So, I've been trying to squeeze a few more rides in this year (as you know). Normally, morning temperatures hover around the freezing mark and day time highs reach into the 40s or low 50s (F). Yesterday, the high was only in the upper 30s. Shouldn't be any problem, unless you have a suspect battery (which I didn't know the NX possessed). So, I go to fire the NX up for the ride home and ... one or two cranks and then nothing. Crap. Back into the office to get a jump from a co-worker. Well, I must have touched the wrong cable clamp to the opposite battery terminal some time in the jumper cable connection process. Because, when I turned on the ignition key, there was nothing. No lights, nothing. I had to navigate to this blog to review the shop manual and determine where the fuse was located (just above the negative battery terminal, behind the right side panel). There's supposed to be a 15 amp fuse in there, by the way. My NX had a 20 amp (blown) fuse. Problem found. So, after a quick run down to a local service station (that's still a service station, not a convenience mart with fuel), I had a new 15 amp fuse (blade type) installed. After getting a jump from my wife's SUV, who was kind enough to come help me, I was on my way. I had no trouble on the ride home and the bike started right up after shutting it down (as I would expect). The NX spent the night on the Yuasa Hot Shot battery tender and was fully charged this morning. I opted not to ride because it was only in the mid-20s this morning and I didn't feel like being a guinea pig today.
So, now I'm left to wonder; do I have a battery going south? Or, do I have a stator that's not charging? I'm going to guess the former even though I was under the impression, from the previous owner, that the battery was relatively new. I'm going to have to review my NX file for receipts. You'd think that if the battery wasn't receiving a charge, it would have done this a while ago and that I would notice issues with dim lights, etc. Cold weather is supposed to reveal deficiencies with weak batteries so I'm not too surprised this is rearing its ugly head now. I suppose I have some things to check, over the weekend, don't I? I'll let you know what I find.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Friday, November 11, 2011
November 11 - Veterans Day
I couldn't do this without your efforts and sacrifice.
God bless all of you.
And to those who are no longer with us; Godspeed.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Manual Complete
For those of you that require information from a shop manual, I have completed the upload. The Wiring Diagram was the last piece in that puzzle. Take note that the diagram is based on a Portuguese-language version of the wiring diagram for an NX150. The diagram linked on the Resources page is my translation of that. I have other Honda shop manuals and was (kind of) surprised that Honda re-uses wiring colors across its entire range of bikes. Additionally, even though actual switches may physically differ, the way they are wired remains constant. So, I have some confidence in the diagram itself. I will also be spot checking it against my NX, this winter, as I perform maintenance. So, if I notice an issue, I'll do my best to correct it. If you happen to notice something, please inform me (through the Comments). Thanks.
Winter's Coming - Project Chosen (by default)
Sorry for the lack of posting recently. It's been pretty miserable here (Chicago) lately with a lot of damp days and cool conditions. The NX has spent a lot of time in the garage. Additionally, I traded my Transalp for a 1997 DR650SE. While the TA was fun it wasn't really what I was looking for; it was pretty bulky and (in my opinion) heavy. The DR is much lighter (~100 lbs) and much more svelte. It feels a lot like my old DR350SE but with some serious grunt. In retrospect, this is what I should have bought when I sold my DR350SE. So, I've been in the process of seeing what the DR needs. It doesn't need much but it does need some TLC. So, I thought I would "refresh" it over the winter. The major item would be having the frame sandblasted and powder-coated. Then, maintenance issues will be rectified during re-assembly (bearings, cables, gaskets, seals, filters, etc.). When Spring rolls around, the DR should be good to go for a few years (I would hope).
Since no one responded, I guess I'll be rebuilding forks over the winter. That's OK because it will give me more time (and $$) to spend on the DR.
Here's a little more feedback on gear:
The Olympia Bushwacker is still capable of keeping me warm with temperatures near freezing. I believe it was 33º F at O'Hare this morning. I wore a long sleeved cotton pull-over under the jacket/liner. I had no trouble keeping warm.
After my Joe Rocket gloves, which were waterproof and warm, split a seam, I purchased a pair of Tourmaster Cold Tex 2.0 gloves. They have leather on the palm and padding on the knuckles. They kept my fingers warm on the ride this morning and I'm only using the plastic hand guards on the NX (note: the NX does not come with hand guards from the factory. I adapted a set of Transalp guards to fit the NX). I have yet to install the Tusk Hand Mitts on the NX. When I do, that will allow me to ride in temperatures 10º colder.
