My rather large Airfix kit

Phartycr0c · 22 Apr 09, 08:53 PM

Hi all Just discovered these forums so i thought i would share some experiences, this is my latest.

Spent the last few days (evenings mainly) fettling, polishing and cleaning my old Duke 1991 900ss in prep for a forthcoming trip to France in June.
For one reason or another, mainly my other Duke (996 BP), she has been off the road for around two years, anyhow I though i would give her a treat and take her on this years trip, so following restoration from mothballs, I took her out for a short shakedown run out. (three miles to be exact. She coughed and spluttered a little probably due to the remnants of the last fuel having gone off, then she got into her stride.
Satisfied, I returned and parked up to find she was bleeding rather heavilly. Yes she had repaid me for two years of neglect by ****ting herself and springing a very heavy oil leak from the rear cylinder.
Suffice to say an hour and 1/2 later she had becmoe my latest 1.1 scale kit.

The culprit? a broken / degraded oring between the crankcase and cylinder head!

Im going to be busy this week!
Here she is in better days.

After an enlightning visit to JHP Coventry and £91 later, I got hold of 4 o rings, a new breather assembly, new belts and a tube of sealant. as of tonight she is back together and running, although Im not sure wether she is still leaking cos ive not put her under load as yet... thats tomorrow night!

swannymere · 22 Apr 09, 10:24 PM

Christ, not much room in there! Looking good in the last photo

mcr998 · 23 Apr 09, 11:19 AM

That garage is certainly a snug fit. Nice job on the re-build, and welcome aboard.

dicky mint · 23 Apr 09, 07:06 PM

blimey, well done that man

. you dont hang around.
bike looks very nice indeed, love carby ss's me

Paul the Duc · 23 Apr 09, 07:47 PM

Hi love you bike she look great .

Can you tell me how many

mile has she done!

regards

Paul

MC TOOL · 24 Apr 09, 01:59 AM

holy crap phartycrOc, I thought my garage was a sardine tin , still , maybe thats a good thing ( no room to throw tantrums when things go wrong ), Again another nice looking bike but I think you should paint the frame gold colour , I'm sure it will go faster

to say nothing of the RED mirrors ( ay Dave 101 & geo7863..... snigger )
When I was a kid there used to be all sorts of comments made about british bikes leaking oil ..... maybe thats just any bike in brittan : anyhow its good to see you and yours here

Phartycr0c · 24 Apr 09, 06:49 AM

Hi folks, and thanks for the welcome.

The garage is longer than it looks which means I can store the 900 and 996 in relative comfort, in between the kids bikes anyway.

Paul, to date she has completed 33397 miles not, I have to say, completely without incident, anyhow the drama continues.

I rebuilt her and spun her up last night only to find the cylinders are completely oil tight but there was still a leak, quite heavy at that, on the inside face of the swingarm where it joins the swingarm pivot. The rear exhaust was wet with oil BUT there was NOTHING forward of the gearbox output shaft (drive sprocket). In addition there was a fine spray over the rear frame silencer and panel, but not a great deal.

I cleaned her off completely and took her for a nother short run, same again, this time I found the source of the oil leak. It was blowing from inside the exhaust at the front / rear pipe joint meaning oil was getting into the rear exhaust pipe from the cylinder head.

That leaves only two culprits, either valve stem oil seals or valve guides. Hoping the former but knowing my luck the latter.

Anyhow, to my point, does anyone know if changing the valve stem oil seals without removing the head is a viable job?

Smiffy · 25 Apr 09, 06:27 PM

Hi phartycroc,just read this thread so answered my y question.
Good luck Andy.

Phartycr0c · 25 Apr 09, 06:34 PM

VSOS replaced and i still have the damn leak. Im now looking at the piston oil ring, BUT iv'e dismantled and removed the piston and cant find any ring damage or barrel scoring, (although this is hardly likely)

Im running out of ideas although ive ordered a new set of rings just in case!

Imola Duke · 25 Apr 09, 07:09 PM

Very nice white frame model

Just a thought....check the clutch pushrod o rings

Ignore above mis read your post

Old Git · 14 Jul 09, 05:25 PM

Have you checked the oil breather? i had a leak on to the left hand side of the bike & onto my boot.
I took out & cleaned the breather, fitted a new hose & refitted the breather using the white tape that plumbers use.
Its good as gold now.

Enjoy the bike