IMP - exhaust in the cabin - fuel delivery

The major complaint from my wife is that the cabin of her car tends to smell of exhaust fumes, and makes her sleepy.  While this is a good thing to keep her from shopping excessively, it cannot be healthy for the long term.

Things we have tried include:

• Plugging all passages in the rear quarter panels above the wheel wells
• Insuring that the rear hatch seal is sealing correctly
• Taping over the vents above the rear hatch

None of these have completely cured the problem.  Putting duct tape the vents actually made it worse, even though I don't know how that would be possible.

The suggestion was made from some club members to extend the exhaust out beyond the body of the car.  This seems to make sense, but will have to be tested.  The limitation is that this car has to be able to climb up on our car trailer.  I already scrape the tailpipe as it is, so it can't get any longer.  It will have to go out the side.

I cut off the tailpipe and welded a piece of 1" EMT elbow to the stub after expanding it.  We will do some testing on this setup to insure success and the health of my bride.

The car has been known to cut out for no reason.  Even on a cold day.  I was thinking that there must be an obstruction in the fuel tank.  That turned out to be an incorrect assumption.  The tank is flawlessly clean.  I did however discover some tar-like substance running down under the fuel tank.  That was easily cleaned by using some parts washer solution and a little elbow grease.

before

after

I may investigate placing the fuel pump in the front of the car like I have on my '66.  This helps fuel delivery tremendously.... however the ticking noise of the pump can be heard from the driver's seat.

The luckiest break that I got was the clutch slave cylinder.  I was worried that the clutch had a worn friction disc, due to the juddering and grabbing that the clutch exhibited the last time the car was driven 2 years ago.  The slave cylinder was found to require a rebuild and a new hose.  Now it works fine.  We won't be pulling the engine this winter!

Exhausting Work

I saw a familiar face in "ON THE BEAM" magazine last evening.  Its a great publication.  I didn't expect to see my own face and a picture of KYL95 take up a whole page.

The exhaust wrap is coming along to cover over my patches on the header pipe.  I made some of my own wrap ties out of stainless strips, but I couldn't get them sufficiently tight for my liking.  I had to resort to hose clamps as I used on my XS650.  I think the #2 clamp needs moved up a little to make it look even.  Tonight I will add the protective high temperature paint.

I had to make a little bracket to hold the front of the silencer.  Originally it was bodged with a solid piece of pipe.  That didn't work too well with a rubber mounted engine.  I used a reducer that came with the silencers I got for the XS650.  It fits inside the flexible joint and inside the new silencer.  The hose clamp pinches down on both of them and holds the bracket as well.  The new silencer is WAY TOO shiny for the rest of the bike.  I couldn't see using the original as it was dented from when the bike was laid over some time in the past, and there's nothing left inside.  It won't be tossed, but I'll run with the new silencer.  Unfortunately, the rear bolt for the silencer is stripped.  I can't tell if the thread in the frame is stripped too, but to make everything tight I used a smaller bolt and put a nut and lock washer on the back.

The replacement carb throttle slide finally came in from England !!!  Many thanks to Nigel who sent it a month ago.  I don't know if it got stuck in customs or what.  I immediately unpacked it and test-fitted it in the carburettor last evening.  Its nice and tight... maybe too tight.  Better than too loose.  All I need now is time to assemble everything.  There are a collection of BSW nuts I ordered from British Tool and Fastener expected to arrive today from New York.  That's all the parts I need.

Here's another quandry.  How do I fasten a Pennsylvania licence plate to KYL95 without disturbing  the original UK number plate?  I hate to drill out the original rivets.  I don't want to drill any additional holes, but I know the originals won't line up with a modern number plate.  I don't want it to look too bodged, even though that's what it will be.

The engine is back in the frame

Thanks to the assistance of my wonderful wife, the engine is back in the frame where it should be.  I took the heavy part, she took the light end, and we dropped it down onto the rubber engine mounts.  I have to bolt everything together yet, but its still progress.

The folks at J&J Cycle Barn in Manchester, PA were kind enough to put an inner tube in the rear tire for me after I gave up after it burst the second time.  Thanks to Joe and Jenny.

The next step will be mounting the exhaust, fitting the elbows, wrapping the exhaust header with fiberglass tape (to hide all the welding patches I made).  After that all the electricals need hooked back up, and the carb fitted.

Ahhh the carb.  The slide is too worn and it goes lean.  I'm sure of it.  Still waiting for the replacement slide from England.  Poor fellow sent it in the mail a month ago, not sure if its lost, or stuck in customs.  I've never had to wait so long.... I'm afraid its lost.