The Gaerne Balance boots also kept my toes pretty warm. I was surprised they did that since I was expecting to have to wiggle my toes all the way to work. Nope, never really thought about it actually.
Temperatures are expected to rise back into the 40s and 50s (daytime highs) next week. However, it's pretty obvious that my riding days are numbered. I still hope to make it to the end of the month but may not be able to go much past that. We'll see.
Since no one responded, I guess I'll be rebuilding forks over the winter. That's OK because it will give me more time (and $$) to spend on the DR.
Here's a little more feedback on gear:
The Olympia Bushwacker is still capable of keeping me warm with temperatures near freezing. I believe it was 33º F at O'Hare this morning. I wore a long sleeved cotton pull-over under the jacket/liner. I had no trouble keeping warm.
After my Joe Rocket gloves, which were waterproof and warm, split a seam, I purchased a pair of Tourmaster Cold Tex 2.0 gloves. They have leather on the palm and padding on the knuckles. They kept my fingers warm on the ride this morning and I'm only using the plastic hand guards on the NX (note: the NX does not come with hand guards from the factory. I adapted a set of Transalp guards to fit the NX). I have yet to install the Tusk Hand Mitts on the NX. When I do, that will allow me to ride in temperatures 10º colder.
The Gaerne Balance boots also kept my toes pretty warm. I was surprised they did that since I was expecting to have to wiggle my toes all the way to work. Nope, never really thought about it actually.
Temperatures are expected to rise back into the 40s and 50s (daytime highs) next week. However, it's pretty obvious that my riding days are numbered. I still hope to make it to the end of the month but may not be able to go much past that. We'll see.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Winter's Coming - Help Choose a Project
As much as I hate to admit it, my riding season is drawing to a close. While it's beautiful here today; mostly sunny, breezy and about 70º F, the weather will change drastically tonight and I'll be lucky if tomorrow's high temperature is in the lower 50s. I still hope to squeeze in another month on the NX but I'm not certain it that will be possible.
So, help me select an NX-related winter project. I have a spare set of front forks and was thinking of rebuilding them and, of course, documenting the process. Or, I have a spare motor and could do a tear-down or do a tear-down/rebuild (it's missing a camshaft which is no longer available from Honda. It also needs an intake valve but those are available). A motor rebuild is going to be a little more expensive, than a fork rebuild, especially if the cylinder needs to be bored or if the bottom end is trashed. I also have a spare set of wheels but they don't need much attention unless I attempt to remove the steel lining in the hubs (if that's even possible). Lastly, I was thinking about removing, cleaning and lubricating the swing arm.
I'm guessing there may be something that you'd like to see as well. Feel free to vote through the Comments. If nobody has any preferences, I'll go with the forks and proceed from there based on budget. Thanks for your input.
So, help me select an NX-related winter project. I have a spare set of front forks and was thinking of rebuilding them and, of course, documenting the process. Or, I have a spare motor and could do a tear-down or do a tear-down/rebuild (it's missing a camshaft which is no longer available from Honda. It also needs an intake valve but those are available). A motor rebuild is going to be a little more expensive, than a fork rebuild, especially if the cylinder needs to be bored or if the bottom end is trashed. I also have a spare set of wheels but they don't need much attention unless I attempt to remove the steel lining in the hubs (if that's even possible). Lastly, I was thinking about removing, cleaning and lubricating the swing arm.
I'm guessing there may be something that you'd like to see as well. Feel free to vote through the Comments. If nobody has any preferences, I'll go with the forks and proceed from there based on budget. Thanks for your input.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Back to Adventure
Back in July (2011), I wondered if the NX would work as an adventure bike (link). In that post, there's a picture of yours truly, on the NX, navigating County Divide Road in Jo Daviess County, Illinois. One of the group, that I was riding with that day, finally posted the video:
So smooth.......
So smooth.......
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Carburetor Adjustments - Smooth Runnin', Finally
Ever since I started riding the NX, I've sensed that all was not right with respect to fuel delivery. I've wondered about corrosion in the carburetor (found and dealt with), air leaks (rectified with a carburetor rebuild kit) and timing (checks out OK). There are only two adjustments that can be made to the Keihin PD52E (PD52F in California) carburetor; idle speed and fuel/air mixture (also known as the pilot screw). Since I recently adjusted the valves, I figured it would be good to revisit the carburetor adjustments.
