Featured Another Crk 900 Build...yay

I am winning the battle against complicated wiring. My ignition is up, my charging system is up, my instrument cluster is wired and all set up. Im just about ready, maybe tomorrow to start stringing it all together. and tackle lights.

Wow, these Lithium Ion Batteries are awesome, this is a 280 CCA battery that's listed as the direct replacement for stock unit. (See Photo) .

I hung the headers and torqued them up in stages IAW the manual. I also mounted the clocks and bars in anticipation of controls.

Working on my carbs right now, waiting on 150 main jets to arrive.

Again I want to give thanks tp Ian at CRK, he came through with a wiring diagram for me that uses the M-unit from Moto Gadget. BTW I am using the M-lock RFID key system so I'm going keyless.

I also ordered a GSM/GPS tracking device today so that I can keep an eye on all movement and not be caught out like I was when my Sprint ST got stolen, the cops asked me about a tracker and when I said I didn't have one, they went "Too Bad"

 

As an American I am constantly bombarded with the question; Why don't you have a Harley Davidson? The Germans are dumbfounded that I'm not all Harley all the time. Even some friends in the UK are like , "I thought all Americans had a Harley and a Ford truck"

I like Harley and I have owned a few over the years and might own another someday. but the answer as to why I am a recovering Brit Twin addict is just history of circumstance. By the way, when I was a 19 year old student, somebody at my school rode a black Triumph Trident with white scallops and 3 into 1 exhaust. I was in awe everyday as I walked past it. Today I am a dedicated triple man.

I missed the real Cafe period, Im only 56 , I grew up in New Orleans; and as a teenager in the 1970s, Brit Twins were almost free. I rode Nortons and BSA because we had plenty of them, and the modern times had moved on to Honda 750/4 and the really fast Kawasaki and Suzuki (keep in mind we had an oil boom in Louisiana, so everybody had a good job). So a kid working in a garage could buy running twins all day long for $500 , about 3 paychecks for me back then, so if I saved a bit, I could destroy a bike every 6 months while I learned what I was doing. Im sorry to say I did, I went through 6 Norton Commandos, 4 BSA A65s, and a shitty Triumph Hardtail chopper.

I discovered Moto Guzzi and Ducati in the early 1980s , because I wasn't frustrated enough by Lucas, I had to torture myself with Magnetti Marelli. If you think British Metallurgy of the 70s was bad, try Italian quality control, and engineering theory.

 

It seems the more I do the more it looks like nothing is getting done. I have only had to re do a few things due to stupidity and out of sequence shenanigans . I have fitted my handlebar switches and even tested the circuits so I knew which unmarked button would perform what. I installed the bar end turn signals (that way I only need one set as they point forward and backwards . Even though the wires still look like the innards of a Chinese spacecraft (Im assuming) I am getting all the grounds and aux power circuits in order. I lastly fitted the chain guard and hugger so that I could feel I got something finished.

A couple weeks ago I think I said "wiring should only take a couple days max"
Idiot...staring at the diagram has taken a couple days minimum.

waiting on my 150 main jets to arrive so I can put carbs on and then radiator/cooling hoses. I ordered the carb rebuild tuning kit from CRK when I ordered everything and didn't realize they came with 128 mains because I read somewhere that he recommended 150 jets if you use the Ram Air filter and a free flow exhaust.

Thanks for all the support.

 

Oh My! I finally have the bike wired and Im getting to within sight of the mechanical end. Once I get the foot pegs and exhaust hung , its a matter of servicing and bleeding clutch/brakes before off to the Dyno for a tuning session. Ive got 150 mains, needles on #4 position, and screws turned out to 3 for a start point.

I did take a few days off to work a little side job I do once a year, picked up a few coins for the party fund.

 

Good day in garage today. Clutch and Brakes plumbed, awaiting bleeding. Headlight wired in and completed. Had to move some of my wiring harness as it turns out I needed that space for the headlight.

I do have a question, three actually. take a look at my clutch line as Ive routed it, it feels wrong but seems ok ( I think it goes between the #1 and #2 carb), and I have this tiny bracket left over that I can't remember where it came from. then there are just some general progress pics.

lastly, looking at the lines from the Carbs, yes, the two bottom are fuel but the top two are vent and vacuum . OK vent I got but vacuum? where does that go?

Tomorrow is rear Master Cylinder rebuild and foot peg assembly along with hanging the exhaust .

It feels great to be this close to mechanical shakedown.

 

I solved my clutch line route problem by staring at bikes on the internet. I will re route that today.

still looking for WTF on the vacuum line. What is vacuum actuated?

Im sure that bracket is no big deal, I always have left over parts.

