The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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Mike H
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#961 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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AJS Cadwell 125 1,000 Miles Service

 
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#962 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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Before that, had to replace a throttle body on the Ural.

A couple of weeks ago wanted to take the Ural out to get fuel and groceries, but would only run on one cylinder (left side). ECU error 224, 'MAP failure'. MAP is Manifold Absolute Pressure, the sensor is soldered onto the ECU circuit board, which is at back of the throttle body (each TB has its own ECU). There is another pressure sensor on the other side of the board that measures barometric pressure via a small port to the outside. Fortunately dealer had a second hand TB, as new ones are stupid money, but still not cheap!

 
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#963 Tank full or empty when garaging bike over winter?

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At the end of this month when my road tax runs out for my Harley I shall be prepping the bike ready for over-wintering and storing in my unheated concrete garage, that can get damp with persistent winter rain.

The bike will get a thorough clean and polish and then given a liberal spraying all over with Scottoiler FS 365 Protector before hooking the battery up to my Harley supersmart battery tender to maintain battery charge and then covering the entire bike with my all weather cover. In the past I have always filled the tank with E5 fuel and had no issues leaving the bike such for up to 5 months other than perhaps once a fortnight firing up the engine for say 5 mins run time. The only change I shall make to this routine would be to fill the tank with Shell V-Power since the introduction of E10 fuel, even though the bike is designed to run with E10 fuel.

So what do you guys do? Do you fill the tank for over-wintering or drain the tank down? In my Harley user manual they say to fill fuel tank and add fuel stabiliser following manufacturers instructions. But I have never used any fuel stabiliser and didn't feel the need.
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#964 Re: Tank full or empty when garaging bike over winter?

Post by jack »

Toppsy wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 11:34 am ...
So what do you guys do? Do you fill the tank for over-wintering or drain the tank down? In my Harley user manual they say to fill fuel tank and add fuel stabiliser following manufacturers instructions. But I have never used any fuel stabiliser and didn't feel the need.
Not motorbikes (we don't have any), but for all the other 4- & 2-stroke stuff, we use Aspen 2 or 4 alkylate petrol as the last tank before storing away so that no varnishes etc. settle into the carb jets and that nasty E10 ethanol can't rot stuff over winter. It's too expensive to run day-to-day, but for winterising it's excellent.
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#965 Re: Tank full or empty when garaging bike over winter?

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jack wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 2:33 pm
Toppsy wrote: Thu Sep 09, 2021 11:34 am ...
So what do you guys do? Do you fill the tank for over-wintering or drain the tank down? In my Harley user manual they say to fill fuel tank and add fuel stabiliser following manufacturers instructions. But I have never used any fuel stabiliser and didn't feel the need.
Not motorbikes (we don't have any), but for all the other 4- & 2-stroke stuff, we use Aspen 2 or 4 alkylate petrol as the last tank before storing away so that no varnishes etc. settle into the carb jets and that nasty E10 ethanol can't rot stuff over winter. It's too expensive to run day-to-day, but for winterising it's excellent.
That’s the first sign of someone understanding their vehicle is in danger of long term decay from this stuff.

If I had a petrol engines vehicle of any age I wanted to last I’d go to every length to protect the aluminium and the seals from the additional degradation ethanol causes. I drive a diesel.
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#966 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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There was a time when filling the tank to the brim was a sensible thing to do. But that was before the world's
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#967 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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There was a time when filling the tank to the brim was a sensible thing to do. But that was before the world's collective embrace of both lunacy and ethanol.

Ethanol is determinably hygroscopic and the greater the concentration of the stuff in petrol, the greater the risk of tank corrosion and the digestion of metal and certain plastic-based materials if it is left in the fuel system for any substantial length of time. Consequently, the old practice no longer is a good idea. For the last few years, I have drained the tank and the rest of the system. With a long nozzle on a can of WD40, sprayed as much of the seams and folds within the tank as possible and, leaving it empty, then sealed the cap and breather. The carburettor is drained and compressed air blown through as much of it as I can manage. More WD40 squirted about the carb as whilst this principally is a water dispersant, it does contain spindle oils, so will not upset the engine if ingested when things come to life in the spring.

Another squirt, this time engine oil through the plug hole, plug back in and finger tight with piston left at TDC to keep air out of the barrel and load off valve springs. Needn't bother about the springs if you have a Ducati! Of course, this only works with a single cylinder which, as any fule knows, is all a proper motorcycle requires.

