Series 2 survivor

[Fast n Furious]

Doesn’t do it any harm not too match n flow
Have you checked the compression ratio?

I wasn't going to bother as it's a very "normal" kit. But you've asked now, so I will. I suppose the 62mm stroke will probably raise the uncorrected ratio and reduce the corrected one, by virtue of effectively raising the exhaust port? Can't see it making a huge difference though.

You could measure the corrected compression ratio using a quality compression gauge that has its check valve incorporated in the bit that screws into the plug hole.
Don't use the ting tong ones that have the check valve in the bourdon gauge. These will give you a false reading because they increase the compressed volume capacity.

[dickie]

I took a good amount off the back of the manifold with a bastard file. Now has a good 3mm clearance even with the longer S2 shock and no weight on the suspension at all.

There was loads of meat to cut into if anyone is thinking of using one of these. I'm not sure why I was being such a fanny.

[dickie]

You could measure the corrected compression ratio using a quality compression gauge that has its check valve incorporated in the bit that screws into the plug hole.
Don't use the ting tong ones that have the check valve in the bourdon gauge. These will give you a false reading because they increase the compressed volume capacity.

I'll see if my mate has one. He only buys quality tools, so if he has one, it'll be decent, probably.

[dickie]

Thanks Pete. I've just been looking for one, but I can't tell where the check valve is. Do you mean a one-way valve or the pressure relief button? Is the one in the image the better type?

[dickie]

As I've booked for seahouses, it's hopefully giving me some inspiration to get this from 95% to 100%.

It's going to be full DC 12V with no battery. So I bought a cheap Indian DC horn and fitted it to the original horn bracket.


I also think it's maybe time I fitted a new cord to my soldering iron.


As I'm not using a battery, I like to use a capacitor to take the worst of any possible spikes. This time, I've gone for 3000microfarads as the 10,000 on my S3 bitsa takes a bit of kicking over before the voltage can stabilise at 12V. Plus I've hidden it inside a regulator box just for aesthetic reasons.

[dickie]

I noticed the fuel cap didn't have a breather, so I drilled a 1.5mm hole. I thought late series 2 had the breather hole? I'm either wrong or it's been replaced with an earlier type.


I want to have an airbox, just for originalish looks, but I can't use a series 2 airbox with the engine I've built. So, as I had an old modified series 3 type kicking about, why not use that? It's pretty much the same colour as the rest of the tinware now that time has taken its toll. But the indent for the toolbox screw isn't big enough on a series 3 to work on a series 2. 3 whacks with a big hammer sorted it.

Does anyone have any tips for fitting these buggers?

[Rich Oswald]

No teaching you to suck eggs Dickie, but did you look under the fuel cap handle, in the centre, for the breather hole? Sorry if that is obvious.

Rich'

[dickie]

No teaching you to suck eggs Dickie, but did you look under the fuel cap handle, in the centre, for the breather hole? Sorry if that is obvious.

Rich'

I take no advice as insulting; nobody knows everything even if they think they do. But yes, I did check and was surprised to see it didn't have one. As I type this, I'm wondering what even made me look in the first place!

[Rich Oswald]

No teaching you to suck eggs Dickie, but did you look under the fuel cap handle, in the centre, for the breather hole? Sorry if that is obvious.

Rich'

I take no advice as insulting; nobody knows everything even if they think they do. But yes, I did check and was surprised to see it didn't have one. As I type this, I'm wondering what even made me look in the first place!

What prompted me to ask this was, I restored S1 quite a few years ago now and it would only run for a few minutes before cutting out. Found out that it was the original fuel cap with no breather hole. A new cap cured it.

Rich'

[dickie]

Just a bit more pottering. Took the seats and frame grill off to polish. I'm too scared to use t-cut as the paint is so old. But I've found that sonax polish is very slightly abrasive, sort of like 25% of t-cut. Then finished off with turtle wax.



Then I got called in for my tea

[Solid Air]

Looking good Dickie

[dickie]

Rather satisfying getting 60 odd years of grime off. I had to resort to t-cut.


But unfortunately I was too hasty taking the rear light off. I'll have to drill and tap this.

To say I'm pissed off with myself would be an understatement.

[dickie]

After the mild trauma of me damaging the rear light housing through haste and stupidity, I managed to recover the situation.

I didn't know if the m5 stud that is cast into the housing was a stud or a screw with some type of head. So, I cut it flush on the rear, then drilled from the front until I exposed the steel. Then, I drove it out with a parallel punch. There was some damage from where the drill had wandered, so I filled the hole with jb weld, then drilled and tapped it. Not perfect, but my sins aren't visible without taking it apart.

[dickie]

A brand new pressed number plate wouldn't look right against the patina of the rest of the bike, so I cut a bit of old plate I had lying about, brushed smoothrite on then stencilled the registration on. I deliberately used old brushes with some damage to the bristles so that it wasn't a great job. Also, i overloaded the brush on my first attempt and it was too bad, so i had to clean it off and re-do. This added a bit of 'history' to it albeit accidentally. It looks newer in the photos than in reality. I'm fairly pleased with it.

[gaz_powell]

Brilliant.. See you at Seahouses???

[dickie]

Brilliant.. See you at Seahouses???

Thanks Gaz, yes, I'll be there from Friday teatime, although not on this, I'll be on my s3 bitsa. At this rate, I'm not sure this will be ready by this time next year

[dickie]

The tank was very rusty.

I hadn't really looked at it in the near 3 years I've owned it until I watched Rob Grey on kickback garage doing a rustoration and thought I'd best check. Anyway, it was no surprise that after standing for a few decades, it was red rusty. So, I copied his lead and bought some of this stuff.

I bought 500ml and shook with some m8 nuts and washers about 100ml at a time. It gradually became cleaner and cleaner each time. Then I flushed with water. Finally, I put in about a litre of premix I had and made sure it got on every surface.

I'm not sure if you can tell from this photo, but it's way better now.

[gaz_powell]

Where did you get that from?

[dickie]

Where did you get that from?

Just from amazon. I can't believe there isn't something just as good in Halfords etc but I've never seen their results. Rob Grey seems like a sensible chap, so I took his word that it worked well, and I wasn't disappointed.

[dickie]

Managed to get some time in the garage so I'm fitting the airbox and fuel tank.

When I stripped this, there were no felt straps on the tank. Is this correct for an s2? It's a final year of production for s2, so I know there are some differences.