Triumph Rat Motorcycle Forums banner

1967 TR6R

6K views 44 replies 7 participants last post by  kokomoto 
#1 ·
I picked up a 1967 Triumph TR6R. This is my first British bike, and first rebuild. It was a one owner barn find parked in 1971, and needs some work. I'll be rebuilding it over the next several months.

It is currently completely disassembled. I chose to powder coat the frame and many other black bits. The engine is completely disassembled. The cases, head, and rocker boxes are being vapor blasted. The tank and fenders are at my friend's collison repair shop for prep and paint. There is a dent in the fuel tank that needs to be removed by a PDR specialist. I'm cleaning and sorting the rest.
 

Attachments

See less See more
5
#2 ·

Attachments

#3 ·
Looks to be in very good condition! Congrats on the find. Look forward to seeing what a BSA rebuild looks like. I don't know one from another yet, but a fellow I know in Indiana restored one recently. May be the same model. I'll have to check when I head up there for Christmas.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Wolfmanhawaii
#9 ·

Britbike forum member
W
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 80
Tennessee
Update

The tank has been repaired, painted, and is ready to mount. I found a guy who was able to work the waves out. The body shop had to use a bit of filler to the care of the rest. The paint job turned out nicely, and looks very close to the original color. Found someone in Knoxville to hand paint the gold pinstripes. I'm happy with the results. The parcel rack polished up nicely with the exception of a small patch of rust. I bought a replacement, but it wouldn't fit properly. I tried to carefully bend the mounts slightly to get them to line up with the holes in the tank, and accidentally broke the weld. It turns out that the rack is 3/16" narrower than the original. The original is reinstalled for now, until I can get it rechromed.

The bike is nearly completed. All that is left is to fabricate the fuel lines, recheck the bolts and make sure everything is properly tightened,
double check the wiring, put oil in it, and it should be ready to attempt the first start.

I had trouble with the fuel line parts, and had to start again. The ferrules were to thick, and the crimping tool wouldn't crimp them properly. After doing some research, I bought some alloy ferrules that have thinner walls and are a bit smaller in diameter. The new ferrules wouldn't fit the fuel line, so I ordered some Motion Pro Tygon 5/16" ID x 1/2" OD fuel line yesterday.

Installed a MAP filter. After some frustrating hours of trying to install it behind the passenger foot peg plate, I chose to mount it to the main frame downtube with the top of the filter under the seat near the front of the battery. I found some aluminum lightbar mounting brackets that should work with the MAP bracket to secure it in place. Ran new Gates 5/16" transmission oil hose to replace the old herringbone rubber lines. That stuff is hard to find. Used new fuel injection type hose clamps.

Installed NGK BP7ES plugs. The engine had NGK B77EC spark plugs in it before. Out of curiosity, I tried to find more info about those plugs on the internet, but didn't find much. I cleaned up the original plug wires. They look to be in good working order.

Fluids - Using PennGrade 30W break-in oil for the engine, Penngrade 50W in the gearbox, and Castrol Type F ATF in the primary. There is a gas station with 93 octane ethanol free fuel down the road. I intend to use that.

Carburetor - Cleaned up the AMAL Monobloc and installed new fiber washers and float needle. I'm ordering a new 330 main jet, just in case it needs it. The slide looked good and slides freely. It has 389/060 slide with a #4 cut away. After I installed the carb, it was sticking slightly when the throttle grip was released. I thought it was a problem with the slide or cable, but it worked fine until it was connected to the throttle assembly. Discovered the throttle tube was dragging on the handlebar very slightly. Had to use some emery cloth on the handlebars to free it up.

