Vetter Rickman Cr 900

[homedog]

Good Morning. New member here hoping to find some help/suggestions.

I recently finished a restoration on my Rickman H**** CR750 and was asked to do another on Craig Vetter's 1974 Rickman Kawasaki CR900.

The restoration has gone fine given the criteria was to keep it in "as raced" appearances.

But:

I've had the carbs apart 3 times, ultrasonic cleaned them in Yamaha carb dip, music wire and compressed air thru the holes, new carb rebuild kits and I still get the same thing. Fires right up when cold with choke, but will not run once warm on anything less than half choke. I know nothing of the internals as far as special cams/ pistons etc. I did find the dowel pin on the end of the crank either sheared off or cut, which may indicate a different cam or it was just sheared off. Repinned it and set the timing. i can't tell you the year of the motor as it has no numbers though it has 903 cast into the cylinder.

Ideas????

If you would like to check out my CR750 http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/news/2007/Concours.asp

If you would like to check out the Vetter Rickman restoration, Craig has posted on his site go to http://www.craigvetter.com/ then click on "motorcycle design" from there find "Vetter Rickman Racing" then see "restoration" at the bottom of the page.

Also, this bike is scheduled to come over to the ACE CAFE in September for something you guys have going there. With your help, you may get to see it run.

Thanks to all for your input

How do I make those website links capable of just clicking on?

Go to the site you want to link to, copy the whole link as it shows up in your browser including "http://", paste it in, highlight it and click the url button at the top of your post window- Admin

[rickman CRR]

Very cool

[Iain marshall]

Would look even better in Black

[paul doran]

Would look even better in Black

or Red

[Iain marshall]

Hi Robert,nice project to work on and looks good.When you stripped the carbs and rebuilt them did you try them with the original jets in them or did you fit the the new kits first?Are the jets the same sizes?Does it have the early type 28mm carbs as found on Z1 series,two screws holding the top cover on. Does it have original air box and if so have you tried with it on and off?Some times with problems like this you've got to go back to the basics, like checking valve clearances,valve timing,ignition timing.Let us know how you get on.

One of the member,Dodgy Z1B,put a workshop manual on PDF on the site.Heres the link http://www.kellys-heros.co.uk/wsb395921 ... %20900.pdf
,takes a while to openJust incase you dont have one

[homedog]

Thanks for the kudo's on the project. I't ll be really great, when it runs correctly.

Before I began the teardown, I put fuel to it, it started, and I shut it off, figuring if it started after sitting in the museum for 10 years, I'd be fine.

Once the body and all was completed it was time to make it functional.
Before the restart, i ultrasonic cleaned the carbs, installed the airbox, minus filter, didn't have one yet, started right up, but exibited the same symptom I'm still dealing with. Removed and re ultrasonic the carbs, probed and prodded and put it back together, without improvement.
Order carb rebuild kit which was really only gaskets, new pilots and main jets and float valves. Same jet sizes as original. Installed the new air filter, NO CHANGE. Pulled them apart again and found that the float tab on one of the carbs was bent so far that the float wouldn't drop enough to open the valve. Have since set float level.That's it i thought. It wasn't. Made no difference. They are the 2 screw top carbs.

Timing is fine, though as mentioned in my first note, the sheared off, or removed intentionally dowel pin that located the advance mechanism has been repaired, advance unit now located as intended. Was that an indication someone was bumping the timing to compensate for a lumpy cam. That function is beyond my ability.

I still feel that it's a fuel issue and plan to borrow a set of carbs next week from a VJMC buddy here in town.

Your right Iain, process of elimination. Thanks.

Starving for fuel in Michigan. I'll post my success story, if it happens.

Thanks for the link to the manual. Since this restoration is being done for the AMA Museum, I have a fixed budget and so far have avoided buying the manual. So the link to that is appreciated.

Sorry about the colors of the bike, i sure didn't pick em.

I like Orange!

[Iain marshall]

Robert you have a PM,look at left hand column