Hello from Upstate NY

[ppronti]

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum... I have looked at many of your posting over the past year"ish" since I bought my first motorcycle (guess the only thing for any of you to guess is what year model it is... but... does it really matter?) and I have used some of your advice while learning about my toy! I will be posting some advice of my own (to the tachometer mod here soon and try to help people myself!

I am a "continuing education" student in the engineering discipline at Binghamton University, I work (currently) for an international Systems Engineering company. I have a pre-teen daughter.

Since I bought my bike, I have since had several occasions to discover how much the previous owner did not properly take care of the bike, and I have spent a lot of time trying to right the wrongs (most issues rooting from the fuel delivery system - I have yet to properly tune the carb, but I think after toying with the thing the on-and-off occasions I have been able to play with it, coupled with the near-dozen times I have read Jayme's (spelling?) thread and the other jetting thread, I think as I go in to do this work this next time, I have the information I need to get-'er-done!). My last project on the bike was a head-and-cylinder gasket replacement (twice... cause the first time I forgot to drill/tap that exhaust bolt that broke the first time). And next on the agenda are sprocket and chain replacements (I have referenced some of your advice on here about this project too). I have already completed the tachometer mod (in a little more sophisticated manner... that tread submission will follow as I indicated above ), and then after I finish my residence move here this next week, I will hit the carb again!

Anyway… it is a pleasure to be here to share what it is I have learned over the past year, and look forward to building relationships here. Thanks for all the help several of you have offered to this, until now, anonymous observer!

[alanmcorcoran]

Used to ride a 50cc Peugeot in Ithaca. Recommend you do your fixing from Dec-April so the thing is in top shape once you have a few months to ride it without freezing to death. Or has global warming hit the Finger Lakes?

Lots of great roads for the GZ in that area.

[ppronti]

Alanmcorcoran:

Thanks for your welcome and commentary.

I would have done more of this work during the "off season," however, I have not had a garage at my disposal...

AND... when I tried starting my bike for the first time this riding season is when I happened to discover the leaking head-gasket issue (It's interesting watching a whole pee-load [as opposed to a crap-load] of raw fuel spitting out of your engine toward your front wheel!). So, with work and ordering parts/waiting for them to come in and all the other Dr. Murphy threw at me (all-the-while kicking me in the "unmentionables”), I didn't get to work on it until now. I figured with the carb issues, the engine issues, I better work on at LEAST the engine first before throwing other parts into this thing in the case I couldn’t get it running.

Apparently the auto-work I have done in the past has really helped because the gasket job was no problem for me (except I can’t figure out how to get a feeler-gauge into place to check the valve clearance… but now that I re-read the instructions, maybe I did not have the thing at TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke… meh… the engine is running now… maybe when I figure out the carb a bit better I will remove the valve inspection caps again…).

BTW… does anyone happen to know (for sure) the stock “PRE-SET” Pilot Screw setting for an *-03 / *28 / *09 (USA/Canada/???) Carb? (I was an idiot when I started messing with the carb, forgetting to count this first before adjusting it.) I know one member mentioned 2 ¼ turns out, and Quimrider mentioned his was 1 5/8, but a factual number would be good to know. I have already installed the K&M filter mod, so I know I may not be able to set the pilot to the same setting, but if I decide to through the carb back together as factory to see how the thing otherwise runs now, it would be good info to have.

… anyway, yes it is nice to ride here… with the green hills and winding roads you can find here and there!

K… ttfn!

[alanmcorcoran]

Pronti, there's lots of knowledgeable mechanic types on here, but I'm not one of them. I am confident that at least a few of them will help you out as soon as they login. They might even agree!

There are also service manuals and other documentation posted on here if you don't have them already.