Electrical - The Podtronics is installed, as is the Boyer. I've retained all the original wiring and left it positive ground, and could switch back to the points ignition if I wanted to, without too much difficulty. In fact, I thought about running it that was for a while. The kill switch is a Lucas 35601A normally open switch. I wired it to the B/Y and B/W Boyer wires, and hope that will function as it should. If not, I'm trying to acquire a confirmed normally closed Lucas switch to replace it with. Should be a 31071 as far as I can tell, but information on those switches is confusing and conflicting. I can install the normally closed switch in series with the white wire to Boyer box to kill the ignition. Installed a single point ground as described in the GABMA article. I also installed 3 phase alternator and LED headlamp. The original 54 year old bulbs all work, except the taillamp which expired after about 30 seconds.

Clutch - Installed a 7 plate clutch with new springs and adjusted it. I tightened the clutch nuts until the stud was flush with the bottom of the slot. I read somewhere that it is recommended to apply blue loctite to those 3 nuts. I didn't do that. Should I buy 3 new nuts, and replace them with loctite?

I'm a bit nervous about starting it for the first time in 50 years, and find myself second guessing every detail of the engine assembly. Did I really torque the rod bolts properly? Did I miss a fatal flaw in the connecting rod? Did I check all the piston and ring clearances properly? The last thing I was to happen is a rod coming loose and sawing the engine cases in half. I tried to be extremely careful and meticulous about everything, but this is my first motorcycle engine rebuild.

I hope the carburetor isn't too far out of wack, and that it will run good enough to take it for a break in ride without too much fuss once I get it started. I've read everything I can find about break-in making sure it is properly oiled before kicking it over. The plan is to get it running, and ride it on a 10 mile curvy loop to seat the rings and get it up to temperature. Let it cool, and retorque and adjust the valves. Then ride it for 100 miles or so before draining the break-in oil, and replacing it with 20W-50.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrandPaulZ
#12 ·
Hi Walt,

Good to see you back. (y)

put oil in it, and it should be ready to attempt the first start.
bit nervous about starting it for the first time in 50 years,
Follow the advice in Waking The Sleeping Beast? Only things to bear in mind are:-

. WTSB was written originally for triples, which have a larger crankcase than twins, so only put about a pint of oil in your bike's crankcase;

. on your bike, you can't get oil into the crankcase through the primary, they're (should be) sealed from each other; put it in via a rocker-box and pushrod tube?

engine had NGK B77EC spark plugs
tried to find more info
Is the "77" a mistype, should it be just a single "7"? That'd make sense for an NGK heat range.

Also, could the last letter be a "G"? Reason I ask is "C" isn't a standard NGK suffix afaict, but "G" means a thin nickel central electrode.

Installed NGK BP7ES plugs.
You know the "P" means 'projected tip' - the tip projects further into the combustion chamber than a standard plug? You checked there's sufficient clearance from the piston?

Carburetor
Did you fit a new needle jet and needle? In addition to corrosion, the steel needle wears the brass jet more rapidly.

throttle tube was dragging on the handlebar very slightly. Had to use some emery cloth on the handlebars to free it up.
Fwiw, I use cheap spray-on furniture polish as a throttle tube lube, ime causes less drag than oil.

kill switch is a Lucas 35601A normally open switch. I wired it to the B/Y and B/W Boyer wires, and hope that will function as it should.
normally closed Lucas switch to replace it with. Should be a 31071 as far as I can tell,
Mmmm ... According to the parts book:-

. 35601 is the DC "Kill button"; according to the wiring diagram in the workshop manual, when closed, it grounds the original BW and BY wires when they're connected to points - i.e. the points opening then won't cause a DC coil to generate an HT spark.

. 31071 is the ET (AC) "Kill button"; if I'm reading the wiring diagram in the workshop manual correctly, it's also NO?

information on those switches is confusing and conflicting.
35835 is very definitely a NC kill button, I have one on my T150.

clutch nuts
read somewhere that it is recommended to apply blue loctite to those
Bizarre advice. They're a pita to undo anyway, because Triumph designed 'em not to undo; what would Loctite do?

