Lucky Day

Reverend Bill’s Lucky Day.

Rescue Rig

When you look from the long view, some crises turn out to be very propitious.  

Backtrack a week to the 11,000 mile valve adjust.  Clearances seemed really tight, pre-adjustment, but I blamed it on the long interval since the 3,000 adjustment.  Even after the adjustment there was a loud ticking that I attributed to a slightly loose valve, and better loose than tight.  Turns out I set the valves on the exhaust TDC instead of the Compression TDC.  Caption would read: "Oblivious Stupidity."  The bike ran fine, and the ticking was “curious”.

Ready, set, GO!

All week long, the bike ran great, even at 70mph at 9,200 rpm (near redline).  3pm Saturday rolling along I-5 at 65mph the engine died.  No odd noises, no drama.  Felt like it ran out of fuel or blew a main fuse (don’t ask how I know). Pulled the plug to confirm spark and noticed the exhaust valve hanging down into the cylinder and not moving with the motor turning over.  Called my lovely wife to bring the van, and went out to the Rat City Roller Girls.  Work on it tomorrow…….

Carb, exhaust header, plug, upper mount and valve covers off, ready to remove the head.

Sunday, unloaded the bike and tore into it.  Amazingly, the cylinder was unscathed, with just a bit of carbon worn off one spot.  The intake valve was fine, as well as the exhaust valve seat.  After pulling the camshaft out of the head it was evident the valve failed right at the stem top where the cotters secure the stem in the spring keeper. The top 3mm end  of the valve stem was roughly peened on it’s top by the rocker.

The valve stem was bent , requiring it be driven out, but the valve guide appeared intact.

Desk Trophy, Indeed

So the failure cause appears to be high RPM valve stem failure at the cotters due to excessive rocker impact secondary to some idiot adjusting the valve while it was on the cam! Doh!!  Then, of course, after the valve dropped down into the cylinder, the piston bent the valve stem.

Are we lucky because the interfering parts didn’t kablam the motor? Hell yes.  But it gets better.

Last year I purchased three TW200 in various states of disassembly, and built a motor out of the best parts of the three.  This left a number of TW parts, including two exhaust valves!

Head Gasket in Good Shape

Reassembly proceeded, with the discovery that one of the cam chain tensioner guides was excessively worn, so the T-Dub got a new cam chain guide while we were in the engine, and a tensioner adjustment.

Top of Piston has an arch of carbon pinged off the surface. Cylinder bore is smooth.

By 930pm the project was complete with the bike ready for the morning commute.  It ran like a champ today, with no smoke to indicate a valve guide issue. The valves will get another check tomorrow- just to be sure!

Bottom of head, intake valve circa 2006, replacement exhaust valve 1986. Engine still in production.

Special thanks go to Paul Bullard who stopped on I-5, Tim Bowman who drove by on a mission, to JT for moral support and Scot Iverson for the use of his valve spring compressor.

830PM: She Runs!

So how lucky was it? The engine failed causing a valve to drop into the cylinder and the bike did not grenade!  And there was a spare valve in my shop! What’s the lottery up to?

930PM: Repair complete and tucked in for the night.

IT'S ALIVE!!

Is this a problem?

Replaced the exhaust valve yesterday. In a marathon session, got the bike apart, fixed, and finished by 9pm. Test ride to work this morning!

Engine Failure

NOT the T-Dub

Riding southbound on I-5 yesterday on my way to South Sound BMWs WABDR Planning event, hauling 60mph at 8200 RPM, the mighty T-Dub just quit. No loud noises, no smoke, it just died and I rolled to a stop on the shoulder.
First thought was a main fuse, or loss of fuel.  I walked the bike a few hundred yards to the end of the guard rail and rolled her onto the grass.
Soon Paul Bullard stopped on his ST1300.  He'd spotted the T-Dub from the fast lane and did a loop around.
After a little diagnosis, pulling the plug, verifying spark and a normal plug color, the exhaust valve was visible through the spark plug hole, hanging down in the cylinder. It wasn't moving when the engine was turned over by the starter. There was a sucking and poofing at the tail pipe when the start was cranked, so I don't know what this means, whether the intake valve is working or not.  The exhaust valve was hanging way further into the cylinder than normal, so it may be possible the cam chain is still turning the valve cams and intake valve, and I have a issue only on the exhaust side.
So Paul went on his way and my lovely wife came down in the van and hauled my broken beauty home.
Thanks Paul, for stopping and helping in the diagnosis.  And thanks to Dana for coming to the rescue.
This morning I'm tearing into it and I will share.

Tahuya UPDATE 3/21

DonorTW200

As of 3/21 we have about half a dozen riders, some just for Friday night.
The meeting spot is Cupcake Royal/Veritas Coffee at the Alaska Junction in West Seattle.
We'll leave there with full tanks at 0800 to catch the 0845 Fauntleroy Ferry to Southworth.
I'm thinking of an indirect scenic back route to Belfair State Park, such as this one:

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1018011

And of course, come any time, any route.
We should be able to have camp set up mid-day and explore and ride the afternoon.

One rider is driving his rig and can bring the clampot and burner.  I think he might be the firewood mule if we ask nice.
I'm securing local clams and oysters for Saturday night.  I don't know if live Dungeness are in season, but I'm checking on that as well.
Looks like we've got a couple skilled riders to help us improve our skills.  And there are miles of very easy riding too.
Spread the word.
Let me know if you're coming.
Thanks.
REVerend Bill

Tahuya Dampalooza

Reverend Bill’s Tahuya Dampalooza!     April 6-8

Bring Dry Socks

It’s Spring! 

It’s been wet!

It’s time to practice/learn your off-pavement skills!

The first weekend in April, the Tahuya State Forest will be the perfect venue for an early season campout and training weekend.

We’ll camp two nights at Belfair State Park, (http://www.parks.wa.gov/parks/?selectedpark=Belfair) and ride the gravel roads, dual-track and single track trails of Tahuya State Forest.  Tahuya is known for some nice trail riding, mostly easy and moderate level trails, and soil/rocks that are manageable when wet.  Unlike clay type soils that turn to mud when wet, Tahuya is known to be decent when soaked.  We should expect lots of long wet puddles and water crossings.  Multiple changes of socks are a must. This is more of an organized camp-out, rather than a led ride.  We’ll figure out the riding when we get there. http://www.dnr.wa.gov/Publications/eng_tahuya_both.pdf http://www.dnr.wa.gov/AboutDNR/ManagedLands/Pages/amp_rec_tahuya_state_forest.aspx

Hopefully we’ll have a range of riders to guide, teach and lead on these trails.  We’ll have a chance to spend some time on the pegs, get in a rhythm and stay relaxed.

Some of us will be headed down to Belfair State Park Friday morning, April 6th. It’s close enough to head down from Seattle Friday after work.  Saturday night plan to kick in and help put together a seafood feast.

If you’re interested in joining us, let me know for space and portion planning.  Bring some firewood, plenty of dry socks, and we’ll follow-up with Saturday night feast ideas.

You likely will need a Discover Pass to ride the Tahuya State Forest: http://www.discoverpass.wa.gov/

 reverendbill1@gmail.com

http://mappery.com/map-of/Tahuya-State-Forest-Trail-Map