Last night [Wednesday] I decided to have a go at the ignition switch. I am sure it is not wired up correctly. First I checked I had the right number and colour of wires. I did. I took the ignition switch off the bike and checked the numbers of the tags against the wiring diagram. The numbers of the tags did not tally. I used the electric meter to try to work out which tags did what. I figured out where the red wire, power, and the grey/black wire, parking lights went. Then I just had three tags and two green wires to hook up. By a process of trial and error I found the homes for the wires. When complete I was able to have the parking lights on, which allows the key to come out of the off the switch. At full on the key is locked into the switch and all the lights and ignition circuits. The brakes lights respond to the levers. I refitted the switch and bedded own the wires into the headlight shell.
I figured out what the rest of the free wires were in the head lamp shell. I have to find the proper feeds for the auxiliary instruments. It also looks like one or more bulbs in the speed/rev pod have blown.
Thursday night I had a go at the clutch cut-out switch. I had to remove the clutch lever to get at the screw that held on the switch. Once the screw was out it was simple job to replace the switch and re-assemble the clutch lever unit. I capped off the unused wires in the headlight shell and tucked them out of the way.
I had recently bought the parking light holder and bulb. I had to use a little foil the make the holder a snug fit in the head light reflector. I fitted a spade connector to the correct switched power wire and connected it up. The earth wire took a bit of routing but I got a good connection. I taped the parking light wires to the headlight wire set to make it neat. The wiring in the headlight shell is very crowded.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Monday, 11 April 2011
Front brakes
This evening I spent a few hours in the garage dealing with the front brakes. I fitted the brake pads but the near side caliper did not line up correctly. It took some working out including changing the wheel spindle. I ended up with the original spindle but well oiled this time. It had a look at the spare front wheel as I remembered it had a disc spacer. Having taken the bolt out of the spare wheel I found the wheel had two spacers. I dismantled the wheel on the bike and fitted the two spacers under the near side disc. I checked the caliper over and found a slider was not in its proper place. I put the slide back in place and carefully refitted the wheel. The wheel spun more freely.
I got the brake fluid from the cupboard along with the bleeding tool. I loosened the off-side caliper bleed nipple. I topped up the master cylinder until fluid came out of the nipple. I shut it off then opened the near-side nipple until fluid showed. Once the fluid showed I shut the nipple. I connected the bleeding kit to the near-side nipple and went through the bleed process. First on one side then the next. I did the cycle twice. The lever hardened up be not as much as I wanted. I checked for leaks and found a small weep where the brake line met the near-side caliper. A quarter turn on the union cured it.
To finish the job I adjusted the play from the brake cable. This reduced the lever travel which meant I could apply more pressure. It is hard to tell just how good the brakes are by just spinning the wheel and applying the brakes but it feel as it should. I connected the wires to the top of the reservoir cap. This should switched of the fluid level light but it did not. So is something to investigate. The last job was to pull the lever when the electric was on to see if the brake light came on with the squeeze of the lever. It did. Another job done.
I got the brake fluid from the cupboard along with the bleeding tool. I loosened the off-side caliper bleed nipple. I topped up the master cylinder until fluid came out of the nipple. I shut it off then opened the near-side nipple until fluid showed. Once the fluid showed I shut the nipple. I connected the bleeding kit to the near-side nipple and went through the bleed process. First on one side then the next. I did the cycle twice. The lever hardened up be not as much as I wanted. I checked for leaks and found a small weep where the brake line met the near-side caliper. A quarter turn on the union cured it.
To finish the job I adjusted the play from the brake cable. This reduced the lever travel which meant I could apply more pressure. It is hard to tell just how good the brakes are by just spinning the wheel and applying the brakes but it feel as it should. I connected the wires to the top of the reservoir cap. This should switched of the fluid level light but it did not. So is something to investigate. The last job was to pull the lever when the electric was on to see if the brake light came on with the squeeze of the lever. It did. Another job done.
Saturday, 9 April 2011
A box of bits
I think we are very nearly there. A box of goodies arrived at work yesterday. I has a few minutes whilst dinner was being prepared. I fitted the four dome head nuts and coach bolts that secure the front mudguard. I got the stainless steel version of the nuts and bolts. A couple of dabs of copper slip when fitting means they should come off again in the future. The front mudguard is very exposed to the weather so prone to corrosion.
The battery is fully charged and staying charged with the new charger.
Fitting the neutral switch is going to be a bind. I still have not found the right instrument pods. I think I will have to make do with an alternative. Luckily the alternative pods are not expensive. The front brakes is going to be the next job. I think will be busy every evening next week.
The battery is fully charged and staying charged with the new charger.
Fitting the neutral switch is going to be a bind. I still have not found the right instrument pods. I think I will have to make do with an alternative. Luckily the alternative pods are not expensive. The front brakes is going to be the next job. I think will be busy every evening next week.
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Avalanche
The bike's battery is totally flat but I don't understand why. It happens that my battery charger has expired. Are they connected? I found a new bike shop in Woodville. It has been there for years and serves old bikes, British mainly. I bought a new charger. On getting it home I plugged it into the bike. I discovered the problem. For some reason I connected the back light on the clock to a permanent live feed. Over the weeks and back light ran the battery down to death. It took about two hours for the new charger to get the battery moving. By Sunday the battery was pretty well charged.
