Posts made by SpookDog

Thoughts please!...

3 times now my head gasket has blown. The first time it was a good gasket with 3000 miles on it, the 2nd time it was a cheap Chinese job that was ‘used but not run’. 3rd time was using an unfamiliar copper gasket without the proper spray sealant, so the last 2 are on me.
Each time it failed in a different place, but! the weird thing is that it always failed on the upper, head side of the gasket. The bottom half was always sealed firmly to the barrel, with absolutely zero sign of leakage or blow by. Any ideas why?...

@zx125 said in Engine rattleing after complete Rebuild:

@spookdog I think I´ll take of the cylinder tomorrow and check the small end bearing

I think that’s your only option

The only time I ever had a noise like that it was because my barrel & piston were badly worn. You could get a lolly stick between the two! My piston was slapping around on the overrun. I don’t think it’s that because of the rebuild. It’s just the only other thing I can think of ...

@calum
Cheers bud...
2 nm’s is where my wrench kicks in. It’s too near the threshold for me to trust. If I want to do it right I really want new studs and dome nuts with washers.
I’ve never had troubles with single cylinder bikes before, then again none of them were liquid cooled...

@everyone

What size torque wrench are people using to torque down the cylinder head while in the frame?
I only have a 1/2inch drive that is way to big to fit...

@dan28
I don’t have a electric start. I have an 88 DTR125 Also my indicator relay is a 3 pin one behind the headlight. These 2 are 4pin. They control the sidestand kill switch, which the previous owner removed from my bike

PS modern bikes are a bit more solid state,...

I know it doesn’t sound right, and might not be as I stated it. I am sure that it is to stop you pulling away with the side stand down. 1 neutral switch, 1 relay. 1 sidestand switch 1 relay. It’s how old computers worked before solid state. On a newer bike the ecu would probably do the job...

This is weird, I was seeing lots of gaskets made of composite for dtr’s (125) made by Athena. Now i can only find one and that looks like they used a 170 pic for the listing.
Do Athena make composite gaskets for a 125? Or is it just 170?...

@markus-w
Cheers bud!...

Another question!

Are there any speedometers, of my size and shape, that go over 80MPH?

Are the composite gaskets much thicker than the metal shim gaskets? I’m wondering about it affecting the squish band gap.
I got 200 miles out of the Chinese one I had kicking around. I have to try the copper one now, with Hylomar to fill the gaps. Just till I get some pennies in my pockets. Or unless the copper on is a keeper

@calum
I don’t even know if it’s a good price cause it’s a 125, not a 170?
Depends what country you live in. Postage can be bad, customs and postage? I don’t know...

@nottsbiker
I think I’ve sussed it. Relay 1 is to ‘tell’ the circuit that it’s out of neutral (and so activate relay 2). 2 is to ‘tell’ the circuit that the stand is up and safe to run. If the stand is down it will earth/kill the ignition!
That took me some thinking!!

@Oisin
Why do you want an Athena 125 kit? Regardless of who or where you buy it?
For a 125cc I would repair or replace second hand...

175cc is a different matter...

@spookdog

I forgot to ask! Does it make the noise on tickover as well?...

@zx125

Every cog in the engine is meshed together permanently, except the starter cog which is designed to engage when the starter is depressed and to slip if the kick start is kept down with the engine running, or the starter stays engaged. I don’t know about dtre starters, but car ones push forward as they are energised and rotate in much the same way...

The only other thing I can think of is that some different pistons use different small end bearings. If these can be mixed up I don’t know, but only one of the above makes any sense to me if it’s only making the noise on the over ~run...

There are 2 of them and I still haven’t found a satisfactory answer as to what they are or do. The nearest my searching has found is 1 is a neutral relay but that doesn’t make any sense to me. I thought 1 might be to do with the side stand kill switch function. The other one would still be a mystery if I’m right about the sidestand.
It’s an early 1988~96 loom and magneto. Any light shed would be appreciated.
P.S. I have tried the search function

Thank yoos’

Curiosity!
Which type of Athena gasket are people using, the metal or composite type?...

@declan
I can’t believe it wasn’t reported stolen, no PNC stolen reported. Been underwater long enough for the spokes to dissolve! And I’d still take it on as a project!! What is wrong with me?

I actually pulled an old dt50 out of the river Stour where I live, when I was about 10 years young. It was a white one with the peanut tank. 1970’s era. Dragged it home a mile uphill! Wish I could remember what I did with it...

@declan
I use it as a foot warmer in the winter!🥶

@declan

Wonder how much they want for it? £2500 on fleabay to come!
Shame, waste of a bike tho’

There’ll be clones popping up all over feevebay

@declan
Makes sense, especially when I ride the clutch like a numpty, rather than putting it in neutral, or just slowvertaking the stagnant traffic!