Bill's 1977 T140v Bonneville - billbs76t140bonneville

Week 7

3/10/09 Jack is anxious to get this puppy on the road and so am I. The plan is to get the final items done, run it for about 20 miles or so and then bring it back in for a check. We may have to take the engine off and replace an O ring under the tappet. There seems to be an oil leak there and this is the most likely cause. We will know more after a few miles. Great news, the tach cable finally came in. It is nice to be able to run the bike and know the RPM. Jack and I set the timing using the strobe. The timing pointer that we cut down and installed worked perfectly. (This was afew weeks back when the main cover wouldn't close properly because the timing pointer was too large and we debated about its positioning, slanted.) We also did a wheel and front fork alignment. Gave the bike a few practice starts and may even be getting the hang of a kick start.

3/11/09 Jack and Welby finished all adjustments to the carbs and balance the air pressure. I did a bolt check and found a few that were loose. (I suspect Jack planted them just to make sure that I would find something loose.) Tightend up the speedometer and found one mirror that would fit. Would love to put another on. Good night for some practice kick starts.

3/12/09 Got the license for the bike and the insurance. If the weather holds for Saturday, we will be ready for some real test runs.

Week 6

3/3/09 When I came in, I thought the bike had an oil leak. After peering over someone's head, it was obvious that it was much more. The timing cover was off and a few of the gears were taken off as well. After reviewing the manual, it was decided that the problem with the carburetor could be caused by the timing gears. The manual does not give a very good explanation of how to line up the gears, stating only to put the key opposite primary timing mark. Turns out the left side should be aligned with the B timing mark and the right side with the A timing mark. At one point there were four people working on this problem. This seemed to solve the problem. We readjusted the valves to the new timing. One of the carbs is sticking on the slide and Jack wants to take it apart and genlty smooth it with a Scotch Brite pad.

3/4/09 Jack has smoothed out the slider on the carb. While the carb was apart, we took the liberty of installing two fuel filters in the gas line as an extra precaution with the old tank. Shortened up the lines and reinstalled the gas tank. We installed new spark plugs and plug caps. After a few final inspections by Jack, Nick and Welby, it was time to try to start the bike. Jack allowed me the honors and the rest is pretty much a blur. I remember cranking it at least 20 times, Jack has the video which we hope to post, and it finally started. I don't think I have quit smiling since. There are still some minor things to do but to have the bike running is a thing of beauty.

3/7/09 Had the chance to take the bike outside for a bit and run it up and down the driveway. We don't want to do too much riding until the idle and carbs are fully adjusted. It will also need a bolt check, tach cable (darn thing just doesn't seem to want to come in), mirrors, and some clean up. Also need a lot of practice kick starting the bike.

Week 5

2/23/09 Buttoned up the chaincase and are waiting on new washers for the pushrod tube. Nick has ordered new washers and will trim them down so that the head will fit tightly on the cylinder block. The timing gears have been added as well as the oil pump. I emptied the gas tank of the Rusteco solution on Sunday and pressure washed the inside. It worked rather well even though the tank was larger and the solution therefore more diluted than intended. We have decided to leave the tank as is and not line it. We will remove the filters from the petcocks and rely instead on the filters in the gas line. They will be easier to clean if there is any contamination from the tank.

2/24/09 The washers have been trimmed and the head has been installed. The cylinder head bolts must be torqued in order. The bolts are tightened through the valve covers. Valves have been adjusted to .006 for exhaust and .008 for intake. Jack has been patient for the amount of time it has taken me to adjust them. Installing the carbs will be next. Jack thinks we may be able to start the engine on Saturday.

2/25/09 The cables have all been squared away and the carbs have been added but left open to check for proper operation. We still have several minor modifications to complete such as adding the tach cable and installing a new bullet connector from the altenator but the project is rapidly coming to an end.

2/28/09 Installed the gas lines and replaced the petcocks on the gas tank. Jack wanted to tighten them into the tank as the copper washer compresses dramatically to seal to the tank and if done improperly, i.e. tightened too much, the threads could be stripped out. The carbs were installed and we switched the old plugs for the ones on Jack's Tiger 750. Lots of checking and rechecking. We decided to give it a try to start the bike, late in the afternoon. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen. We aren't getting a spark in the plugs. Retraced the electrical and added a jumper from the positive (ground on an English bike) to one of the pots. This provided the spark we needed. The engine still would not start, however, and it is too late in the day to begin something new.

