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Ian Soady¹ said :-
Oh bu99er. The adaptor for the TPS arrived yesterday with the cable operated choke. In my enthusiasm opening up the packages the little adaptor, which is only a few mm diameter disappeared probably into the black hole that has taken up residence under the bench. I've looked for it but no success so far so I made the choke cable instead. I'll have another search later.
However I have verified that the TPS and its mounting plate do indeed interfere with the choke housing so will need to modify them. I may try it with my home made cap first of all although my knee is still giving me gyp so should really rest it. How can I rest with all this work to do?
10/03/2026 10:13:12 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Genesis 2:2-3, God rested on the seventh day after finishing the work of creation, TPS assembly, blessing and sanctifying it as a holy day. No mention of knees I'm afraid. But I'll try, raise up Ian and be healed for you are blessed. No?
I can guarantee that little widget is with my 10 mm socket.
Pffffffftttttt.
Upt.
10/03/2026 10:55:31 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
God may have rested but being wicked there's none for me. Screwed it all back together with my home made blanking cap and miracle of miracles it started well and seems to run OK. The choke is much better with the cable as it can easily be positioned mid way and is easy to adjust in flight. It will be a while before the road test as it needs the chair body fitting after its repose in the shed. I did find a 4mm cobalt drill under the bench but no sign of that adaptor.
10/03/2026 11:57:14 UTC
Glyn said :-
I’ve just used the Kreem tank liner kit on the Triumph. It took me a long time to decide to take this route as there is some negative feedback about liners if you research them. The Triumph had the original factory silicon liner break up and break off into what looked like brown leaves. I did get it mostly clean with electrolysis but it had started to flash rust. Further reading seemed to suggest that most motorcycle tanks are being ruined by Ethanol additives. The fuel absorbs water and this starts to rust any untreated metal tanks. Is this true? I’m not sure but most bikes I buy, that have not had frequent use, do seem to have damage. So I bought a kit (£49) and proceeded with the fairly complicated and lengthy process of cleaning and coating. It all went as described and I now have a white film covering the interior of the tank. I allowed some of the product to “cure” on an old metal plate and it’s gone as hard as rock in 24 hrs. I guess time will tell but, if it does stick as advertised, then I won’t get the jets clogged with debris from the tank. I’ve fitted extra filters in the two hose feeds to help.
12/03/2026 08:56:05 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I'm afraid I don't subscribe to the "ethanol ruins tanks" view. Yes, ethanol does have a small hydroscopic effect but that would actually absorb any water vapour and hold it in suspension. And how much water vapour is available above the petrol level anyway? I did a small experiment some years ago in which I submerged carburettor parts in a jamjar of E10 for several months. The parts were completely unaffected. See photo.
The diminishing number of older folk who remember the 1950s and 60s may recollect Cleveland Discol. It was up to 20% ethanol, which was provided as an alternative to ethyl lead by Distillers' Company. There were, as far as I know, no reports of any damage. My dad for one swore by it.
Of course some "rubber" materials don't stand up well to ethanol.
12/03/2026 10:12:40 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Later I added some water which just sat at the bottom of the jamjar and left it for a few more months. This was the result. So yes, water is a problem but it has nothing to do with ethanol. Of copurse the environmental benefits of ethanol are dubious in the extreme unless it's made using waste organic material rather than food crops.
12/03/2026 10:13:09 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
It's hard for me to form an opinion - because I've never had a tank go rusty on me - because I've always been using my bikes which means a constant steady replenishment of fuel in the tank. Rust appears to only be an issue if the tank is stood for a good length of time (with or without fuel).
12/03/2026 14:35:29 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
For my own part I've never had a problem even after leaving petrol in for 6 months or so. Maybe it's my ambient temperature (read cold) garage?
12/03/2026 15:34:03 UTC
Glyn said :-
There was still some small pieces of the silicon liner in the tank so I’m hoping that the Kreem liner will hold it in place. It seems I may have wasted £49 if I only intended to coat and prevent further rusting. The inside of the tank was in a terrible state when I started.
