Mad Mike
Well-known member
More or less my challenge. I basically take the bike off the carbs.
What did you do in your garage today..?
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PacoT
Well-known member
Yup. It is an actually Battery Tender Junior TM.
I left the bike plugged in overnight, but the results were the same. When I turned the key to the ON position, the dash lit up for one or two seconds, then went completely black again. (To be fair, I didn’t check the voltage at that exact moment.)
First, I checked all the fuses in the fuse box, and then the main fuses next to the starter solenoid. Everything looked fine.
Next, I removed the battery from the bike—which, isn’t exactly a quick job on a Ducati, since it’s mounted at the bottom of the bike, right in front of the rear wheel.
I connected the Battery Tender directly to the terminals (in case the piggyback connector was acting up). At that point, voltage was reading between 13V and 14V.
I reinstalled the battery and finally checked the voltage while turning the key. With the Battery Tender still connected, turning the key to ON caused the voltage to drop from 13V straight down to 3V.
So… safe to say this battery is toast, right?
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Gaoler
Well-known member
'Plugged in my 'tender 'cuz I'm flying out to BC tomorrow for two weeks... So, the FJR will be sittin' parked.
I hope the wife isn't too grumpy getting up to drop me off at the Airport at o'dark thirty
On the up side... Three days after I fly back from BC I'm riding back out there for three weeks
I hope the wife isn't too grumpy getting up to drop me off at the Airport at o'dark thirty
On the up side... Three days after I fly back from BC I'm riding back out there for three weeks
Pretty much toast. May be possible to recover but dropping to 3v with the key on is insane. I would say a battery is dead if it dropped that low with the starter
I have found that a "smart" type charger will not revive a flat dead battery. When faced with that in the past, I've had some success by using an old fashioned "dumb" charger, with none of that fancy analytic circuitry. I call it kick starting the battery. Hook it up and run it at a higher amperage, like 15 or 20, for a while, like an hour or 2. (Don't forget it though! I've cooked a battery that way.)
Then switch over to the smart charger, to take it up to full, and do the desulphating and all that, for 24 hours or more; whatever it takes. You still need one with output greater than the little 2 amp maintainer types. I'd say at least 10 or 15.
Then switch over to the smart charger, to take it up to full, and do the desulphating and all that, for 24 hours or more; whatever it takes. You still need one with output greater than the little 2 amp maintainer types. I'd say at least 10 or 15.
This weekend I framed out the inside of the back third of my shipping container in the hopes of getting some stuff off the ground and creating more space. I was able to do so while accomplishing my goal of not drilling into the walls or floor.
I plan to wait until I get fittings for the Abba SkyLift I recently bought to see if I can use it to turn my bike around inside and how doing so might constrain where and how I can place further storage. In my ideal world I will be able to frame out the rest of the container.
There was pondering over how to do this for maybe two months. Once I got started this weekend there were lots of false starts and lots more pondering. I learned that shipping containers are far from square and that even a very new container in very good shape still has a bunch of big dents you don't notice until you need that surface flat. I was pretty happy with the way it worked out, but it reminded me how much I respect guys who could do this stuff without thinking about it.
I plan to wait until I get fittings for the Abba SkyLift I recently bought to see if I can use it to turn my bike around inside and how doing so might constrain where and how I can place further storage. In my ideal world I will be able to frame out the rest of the container.
There was pondering over how to do this for maybe two months. Once I got started this weekend there were lots of false starts and lots more pondering. I learned that shipping containers are far from square and that even a very new container in very good shape still has a bunch of big dents you don't notice until you need that surface flat. I was pretty happy with the way it worked out, but it reminded me how much I respect guys who could do this stuff without thinking about it.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Today I worked on my DR big.
conquered a tricky tire that was mounted 37 years ago.
Changed brake pads. Overhauled the front caliper.
Reinstalled gas tanks, new fuel and vacuum lines.
Changed oil & filter, brake fluid, and fork oil.
Checked valve clearance (it was perfect), adjusted counterbalance and timing chain tensioners.
Contemplating changing to a x-ring chain.
Just need to install some luggage and I’m good to road trip.
conquered a tricky tire that was mounted 37 years ago.
Changed brake pads. Overhauled the front caliper.
Reinstalled gas tanks, new fuel and vacuum lines.
Changed oil & filter, brake fluid, and fork oil.
Checked valve clearance (it was perfect), adjusted counterbalance and timing chain tensioners.
Contemplating changing to a x-ring chain.
Just need to install some luggage and I’m good to road trip.
Found this today. Is it a replace right away or see if it leaks? It’s tubeless. Nail is mostly through the knob and I’m not sure yet if it actually punctured through to the inside but it’s certainly close to sidewall.
Nail came out easy and I couldn’t feel any air loss but I’ll give it 1/hrs and check pressure again. If it doesn’t drop I can ride local trails/gravel roads and monitor it.
Nail came out easy and I couldn’t feel any air loss but I’ll give it 1/hrs and check pressure again. If it doesn’t drop I can ride local trails/gravel roads and monitor it.
Attachments
Ugh.
Anytime there's sidewall involved in a puncture (even if hasn't penetrated straight through the carcass) I'd be inclined to replace. That's introduced a weak point that'll get weaker the more you're leaned over on that side of the tire. Especially at speed.
Just MHO.
I bet if I gave you a hammer and that nail you'd be hart pressed to get it that far.