Imho, increasing fixation with applying "stuff" to any and every thread; Triumph made singles and 360-degree twins for something like eighty years, anyone'd think they didn't have a clue about fasteners unscrewing when they shouldn't ... :rolleyes:

Hth.

Regards,
 
#10 ·
Having difficulty adjusting the front brake. I need to disassemble it anyway, as I forgot to grease the cam.
 
#15 ·
Thanks, GPZ!
 
#13 ·
The original spark plugs are, indeed, NGK B77EC plugs. I found some on EBay as NOS. An internet search turned up almost nothing. This bike was originally purchased new in April, 1968 at Triumph Detroit. That's Bob Leppan's old dealership. I wonder if they swapped out the Champion N3s for some performance reason? These plugs are at least 50 years old.

The BP7ES was a typo. I just confirmed I have B7ES plugs in it now.

The needle and jets looked to be in excellent condition. There's not many miles on them, but you are right, there could be something no easily visible with them. I'll get genuine Amal replacements on order to avoid any doubt.

I sprayed some Teflon dry lube on the throttle tube instead of furniture polish. Do you think that could cause a problem?

Regarding the kill switch, I found a retro looking, chrome on/off switch that should do the job and ,although not concourse original, wouldn't look ghastly. My thinking is that a switch that doesn't need to be held down to actuate would be a bit safer in times of mild stress.

I looked at the ET ignition circuit, and it appears that the 31071 switch is a normally closed switch. I could be wrong. Vendors want an arm and leg for that little bigger.

I found my notes on the blue loctite. I believe I found it on a BB forum reply from John Healy. The note says "There are only 4 parts that you should use loctite on a Triumph twin. Red on the 3 flywheel bolts (and heat should be applied to the sides of the crankshaft adjacent to the threads to remove them), blue on the main shaft kick starter and clutch nuts, and rotor nut. There is nothing else that requires it, or that you should use loctite on." That being said, I agree with you on the clutch nuts. It does seem odd.

Today's project is trying to figure out why the front brake cable adjuster nut has to be spun nearly all the way out to get the front brake to work. The lever is going all the way to the grip. I'll measure the new cables to see if they were manufactured to the correct specs to start with.

BTW, the original brake shoes only have 736 miles on them, and appear to be fine. Since brakes have to brake, I'm wondering if there is anything to be gained in performance from swapping them out for some new shoes. If so, is there any advantage to installing the premium shoes, like Ferodo, or do the cheaper ones perform just as well? $30 vs $60, I'm more than willing to pay more if there is any benefit.
 
#14 ·
Hi Walt,
original spark plugs are, indeed, NGK B77EC
at least 50 years old.
BP7ES was a typo. I just confirmed I have B7ES plugs in it now.
(y)

Teflon dry lube on the throttle tube instead of furniture polish. Do you think that could cause a problem?
Not tried that; see how it goes? Alternatives are always worth knowing. :)

kill switch, I found a retro looking, chrome on/off switch that should do the job
My thinking is that a switch that doesn't need to be held down to actuate would be a bit safer in times of mild stress.
(y) Agree. Maybe why an on/off switch eventually became a requirement?

Today's project is trying to figure out why the front brake cable adjuster nut has to be spun nearly all the way out to get the front brake to work. The lever is going all the way to the grip. I'll measure the new cables to see if they were manufactured to the correct specs to start with.
If you find the cable's the problem, maybe contact John Healy/Coventry Spares? He has Venhill make cables to his pattern because all the cable makers get so many wrong now. :(

original brake shoes only have 736 miles on them, and appear to be fine. Since brakes have to brake, I'm wondering if there is anything to be gained in performance from swapping them out for some new shoes. If so, is there any advantage to installing the premium shoes, like Ferodo, or do the cheaper ones perform just as well? $30 vs $60, I'm more than willing to pay more if there is any benefit.
Mmmm ... don't think anyone can guarantee $60 brake shoes will immediately work twice as well as $30 shoes? Any shoes seem to benefit from being 'arc-ed' to a given drum. Then, on a SLS, there could be benefit from removing some of the trailing shoe's lining, so there isn't any chance it hits the drum before the leading shoe? Then, apparently there's benefit in loosening the pivot nut before squeezing the lever hard then tightening the pivot nut? Then there's the burnishing procedure ...? Remembering that has reminded me why I don't like drum front brakes, and small-diameter SLS in particular ...

