So Winter was it's usual unkind self, after many days freezing my butt off in the garage the cause of No4 popping back was traced to a slight bend in the inlet valve, during set up running there had been a slight ticking that I was sure seemed to be getting louder, I measured the valve clearance and it had gone out a tad since first shimming - 265 from a 260, I re-shimmed it and after ten mins running it was obvious something was still wrong - a compression test showed No4 to be a little lower than the others - a leak down test confirmed the Inlet valve wasn't seating properly - Bugger!
Took the head off and sure enough - very slight bend in the inlet valve, replaced the valve and another gasket later we were back together and running - result!
Started back again with the ignition timing, still couldn't get enough scope despite much filing of the holes in the dyna disc
Out with the air ginder - removed about a mill out of each hole. Plugs out Dial Indicator in to set TDC, turned the motor with a spanner - marked TDC - swapped the Indicator to No2 - turned the motor with the spanner to check timing marks for No2 - spot on - result!
Plugs in and a quick prod of the starter and 'CLUNK' motor came to a dead stop after half a revolution - spanner on the crank - it would turn one way but not the other.
Fished in the plug holes with a magnet and out of No2 cylinder came the end of the Dial Indicator
Hoping to have got away with it - plugs back in and - NO! - ran on 3 cylinders - FARK!
Measured the valve shims - No2 Exhaust shim needed to be about 2mm bigger!! - Bugger - Bugger! - Bugger!!
Head off - yet again - No2 exhaust valve now resembled a banana
So after battling bad luck and the freezing temperatures in the garage - weeks waiting for Debbens to send the last gasket - we now have 2 new valves - 4 more new shims in the collection and I've wasted 2 expensive one piece gaskets.... but we now have great compression across all cylinders - and the ignition timing is now sorted.
Fitted the ally cam bungs as I was of the opinion the black rubber/steel originals looked like POO! as they wouldn't sit flush.
Still getting nowhere fast with the carbs, despite more and more flushing and ultrasonic cleaning and flushing the bloody blast media is still not totally removed from the galleries - I think it's time to admit defeat and order some new carbs...
Still can't get the generator to work... farking spaghetti....
Paint work has been sent off - couldn't make my mind up on how to get it done - while down the bike park on Sunday the guys were of the opinion to go with black with a purple sheen, using original copy decals and a heavy lacquer - Sorted then!