Finished the seat/tailpiece for the Wing. Looking at my layup you'd never know I was once a Certified Composites Technician, but since it's purely cosmetic I wasn't too worried. After getting it trimmed and bolted into place I cut and taped on some camp foam just to see how it might look.
Except for a finish on the tank and tail this thing is finally done. Rather than paint it I think I'm going the fabric route like I did in the past on both the Team Zebra and my GayZed.
Except for a finish on the tank and tail this thing is finally done. Rather than paint it I think I'm going the fabric route like I did in the past on both the Team Zebra and my GayZed.
That's what was on my mind as well. I took a second reading after 12hrs and it didn't drop any. That could change when ridden though with some flex. Makes the decision that much more difficult.
This one isn't simple. You could break the bead and feel inside to see if it has delaminated the carcass. If it has, I'd call it terminal. If you can't feel anything, I'd air down a bit and spend a day playing in the dirt followed by an inspection. If it survives that with no noticeable issues, I'd probably just run it at reasonable road speeds. It shouldn't explode (and it's a rear so it's less terrifying if it goes soft). I'd order a spare to have in the garage in case it decides to give up and start leaking.
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Yeah this is likely what I'll do. Bike has tpms so it'll tell me if it starts to go south. I'll just torture it for a bit with some offroading and wear it out quicker.
Mad Mike
Well-known member
Off the bikes today. Jeep has a problem with cyl 2 injector. It was failing after heatsoaking, so once I shut the truck off it would take an hour to cool before that injector worked again. After the last fail it appears to have croaked.
Amazon just arrived with a new OE Injector - time to get dirty!
ps. If you ever have to change injectors on a cage - never use the cheapie chinize Amazon injectors. They cost $10 each vs $40 for an OE, but you get what you pay for.
Amazon just arrived with a new OE Injector - time to get dirty!
ps. If you ever have to change injectors on a cage - never use the cheapie chinize Amazon injectors. They cost $10 each vs $40 for an OE, but you get what you pay for.
pecan_choco_hurricane
Active member
This battery tester does in depth tests like load testing. I personally use this load tester as it's resembles a crank and is easy to tell if your battery is done-so.
I have a toaster and a smart battery tester (Konnwei kw510). The toaster is fast and easy to determine dead batteries. The fancy one is interesting as it gives you CCA and SOC so you can differentiate between not charged and damaged as well as keep tabs on marginal batteries. The more accurate tests require removing wiring from the battery first (not sure if wiring messes with the results or if the tester fries things upstream). The fancy one is able to recover some batteries that nothing else I had worked on. Not back to 100%, but I have brought a few back from 15% to 80% which is good enough for some applications.
sburns
Well-known member
Recently did a few things.
Regular oil & filter change.
Installed 2" risers
Finally got the GPS mounted
Throttle palm rest
Got a Top case off Amazon, was only $250 bucks, and it's well built.
It's 45L, were as Suzuki was 38L (and about $700), to be honest neither are that big, I was spoiled with Harley's tour pack.
Regular oil & filter change.
Installed 2" risers
Finally got the GPS mounted
Throttle palm rest
Got a Top case off Amazon, was only $250 bucks, and it's well built.
It's 45L, were as Suzuki was 38L (and about $700), to be honest neither are that big, I was spoiled with Harley's tour pack.
I finished framing out the inside of my shipping container. I probably picked the worst possible day to spend working in a shipping container. I wonder how much water I sweated out today.
I had to go to Canadian Tire to buy a big fan and then when I was at Costco saw another big fan and bought that too. I must have made a half dozen trips into town this weekend to buy this or that for the project at CT or HD.
Now trying to figure out how to use that framing to maximize space. I had my brush cutter/clearing saw up high and horizontal but decided someone could really get hurt if something broke or slipped, or someone tripped. It looks like some sort of pole axe mounted like that, so I think it needs to be mounted vertically with blade down.
Also replaced the starter on my riding mower. It will be nice not to have to push a lawn mower or have to haul a wagon filled with logs around the property.
I had to go to Canadian Tire to buy a big fan and then when I was at Costco saw another big fan and bought that too. I must have made a half dozen trips into town this weekend to buy this or that for the project at CT or HD.
Now trying to figure out how to use that framing to maximize space. I had my brush cutter/clearing saw up high and horizontal but decided someone could really get hurt if something broke or slipped, or someone tripped. It looks like some sort of pole axe mounted like that, so I think it needs to be mounted vertically with blade down.
Also replaced the starter on my riding mower. It will be nice not to have to push a lawn mower or have to haul a wagon filled with logs around the property.
Wish I was doing this in my garage...
Elapsed time to fix: 30 minutes.
But...
Pinched the tube while putting the new one in.
Took it out and tried to patch it.
Patch wouldn't hold.
Patched the old tube.
Patch wouldn't hold.
FML.
Took the other bike and rode to the store to buy a new inner tube.
Updated elapsed time to fix: 1.5 hours.
Then it rained.
Rode home in the rain.
So... no ride. Plus out $$$ for a new inner tube.
Plus... wet.
Currently Googling "how to patch inner tubes properly"
Elapsed time to fix: 30 minutes.
But...
Pinched the tube while putting the new one in.
Took it out and tried to patch it.
Patch wouldn't hold.
Patched the old tube.
Patch wouldn't hold.
FML.
Took the other bike and rode to the store to buy a new inner tube.
Updated elapsed time to fix: 1.5 hours.
Then it rained.
Rode home in the rain.
So... no ride. Plus out $$$ for a new inner tube.
Plus... wet.
Currently Googling "how to patch inner tubes properly"