I thought there was a US company called "Vintage Brake", the guy apparently could work wonders with old SLS brakes; however, not coming up in a Google search? :confused:

Hth.

Regards,
 
#16 ·
I finally rolled it off the lift for the first time in almost 2 years. It’s definitely lighter than my other bikes. Getting close to the first start. Waiting on a few parts, and sort out the front brake first.

749503
 
#18 · (Edited)
Original seat - I took the seat apart last night. The seat pan has some rusty areas on it, and the fabric is separating at the seam in the front. The original fabric is in surprisingly good shape. I plan to remove the rust, and paint the pan. Checking with local upholstery shops to see if they can help with the seam, and perhaps new foam.

Key blanks - In case you didn't know, original Lucas ignition switch tumbler uses a Y11 key blank. Your local locksmith should have them. Had a key cut from scratch and 3 additional spares for $17 out the door.

Lighting - This morning I'm looking for replacement bulbs for the speedo and tach. Lucas 987's according to the parts manual. The taillight bulb didn't las long either. It is the original 50 year old bulb, and failed less than a minute after turning on the switch. I've already replaced the headlight bulb with an LED. A search for non polarity e10 12v led bulbs turned up some promising results at a price similar to the Lucas branded incandescents.

Territorial marking - I developed my 2nd leak. Fixed the primary drain leaking fiber washer with an oring from Ace hardware for about 25 cents. The latest leak will require more effort, but cost nothing. The inner gearbox to engine case is leaking. It's a very slow one, and hasn't even dripped. It's just a bit that has oozed onto the bottom of the engine case. I used threebond on it. I have discovered through trial and much error that trying to spread that stuff too thin, to minimize the amount that squeezes out, only leads to heartache. A thick bead is too much and a waste, a thin coat spread out with you finger is too thin.

Front Brake - I solved the front brake adjustment problem by flipping the lever arm over. This changed the angle slightly, and now it works fine.

Waterslide tranfers - The waterslide decals are very fragile, so I found some clear gloss varnish at the local hobby store and painted over the tank decal with a small brush to protect it. It's too late for the oil tank transfers. I made the mistake of applying them prior to flushing it, and got some solvent on them.

Miscellaneous - I added a short piece of wire in parallel with the ammeter. I saw this suggested on a forum somewhere. It cuts the ammeter needle movement roughly in half, decreases the current through the meter, and if the meter should fail it won't cause the ignition to fail. I also added a SparkBright Eclipse LED battery monitor to a little bracket I fabricated out a scrap piece of aluminum. It's located between the gauges. I ordered a couple of them shipped from the UK a couple of years ago. They're tiny, simple to install, inconspicuous, and give an indication of the level of battery voltage at a glance. It even monitors ambient light and adjusts intensity automatically. It's wired into the keyed 12v wire that previously went to the ignition coil, and the single point ground. I also added a ground wire from the taillight housing to the SPG. Replaced the original 35A Lucas glass tube fuse and holder with a 15A mini blade fuse.

Oil pressure gauge - I'm looking for the correct fittings to hook up an oil pressure gauge to the timing cover temporarily to check oil pressure. I found a 1/8" BSP to 1/8" NPT adapter yesterday, but it would only go in a couple of threads before it started to tighten up a bit. I chickened out and stopped before I cracked the timing cover. The original plug in that hole is a 3/8" CEI threaded bolt according the the parts manual. I'm not sure that a properly threaded adapter fitting exists, and all not sure what type of fitting would work without damaging the cover or the existing threads. Any ideas?