13/03/2026 16:11:40 UTC
Glyn said :-
There was still some small pieces of the silicon liner in the tank so I’m hoping that the Kreem liner will hold it in place. It seems I may have wasted £49 if I only intended to coat and prevent further rusting. The inside of the tank was in a terrible state when I started.
13/03/2026 16:11:41 UTC
Glyn said :-
The new battery arrived for the Triumph and so I was eager to start it and perform the full checks before presenting it for the MOT test. Battery duly connected and ignition key turned, CRACK!! The 30Amp main fuse blew instantly. It could be anywhere and manner of things as it’s all been apart over the last month. A resistance reading shows 12 Ohms to earth from the fuse to earth. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be but that seems a little low. I’m doing some thinking about it at the moment but the only electrical thing I did was to remove and clean the alternator and replace the twin horns.
15/03/2026 10:57:32 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Alternator, reg/rec or a positive lead touching the frame would be favourite.
I hate electrotrickery.
Upt.
15/03/2026 12:36:54 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
I can't remember if it has been running at all Glyn. If so I would be suspecting the lead short issue. If it hasn't then could be any of Upt's suggestions. I find it useful to replace the fuse with a bulb and progressively disconnect things till the bulb goes out. But rereading your last point, it would be as well to check the alternator for a short. None of the 3 leads coming out of it should show a connection to earth.
15/03/2026 12:49:47 UTC
Glyn said :-
I don’t have any time today to check it out. However, if I remember rightly, the battery plus connects directly to the alternator without going through a fuse. I took a quick look at the wiring diagram which revealed that the horns, lights etc are switched through their earth return and not in the plus 12v feed. The old horns had 2 wire connectors whilst the new have a single with the earth being the body. This could hold the answer to the problem although, I suspect, the horns would have blasted loudly rather than the fuse rupture. It seems to me that switching the earths only permits the use of less fuses. When you have a fuse for everything, it’s much easier to trace a fault. The Triumph 30Amp fuse puts plus 12volts all around various electrical circuits not just one.
15/03/2026 14:46:23 UTC
Glyn said :-
Got it! It was the new horns. I’m afraid you folks didn’t have a chance to help me as it was on of those “man made faults” that, obviously, don’t comply with the usual rules of repair. I had (wrongly) assumed that the switch button on the handlebars was providing the plus 12v to the horns via the brown wires. I even checked it on the multimeter and found it switched on and off when the button was pressed. Therefore, I also assumed the black wires to the horn were the negatives and so earthed them to the frame. The truth is that the (earthed by me) black wires actually carried the plus 12v and the browns went off to the switch… pay attention young Glyn, assume nothing, Idiot boy!!
That “shunting the broken fuse with a 12v bulb” is a brilliant hack Ian, it saved the lives of several more 30Amp blade fuses.
15/03/2026 16:41:43 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I think the horns on my Strom are wired in the same way Glyn. I think what you are saying is that they are basically always live and operating the switch completes the circuit. Or some'at like that.
Upt.
15/03/2026 16:52:53 UTC
Glyn said :-
That is exactly it Up’t. In the Triumph this permanent feed comes through black wires. I’m very old school where black was usually negative. I remember that Vauxhall cars started using black wires for positive 12v feeds which blew up many after market radio cassettes players.
15/03/2026 17:03:22 UTC
Ian Soady¹ said :-
Most horns these days are switched on the earth path. I think the theory is that there's less current in it. However, I've wired the horns on the B'Zuki with the switch in the live side as that was convenient. If I'd been feeling posh I'd have added a relay but hopefully am not using the horns that much.
15/03/2026 17:06:26 UTC
Glyn said :-
I rarely use horns myself, usually because, when an incident occurs, I’m so glad to have survived or the incident has passed and what’s the point. I prefer to use the barrage of expletives that cant be heard by the perpetrator. This method has served me well enough for years.
15/03/2026 17:12:00 UTC
Flyn said :-
Unfortunately this will mean that the two metal bodies of the twin horns will be sat at plus 12 volts. If I simply isolate the mounting brackets it will work but if I drop a spanner below the headlamp and it ends up between the horn and the frame, I will have a zapped fuse.
15/03/2026 20:30:14 UTC
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