Week 4

02/16/09 We have decided to try a new product on the gas tank called Safetco that is supposed to remove rust without acids. It's expensive but hopefully worth it and the manufacturer says its reusable. Jack's a little banged up from training for a marathon so I was working on the bike myself with help from Welby and Nick. Took off the gearbox sprocket along with the O ring and the circlip for the main bearing. Replaced the circlip with little problem using the old one over the new to gently hammer it in without doing any damage. The O ring was another problem, however. The new sprocket is not exactly the same as the old. There is less room between the sprocket camber and the mainshaft than with the old. The O ring bulges out and would not seal in the oil. We have ordered a replacement sprocket in hopes that this was a fluke or we will need a much thinner O ring. A thinner O ring will mean it would be able to hold less pressure, however.

02/21/09 Welby has dealt with the O ring problem. Another new spocket had the same camber as the previous one. A slightly thinner O ring has been put on but the camber created a new problem. When the tab washer was installed, the tabs were too long for the shallow camber. Welby ground down the tabs to make them fit then applied the tab washer and the gearbox sprocket nut. He then installed the sprocket and housing and connected the primary chain and the drive chain. Jack and I spent a full day Saturday installing the drive plates, drive cover, altenator, putting on new bullet connectors, adjusting the tension on the primary and drive chains, installing the piston rings, and trying to determine the position of the timing pin. The piston ring install was by far the most fascinating. The rings are first oiled then a special clamp is place over all three rings to compress them. The cylinder block is then placed over the pistons in their clamp or sleeve. The pistons are then gently advanced using the kick starter to push them into the cylinder block. Once securely there, the special clamps are removed and the cylinder is bolted down. We are having a cmall problem with the cylinder head as it appears to have been machined down creating a larger gap between the cylinder block and head. We may get a larger head gasket or trim down the washers on the cover tubes of the push rods.

Week 3

2/10/09 Unfortunately, the engine is still not ready. The inventory at the shop listed a set of inserts for the main bearing that would have made the adjustment for the smaller size diameter after the crankshaft had been tooled. When Nick went to use the inserts, however, there were two top inserts, not two pairs. Disappointing but they are now on order.

2/11/09 I contacted Don Hutchinson for information on the gas tank color. Don is considered the authority on color schemes for Triumphs. He relayed to me that the 1976 Bonneville would have been Cherokee red with a white sweep. The 1977's used any leftover 76's and then went to a Pacific blue with a white sweep. The 1977 tail lights were black while the 76's had polished aluminium. So we know the gas tank is definitely not original. I did some checking on the VIN numbers and came the same conclusion as Don based on the tail lights. Mine are black and the VIN number translates into a June 1977 model. Don is amazing. I gave Don a description of the tank as having a spline down the center and fitted with chrome trim. He believes the tank is from a 1971 or 1972 which confirms what Jack and Welby have been saying. The color is not original but I think I will keep it as it is unique and looks rather nice on the bike. See link for VIN number decoding.

2/12/09 Disappointing news last night on the crankshaft and rods. Testing revealed that at least one of the rods is out of round. When the rods were installed with the new inserts, Nick put a plastic test thread in between the insert and the crankshaft. As the rods are tightened to the crankshaft the plastic thread compresses. How wide the thread compresses indicates how much of a gap there is between the rod and the crankshaft. In our case, the distance was way over any tolerance indicating that the rods are out of round. Two possible solutions are available. The first is to bore out the rods to make them round and this is what Nick intends to try. The second is to find new rods and inserts that fit.

2/14/09 The rods have been bored and everything fits perfectly. Engine assembly begins and progresses smoothly. Only a few decisions to be made as to the exact positioning of gears when installing the mechanism driven by the shifter. The manual specifies that the engine should be in first gear with the first tooth in line with the midpoint of a bearing. After a few experiments, we are sure we have the right positioning. The engine is mounted to the frame. We also installed the kick start. All remaining parts are placed on trays in relation as to where they will go on the engine. This will make installing the remaining parts much easier.