Time to get busy.
 
#19 ·
Hi Walt,
Oil pressure gauge - I'm looking for the correct fittings to hook up an oil pressure gauge to the timing cover
not sure what type of fitting would work without damaging the cover or the existing threads
original plug in that hole is a 3/8" CEI threaded bolt according the the parts manual
This is A Clue. ;) Thanks to the internet, you can look up British Standard Cycle (what CEI changed to during the 1920's), British Standard Pipe and (US) National Pipe threads, and see none are the same as either of the other two ... Afaik, Morgo in GB is the only company that has an off-the shelf "BSCY" pressure gauge adapter; in GB, it'd be relatively-easy to find a machinist who could make an adapter with the Cycle thread on one end and certainly a BSP thread on the other end; you might need to check out US makers of Britbike parts - e.g. JRC, E&V?

Lighting - This morning I'm looking for replacement bulbs for the speedo and tach. Lucas 987's according to the parts manual.
A search for non polarity e10 12v led bulbs turned up some promising results
Have you checked your bike does actually have 987's? Reason I ask is Lucas used different clock illumination bulbs at different times, and a bike can have later bulbs/holders. 987 is also known as "MES" - Miniature Edison Screw.

taillight bulb didn't las long either.
That's (y) they're rubbish inside that lens, especially if you ride lights-on-in-daylight. Bear in mind a better LED replacement than a like-for-like LED 'bulb' is a 'board', that also replaces the reflector and other gubbins.

added a short piece of wire in parallel with the ammeter. I saw this suggested on a forum somewhere.
:whistle:

added a ground wire from the taillight housing to the SPG.
Replaced the original 35A Lucas glass tube fuse and holder with a 15A mini blade fuse.
(y)

Original seat
fabric is separating at the seam in the front.
Checking with local upholstery shops to see if they can help
If any say yes, as well as the price, ask how they plan to do the repair? Be wary if they say they're going to take all the old stitching out and resew on a machine - unless the machine's needles hit the existing holes exactly, you end up with a cover that tears easily along the new-'n'-old perforations and can't be fixed again. (n) In this case, if you look at the stitching closely, ime it isn't that difficult to diy?

Hth.

Regards,
 
#20 ·
CEI seems to be the more commonly used when trying to find parts, so I've stuck with. Morgo does sell an adapter that should fit. Total cost including shipping is $41. A bit steep, but I haven't found a better solution yet.


750194




The instrument lighting is the screw in e10 base Lucas 987 12v 3w type bulbs. I believe they went to the bayonet type in '68.

In the USA, all states except Hawaii, Maryland, and Rhode Island require a daytime running lights on motorcycles. So the taillight get plenty of use. I was amazed that the original taillight bulb worked at all after all these years. I'm looking into brighter LED taillight solutions. I'm not sure if that will get the attention of a driver who insists on texting while driving, and doesn't mind smashing people in the process.

The ammeter mod was posted by Pete R on the Britbike Forum:

The other fix is to use about 6" of wire to join the ammeter terminals.
The ammeter will still read, but only about 1/2 as much.
The ammeter is less likely to burn out,with only 1/2 as much current going through it.

If it does burn out, the 6" of wire keeps the bike going.

I see no harm in it for now, and it's easily removed if I don't like it.

The seat cover is being repaired by a respected local shop that is popular with the hot rodders. They will be removing the small naugahyde flap sewn to the front of the seat as the original is disintegrating. It appears to be cut from a different type of material than the rest of the seat cover. I did consider buying a small piece of naugahyde and sewing it myself, but the shop is charging a very reasonable price to do the repair. The top and sides of the cover, and foam are in good condition. I stripped and repainted the seat pan. It had a few spots of surface rust.
 
#21 ·
Here's a picture of those NGK B77EC plugs. The tip is shorter and doesn't appear project as far as the B7ES. The other dimensions appear to be the same. I'm still wondering about these plugs. Who installed them, and why?

