the Hunley or, pidjones needed a retirement project

[pidjones]

Really not happy with the shelter paint. The lower side covers should be OK once polished out, but the lacquer is too soft still for that. I just hung one side on to take a photo. The shelter covers on both sides have artifacts that I believe are from underlying enamel that was exposed by sanding through the primer (that somehow avoids messing up the enamel even though the primer is lacquer-based). Plans are presently to not sand all of the paint off, but rather scuff it and hit it with etching primer once it hardens, then color. I think I'll wait longer between color coats - maybe I rushed it this time. I'll let the color set, sand out the orange peal, then do the clear coat with greater time between coats on it, too. I love the color and it worked great on the fenders that were sanded-down chrome and steel. I'm sure it was the original Honda enamel that is fighting me. I had to sand off or completely cover with etching primer for the lower sides.

 

[Jimbonaut]

Damn though, that green. Looks absolutely fantastic, and by the sounds of it will only get better. Great job.

 

[Brodie]

Looks good man. Pity about the surface finish.

 

[pidjones]

This afternoon I finished bleeding the front brakes (necessary after replacing the upper front brake line). I installed a new boot on the right front caliper piston. The I pulled the speedometer and opened it so that I could lubricate the pointer shaft with some very thin silicone oil, thinning and flushing the thickened stuff that was in it. Then re-sealed and installed the speedometer. I think it is safe to start taking longer rides on it, if the weather will cooperate!

 

[pidjones]

This morning I backed her out of the garage, warmed her while donning gear, and took her for a 6.4 mile loop through the valley. Yowsa, I don't remember this kind of kick from my '77 GL1000. Once she passes about 3500 RPM, I must be hanging onto the grips with BOTH hands! The bump at the back of the seat came in handy! Feels like it weighs much less than my '77 did. Although she is still a bit rough at lower RPM, man was she nice when wound out. Even managed to get her through all 5 gears, but never fast enough for 5th (or even 4th) to feel that happy. Tires are 13 years old and I can feel how hard the rear is when using the rear brake. The front is much better, but may still need another bleed. Won't be riding her more until July 12th, when the insurance on her starts (changing to Dairyland along with my GL1800) - bu-bye again, Flo!

You may have noticed in previous photos the paper towels taped around my grips (NOS Kury Isogrips). I needed a better solution (for keeping them clean) for that, so.... cheap, easy on-and-off, but hard to find non-lubricated - condoms.

 

[pidjones]

Pretty hot out today. I did get out and mount the Hunley onto the trailer I built for her out of Harbor Freight frame and loading ramps. Rode it right up. The trailer has fold-down side boards because I've seen way too many YouTube videos of guys dumping their bikes loading or unloading them. Still not happy with the strapping down plan I had. The ratchet straps I bought at Harbor Freight are crap - jambing every time. The high-strength cam buckle straps slip at every opportunity. I'm going to Tractor Supply for some SmartStraps. These seem like the best I've ever used.

 

[Maritime]

Nice!

 

[JustinLonghorn]

I can dig it.

 

[pidjones]

The weather has really been poor for riding - either steamy 90's or raining or wet roads. I am not about to take these 13 year-old hard tires on wet roads. So, I've been finishing up the trailer I'll haul it to shows on. Loaded her up and did a couple mile loop around tight turns, railroad tracks, etc. Seems to ride fine.

 

[pidjones]

Put about 40 miles on her today before it got too hot and the thunderstorms rolled in. Rode over Norris Dam and back. She ran fine. Still need front brake improvement, and tires! Still, she feels very confident in turns. Need to find out how to adjust the damping of these Progressive rear shocks. Riding almost like a hard tail. I back off the spring load, but I don't think it will soften the ride any. I might just be spoiled by the GL1800 (which is much heavier) ride.

 

[pidjones]

The right side is still much louder than the left, and I think I've figured out why! Back in 2013, when I first started work on it, I had to file on the right side head and block both to get them flat. I don't know how much I removed but it may have been as much as 5 thou (total). Could this have increased the compression on that side? I know that my compression testing a while back showed #1 to be 20 psi higher than the other cylinders.

 

[Maritime]

Could be, these motors have high compression to begin with, When I did my gaskets and tested after, the bike had the high side of factory spec and it has 200K+ miles on it, so I bet you could have increased it.

 

[pidjones]

Loaded up the Hunley and took it to Stearns, Kentucky to the Moonshiner's Run Car Show. Had a great time, met some wonderful folks, and talked to a lot of them about the Hunley. Next up is new lower brake lines and new tires, so I can get some riding in this fall!

 

[pidjones]

Back on the furniture dolly. Wheels are at Honda of Knoxville for mounting the new Duro 918s. I know Shinkos are popular for this, but I had bad blistering on my GL1800 with them.

 

[pidjones]

Well, the wheels and new tires are on and the new lower brake lines also. Bleeding the front brakes I noticed fluid on the plastic that I had put over the shelter (glad I did). Coming from the master cylinder around the push rod. Went ahead and ordered a new China el-cheapo and it is on the slow boat (uh, I mean China Post). So, with things a bit on hold and monsoons rolling through the rain forests of East Tennessee, I decided to check on engine things. Ohmed plug wires #1 to #2 is 25.2 kOhms and #3 to #4 is 25.8 kOhms. # 2 plug looks awful - I don't see how it could fire there is so much wet black (gas smelling) on it.

I then did a (cold) compression test which was really confusing.

Remember now, #1 and 3 cylinders had been discovered with bad rust that I scraped off with razor blades. #2 and 4 looked fairly good. #1 and 3 first compression tests were bad and #2 and 4 were Ok. Well, NOW #1 and 3 are 180 psi! BUT!!!! #2 and 4 are down to 120!!!???

So, I am suspecting (hoping) that I've missed a tooth on the left cam belt. Would explain a lot of things like fuel economy, difficulty in getting it timed, difficulty in balancing carbs. Oh, replaced the carb 2-4 balance screw today as the old one seemed maybe stripped.

So, left belt cover comes off tomorrow and (hopefully) correct that issue, then redo static time, valve lash, fire it up and do strobe timing followed by carb balance. Don't mind that work - a lot better than thinking about one bank running 60 psi lower than the other.

 

[Maritime]

Check valves on that side too, may have gotten tighter.

 

[pidjones]

Well, I'm happy. Removed the left belt cover (ratchet head wrenches are a blessing) and indeed the belt was off by one tooth. Corrected that and readjusted left side valves. #2 and #4 compression is now 155 and 175 psi! After a bite of lunch (wife is cooking catfish), I will reset static time, put the clear timing hole plug in, and take her outside for strobe timing and carb re-balancing. Woho! Maybe she will be too loud out both sides now!

 

[Maritime]

Woot there you go. Good luck with the time and sync, should run much better after that.

 

[pidjones]

We have much better idle and throttle response now. Retimed (static - checked with strobe and was spot-on) and balanced carbs. Made some spools out of some scrap aluminum slugs I had and tried out the Harbor Freight stand I'd picked up a few months ago. Makes it muck nicer for working on. The spools are mounted to longer lower shock bolts. I have allen heads on order that I'll counter sink into the spools.

Sent from my KFSUWI using Tapatalk

 

[pidjones]

Bled the front brakes still again, and have a pretty good lever now. Pulled the lift spools I had made off and counter-bored them for the new grade 12 (all that was available) Allen head bolts and washers and re-installed. Now I can pick it up easily with my spool lift. Makes work on it much easier, and storing it on the stand keeps it upright so the left bank doesn't fog the neighborhood on startup (I had ground off the center stand).