charliechitlins

Haven't heard of that, but gasoline can be evil stuff these days...here in the States, anyway. Whatever is in it now is taking off a paint job that I did about 6 years ago that always held up to gas. You could try dipping them in tank sealer, but that would add weight, and could get you into trouble. I would only try it as an experiment after buying new ones, and keep them for spares if it seems to work.

I bought a box of dirtbike grips on Ebay. 20 pair for $40. At that price, I love them. I trim the flange part to make them look like trials grips. It doesn't help, but I'm a slave to fashion.

Sounds much more expensive and complicated than it has to be. A gasket shouldn't be more than a couple of squid or kilos, or whatever you blokes use for money.

Rub some white soap on it, heat it until the soap turns black, drop it in a bucket of water. It'll be soft enough to bend.

That is EXACTLY what I was going to post! But since I recently saw a Vincent Black Shadow that looks like it's been dragged out of a lake at around $25k, anything is possible.

Copper gaskets are now fairly easily and cheaply made with laser and water-jet equipment. Honestly, though...if the barrel protrudes into the case, the base gasket doesn't do much that can't be duplicated with gasket paper, some sissors and silicone. If your base gasket is very thick and you replace it with something much thinner, mind your squish clearance.

If you hear a knock on quick acceleration or when you shut off after hard acceleration, you can usually get that to go away by richening the pilot and/or slide needle. Try using a small amount of enrichener (choke) and see if the problem goes away. You can put a small ziptie on the shaft to keep the enrichener from fully returning.

The key ensures that the flywheel can only go on one way. If you don't have a torque wrench, mark the nut (ink, paint) so you get it back to where it was. The only way you can change your timing is by loosening/moving the stator. You can spray WD40 all over that stuff if you want. Some clean everything and spraypaint to keep corrosion away. I suppose you'd want to mask the pickup/trigger thingie on the stator. I always vent my flywheel compartment. There seems to be no keeping moisture out altogether, so I go with the flow and let some air get in there.

Don't do anything until you do a thorough carb clean. White on the plug electrode could indicate a lean condition. Weak spark usually causes plug to blacken.

Check it out. Click here.

Powder paint, if done well, is applied quite thin. This keeps it from chipping. A thick coat makes it more brittle. When I have rims done, minor precautions keep them from chipping when installing/removing tires...bits of leather between the rim and lever. If done correctly, spokes and rim tape should go right in. If applied too thick, you'll be reaming each spoke hole with a drill bit.

Check Stoodleys tech tips on the GG page. I'd guess 3/4" sag at rest is OK...but about maximum.

I say send them both off into the woods naked with a Buck knife and see who returns.

Definitely not years. Old gas has a weird smell that, I imagine, indicates that it has changed. Gas does keep longer in an airtight metal can.

I loosen everything (bottom yoke, axle, fork brace) except the top yoke. Make sure the tubes are the same height in the yoke. See how they feel. Tighten bottom yoke. Check feel. Tighten axle & pinch bolts. Check feel. Make sure fork brace isn't binding. If it's free to rattle about, tighten it; if not, egg out the necessary holes to keep it from bidning and tighten. Check feel.

Every one of these things I've taken apart has 2 o-rings on the head. If the inner on goes, coolant gets in the cylinder.

Reminds me of a joke: What's a redneck's last words? "Hey, fellas....check THIS out!" Better off finding a nice, long hill and ripping up it until the exhaust catches fire and ride until the smoke stops. BTW the bike will run terribly while the oil is burning.

Check if it smells like coolant.

Cool, car. 318? What's a Ribena? Hope it's not some kind of insect.

Actually...if it didn't do it when you put it away, it'll probably fix itself. I'd put some regular motor oil in it (5W30), as it has a detergent in it, and leave it in for a ride or 2 and dump it.

Wideboy?!? Isn't that the name of the new Montesa? Ouch! Sorry...couldn't resist.

Anybody have a piston-to-wall clearance and a ring end-gap for a 350 Alpina? Thanks.

Good bike, though. Fine for a novice. There used to be ideas that some bikes were "experts' bikes", etc. If it was ever true...it no longer is.

Did you blow out the jets AND hold them to a light and look through them for obstructions? And, you're right...an air leak can make the engine race, but not always. Did you check the condition of the sparkplug wire? It is possible for it to have a leak that only happens at high revs. Check all your wires, too. Don't forget the kill button.

What bike?