750196
 
#22 ·
750361

750365


The Lucas 987 instrument bulbs are working fine after I remembered to install a ground wire to the tach case. I added a wire to the speedometer case as well.
 
#23 ·
While I was fabricated wires, I added a fused SAE connector for battery charging. Those clip on connectors tend to slip off of those tiny battery terminal screws.

750370
 
#24 ·
Seat - I finally have the seat cover back from the upholstery shop, and fitted. It looks fine, but I can't get the rubber strip to stay fitted to the seat at the front. Not sure why....yet.

Front Brake - The front brake is not braking with enough force to safely ride the bike, so I haven't started it yet. It seems to be adjusted properly, and the lever feels correct, but when applied I can still push the bike around the garage with some effort. I live on a ridge with a fairly steep descent, so mediocre brakes will not do. I'll be taking the front brake apart again to see what the problem could be.

Kill Switch - I installed an aftermarket kill switch. It's chrome and looks much like a Lucas dip switch with two positions. After some rewiring, a quick flick of the switch with my right thumb disconnects power via the white wire to the Boyer box.

Strobe timing - I'm looking for a later model primary cover with the removable cover and timing marker pin. I picked up a timing light on eBay.


Who's going to British in the Blue Ridge?
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrandPaulZ
#25 ·
Hi Walt,
Front Brake
Standard single leading shoe brake? It wasn't really great 54 years ago; 53 years ago, Triumph came up with a twin leading shoe front brake and fitted it to 650's for at least one very good reason ...

seems to be adjusted properly,
SLS, did you loosen the shoes pivot domed nut, squeeze the handlebar lever as tight as possible, hold that while tightening the pivot nut?

Have you "arced the shoes to the drum"? If not, first step: take the brake plate out of the drum, rub chalk or similar over the shoes' braking surfaces, reinstall and adjust the brake, repeat trying to push the bike around the garage, take the brake plate out of the drum again and see how much chalk/whatever has been rubbed off the shoes' braking surfaces ... you might be surprised ...

Hth.

Regards,
 
#26 ·
Fork Oil Leak - Discovered a very tiny leak of fork Oil from the restrictor bolt. I ordered new aluminum washers. Planning on applying some Threebond to the washer on reassembly.

Pro Tip - Paint can opener that Ace Hardware hands out for free with a paint purchase makes an excellent removal tool for those pesky aluminum washers.

Wheel balancing - Also ordered some Dyna Beads for balancing the wheels. Never tried it before, but if it works, I'll use it on my other bikes as well. I disassembled the front brake, checked everything to make sure I didn't put anything in backwards. I seems better, but I'll find out for sure when I back it off the lift.
 
#27 ·
Also ordered some Dyna Beads for balancing the wheels. Never tried it before, but if it works, I'll use it on my other bikes as well.
I have 1oz of those in both wheels instead of balancing weights and they do seem to work. Up to 70 mph there's no wheel wobble and I would've thought that would be fast enough to feel something. Worth remembering that they can be re-used, I pinched a tube changing a tyre and just poured the beads out and used them in the new tube. It does need some patience to get them in, too fast and they block the valve so gently and keep flicking the clear tube.

Chris
 
#29 ·
After 2 1/2 years of rebuilding my Triumph, it's running! I was able to start it yesterday. It hasn't ran since 1971. It started on the 2nd kick, adjusted the idle screw a bit, check for return oil flow, shut it down with the kill switch to cofirm it works, geared up, restarted it and went for a 6 mile ride.

This thing sounds fantastic. I thought it would be quieter with the silencers (not original) on it, but it is louder than I expected.

It has a miss at higher RPM or wider throttle opening. Not sure which, since the tachometer isn't working. I'm leaning toward the throttle opening as the cause. It seems to be leaning out abruptly when I open the throttle. The exhaust pipes turned a brownish, straw color.

