Thanks all. We're going on holiday soon so I'm trying to get it nearly there before then. So all electrics have been through and seem to be good, spark at both cylinder. So just need the two switches, oil and filter, seals for the fuel cap and a rear tyre and a lot of luck, the old girl might start. I might rig up some fuel supply and give her a try, just to see if there is life.
It lives!! Before I put the battery back onto my other ss (tomorrow is definitely a Ducati day for getting to work)I couldn't resist putting a little petroleum down the carbs and hitting the start button, and low and behold if she didn't run for a few seconds. Hope to have a full start up the weekend after next, it I get my figure out and order the few bits I need, better start to talk nicely to the wife!
Thanks, amazing it started better than my 750 did, considering it hadn't run for 10 years, and the sound is amazing too, even the wife said it sounded nice!!
I successfully drilled out a pilot screw in my 750 SS. I did it by drilling a relatively small hole down the centre and then carefully and slowly using the side of the drill bit to remove enough material to be able to pick out the remainder from the threads of the carb body. The screw is made from brass, so is soft enough to make this possible.
I've got 4 carb body's here so may have a go at it, nothing to lose. It's good to know that it's possibly. Trying to get the 400 done for the copdock show on the 4th October, it's going to be tight as we're in Florida for two weeks, but hope to have it practically ready before we go away. All will be ok if it passes the MOT, otherwise it will be the 750 on the DOCGB stand.
I posted how I'd done this on the old Yahoo SS forum and another guy had success with the same technique, so it can definitely be done. You do need to be patient and take your time though. Once you've drilled the initial hole down the centre, you need to almost wear the rest of the brass away with the side of the drill bit, slowly and gently until you start to expose the zinc alloy threads, then you can pick the rest of the brass out.
Old rider, slip of the mouse I'm afraid, so good job I'm not in charge of a Trident submarine. I have replaced it with a like, so hopefully no need for a wax effigy.... I am also in the process of bringing an old 900 back to life after years off the road, but fortunately had no problems stripping the carbs. However, looking at the their orientation, the pilot screws face forward and couldn't be better placed to catch spray in wet weather, probably why they originally had rubber bungs fitted, probably not reinstalled after their first adjustment, so water ingress and corrosion results. There were no bungs on mine but the screws came out OK, although even with a full dealer service history one of the pilot screws was missing its washer and 'O' ring. Replacement gaskets/seals from NRP carbs. Having read this post and realised there was a good reason for this bung and it's not simply an anti tamper device, tried Allens Performance for replacement bungs but no luck, so got them from Moto Rapido at £2.32 each, but you may be able to find an alternative. Once you have got the seized screw out, makes sense to install the bung to prevent drilling the screw out again at the next carb adjustment or service. Mr Bimble
re: idle mixture screws, totally right - bungs are a necessity. I always act on said screws once a year and turn 90 degrees clock/anti-clock just in case they are thinking about seizing.
Alternatively, apply grease to the threads and then fill the void left by the missing bung with more grease. In fact, do that even if you do have a bung to top off with.
Lubricating threads on assembly? That's one for the suggestion box on Ducati's production line right there.... Mr Bimble
Easy enough to make a couple of bungs (mine aren't lost, BTW )............. But first wipe some copper grease around the thread of the screw.....don't go higher than the top of the thread. Back to bungs......Well........ .......supposing you can't find any solid rubber of the right diameter.......... .......you know those little conical nozzles for dispensing 3 Bond and or gasket silcone?............fill a couple up with bath silicone or clear gasket silicone and let the stuff go off (the vinegary stuff)...............once it had gone off, pull it out of the nozzle..........somewhere along the length of the 'wobbly willy', it will be the right diameter to cut and shove it in the screw hole......leave it long enough to be able to pull it out again.
I did my threads with copper grease but more recently I have become less confident that it was the right thing with brass and zinc being the two metals trying to corrode together. I'm not saying it's wrong, it's just Im less confident it's right...
It was ideling at 5,000 when it first started! My 750 pilot screws are loving installed with cooper slip, seems to be ok but haven't tried to turn them this year. Job for tonight me thinks.