Hope this might be useful.
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#968 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

Post by Nick »

Needn't bother about the springs if you have a Ducati! Of course
Mine had small springs to hold the valve shut when starting. Just saying.
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#969 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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Baggy Trousers wrote: Sat Sep 11, 2021 6:31 pm There was a time when filling the tank to the brim was a sensible thing to do. But that was before the world's collective embrace of both lunacy and ethanol.

Ethanol is determinably hygroscopic and the greater the concentration of the stuff in petrol, the greater the risk of tank corrosion and the digestion of metal and certain plastic-based materials if it is left in the fuel system for any substantial length of time. Consequently, the old practice no longer is a good idea. For the last few years, I have drained the tank and the rest of the system. With a long nozzle on a can of WD40, sprayed as much of the seams and folds within the tank as possible and, leaving it empty, then sealed the cap and breather. The carburettor is drained and compressed air blown through as much of it as I can manage. More WD40 squirted about the carb as whilst this principally is a water dispersant, it does contain spindle oils, so will not upset the engine if ingested when things come to life in the spring.

Another squirt, this time engine oil through the plug hole, plug back in and finger tight with piston left at TDC to keep air out of the barrel and load off valve springs. Needn't bother about the springs if you have a Ducati! Of course, this only works with a single cylinder which, as any fule knows, is all a proper motorcycle requires.

Hope this might be useful.
I’d be loathe to use WD40 in this manner. Aside from it being a water dispersant, it’s also a penetrant and degreaser which I’d imagine is not good for seals either. It also dries to a film which has the opposite effect of a lubricant.
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#970 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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Sorry not posted in a while - seem to be busy lately but couldn't tell you now, doing what exactly - but when I look at forums AT tends to get left out, having run out of time, time for bed whatever - anyway after fitting the replacement throttle body, went to the dealer F2 motorcycles near Wisbech for its service, this had been cancelled twice before, first time because of the small (as it turned out) electrical fire which stuffed up the starter motor. Rebooked service after new starter motor was installed and wiring replaced, then the throttle body went toes up - service postponed again until that was fixed, then rebooked for the 3rd time. So finally made it to F2 on the Friday; oils changes etc, then plugged into the computer, ECU's were updated with latest version of fuelling map etc. so they're both now the same, throttles balanced (balancing is done via the OBD, as the ECU's have integral manifold vacuum sensors - it was one of these that had stopped working before requiring a 'new' TB).

Then on the Saturday I noticed this ...


:shock:
Drive shaft UJ is shot...

Dave at F2 says he checked it at the service so must have happened during the afternoon on the return home! Another expensive bit to get, the Ural is costing me a packet this year and no mistake.


Previously, 1,000 miles service for the Cadwell .....

 
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#971 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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Does it have a boot over it? I presume it does and it was removed to check it?
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#972 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

Post by Baggy Trousers »

Ali Tait wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 10:12 am I’d be loathe to use WD40 in this manner. Aside from it being a water dispersant, it’s also a penetrant and degreaser which I’d imagine is not good for seals either. It also dries to a film which has the opposite effect of a lubricant.

Ali, agreed, WD40 does leave a residual film - a good reason to keep it away from electronics - but in the instances I have mentioned, it is this film which helps provide the protective barrier. The penetrant and degreasing characteristics will be of little relevance to the carburettor, made almost exclusively of non-ferrous materials and as far as I am aware, there is no known problem of WD40 promoting accelerated deterioration of seals and the like. I suppose one might substitute the WD40 with something like ACF15 which is a good deal more expensive, but I've never had any problems with my "method". What can be guaranteed however, is that a tank full, or worse, half full of E10 and left over time will create infinitely more damage than a few squirts of WD40.

Nick My comment was a bit tongue in cheek! Yes, I know about the supplementary springs and, of course, not all Ducatis are desmos anyway. I'd attach a pic of my SS but evidently the file exceeds 256KB.
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#973 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

Post by Ali Tait »

I recall a job where a client had been carrying out their own maintenance on their 11kV switchgear, they had used WD on the mechs. All had to be returned to the factory for complete disassembly and cleaning. They didn’t do that again. :-)
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#974 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

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Warning : motorcycle vibration can damage iPhones .... if used correctly. :)
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#975 Re: The Audio-Talk Motorcycling thread.

Post by Mike H »

Ant wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 4:43 pm Does it have a boot over it? I presume it does and it was removed to check it?
Sorry boot over what?
 
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