Right then!
After a blatt round cadwell after the annual rally, I laid the skorp up up (or rather, just left it!) for a couple of months. At the weekend I got into welding the frame of the DR. The small crack upon investigation turned into a rotten lower frame tube when I tried to clean it up. Left me with a quarter inch by inch and half gash in the bottom tube. Presumably its sat about for a while on the side-stand, as this would explain the rot from the inside.
Ended up plating it, rather than the inital "quick job" welding over it. The very kind help of an antipodean friend in slough was much appreciated. Will put a grease nipple in and fill the tube up with hot grease & let it set in the lowest point. Good idea? Or not?? Opinions please!
Anyway, I didn't get it all painted and back together for monday, so pushed he skorp back into service. Ran like a dog, "hunting", lots of complaints from the pipe with the occaisional really sharp <CRACK>.
But it was usable, and I hate the tube, so just got on with it trieing not to run to a halt on a fully closed throttle.
Redex and new petrol- a little better
Made sure the plug was fully home (got about 1 complete turn)- better still
Last night checked the jets. No obvious blockages and the float bowl was reasonably clean. Much cleaner than the SRX with its rusty steel tank. Hmmmm.. Maybe a little sweeter, but still the odd very loud bang. Going by Kings Cross, a wee wifey genuinely nearly dropped her shopping and gave me some verbal at the lights!! I apologised profusely! (someone was shot there on saturday night!!!)
Right, its gotta be the exhaust tappets closing up! After all I've never checked them since I got the bike, so thats about 3,000 miles. And maybe cadwell was just hard enough on it to cause them to just not quite be clear?? Up early this morning, whipped off the covers (and the radiator- bloody water cooling!!!) but they were spot on 6 thou. Arrrgh!!
Late already (and not making up any time now in front of my computer...!) I got the silicone sealant and went over all the very small leaks in the pipe- the headers are fine, but the can has been ground out a bit, and where its bolted together there IS the potential for small leaks especially if its moved a bit. Clear bath sealant judiciously applied round the bolts & washers- great stuff.
SO?
The <<CRACK-CRACK>> is no more! Ok, it still "ruffles" a bit on a closed throttle, but its much better. I shall check where my bodged-up link pipe clamps over (there are *tiny* wee leaks there) and get the old bath sealant out when I get back, see if it makes a difference... The fight goes on!!
I was surprised tho- the exhaust doesn't blow terribly but obviously its enough. Compounded with other things- old fuel, maybe a bit of varnish in the carbs, a slightly recessed plug maybe this is my problem?
Moral of the tale: "Preservation through operation"
(not masturbation, as I often like to think)
;-)
Cheers
a
