1969 Tiger
- Thread starter oldroadie
- Start date
I don't know how I missed this thread. The good part is I got to read it all in one go.
what can I say but you took the time to get the result. You got yourself a sweet little ride there.
Good on ya. Hope you get lots of enjoyment out of it.
Good attitude on the mix and match parts. she's a runner.
what can I say but you took the time to get the result. You got yourself a sweet little ride there.
Good on ya. Hope you get lots of enjoyment out of it.
Good attitude on the mix and match parts. she's a runner.
strokerlmt
Moderator
What a great job....the bike looks terrific.....thx for the pictures and updates...
LMT
LMT
I hadn't realized how busy the touring schedule has been until I looked at the date of the last post. I've managed to squeeze in some quality time and I'm back in the shop for a short while. I replaced the old coils and built a new wiring harness for the electronic ignition and new three phase stator:
only to find the lower fixing bolt hole for the timing was completely stripped out. Heli-coil or some other threaded insert kit is in my future...
at least I'm getting to work my project for a bit
only to find the lower fixing bolt hole for the timing was completely stripped out. Heli-coil or some other threaded insert kit is in my future...
at least I'm getting to work my project for a bit
It Runs!
Took around 50 kicks (both without the ignition on to prime the clean engine and then with the ignition engaged) but it came to life and settled into a fine idle. I still need to time it properly and a heat cycle is in order before re-torqueing the motor bolts and maybe one day I'll find a suitable chain guard...
The best is that it started without some epic kicking episode. Everything from here on out is gravy.
Took around 50 kicks (both without the ignition on to prime the clean engine and then with the ignition engaged) but it came to life and settled into a fine idle. I still need to time it properly and a heat cycle is in order before re-torqueing the motor bolts and maybe one day I'll find a suitable chain guard...
The best is that it started without some epic kicking episode. Everything from here on out is gravy.
strokerlmt
Moderator
Hey....how nice is it to hear her fire up....nice going....great job......
LMT
LMT
Hopefully I can get it kicked back to life long enough to set the timing properly. My current assumption is that it's hard to start because I was only able to static time the new ignition...but then again maybe the 30 years since I last had a kick start bike has something to do with it, too
I wasn't going to comment when you posted the photo presumably taken after that first start up and now with very blue pipes. For them to blue up so quickly, I'd say even the static timing is a mile off. I've rebuilt old bikes and fitted electronic systems, followed the instructions for static timing and as soon as the petrol gets in they run just fine, only requiring very slight adjustment with my timing light. I'd suggest before you try to start it again repair that stripped thread and then have another look at the timing.
bdavanza
Street Tracker
I'll agree with otherwise that the static timing should be very close, so either it's way off, your pipes were already blue from age, or that Mikuni is set really lean.
One other thing to consider: 3 phase stators and their voltage regulators call for resistor caps on your spark side. (at least the sparx units do) Apparently they are sensitive to the plug wires and from what I have seen first hand, it can wreak havoc on your charging side, boiling batteries and such.
from sparx:
**Single & Three phase boxes***
Due to the sensitive nature of both the single and three phase boxes it is VERY important to fit spark plug caps of the 5000ohm resisted type.
Failure to do so will cause overloading.
One other thing to consider: 3 phase stators and their voltage regulators call for resistor caps on your spark side. (at least the sparx units do) Apparently they are sensitive to the plug wires and from what I have seen first hand, it can wreak havoc on your charging side, boiling batteries and such.
from sparx:
**Single & Three phase boxes***
Due to the sensitive nature of both the single and three phase boxes it is VERY important to fit spark plug caps of the 5000ohm resisted type.
Failure to do so will cause overloading.
These old pipes were already that blue, almost black really. I put on new NGK 5Kohm plug caps and new copper core wire so I'm thinking that's not it either; and there's plenty of spark. It's just pretty hard to kick with the plugs in so I'm betting I must have missed something else along the way.
It's very easy to fit the oil delivery and oil return lines in reverse on those. When you do they do one of two things, nip up the pistons or do in the bigend. Don't ask me how I know! All that I'm saying about that is when I was a kid I didn't know as much as I thought I did.:eeek:
Yup, that's me...thought I knew more about 'em than I do. It's the big end and this time I'm farming it out. Not because I can't correct it but I'm on tour and I'd like to ride it when I get back.
I found the lines to be correct during today's disassembly. The amount of play in the con-rods is really dismaying and the stripped motor still does not turn over as easily as I think it should. Tomorrow, it goes to Doraville to be rebuilt...maybe Randy Huyett will give me some answers.
UPDATE: Seems I managed to install the caged roller bearing the wrong way around. That explains why I had some difficulty getting it to settle in easily. ACK, bitten by the bearing upgrade that isn't documented in the reproduction service manual...
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Okay, so it turned out to be May instead. Bike's back together and I actually got two laps around the yard last evening. First time it's been ridden in over 18 months but that's going to change today
Still pretty hard to kick over once the plugs are in but since it's starting on the second or third kick (so far, shouldn't brag too much) I should be able to manage okay. It sure was cool to actually have front brakes. And suspension...
I'll take some time to get her run in and then it's new headers and silencers...these originals are just beat...maybe some period high pipes would be in order.
After the first 25 miles:
Still pretty hard to kick over once the plugs are in but since it's starting on the second or third kick (so far, shouldn't brag too much) I should be able to manage okay. It sure was cool to actually have front brakes. And suspension...
I'll take some time to get her run in and then it's new headers and silencers...these originals are just beat...maybe some period high pipes would be in order.
After the first 25 miles:
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