 

No pics today, maybe tomorrow when I mock up and test fit tank and seat. I am very happy to report that my wiring has paid off, I just hooked up the battery and tested all the circuits and it all worked. Lights, horn, starter, turn signals, everything,

Later this evening I'll bleed brakes and fill with oil. I guess I'll add coolant and double check all the nuts and bolts. Its getting close boys.

I might even call my Dyno guy and see when he has a spot.

 

Well Boys... I fitted the exhaust and had to make a muffler hanger, its not my final vision but seems sturdy and not too offensive. I purchased a nice piece of Al-u-min-ee-um for you lot or just All-um-in-im for the rest of us. but you have to be careful shaping alloys so I figured a prototype from mild steel.

Again my electrics seem to be ok except the neutral light didn't come on but that's minor...deal with it on shakedown. My plan was to fit new fuel lines and attempt a start up. I finally got all the hydraulics bled and pressurized .

To my chagrin , my new fuel lines and fittings were 6mm and it seems I need 8mm.

Curses, foiled again. Tomorrow is another day.

 

Even though I knew the science behind internal combustion (air-fuel-compression-spark) and I knew I had all 4 of these things, I had never actually heard the engine run and I was scared of internal noises and or seizures . I hooked up the external fuel cell and she fired right up and ran pretty good after a fashion and a little fiddling. No abnormal engine noises and a good sound from that 3 into 1 . So good that one of my neighbors (the pain in the ass one) came out and told me I was damaging the environment letting it idle while I checked cooling, charging, possible leaks etc etc...

Then he said I was making too much noise for a residential area...I get it, Americans have a very different idea about personal freedoms and the collective.


The Tach is not working, I suspect my wiring. the tail/brake light wires were reversed, and the biggest issue is just my dumbness.

in the CRK instructions, Ian says when fitting a free flow exhaust and intake, one must, repeat MUST, set the float levels in the carbs to whatever he said. I figured since I didn't have a float gauge and they ran ok before (according to the PO) it would be OK, well, it was not OK and the carbs spill fuel out the intake at idle and flood out. Also it ran much smoother with the vent and the vacuum line blocked off. I ordered a float gauge last week it should arrive in the next few days, so thats about all Ive got to say about that.

Cooling system OK, Charging system OK, and no leaks after a full heat cycle.

 

after adjusting my floats...I fed fuel to the carbs and they poured fuel out of the intake side. I have determined that they need all new o-rings and needles and seats as a start point. Parts ordered from the UK and 70 GBP later I expect them next week.

 

Been a long time, my carb kits arrived and I left for Wales to attend a big Easter/ St. George’s Day celebrations . Home tonight and carbs tomorrow. I’m sure that’s my problem.

Can’t tackle the tachometer wiring until I get it running without pouring fuel.

 

I know pictures are what is demanded....Tomorrow I will take a couple and use the photo shop to put circles and arrows in contrasting colors to explain what's going on and hopefully have somebody confirm my thinking.

OK kids here is a Doh!! moment for you to make fun of me. My Mikuni BST carbs were pouring fuel out of all three, so rebuild kits ordered and confidence high.

Kits arrived, disassembled , found lots of semi ok O-rings and stuff but no obvious issue. cleaned and reassembled with new parts and for once I had no parts left over, yay me.

Hung Carbs at correct angle and fitted fuel line, same damn problem but not so bad. Back to the bench, adjust floats and inspect and seat the stupid O-rings on the plastic internals. Hung Carbs on bench and connected fuel,,,SAME Issue but worse. repeat float procedure with extra extra extra attention to detail. Hung up, fueled, leaking out the intake side AAARRGHH.

Occurs to me that both my vent/vacuum hoses are capped off. I don't know how that could effect but at this point.....

pulled off a cap and turned fuel tap on, NO LEAK, NO POURING, and all seems well in Mikuni BST world. I turned fuel tap off but left lines connected for minimal pressure test and put clean blue paper shop towels down under carbs. I'll check in the morning and if the towels are not soaked with gas, I will fit carbs, start bike, fix tach, and then put on the RAM AIR CRK air cleaner.

fingers crossed, everybody take a drink to the Modern Day Trident 900 and wish me luck.

 

here are the pics as promised . I got to the Garage this morning expecting to see a gas soaked towel and an empty fuel cell. I got dry paper towel (yes circles and arrows, YAY)

Then I took a close up oft the offending vacuum and vent, I still dont understand why that was the problem in a static gravity feed situation.

It started right up and ran incredibly smooth, movie to follow in next post (I hope) I fitted an inline-one way valve on the vent hose. I have done this on numerous bikes and it is amazing how much loose air gets sucked back in without one of these, it creates negative pressure.