Week 2

02/02/09 Cleaned most of the chrome and half of the engine housing. Lots of metal filings. Nick pulled the tube from the crank case. A great deal of sludge buildup on the tube and in the crank shaft. Have decided to add an additional oil filter to the motor during reassembly.

02/03/09 Took off the seat and removed the battery and battery holder. Will replace battery holder after sandblasting and powder coat by Nick. Cleaned the battery area. Lots of grease and grime. Checked wiring and wraps for cracks and exposed wiring, found several areas to replace wraps. Will work on electronic ignition tomorrow, cleaning rectifiers and checking connections.

2/04/09 Electrical ignition cleaned and looks ready to go. Oil filter is next. Jack drilled a larger hole in the fender to secure the filter in the space between the fender and the frame under the air intake. Oil filter will extend slightly beyond frame but should not impede movement of the bike or rider. Also looked at the gas tank. Took off stopcocks and decorative plagues. One stopcock is shot with the filter falling off. Not sure why there is a difference between the valve stem on the reserve versus regular inlet for fuel. The reserve sits on one side of the tank that is virtually split down the middle as it straddles the frame. Therfore, the reserve has about a quart to half gallon on one side while the main flow is on the other side. Significant gritty buildup found inside tank. Will put a stack of drywall screws in tank and tumble to remove as much as possible. Will then decide if a coating inside tank is necessary.

2/07/09 The crank has been machined and returned. They tried to polish the wear off but it was too extensive.. The main bearings will need new rings due to the smaller diameter. Jack finished the electrical system. We tried out the lights and horn and almost everything works as it should. The high beam on the headlight would not turn on when switched. It turned out to be a loose connection in the headlamp. We also found out that if the retainer clips in the headlight are not installed properly it is next to impossible to close the headlamp casing. A quick tip from Welby and everything went back together perfectly. The left turn signal doesn't blink when the head lamp is on but Jack thins this is due to too much draw on the battery. He expects that when the engine is installed, the indicator will work as expected. Finished polishing and cleaning the bike. I don't think there is much else to be done except installing the engine.

Week 1

1/17/09

Obtained Bike at The Classic Bike Experience. Against all advice from friends, I got a classic bike that will need some hands on care, has to be primed to start, and has no electronic ignition. The guys at the bike shop are great. Jack took plenty of time to show me around, tell me what I could expect from a classic bike, and invited me to work on the bike with them if I wanted to. What follows are summaries of emails from The Classic Bike Experienc staff, updating me on the progress of the bike.

1/21/09

Bike is up on a gurney and the motor is now pulled.

1/29

The front end mostly done today, so will be finishing that up and then cleaning and inspecting the rest of the "rolling chassis" next.

Status report on engine:

Cases are split and engine damage has been reviewed. We found a few strange pieces in the sump that shouldn't have been there, but may have gotten there during the initial teardown some months ago.

The bearings are worn, however the crank appears to be in good shape, final judgement will take place tomorrow during the measurement and analysis. One side of the crank has oil holes solidly plugged with metal filled sludge, the bearing on that side is worn to match. No permanent (unrepairable) damage noted. All is basically as we expected it to be.

There will be some cleanup activity, bearing removal and sludge trapectomy in the next few days and the engine should be ready for re-assembly by midweek next week.

1/30/09

Today is the sludge trapectomy, but that may involve a delay if the tube resists removal as we didn't get the proper tool in the transfer, so we may have to make one.

The front end went back together nicely. Replaced gaiters and found that the front fork tubes, seals, etc were all in good order. Just cleaned and reassembled after balancing the front wheel. Replaced fork oil and generally cleaned things up. Tach and speedo are installed.

Considering an aftermarket oil filter we've been using on our bikes. The old Triumphs did not have a conventional, replaceable oil filter (only screens in hard to get at places). The aftermarket units are compact, inconspicuous and provide peace of mind, especially after an engine rebuild. The time to install it is with the engine out of the frame.

Bill's 1977 T140v Bonneville - billbs76t140bonneville

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2009-03-21

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