Britbike forum Forums Projects started by Britbike forum members Members bike projects pidjones has a Britbike again!

Finally a break in the weather! Put clear coat on the Triumph project tank, fenders, and side covers. Curing overnight and will wet sand a bit and polish over the next few days as the weather goes away (again).

Starting to look a little more like a motorcycle.

Got it out in the sun. It really has a green shade to it, but most photos make it look white. Tomorrow I go to an orthopedic doctor to see if it will be Ok for me to try kicking it. Right knee. Just started about a month ago, and isn't getting better. Suspect to either be arthritis or torn meniscus. Hoping for meniscus, because that should be repairable. The chain guard will take a while to figure out and get done. If it can be started, it will be ridden without. Little white tube sticking out of the top of the headstock is the end of my #2 carb tickler tool.

Looking good!.
Hope you get good news on your knee.
BTW--- no steering damper?--- IME you need one.

Thanks! Yes, it probably will need a stabilizer. Might design and build my own. There is one in my parts bucket, but it is one of the linear types that needs mounts attached to frame and tripple. The Triumph stabilizer seems to be just a tunable resistance.

Doctor sez good news on the knee - no meniscus damage. It is deteriorating cartilage (arthritis) . Just do at-home PT and take anti-inflammatories. Can kick the bike off, just judge by pain if needed to do it less. So... gas it up soon!

Today, I moved the front brake cable to the right side of the headstock so it would not hit the front fender, and put 3M clear paint protector film under the key switch. Also have mirrors and fuel filters on order. Although I flushed this tank well, sleep will come easier with filters inline along with the in-tank screens.

After early morning heavy rain, had to wait until about 2pm for the driveway to dry. Backed the Spyder out of the way, then the T150 with oil tank refilled and battery topped off with the tender. Turned the fuel on and heavily tickled all three carbs. Never got fuel squirting out of any. Tried kicking off but of course nothing doing. Not going to over-do it on this arthritic knee, so rolled all back in. I would have investigated further, but just as I was pulling my boots on to back it out, the power went out so there was no lighting to work. I suspect that I cut the new fuel lines too short and they are pinching off where they bend from the filters to the carbs. Power wasn't back until 9pm. Had quite a bit of wind.

Man, I'm out-of-shape! Finally got it started by draining the tank and float bowls, starting it on my aux tank with fresh fuel, then after warming it, put a gallon or two in the tank, started on the aux tank then switched over and it kept running on the regular tank. Suspect there was combination of fogging and 2-stroke oil plus old gas in the tank. After draining and filling with fresh 100% gasoline (87 octane), it was Ok. Only rode it up the hill ~50 yards (rather steep, but concrete), then down the street another ~50 yards, and finally back around behind the house (very steep and curved). Wanted mainly to check clutch (needed 1/2 turn on the cable adjustment screw) and brakes (worked, but every bike I've had since 1972 has been hydraulic disk-I'm spoiled). Worst part is getting used to left foot brake, right foot shift. I never got it out of first, however. By the time we pulled up behind the house, I was beat. Combination of physical stress (dozens of kicks before she finally ran) and mental (the left-right foot thing had me primarily using the front brake). It will get easier with time.

Been getting harder and harder to start. Pulled the plugs and found them very sooted up (particularly #1 & #3). Discovered air screws at only 1 1/2 instead of 2 1/2. Put in a new set of Champion RN3Cs (I have replaced the cap resistors so that I can use the more readily available resistor plugs). Found the #1 plug threads have finally given up (had been cross-threaded badly when I bought the bike, and I chased them with a plug chaser, but knew they were near end-of-life). I have a repair kit on order, should be here Saturday. Oh well, I still have a Yamaha RD400c (starts very easily), a GoldWing GL1000, and a Spyder RTL to ride on these improving days.

#1 plug threads repaired, but it still isn't starting. Suspect I've washed the remaining 2T oil from the tank. The fuel drained from the bowls had no particles, but was pretty dark. It will be drained again and fresh 100% gasoline put in. Might even do a restart on the auxiliary tank. Thought it might be wise to check the carbs clean again and found one port plugged (the small one AFTER the slide on #1 carb) AND a 180 main jet in #3. Needles, needle jets, and slides are all correct. Had to have been done by a PO, because I don't have any other AMAL parts. Ordered from Vintage Triumph Parts so should be in by the end of the week. Hope so, because I have plans to take it to a church car and bike show on Saturday. I'll go ahead and reassemble up to installing the bowls.

For what it is worth, I have always initially set mixture screws on Concentrics at 1 1/2 turns out, including on my Trident. I believe the reference to 2 1/2 turns in some of the literature was a typo.

Ed from NJ

Finally had it started for a bit today. All valve clearances had tightened up. I'll need to keep an eye on that. I had set them carefully. Don't see how the valves could have receded that much in the little that I've run it. At least it has all 150 main jets in it now. The key switch that I had changed to (the old one was shot) keeps turning OFF when bumped by my leg. I have another (different style) ordered.

Started today and seemed to run well (not ridden - I'm still working my way into riding reverse foot controls). Also, I had been starting it on 15W40 Rotella. That is drained and Castro GTX 20W50 in. I think the starting problem was that the fuel level in the tank was too low. After adding another gallon, it finally gets fuel when tickled. Anyway, sorted for now and I will load it up and haul it to the Possum Gathering in Sevierville, TN for Friday and Saturday.

Had a great time at the Possum Gathering! Took the T150V Friday and a friend showed me some tricks on easier starting (still not really easy). Left it overnight in their pavilion (with a couple dozen other bikes). This morning I started it and took a couple laps around the track before parking it for the show. Some really great bikes there - almost 100 were judged. This is a sample of the British bikes shown.

Looks like a good time, I like the Dougie!

DJinCA

After church (and changing the oil in the daughter's car) today, I rolled the T150 out and started it to get the oil pumped back up into the tank. My technique must be improving, as it only half wore me out before starting. I have moved the #1 float valve seat down just a touch, which slightly raised the (plastic) float to the correct height. the others were good. Other things to take care of today, so I just let it idle a while and cut it off, let it cool a bit and rolled it in. Forecast is for nice weather this week, so I might get out on it some, but there are three other bikes arguing that they need to be ridden next.

Set the timing by strobe today. Was pretty far off - at the A (GG model, so before the crank change) at idle, so retarded it a bunch. Seems to start better now, but not full cold so don't know for sure. Was over 80F before I finished, so let the fan cool it down and put it up.

We have arborists (locally called wood butchers) coming tomorrow so we can give them a butt-load of money to take out some trees threatening our house. Soon, the neighbor will follow me on his Spyder while I give the T150 30 or so miles try-out.