Post by headcase on May 7, 2011 12:19:48 GMT -5
First off, a big THANK YOU to all who contributed/commented to the noob technical questions I've posted over the off-season. You've edjumicated me well on the specifics, weak spots & quirks of these groovy little scoots. I started with a rough, dirty, partially disassembled, non-running '79 Special and a box of parts. After replacing half the burnt wiring harness, I started throwing parts at it...battery, tire, plugs, oil, windshield, crash bar, bag set, rubber bits, carb kits, throttle cable, and a pile of stainless hardware. I parked it last fall with a cam chain sawing through the guide and various issues of out-of-tuneness.
Over this past winter I threw even more parts at it...swingarm bushings, Pamco ignition/coil/wires kit, tapered bearings, cam chain guide, seals gaskets and o-rings, another metric (literally) ton of stainless hardware, upgraded oil filter, another new battery, brushes, quickie carb balance, foam grips, filled handle and crash bars, 520 17/30 chain and sprockets, seriously re-carved seat foam, and a custom made half-breed clutch pushrod oil seal insert. I refuse to total up the receipts
Results: First thing I noticed is that it now idles like a sewing machine on steroids. Equal sound on both sides, no more cam chain clatter, and it takes about 3 solid kicks stone cold to start. Not one pop out the exhaust, rarely a misfire or lope while idling. With the new gears, starting off is a bit trickier but nothing complicated, and where I used to putt down my road in 5th gear, I now use 4th. 50mph buzz is almost non-existent. HUGE difference at 40mph and above. Haven't gone past 60 yet because of 2 new issues I will list elsewhere on the forum (steering and ignition). The factory plastic swingarm bushings actually looked fine, even for 17k miles, but in went bronze anyways. The ball bearings in front were in grease the consistency of candle wax with real notchy movement. Tapered bearings are smooth as glass. Definite improvement in straight-line riding, I don't need the entire lane now from wandering. It stays where it is until I point it elsewhere. The homemade clutch pushrod seal insert is dry as a bone so far and the clutch adjustment tweaks the Elder Gurus and other members posted elsewhere have cured the shifting ills I had.
When a decent batch of pics are shot, I'll put them up in the photos section. The custom/bobber crowd might roll their eyes a bit, but I refuse to do any mods that can't be put back to original should I or the next owner choose to do so.
Thanks again to G-Man and the crew for helping me with this labor of lust. I look forward to many more seasons of bugs in the teeth and road trips...possibly meet a few of you along the way as well!
Dan
Over this past winter I threw even more parts at it...swingarm bushings, Pamco ignition/coil/wires kit, tapered bearings, cam chain guide, seals gaskets and o-rings, another metric (literally) ton of stainless hardware, upgraded oil filter, another new battery, brushes, quickie carb balance, foam grips, filled handle and crash bars, 520 17/30 chain and sprockets, seriously re-carved seat foam, and a custom made half-breed clutch pushrod oil seal insert. I refuse to total up the receipts
Results: First thing I noticed is that it now idles like a sewing machine on steroids. Equal sound on both sides, no more cam chain clatter, and it takes about 3 solid kicks stone cold to start. Not one pop out the exhaust, rarely a misfire or lope while idling. With the new gears, starting off is a bit trickier but nothing complicated, and where I used to putt down my road in 5th gear, I now use 4th. 50mph buzz is almost non-existent. HUGE difference at 40mph and above. Haven't gone past 60 yet because of 2 new issues I will list elsewhere on the forum (steering and ignition). The factory plastic swingarm bushings actually looked fine, even for 17k miles, but in went bronze anyways. The ball bearings in front were in grease the consistency of candle wax with real notchy movement. Tapered bearings are smooth as glass. Definite improvement in straight-line riding, I don't need the entire lane now from wandering. It stays where it is until I point it elsewhere. The homemade clutch pushrod seal insert is dry as a bone so far and the clutch adjustment tweaks the Elder Gurus and other members posted elsewhere have cured the shifting ills I had.
When a decent batch of pics are shot, I'll put them up in the photos section. The custom/bobber crowd might roll their eyes a bit, but I refuse to do any mods that can't be put back to original should I or the next owner choose to do so.
Thanks again to G-Man and the crew for helping me with this labor of lust. I look forward to many more seasons of bugs in the teeth and road trips...possibly meet a few of you along the way as well!
Dan