I removed the tach last night, and tried to spin it by hand with the cable. It won't budge. I assume this means it's bad, and needs replaced or overhauled. Hope it didn't cause harm to the tach gear drive.

I'll pull the main jet later today, and check it. Probably check the float level with a hose while I'm at it. I'll also retorque the cylinder head, and adjust the valve clearance.

It was a great day!
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrandPaulZ
#31 ·
Tachometer - Sent it to Mark Bohman for an overhaul. Might take a while to get it back, so I ordered a repro to use while I wait for the original to return. The repro fits properly in the mount, sits about 1/4” higher than the original, and the light bulb isn’t plug-n-play. Don’t plan on using the light anyway. Hoping the locked up tach didn’t break something in the tach drive assembly.

Ignition Timing - I bought a later model primary cover that’s seen better days. It has the hole in it to make strobe timing easier.

Leaks - Right fork tube appears to be leaking at the seal holder. Tried the rubber strap wrench to loosen it. No joy. Have to buy the special tool, I guess. Plan to wrap some Teflon tape on the threads and tighten it back up.
The Monobloc float cover is seeping fuel very slowly. Nipped up the screws, but afraid to over tighten and warp the cover. It has a new Amal gasket. The taps are weeping ever so slightly. Installed new dowty washers when I installed the taps to avoid this issue. Gave them a careful extra tug on the wrench as well. Will check them tomorrow. The gearbox outer cover is leaking a tiny bit as well.

Torque - I retorqued the cylinder head. They were still tight. Checked the torque on the cylinder base nuts. The book says 35 ft/lbs. Used a 6” open end wrench and a luggage scale. Should be 70 lbs on the scale. Man, that seems tight, so I stopped at 35 lbs on the scale until I ensure I’m doing it correctly. The 1 1/2” fork cap bolts are tough. Bought a 1 1/2” wrench for the job. The left fork has the handlebar lock in the way of the wrench, and I can’t get it on. Might grind one side of the wrench down a bit, so it’ll go on. Tips?

Throttle Cable - When I installed the new throttle cable, I didn’t have it adjusted properly. The bike would idle, but couldn’t adjust it at the carb with the slide adjustment to get it to idle really slow. Think it’s good now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrandPaulZ
#32 ·
Hi Walt,
Leaks
The taps are weeping ever so slightly. Installed new dowty washers when I installed the taps
'67 parts book says fibre washers. If you want to upgrade to the sealing washers Triumph used later, each tap requires both a Stat-O-Seal washer (70-7351, against the tank):-

... and a a plain steel washer (83-0002, between that seal and the fuel tap locknut).

The Stat-O-Seal seal is thicker than its surrounding metal "retainer"; when the locknut is tightened, the seal is compressed between the steel washer and the tank, moulding the seal around the adjacent tap threads; also, the thickness of the seal means the metal retainer shouldn't touch the tank, obviating the risk it could scratch the paint. (y)

That said, @TR7RVMan Don has posted previously that he hasn't been able to obtain Stat-O-Seals in the US that don't leak. :( If you have a local compressor or hydraulics supplier, the correct Stat-O-Seal should be 1/4"BSP, BSP is an ISO threadform so should be available even in the US. Alternatively, M13 (13 mm.) is within a few hundredths of an inch of 1/4"BSP's OD.

Or, if you are using these, try wrapping some PTFE tape around the tap threads where the Stat-O-Seal should seal?

Aside, "Dowty" (aka "bonded washers") are:-

... their metal "retainer" is about as thick as the seal (so thicker than a Stat-O-Seal's) and a smaller OD for any given ID; because the retainer is about as thick as the seal, not only can't tightening the tap locknut compress the seal meaningfully, the retainer can scratch the tank paint. (n)

Hth.

