Archived Posts

[Admin]

Well now, a bit of that depends on how old the gaskets are, if you got the bike and never changed them id say you can expect them to weep gasolene.
They are still available for all models of buffalo from Suzuki so you should consider some new ones.

[Admin]

Well now, a bit of that depends on how old the gaskets are, if you got the bike and never changed them id say you can expect them to weep gasolene.
They are still available for all models of buffalo from Suzuki so you should consider some new ones.

I plan on replaceing them , I had just hoped to wait a little bit before haveing to. they are old but looked OK , well I guess looks arent evereything I just wanted to make sure I didnt have another issue .
it almost looks like I have fuel seeping out of one of the small pilot holes at the carb throats , thats why I was wondering about the float level. But like I said before I set them to factory measurement so tha should be fine

Iy's just been so long since I had an old buffalo to play with, I guess I am wanting everything to be spot on so I tend to obsess ( a lil OCD I am )

every buffalo I have had before has had the BS carbs even my old 72 and 73 they just seemed to be easier to dial in .

[Admin]

I just bought 25' of Tygon 3/16' fuel line for $35 shipped to my door. Got it yesterday. This is my first time to use it but it is supposed to be flexible enough to slip onto line bibs that are slightly larger with no problem and if it fits correctly, will work without any clamps. Not supposed to get hard and brittle like poly fuel line. Impervious to all currently used fuels including Alcohol (E85)

Wayne

Wayne.

Where did you get it from?

[Admin]

I plan on replaceing them , I had just hoped to wait a little bit before haveing to. they are old but looked OK , well I guess looks arent evereything I just wanted to make sure I didnt have another issue .
it almost looks like I have fuel seeping out of one of the small pilot holes at the carb throats , thats why I was wondering about the float level. But like I said before I set them to factory measurement so tha should be fine

A lot of the float bowls on these machines have become warped due to over tightening of the bowl attachment screws. Some are bad enough to seep fuel, some not. Tape a sheet of 150 grit Wet or Dry paper to a flat plate, spray with water, and rub the bowl gasket surface on it a few strokes using even pressure. I think you'll find that material is being removed evenly from the short sides of the bowl and from the outer portions of the longer sides, but the central part of the long sides will not be touched. Just keep rubbing with smooth, even strokes till the entire bowl gasket surface is shiny and smooth. That'll cure any seepage issue due to warped bowl surfaces.

Stu

[Admin]

With a small bit of preparation, setting the ignition isn't a problem. I do it with the engine running, both dwell and timing.

The preparation comes from remarking the timing marks after qualifying all of them are correct. Then, I do a "create a specification, dwell". I set the set of points on the large points p[late with the correct feeler gage setting, then fire the engine up and read the dwell for that set of points, creating a specification for same.

I then set the large plate to the correct timing with a NON_DIAL BACK timing light. This sometimes requires the dwell and timing settings to be "massaged" back and forth, dwell, timing, dwell, timing, until the dwell and timing are correct for that cylinder. Sometimes, when you get the dwell right, and set the timing, the dwell will change frm slop in the points plates.

When the large plate set is done, I go do the other two, same procedure. When this is all done, it only takes a timing light to reset the dwell, as the only wear factors are the points contact surfaces and the rubbing block. As the points close, the timing retards. By simply resetting the points to bring the tming back to the line, you are correctly resetting the dwell.

We just went through this method on the Kawasaki board, to an S3. That fellow got a dwell spec in "create a specification" of 29 degrees on the 6 cylinder scale of the dwell meter. He said once he got the timing lines set, and got the dwell specification, setting the dwell/timing was dirt simple and really easy.

As far as I am concerned, setting points and timing with anything but a dwell meter and timing light after careful setup, is just plain torture and just not the right and easy way to do it.

Just an easier, more precise way to do this job.

Great explanation, Tuner. I think there's generally way too much concern over getting the point gap dead nuts on, or setting it a bit wide so it'll be spot on after the rubbing block wears in. That might end up with correct point gap, but as you say, the timing will retard as the rubbing block wears. And if we're working with anything other than brand new points, a feeler gauge measurement is fairly meaningless anyway. With the method you've described of getting an initial dwell spec, the timing can be reset on all three cylinders with the engine running in less than 10 minutes. Didn't we all beat this subject to death a few months ago? There was some really good info in that thread.

BTW Tuner, do you remember a guy at Kawasaki named Walter Rainwater?

Stu

[Admin]

It is 3/16" yellow colored clear line and I got it from "mfgsupply.com"

Wayne

[Admin]

Walt, sure good guy.

As far as getting the dwell/timing correct for the initial set up, that is the key. As I have outlined above, once the timing lines are set up correctly, and the points plates are set for the correct dwell and timing, you can get the point gap back with the timing light, or....if one is beside the side of the road, and needs to get the points back open again, they only have to pull the plugs out, put them in the plug caps and lay them on the head/cover, turn the ignition on, and open the points until the spark happens at the correct line.

There are all kinds of options, but for this one, getting the correct settings and holding them in the first place is the key to making this operation a lot easier. Once initially set right, don't touch the timing plates, you only need to restore the timing in the right place by gapping the points back open, without getting the feeler gages out, and the dwell/point gap will come right back to correct.

[Admin]

besides clearance issues for the exhaust.. any opinions, or better yet - experience- making a Titan for doing unnatural things? like trail riding, or blasting down dirt roads?

here i am getting my ducks in a row for building a cafe / road racer with my Titan...

and now i have a cousin trying to talk me into purchasing a modern dual sport for weekend rides around the everglades and in the ocala national forrest.. (dirt roads, light trails, with 60% - 70% or better, being street riding around small towns and limited highway riding)

just a thoguht, thanks in advance for any feedback.. DFB

[Admin]

That was amazing . I just took my first bufalo ride in almost 6 years .
after all the tinkering and adjusting and sweating it just became all worht it.

I had forgoten how hard these old bikes pulled when cracked open now to finish up the lil parts and start login miles.

today life is good.

[Admin]

hi all, i'm having oiling issues on my '72 gt550. i took the lines off and found all the check valves are stuck, and the center line was clogged going INTO the motor, yikes. i have run an entire bottle of alcohol through the lines both directions and the check valves aren't unsticking. any tips for REALLY stuck check valves? i had the same issue on my 500 but they freed up after about three or four rounds with the alcohol. thanks

[Admin]

Adam try a little carb cleaner or decarboniser as its got more potent stuff in it to unclog those clogged valves.

[Admin]

DON'T USE HIGH AIR PRESSURE.

Those valves are only about 4 or 5 psi release, and if you put too much air pressure through them, they blow the sealing ball all the way through the spring, and ruin the valve.

[Admin]

Thanks Mr. Tuner, good info. I could see myself getting frustrated and trying something like that!

Allan, you don't think brake cleaner would damage the plastic lines? I was thinking today about plugging up the banjo with a bolt and squirting some more potent stuff like you mentioned with my syrringe and let it soak some.

Its frustrating, but I think I was really lucky to catch it before anything expensive happened!

[Admin]

Adam i wouldnt use brake cleaner as i dont know what the resulting long term reaction will be on the plastic tubing. Therefore i suggest to use only carburettor or de-carboniser spray into the tubing.
Preferably one with an ammonia base that will break up the clog in no time.
If you are adventurious to use air pressure, only use a maximum of 3 psi or less as Tuner advises, if not you WILL destroy the spring.

[Admin]

They can be taken apart if you're careful. There is a post about it somewhere.



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