It was raining Sunday afternoon so I has a good excuse to spend time on the bike. I had a rummage in the box and found the covers for the swing arm pivots and the stantion top covers. Both sets are now fitted and look good. In the bolt box I found a screw that fitted the brake side switch block. I cut off the tie off and secured the switch block with the screw. The right side indicators where not working properly. As they flashed the headlight and tail lights dimmed in time to the indicator. I just happened to be considering the wiring for the buzzer relay. I pulled out the relay to test it. I flicked the indicator switch and found the indicators worked perfectly. Whilst working on the left side of the bike decided to shorten the wiring loom that led down the buzzer and neutral sensor. I pared back the sleeve and cut back the four wires for the buzzer and the two for the neutral switch. I slipped on a length of heat shrink sleeving then stripped back the individual wire sleeves to exposed the copper core. I twisted the correct wire end together and soldered them. Next was the put insulating tape round them to isolate each wire joint of wire end. I slipped the heat shrink along the wire and used the missus hair drier to shrink the new sleeve to size. I positioned the reduce loom against the frame and secured it in place with wire ties. The wiring sub-loom he rear light is too long. Whilst on roll I cut the wires of the sub-loom to reduce the length. It was more of the same, cutting, paring, soldering, hear shrink and finishing with wire ties to secure the sub-loom. I also fitted the plastic wire loops that fit on the rear mudguard to to control the loom back to the rear light cluster. Whilst in a wire fettling groove I secured the wire to the handle bar switches with wire ties. I offered the headlight shell into the headlight cowl. A bit of fiddling and reorganising the cables in the shell allowed the headlight to fit.
I did a lose fit on the front mudguard bracket. It is two bolts short, even so I dry fitted the bracket and the mudguard on the bracket. I offered up the tank but it was was fouled by wiring and the master cylinder. I loosened everything and eased things out of the way until the tank fitted. With the tank on I propped up the rear wheel to put the bile on a nature level. I then fitted the BMW roundrels onto the tank. They lift the tank even thought the paintwork is fab. I popped the seat on for the full effect.
I got the silencers down from the roof space the fitted them. Four bolts either side. I also dipped the threads on copper slip before fitting. I tightened up all the other bolts the secure the exhausts. I put on the front cover just for the effect. The bike looks finished but there several things yet to do. One of the things to do is to make a list of the few parts that are missing.
One little job that has given more pleasure than it should was pumping up the front tyre. It has stayed up so one less thing to worry about. I just have find pods to take the clocks and voltmeter otherwise they with have to be taken off the bike. I cannot have them flopping about. I have found that the clutch cut out switch has been butchered so another thing for the list. The neutral sensor seems to be u/s. I took a tour of the Internet showed how the get access to replace it. another item for the list. I was chuffed to find the rear brake light switched worked. I figured the front would be OK once the fluid was in the front brake system, fingers crossed.
It was raining Sunday afternoon so I has a good excuse to spend time on the bike. I had a rummage in the box and found the covers for the swing arm pivots and the stantion top covers. Both sets are now fitted and look good. In the bolt box I found a screw that fitted the brake side switch block. I cut off the tie off and secured the switch block with the screw. The right side indicators where not working properly. As they flashed the headlight and tail lights dimmed in time to the indicator. I just happened to be considering the wiring for the buzzer relay. I pulled out the relay to test it. I flicked the indicator switch and found the indicators worked perfectly. Whilst working on the left side of the bike decided to shorten the wiring loom that led down the buzzer and neutral sensor. I pared back the sleeve and cut back the four wires for the buzzer and the two for the neutral switch. I slipped on a length of heat shrink sleeving then stripped back the individual wire sleeves to exposed the copper core. I twisted the correct wire end together and soldered them. Next was the put insulating tape round them to isolate each wire joint of wire end. I slipped the heat shrink along the wire and used the missus hair drier to shrink the new sleeve to size. I positioned the reduce loom against the frame and secured it in place with wire ties. The wiring sub-loom he rear light is too long. Whilst on roll I cut the wires of the sub-loom to reduce the length. It was more of the same, cutting, paring, soldering, hear shrink and finishing with wire ties to secure the sub-loom. I also fitted the plastic wire loops that fit on the rear mudguard to to control the loom back to the rear light cluster. Whilst in a wire fettling groove I secured the wire to the handle bar switches with wire ties. I offered the headlight shell into the headlight cowl. A bit of fiddling and reorganising the cables in the shell allowed the headlight to fit.
I did a lose fit on the front mudguard bracket. It is two bolts short, even so I dry fitted the bracket and the mudguard on the bracket. I offered up the tank but it was was fouled by wiring and the master cylinder. I loosened everything and eased things out of the way until the tank fitted. With the tank on I propped up the rear wheel to put the bile on a nature level. I then fitted the BMW roundrels onto the tank. They lift the tank even thought the paintwork is fab. I popped the seat on for the full effect.
I got the silencers down from the roof space the fitted them. Four bolts either side. I also dipped the threads on copper slip before fitting. I tightened up all the other bolts the secure the exhausts. I put on the front cover just for the effect. The bike looks finished but there several things yet to do. One of the things to do is to make a list of the few parts that are missing.
One little job that has given more pleasure than it should was pumping up the front tyre. It has stayed up so one less thing to worry about. I just have find pods to take the clocks and voltmeter otherwise they with have to be taken off the bike. I cannot have them flopping about. I have found that the clutch cut out switch has been butchered so another thing for the list. The neutral sensor seems to be u/s. I took a tour of the Internet showed how the get access to replace it. another item for the list. I was chuffed to find the rear brake light switched worked. I figured the front would be OK once the fluid was in the front brake system, fingers crossed.