Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Bsa bulletin board Firebird Scrambler - Working to finish up

for 900 series carbs. Burlen are now selling Aluminium boddied ones. I don’t think they are listing the Mazak ones as a premier option anymore. But I just ordered and fitted a pair of 930’s to my friends OIF Lightning and they are really nice, the quality is apparent with them.

That's probably the right thing to do,and would address my current gripes with the originals.

Re-equipping my Brits running Amals with nice aluminum Burlens would run north of $2100, though, so I guess I'll have to start saving my pennies. Although I'm six-hundred-dollaring myself to death getting the Firebird and the Norton and the C15S back on the road; nothing's cheap any more.

Lannis

Filled it up with good 'ol Castrol 20w50 after spinning on a new oil filter (I have a Mr. Mike filter conversion where the filter base is welded to the rear engine mounting plates, very sturdy, unobtrusive, and easy to get to, uses a Harley filter). Put it in top gear and gave the rear wheel about 20 full turns, and oil started coming out of the rocker feed and tank return, so that system is working.

Now into town for some silencer mounting bolts, and we'll see if she'll run later on.....

Back from town, got the right bolts for the silencers, put it all together and realized I had the H-pipe on backwards and couldn't bolt up the heat shield. It goes much quicker second time around.

Worried myself about the spark, I couldn't get a spark from the Boyer either turning the ignition on or turning the engine over. Probed around looking for 12 volts to the Boyer box, and that was all fine. Went back through the old Boyer Troubleshooting Posts on bb.com and realized I'd forgotten that even though this unit is 18 years old, it's a Micro-Mark IV and doesn't spark when you turn the key on, and neither does it spark under 200 RPM. Gave it a "Long Swinging Kick" and got sparks.

Cleaning up and changing the primary and gearbox oil this evening. I've FINALLY put two proper petcocks on this 2-gallon gas tank - all these years and all these long rides and I've been doing it with petcocks that both have standpipes in them, so you can never use the last inch of fuel in either saddle - well, you can use one if you laid the bike on its side. It's silly sometimes, the things up with which we put. I want to see how much usable gas is really in the tank and the reserve, so I'll do some filling and draining into marked containers.

Lannis

Had to knock off early tonight. After dark, a little lost hummingbird flew into the shop, got confused by the bright lights, and couldn't get back out and started flying into things. I had to open the big door and turn out the lights, and hopefully he'll see the dim light outside and head for it.

The fuel tank takes a little over 2-1/2 gallons, and has a 2-1/2 quart reserve, so that's good to know. Still means about 90 miles between planned fuel stops, but that's not too bad - I can get to Toronto OH from home with 3 gas stops for the 380 miles.

Tomorrow I'll know whether I'm riding it or not.

Lannis

Hey Lannis,
I see you are posting up there with the best of them. Hope the Firebird Scrambler does good for you. I am not getting out on the bike much anymore. There comes a time when other things that are less risky take the place of the bikes. Haven't made it to TSMR in a number of years but i did mange to ride the course on four different BSA's and never had to come back on the truck. I don't get on the site much anymore but it sure has been an asset to all the guys (and gals) that honk around on the old bikes.

Keep the shiny side uo!

Mr Mike

Well, the little hummingbird didn't make it. I left the big garage door open all night, but in the morning I found him dead on the floor. Maybe a bad omen!

The past two days, been fighting gas leaks, primary leaks, sticky slides, throttle cables pinched by the gas tank, and any other kind of teething problem you can think of. Unfortunately, I've run out of decent 1/4" fuel line, none is available locally, so I'm using clear plastic line, which will not seal up on the non-barbed fittings on my current petcocks. I've got them crushed down on the petcocks with two worm-gear clamps each, but still a slow seep.

Checked compression (120+ on an engine that hasn't run yet, rings and valves not bedded in, so that's good to start with), checked spark (popping bright), tickled carbs, and .... no start. Tried several times, checked plugs, they were dry and didn't even smell like gas. Put some paper towels under the carbs, tickled until there was gas splashing everywhere, and six kicks later, she started. Seemed to run OK, although there was gasoline leaking from every tube and joint on the carbs, so shut it off and fixed as many as I could find. Tried again, tickled till gas was running everywhere, and six kicks later she started. This time there was less gas dripping, so I let it warm up and adjusted the idle to 1100 RPM, rechecked the sync on the carbs, and she appears to be running pretty well. With the 2-1/2 slides, she picks up instantly when I open the throttle. I shut it off, tightened up the banjos, clamps, and swage joints for the fuel one more time, and it seems pretty dry.

No reason it shouldn't start on one kick, though. Seems like not enough gas is getting into the intake to prime it.

But now the oil light won't come on ... It WAS glowing bright when I turned the key on, and went off the moment I started it, but now won't come on at all, so I'm taking a break and get the test light out. Probably won't ride it until tomorrow when I'll have a rescue trailer available.

At any rate, it's coming down to TSMR on the back of the truck, along with an Applicance to ride if she goofs on me again .... Perhaps it can be the subject of a Tech Session.

Lannis