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October 16, 2005
I Am An Idiot Chapter 427
I finally got around to getting the Morini going the other day. I fitted the instruments, charged up the battery, filled up the tires, and got a new jerry can for straight gas. (This raises the number of half full jerry cans present in the garage to 3: pre-mix for the Letta, pre-mix for the weedwhacker, and straight gas for everything else.) I even lowered the needles in the Dell'Orto's to lean out the fuel-air mixture. I lowered the Morini off the lift and gave it a few kicks. It popped and sputtered and eventually fired up. When I tried the throttle, however, it would cut out. The same scene played out several times.
I change the spark plugs: no change. I begin to balance the carbs, reasoning to myself that moving to a higher elevation may have precipitated a need to adjust them. The bike is getting harder to start, making carb-balancing (which requires a running engine) impossible. My foot gets tired, and I am getting frustrated. Then I see the jerry can. It has too much fuel in it to have contributed to the Morini's tank. I thought for sure I had filled the tank. I add the fuel, and it starts right up. Sounds great; sounds like relief. However, not all the stars aligned (see previous post about windows opening and doors closing): one of the carbs throttle slides is not adjusting properly so I will have to order new carb tops to go with the leaner jets.
Posted by Underblog at 9:44 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
October 13, 2005
Oh Happy Day
I am reliving the excitement I used to feel when I received a shipment of goodies from Midland Scooter Centre back in the Lambretta days. A package arrived from North Leicester Motors yesterday containing two instrument cups. The Morini has been out of commission since April, when the instrument bracket failed in the alley coming home from school. As I removed the rubber cups from it, I noticed that one of them was damaged as well. I had stainless brackets made (see http://morini.mayoreric.com), but I have dawdled on getting the cups. Really no big deal, but for the fact that British Sterling is expensive. The shipping was much faster than I recall from the olde MSC days.
But the real good news is that barring any unforeseen problems (didn't I just post that there are always unforeseen problems?) the Morini should be roadworthy by this afternoon. Then it is off to the local Harley shop to show them what a real V-Twin looks like!
Posted by Underblog at 8:40 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack