This might explain it.....

[tony.mon]

So I haven't been on the forum for a few days; here's why:

http://s616.photobucket.com/albums/tt25 ... ing001.jpg

It's the bearing behind the clutch, which normally has quite a few more balls in it, and a cage holding them in place.

They've all gone on holiday in the gearbox.

Lucky I have a spare engine, which seems fine except for the front head, which has four bent valves.

Still, the old front head will drop right on.

So lucky, really, it could have been worse, said I.
That's when it got worse......

Of course, to get the clutch off in the first place I had to borrow the clutch tool from the mechanic at 21st Moto in Swanley, I've done this often enough now that he doesn't even charge me a deposit, he knows it's coming back.

But when i gave them a call, he'd left.

Again, a bit of luck, I phoned round the local dealers, and he answered the phone at Giant M/C, at the Brand Hatch paddock entrance..He had the clutch tool with him, so I dropped by and collected it, and found the bearing behind the clutch which was causing the problem.

Once I'd seen that, I knew it was time for a replacement engine, and so took back the clutch tool, and this time borrowed the two castellated tube spanners you need for the frame nuts on the LH side.

Now he had those with him as well,- Result.

So I went home happy, and stayed that way until I snapped one of the posts off as soon as I tried to loosen the first of the three castellated nuts. That cost me £70 to replace.

That rather put me off, and so I arranged to get a van to drop the bike off to 21st Moto so that they could undo the three nuts. (£45).

Brian, the fitter there, spent nine hours chiselling, grunting, straining, heating, hacksawing, grinding, drilling and swearing a bit more, along with use of the big hammer, and finally got them out. The one that wouldn't budge was the front one, which is easy to get to, doesn't look like it would cause a problem, and made it necessary for him to cut through the bolt and part of the crankcases in order to get all the bits out. It was seized very firmly into the engine.

Still, that only cost me £406, (but to be fair that included 4 litres of oil, a filter and a replacement head gasket.

So there's only the other £45 to get it back again, and I can start to rebuild the bugger.

Some days it's easier just to roll over and go back to sleep......

[gilson]

I do really feel your pain! That bloody front bolt, what a nightmare on mine. My mechanic had to cut it into little bits, (but I think he did that out of spite to ensure it was dead!):-)

Cover the new one in Copper slip and give it a good talking to so it'll never happen again.

Very unlucky.....

[coledog]

It is always the $2 part that costs so f#*":^g much!

[tony.mon]

ON A BRIGHTER NOTE:

Tonight it's started going back together.

Just checking that my modified CCT's suit the new engine/had combination, otherwise I'll re-modify them with the correct lengths of slugs/inserts.

Everything needs a careful clean, the mech got filings and grinding detritus everywhere, plugged some holes and left others open.

Ta very much, I thought. But to be fair I had told them that the engine was a throwaway; it's only afterwards I thought about needing the head, some fittings, alternator cover, etc, etc.

Still, might as well get it right, especially as it's going to have the butt thrashed off it at the Bulldog Bash drag strip next weekend.

Onwards and upwards.....

[sirch345]

blimey Tony, not nice.

That's the first time I've heard of that happening

Definitely good you had the spare engine.

Chris.

[mwross1964]

Suddenly I don't feel so alone anymore.

wombles engines. :mad2

mines should be back end of next week.

Mark.

[tony.mon]

Fixed.

Sorted, thrashed it round for ten minutes tonight and my bodged front engine mount (the bolt's on back order until November, apparently) seems OK.

Thank god for a bit of 12mm studding and a couple of nuts.

And the new clutch seems to work like other clutches, unlike the old one. That wouldn't let me launch it and slip the clutch off the line- it just made a graunchy noise and locked solid. Big wheelies but no control.

Maybe (worrying thought here) the bearing was on it's way out when I bought the bike almost four years ago

Anywho, the new engine (according to the person who sold it to me) has done @20K, and seems to be much less worn that my old one.

So game on for the drag strip at the Bulldog Bash on Thursday- Sunday, weather permitting of course......11.6 / 123 terminal standing 1/4 to beat.

Unless it rains like last year- only got four runs all weekend.

Will report afterwards.

[Phil-VTwin]

Yey - Job well done

[tony.mon]

Sorted.

Played on the drag strip, with the rebuilt engine (done in a hurry and valve clearances all over the place), got an 11.7 several times, but couldn't beat it.

Bit disappointed, because:
1- got an 11.6 last year with old engine

2- had dyno work done since then, fitted Factory Pro jet kit, ignition advancer, and it feels MUCH better, and I was hoping for a better result, and

3- was given a timing ticket saying 10.9 something, was seriously happy for a few hours until I checked, and it wasn't my race number........

Ah, well, there's always next year.