Regards,
 
#35 ·
Here’s what was installed on the taps when I disassembled the bike

757480


The ID of the Stat-O-Seals measures approximately .490”, and had to be unscrewed from the tap threads. When I bought the bike, It still had fuel in the tank from 1971 when it was parked. I’m ordering new seals from MAP tomorrow morning, and will install them with the original washer this time. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
 
#36 ·
Fuel Tap Leak - Reinstalled the new stat-o-seals with the original washers, and put some fuel in the tank yesterday afternoon. Just checked it and found no leaks so far.

Float Bowl Leak - The 3 holes on the float bowl cover had a bit of a raised area around them, but otherwise did not appear warped or bent. I used a countersunk bit one the inside of the holes to clean them by hand. Waiting for the new gaskets to arrive.

Gearbox Oil Leak - Pulled the inner and outer covers, and cleaned off the Threebond with some acetone. Waiting for gaskets. Should I apply a thin coat of Threebond to the inside of the gasket, then a thin smear of grease to the outside?

Primary cover gasket - Ordered a gasket for the primary cover. It isn't currently leaking, but thought I might use it the next time the cover is removed.
 
#37 ·
Fuel bowl leak fixed with 2 new gaskets…so far.

When installing the new gearbox gaskets, found a shift fork roller had cracked into 3 pieces. Not sure of the cause. Replacement roller delivered today.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrandPaulZ
#39 ·
It seems to have done the trick for me as well.
 
#40 ·
Took the TR6R to British in the Blue Ridge. On the Friday morning mountain ride, about 40 miles into the 60 mile ride, I heard an odd sound and was trying to diagnose the problem until the bike died at a stop sign. I decided to take the trailer ride back to the campground in case to avoid causing further damage. (Thanks, guys!)

The cause of the noise was a sprocket bolt that had backed out far enough to rub on the rear brake plate. No damage except for ruining the head of the bolt. Applied Loctite to all the sprocket bolts and snugged them up. Maybe I didn’t torque them properly. Then went over every bolt I could find. The bike died at the stop sign because the idle needed adjusted. Took the bike to breakfast Saturday morning for another shakedown ride.

The speedo stopped working while on the ride as well. It had frozen up like the tach, and destroyed the Speedo cable. I sent it off to Mark Bohman for a rebuilt. He said the old lubricant they use in the instruments fails to lubricate after 50 years. Just got the tacho and Speedo back this week, and reinstalled with the old Speedo cable in the broken cable sheath.

Applied some Teflon tape to the seal holder threads to stem the leakage of fork oil.

The bike runs good, and starts 1st or 2nd kick. I’ll be taking shorter rides closer to home with the trailer hooked up and ready to go until I get more miles on it, and find the stuff that wants to vibrate loose. Another 50 - 75 miles on the break-in oil, then plan to change the oil and filter.

The front brake still isn’t very effective. The rear brake works fine. Considering installing a 69 - 70 TLS on the front.
 
  • Like
Reactions: GrandPaulZ
#41 ·
Hi Walt,
front brake still isn’t very effective.
Considering installing a 69 - 70 TLS
(y) mod., although you aren't restricted to '69/'70, Triumph continued to fit the same brake to the T100R up to the last in '74.

With the existing SLS:-

. The angle between the cable and operating arm is never greater than 90 degrees, even when you're pulling hard on the handlebar lever?

. Did you try any of my advice in post #25?

. During these checks, also ensure the 'leading' shoe is the first one contacting the drum when the brake's applied; again risking stating the obvious, it's the 'leading' shoe that makes most braking effort; if the 'trailing' shoe is the first one contacting the drum when the brake's applied, it'll stop the 'leading' shoe contacting the drum. (n)

Hth.

Regards,
 
#42 ·
I thought the T100 had a smaller diameter drum. That’s good to know.

The operating arm is very close to 90 degrees. I tried the sandpaper in the drum trick. I probably didn’t do it correctly. I’ve tightened the fulcrum nut with the lever pulled tight. I’ll keep trying.The front brake will barely stop the bike at walking speed on flat ground. On a hill, forget it.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top