One of the issues with the adjustment is the limiter cap that's installed at the factory. The bikes are adjusted to be lean so that they pass emissions tests. The limiter cap ensures that the bike leaves the dealer in the same state of tune as when it left the factory. There's a stop cast into the float bowl and the tang on the limiter cap prohibits the screw from being adjusted to enrich the mixture. I've read that heat will defeat the adhesive that holds the limiter cap. I chose to simply grind the tang off when I had the carburetor apart for rebuild. You could also grind the stop off the float bowl, if you so choose. Regardless of what you do, don't allow aluminum shavings to enter the carburetor.
If you refer to the Chapter 4 - Fuel System PDF on the Resources page, you'll want to review the Pilot Screw Adjustment procedure on page 4-10. Basically, you want the engine at operating temperature and idling around 1300 (+/- 100) rpm. I use an off-set ratchet to make the adjustment.
The hard part is not burning your hand while trying to adjust the pilot screw. In the image below, the float bowl of the carburetor is identified by the yellow arrow (behind the rear brake light wiring and switch). If you use an off-set ratchet with a straight blade insert, you need to insert your right hand between the engine and exhaust pipe (pink arrow) and use your left hand to manipulate the off-set (lime green arrow). It's not easy and you can get hurt (burned).
I've found that using a welder's glove allows me to put my right hand on top of the engine case, palm up, without being injured. Yes, your hand does get warm-to-hot inside the glove but you're protected. At this point, I use the middle finger of my right hand to hold the off-set in place while I adjust the pilot screw with my left hand. You are instructed to "turn the pilot screw in or out to obtain the highest engine speed". If you're using an offset ratchet, obviously, you can only turn in one direction at a time. Chances are, you'll want to turn counter-clockwise (from the initial setting of 1-7/8 turns out from bottomed) to enrich the mixture since the initial setting is lean. I've considered a screwdriver with a flexible shaft but have yet to see one with an attachment that keeps the blade in the screw head slot. Once you've obtained the highest engine speed (rpm), re-adjust the idle screw to 1300 (+/- 100) rpm.
This "tweak" has the NX running as I think it should. It warms up quickly, uses less choke and it accelerates smartly. There are times when it still struggles for pace but much less than it used to.
One of the issues with the adjustment is the limiter cap that's installed at the factory. The bikes are adjusted to be lean so that they pass emissions tests. The limiter cap ensures that the bike leaves the dealer in the same state of tune as when it left the factory. There's a stop cast into the float bowl and the tang on the limiter cap prohibits the screw from being adjusted to enrich the mixture. I've read that heat will defeat the adhesive that holds the limiter cap. I chose to simply grind the tang off when I had the carburetor apart for rebuild. You could also grind the stop off the float bowl, if you so choose. Regardless of what you do, don't allow aluminum shavings to enter the carburetor.
If you refer to the Chapter 4 - Fuel System PDF on the Resources page, you'll want to review the Pilot Screw Adjustment procedure on page 4-10. Basically, you want the engine at operating temperature and idling around 1300 (+/- 100) rpm. I use an off-set ratchet to make the adjustment.
The hard part is not burning your hand while trying to adjust the pilot screw. In the image below, the float bowl of the carburetor is identified by the yellow arrow (behind the rear brake light wiring and switch). If you use an off-set ratchet with a straight blade insert, you need to insert your right hand between the engine and exhaust pipe (pink arrow) and use your left hand to manipulate the off-set (lime green arrow). It's not easy and you can get hurt (burned).
I've found that using a welder's glove allows me to put my right hand on top of the engine case, palm up, without being injured. Yes, your hand does get warm-to-hot inside the glove but you're protected. At this point, I use the middle finger of my right hand to hold the off-set in place while I adjust the pilot screw with my left hand. You are instructed to "turn the pilot screw in or out to obtain the highest engine speed". If you're using an offset ratchet, obviously, you can only turn in one direction at a time. Chances are, you'll want to turn counter-clockwise (from the initial setting of 1-7/8 turns out from bottomed) to enrich the mixture since the initial setting is lean. I've considered a screwdriver with a flexible shaft but have yet to see one with an attachment that keeps the blade in the screw head slot. Once you've obtained the highest engine speed (rpm), re-adjust the idle screw to 1300 (+/- 100) rpm.
This "tweak" has the NX running as I think it should. It warms up quickly, uses less choke and it accelerates smartly. There are times when it still struggles for pace but much less than it used to.
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