Beatrice runs but needs some love

[Ken in Oklahoma]

Ordered new floats, spark plugs, fuel line and intake boots. Drained and replaced the tranny oil. It was a lighter brown color

I'm sorry to say this but that lighter brown color suggests that water has gotten into your transmission oil. Not a good thing, though no damage may have been done. It happened to me on my '77 R100/7, but my gears were apparently OK.

You're wondering how that water got in your oil, I reckon. Aside from pressure washers there is a little suspected point of entry where the speedometer cable goes into the transmission. Despite the fact that there's a rubber boot covering the junction, that boot is often insufficient. The classic problem is rain water or other water getting onto your speedometer cable then wicking it's way down, inside past the rubber boot, and then into the transmission.

Presuming that your transmission is still OK there are two 'classic' remedies. You will need a new rubber boot for both. One remedy is to put a zip tie around the boot at the top to positively squeeze the boot against the cable sheath. The other is to fill the boot with bearing grease or some similar heavy grease to form a 'mechanical' barrier to water wicking it's way into the transmission.

Ken

[Holysmoke]

I can now see how water would get in there. The boot is rotted somewhat. I'll have to order new ones.

My carb parts came in, intake boots, floats... But the boots are too small. Not sure why that happened. Have to call into Capital Cycle. Do I 40mm carbs on the '78 R100S?

I've been starting her daily, working the Seafoam through slowly. She's starting easier. I've got the choke cable disconnected and when I add a little choke to the left carb she starts popping. I'm Thinking that the pilot may be clogged some and is idling lean

I've also got a pretty good leak from the oil pan. Probably need a gasket. Is that a hard job? Best place to get gaskets?

Thanks,
Ron

[Rob]

I've also got a pretty good leak from the oil pan. Probably need a gasket. Is that a hard job? Best place to get gaskets?

Thanks,
Ron

If you have found a favorite place, go there.

Hard job? Not if you have a lift. Otherwise you are lying on your back (a couple of cardboard boxes flat on the ground helps).

The important thing to remember, is not to go nuts on tightening the screws. Use a nut-driver, or palm ratchet so you don't get too much torque on them. Steel screws into aluminium threads!

Snug is good. Let it sit overnight while the new gasket compresses. Re-check. Then check again after 100 miles (160 kilometers) or so. I don't remember that number, exactly.
Don't EVEN try using a torque wrench!

[Holysmoke]

Ah yes, I've dealt with aluminum threads before, sound advise!


Anybody ever have the rear turn signals on all the time? It just started doing that, first the left one and now both. No turn buzzer unless I set the turn switch. Time to break out the multi meter?

[Rob]

Ah yes, I've dealt with aluminum threads before, sound advise!

And go in a cross-pattern when tightening them down. I'm sure you know why. Just reminding you.

Anybody ever have the rear turn signals on all the time? It just started doing that, first the left one and now both. No turn buzzer unless I set the turn switch. Time to break out the multi meter?

multimeter, yes. Where to start? I've no clue.
Someone here will!

[Duane Ausherman]

Monday evening I will be listing some gaskets on eBay and they include a couple of pan gaskets plus head and cylinder. I saw some other gaskets and if I come across them before I ship these out, the buyer is going to get a surprise.

[Holysmoke]

Sounds intriguing. Any hints?

[Rob]

Sounds intriguing. Any hints?

Books that fall apart?

[Holysmoke]

I would have bet the bank on low compression on L!

The right cylinder seems to be the dominant cylinder at idle. It kills the engine when placing a hand over the carb. R has more suction than L. And R's plug is a nice chocolate brown, where L is dark.

Even the sound of L is stronger, louder!

So for my peace of mind I'm thinking, I'm always going to wonder, "do I have a weak cylinder?" Well, I don't. I measured 150 psi on R and 170 on L! That shocked me.

1) is it possible to have 170 psi on a motor with 88,000 miles on her?
2) I guess I'm looking at the carb's idle circuit and or a fouled plug. Got new plugs now, so that's next. She seems to like 1,500 rpm. Below that the gen light comes on, and below 900 it will die. What can I expect for good idle rpm?

[Duane Ausherman]

If you only have an electric starter, you can hear a change in cranking speed, the faster one is the lower compression. By using a kick starter, one can even make a close guess, with experience, about the compression.

1. No, it isn't possible to have that much compression.

You don't need a lift. Just tilt the bike over on one valve cover and start working. You need to seal up certain holes, as they go into the oil, but some are blind and won't leak.

Put sealer on only one side of the gasket, I find it easier cleaning up the pan, not the case.

That chocolate colored oil is water. Ride it on the new oil for a few hundred miles and drain it out. Your gears won't usually be damaged, it will be the bearings that fail down the road a few thousand miles.