inside the control and see what the configuration is. The headlight comes on with the key so could this have been a try at bypassing the light checker? I guess I’ll put it back the way it’s supposed to be and see what happens.

 

[jpdevol]

From what I can see the purple has been spliced into the loom upstream of the RH control. The diagram I’m looking at from the tech section shows a switch however this model does not have this. I need to look inside the control and see what the configuration is. The headlight comes on with the key so could this have been a try at bypassing the light checker? I guess I’ll put it back the way it’s supposed to be and see what happens.View attachment 244049

Your right hand switch housing looks original to the bike, but as you said; has no headlight switch and that didn't happen on US models until '79 models. We've seen some non-US market bikes have different wiring schemes. From memory: a Canadian '76 that was wired with a dual safety relay & headlight switch as would a '78 US model. Your wiring - such as it is - might make more sense when comparing to a '79 model from Tech

 

[Wingedwheel]

Your wiring - such as it is - might make more sense when comparing to a '79 model from Tech

Thanks Jeff, I took a look and it’s not a match. The schematic for the 77 is correct with my bike as far as color and routing but your suggestion does make me wonder about that control. The lead coming off it does have the correct # and color wires for the 77 but if there is no HL switch what are they doing? Maybe when all the BBQ I’ve eaten this weekend wears off………..

 

[650Skull]

My guess is the right bar switch is a mikesXS one.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Why do you say that?

 

[650Skull]

Never seen a factory bar switch oxidise and peel paint like that. And 77D's should have a light on/off switch

 

[Wingedwheel]

The paint peeled because the MC leaked all over it.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Although now that you mention it, I have no R/Y or Purple wire running into the control harness so possibly an aftermarket switch as Skull suggests. They tied the circuit together for an always on HL and removed the 6 plug end.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Ordered a repop control and new 6 place connector. I really can’t help myself as far as fixing things but in good conscience I would feel guilty if someone bought this bike from me and it wasn’t right. I also wondered why the wires in the bucket were so long and the correct color. They must have used the wires from the original controls for the new “hack harness”

 

[Wingedwheel]

These look much better than the last re-pop I bought

 

[jetmechmarty]

These look much better than the last re-pop I boughtView attachment 244365

I won't pretend to know anything about the vintage parts business, but it seems to me unlikely that these things have more than one source, no matter the vendor. Perhaps it has been improved.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Appearance wise, yes at least these have a beefier casing and kill switch knob although I’m sure it’s the same cheap switches inside. I have to change the connectors from bullet to a 6 place blade connector so my order included a couple of those as well.

 

[5twins]

Some of the older switches didn't have a connector block on them but rather all individual bullets. The '77 switch I adapted for use on my '83 was like this. But my original '83 switch did have a 4 wire connector block, so I added one to the '77 switch. That way it would plug into the harness .....

The 3 wires in the block are kill switch power in and out, and the starter button wire. The 3 individual wires are from the light on-off switch (power in, power out to the tail light, power out to the high-low switch).

 

[5twins]

Here's a section from the '77 wiring diagram. You may not be able to use that 6 connector block, you may need individual bullets .....

 

[Wingedwheel]

Made me look and yes, saved me from myself again. The 6 place connector I was looking at is for the LH control. Although I believe installing the connector would work it will be much easier to add the female bullet ends to the existing harness. Thanks