Basket Cases

Need help finding information or parts for that old machine in your shed? Someone in here will know!

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David Lahey
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Re: Basket Cases

Postby David Lahey » Wed Feb 03, 2010 8:55 pm

And this is me crashing John Heidemenn's RL250
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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Westy » Wed Feb 03, 2010 9:01 pm

That's some good info you have David. How realiable are your sources? :P :P :P


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Greg Harding
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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Greg Harding » Fri Feb 05, 2010 10:32 pm

Hi Everyone,

I spoke to Kym (no 1 RL250 fan in SA) and apparently he has a totally original previously registered RL 250 complete with all documentation and basically confirms what David has said. Good to see there are still no flies on the Guru from Gladstone!! Plus all of mine have compliance plates or stickers and head set gussets. Interesting that the competition models have bulky mufflers and not the other way round!

Hi Westy, thanks for your input, personally I have received mis-information from our local Suzuki Dealer. After I got them to check, as they didn't believe there was such a thing as an RL 250. Will have to take my workshop manual in to show them when I pick up my 11 front sprocket. I think TY 250A is pre-compliance and registerable and were made in 1974, so Suzuki 1974 - 1976 would have been new at compliance for rego like everyone else at this time. This might explain why Australian Dealers were doing the lighting kits etc.

Hi Chippy, finished the fork brace today and have posted a photo. The tricky bit is doming the top to match the concave underside of the mudguard! Also I have refined my handlebar straightening jig and your Renthals came up pretty good! Because these bars have been bent and straightened, I strongly recommened that you use a bolt on crossbar. Another tip is not to drop off of any omni-buses!
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Re: Basket Cases

Postby chippy » Sun Feb 07, 2010 11:54 am

Greg,

Thanks very much. The rear brake brace and the front mudguard bracket both look a treat. I can understand trying to get the concave working right would have been difficult. Thanks for your efforts.
Thats great that you were able to straighten the Renthal bars too. (Man of many talents).
I'll try and stay off those omni-buses....sorry. I'll have to find a cross bar and do you have any spare TY175 fork caps that go in top of forks? You might notice that the KT ones have small holes in them and I believe most replace them with TY175 caps.
I have started re-assembling the Kt and now I'll have to get that front end off you when you come up.

Thanks again for all you help.
Andrew



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Re: Basket Cases RL 250 Blue Dungar

Postby Greg Harding » Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:00 am

Hi Everyone,

Just thoght I would share this with you (BLUE is the only COLOUR, EVERYTHING else is BACKGROUND!!!). Now you alll understand this, you can see why I like BLUE bikes probably more than the next person! I am posting some photos of an afore mentioned RL 250 I bought a couple of years ago for $300.00. There is no chain in the photos, but the bike is a goer abeit main bearing problems! After all this time, I am still unable to bond with this DUNGAR!
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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Greg Harding » Thu Feb 25, 2010 12:05 am

Hi Everyone

I have clocked up a few more rides on the RL,between rides I like to iron out any nigling problems and have the bike ready for the next ride when I put it away. Firstly i cut down and refitted the front guard. Also I have burnt the carbon out of the exhaust and painted it. This job is amusing to me, being someone who makes things, I am fully aware of overlooking things and building traps! I think the exhaust is well made with only one possible leak point so close to the end. Does it really matter? Curious what I find amusing? It seems they bolted up the exhaust and then the kickstart, folded in the kickstart in and went damn!!!!! Murphy says if more than one person is responsible for a miscalculation no-one will be at fault.Oh,um we'll have to make a dint here! Something else I have learnt is that whatever you make stands as a monument to good or bad workmanship!

My other ongoing battle is with the fuel tap. Glad to have spares, but no good distribution gaskets. Went to Suzuki and re-assurred them my RL 250 was a Suzuki, they had no microfishe or listings. I suggested a TS 250 of the same era and they said they have stock at $4.15 each, so I ordered two. When they came, they were very close with the only problem being the 4 holes were slightly further apart, damn! However they fit TY fuel taps! Happy days! Then I got them to email Suzuki importer and the news is no longer available, but they do have complete taps for $55.00! Does anyone know where I can get the gaskets?


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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Westy » Fri Feb 26, 2010 12:36 am

Greg,
I have a microfishe and a manual for the RL250. I like your thoughts on the kick starter dint in the engine pipe. I thought the same thing once. I also tried to seal the gap between the engine pipe and the muffler anf I too thought, "what's the point?". ha ha ha
Talking about fuel taps, I for my original and a spare to make a good one out of the both.
One had a good gasket and the original was warn. This is what I did.
I lapped the tap mating face. I lapped a copper washer as a shim. I re-fitted the tap lever with the copper shim in between the lever and the tap lever trainer. This solved the problem of an old, hard, but un worn fuel cock gasket.
When the time comes I am going to make a gasket out of viton or buna or something like that by hand. It won't take much to design out the semi-torus matic face of the gasket.
Would you like a sketch.

P.s taking the TY250 for a blue slip tomorrow! Woo hoo. I'll have two registered post-classics in the garage.
Hey Scorps...What's next on the list? Another RL? Or should I go for a TL or KT?


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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Greg Harding » Wed Mar 03, 2010 8:31 am

Hi Westy,

Sorry about the delay, has been a busy time. Thanks for your input, I too have a genuine workshop manual. Would you be able to look up microfishe and get the original part no for the gasket for me? Lapping the copper gasket was a good idea, does the fuel drip into the carby when turned off? My solution was similiar but different, I sliced a thin (about 1mm thick) off a spare gasket and placed in the back of the tap with a complete gasket in front . Idea being the old gaskets must get compressed with time. This works but drips occassionally.

Thanks again


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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Westy » Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:53 pm

Let me re-type my post as I was clearly asleep when I typed it. My typing and sentences get bad when I am tired.

Greg,
I have a microfishe and a manual for the RL250. I like your thoughts on the kick starter dint in the engine pipe. I thought the same thing once. I also tried to seal the gap between the engine pipe and the muffler and I too thought, "what's the point?". ha ha ha
Talking about fuel taps, I have one for my original tank and a spare on the other tank. I used both taps to make a good one. One had a good gasket and the original was worn. This is what I did. I lapped the tap mating face and I lapped a copper washer as a shim. I passed the tap handle through the copper washer and I re-fitted the tap lever with the copper acting as a shim in between the lever and the tap lever retainer. This solved the problem of an old, hard, but un-worn fuel cock gasket.
When the time comes I am going to make a gasket out of viton or buna or something like that by hand. It won't take much to design out the semi-torus matic face of the gasket.
Would you like a sketch?


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Re: Basket Cases

Postby Westy » Tue Mar 09, 2010 10:58 pm

Talking about the drip. I haven't had dripping issues with the fuel tank tap since I added the washer.
I can empty the fuel line and it will stay empty when left for a long time. It's good becasue the carby bowl used to overflow and leak on the garage floor which isn't too safe. There would be a pool of fuel on top of the gearbox which wouldn't drizzle to the ground.

I haven't found a way to read the microfishe yet. My scanner can't zoom that much. I might be able to find a viewer with a printer attached at the office of a client of mine. I'll have to do some asking.


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