Pre ride checks

[muskrat]

 G'day all,
             short (120 mile) ride today, which bike to take? Old faithful ('51) hasn't been out for a month or two. Drag her out and prop on side stand. Mmm thought she had fuel when parked up, might have used in one of the others. What's that drop on the floor? Check oil tank,yep she's wet sumped. Drop crankcase drain plug and get the usual 3 lt of oil. Replenish oil and fuel tank. Another drop on floor, ah gear box due to being on side stand? No it's oily fuel. Penny drops. Drained 4 lt of fuel out of primary case. Cause = fuel tap left on, drained into motor till it reached the crank then flowed into the primary till it reached the mainshaft (non) seal. Could have been very messy if I had tried to start her straight up. All other checks OK
 She ran great as usual with no clutch problems, but I dare say the clutch will have fuel trapped inside by the cover. Another job to do.
Another great day, great ride, snags on the barbie at Currarong Jervis bay. Makes all the little problems fade.
Cheers

[cus]

Thats what I call being gassed up!
These old bikes really do keep you on your toes,
I went to go for a ride on the w/end, & for some reason
quite a few bolts decided to be loose at once. Fired the bike
up, looked down & thought sh_t, the engines bobbing around a bit,
shut the bike down & noticed the nut on the head steady had worked
its way off & safely landed in the V of the intake manifold. Put my foot on
the brake pedal while on the c/stand & noticed the rear wheel move,
swingarm nut was loose, & a couple of other minor ones. I usually check
allot of things while cleaning & don't normally get too many surprises,
you just never know sometimes, I better start using a bit more locktight!

Cus

[bsa-bill]

ah well better slack nuts than no nuts

I better start using a bit more locktight!

speaking of locktite I needed to get some last week and found some in Halfords that is like a lipstick, it's the blue stuff, I haven't seen this before, good idea I would think though as I generally waste a good bit of the liquid stuff as it either runs off the screw/nut or squishes out (yeah I know put less on)

like a lipstick

   just had a great idea

[muskrat]

Know what you mean Cus. Had a bad vibe  on the cafe a while back. All horrible thoughts of big end bolts, main bearings and alike so I washed her in readiness to drop the motor. Found 3 of the 4 engine mount bolts were loose. More loctite.
 Rode her ('51) to work today, clutch OK if a little grabby. Will have to clean it out before I forget.
Cheers
 Might have to get some Bill and send it to our PM.

[muskrat]

As suspected there was half a cup of petrol in the clutch. At least all the primary parts are clean now!
Cheers

[alanp]

speaking of locktite I needed to get some last week and found some in Halfords that is like a lipstick, it's the blue stuff, I haven't seen this before, good idea I would think though as I generally waste a good bit of the liquid stuff as it either runs off the screw/nut or squishes out (yeah I know put less on)

I stumbled across the Loctite 'lipstick' recently like you. At first I was a bit sceptical so tested it on an innocent nut and screw. It worked so have used it since. One thought I have about it is that, unlike the liquid, I get the feeling that to ensure it doesn't get pushed off when doing up the nut or screw, I put it on the threads and push it down into the thread with my finger. Maybe I'm being over cautious since Loctite would have thoroughly tested it prior to making and selling it.
One thing in its favour is that you can actually see when you have nearly used up your supply to prompt you to get some more before the next job, avoiding finding that your little container of liquid Loctite is empty just when you need it (I bet we've all experienced that one).

[bsa-bill]

finding that your little container of liquid Loctite is empty just when you need it (I bet we've all experienced that one).

Oh yes too true

I'm having a shed re-organize come tidy while waiting for some shoes for the front brake (came today), was getting tired of picking up wrong bolts and nuts, intended to buy another box for threads other than cycle and Whitworth but price put me off, good thing as I now find I've all the storage I need once I got rid of the rubbish.
BUT can I find that Loctite --- it's somewhere safe