*%&), #!(*, and %*#!

[John]

And did I mention *&%*$^!!!?
I just discovered that I am going to have to re-ring the engine in the Bag Lady. I fired it up a few days ago, and it started to miss a little. I spritzed the headers with water, and #1 was cold. I pulled the plug and it was soaked with gas. Ok, I'll put another plug in it, after making sure that the plug was even firing. It was. I put it in and started it up. I held my hand on the #1 header and it was still cold. I tried another known good plug and the same thing...wasn't firing.
Today I decided to see why it wasn't firing. I did a compression check on the cold engine. I was quite disappointed in the numbers. #1 cyl had 115 psi, #2 had 123 , #3 was 115, and #4 was 130. I squirted some oil into the cylinders and cranked it a few times to spread the oil around the rings. The next set of readings were much better. #1 went up to 160, #2 is 145, #3 is 140, and #4 was 150. *^$&!
Now I gotta get up off my wallet and buy a gasket set, and tear the thing apart. It's like I really want to do that...*$#(%^

[DiverRay]

John, Winter is fast approaching, and Kat wanted you to find something to do anyway! Look at it this way. It will be about $200 now, and years more riding before you need to look at it again.

[John]

Ray. I already have the rings. I bought a set of .25 oversize rings on ebay a couple of years ago, just in case... I'll just file the end gaps. I have access to a hone, and I have a valve spring compressor. Might as well check/lap the valves while I'm there. Have most of the gaskets already, but I'm missing the base gasket. I had one here until YESTERDAY, when trbig came by and picked up the set he had left behind. I made copies of all of the gaskets EXCEPT the base gasket because I ran out of gasket paper.Figures, huh?
BTW did you get the pilot box yet?

[DiverRay]

Yes, I did get it. Thanks! One of these days I hope someone will come up with a way to "renew" the box...
Murphy always knows just when something is going to happen. I love the way he makes my "work trips" so "interesting" Maybe trbig will read this, and make you a copy of the base gasket. TRBIG????

[trbig]

Ummmm John??


The 1179 is 2.5mm overbore. Those .25mm rings aren't going to work will they? They'll be way too short.

As for the base gasket, the way things look, I'll be back down in a week or so, so maybe I'll make a copy of the gasket, and bring the original back with me so you can make a copy of it also.


Tod

[trbig]

Well Duh...

Sorry. I need to pay attention to which bike you are talking about. I was thinking you meant yours..


Tod

[John]

Tod

These rings are the first oversize. It was discussed in one of your threads, wasn't it, about using the OS rings, and just filing the end gap down?

[prometheus578]

"I need to read slower..."

I thought you were cussin' 'cause Kat was planning on having you two renew your wedding vows, or something.
I mean, come on... at first glance...
"Re -ring the Bag-Lady?"
Then I reread.. saw the word engine.
Good project for Dear WildKat, I say.
But before you go tearin' anything apart, just want to cover all bases.... Have you checked the valve clearances since you've had the bike?

[John]

No, I haven't checked the valves yet

With the big increase in compression when wet, especially #1, it will definitely be needing a ring job anyway. I failed to mention that after working on this thing, is the fact that I discovered #1 & 3 header pipes are so blue that they are black. The exhaust is a Mac 4-2, with a foam air filter. Strange thing I found in the airbox was the lack of a bottom section where the filter sits. The oblong hole is so perfect that it looks like it was punched out at the factory. The main jets were 110. Way too lean for all of the changes. I replaced them with 117.5's, and swapped in a solid lower airbox section.
I'm suprised there's not a hole in the pistons on 1 & 3. I'll find out soon...

[trbig]

It was discussed in one of your threads, wasn't it, about using the OS rings, and just filing the end gap down?

It was in somebody's.. I think it was Dan Hodges or Cody that mentioned it.

Just MIC the cylinders and do a light honing on it. If there's no air filter... that's probably why the rings are gone. My first motor only had @100 pounds of compression on the #1 cylinder, but it still ran ok?? Makes me wonder if it's not carb related?


Tod

[prometheus578]

With the big increase in compression when wet...

I know the drill. I'd just like to get as much info as I can before I'd tear into anything.

[Wildkat]

Ummmm, yeah... about that...

Originally posted by prometheus578
Good project for Dear WildKat, I say.

One of the good things about having your own Guru is... you never have to work on a bike...

One of the bad things about having your own Guru is... you never get to work on a bike...

[trbig]

you never get to work on a bike...

I can be there in just a few hours with something that resembles a bike and a ton of pieces and parts. You can work on it all you want??


Tod

[kawa bob]

hate to be the burr in the saddle, but, what about the oil rings, you cant file those down.
I have worked over a lot of rings on the race cars, but only the top and second rind, the oil ring was the correct size.

[trbig]

I'd just use the stock ones again. They aren't making your compression for you anyway.


Tod