Tool the month of
Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox.co.uk. So he knows what works.
1/ Curved nose forceps are perfect for extracting collets…
2/ …. as is a telescopic magnetic pick-up tool!
3/ A ‘hooked’ pick tool is the best tool I have found for removing valve stem seals.
4/ A magnet on a stick is great for removing the spring seats.
5/ The miserable, frustrating way to lap valves!
6/ My chosen lapping system – quick and easy. This Sealey drill is excellent value and perfect for this job.
The valve is removed using nothing more than a gloved finger. The stem is poked down to the guide and the other free hand pulls the valve head from the combustion side. The last thing to be removed is the spring seat and I have found the only way to extract it is a small diameter magnet on a stick. I find turning it around helps break the oil suction that tries to hold it in place.
The last job on this head before it goes for beautification is to lap in the valves. It can be as arduous as you want to make it. In photo 5 I demonstrate the old-fashioned, frustrating method. In photo 6 I get down with the kids and make life easy. Both methods involve spitting on a sucker and attaching it to the valve head. A squirt of oil is applied to the valve stem and the face of the valve is sparingly anointed with fine grinding paste and the stem gently fitted into the valve guide. In photo
5 you push down and rub the stick with your hands, like starting a fire in the wild with no matches! As you tire the stick changes angle and comes off the valve head for the 100th time in 10 minutes and you curse your meanness. In photo 6 I have invested in a tool that is attached to a cordless drill, which oscillates the valve against the seat and you just lift it now and again to move the paste around.
Sealey sent me a 12v Lithium-ion cordless drill in camera from the same series as the 3/8th-inch drive impact driver set I tested a few months ago. I already have a very expensive Makita drill, and this far more affordable tool is considerably better value. It is smaller and lighter, which was especially helpful in this application. I have used this drill quite a bit now in the workshop and home, and can tell you it is excellent value for money, particularly as new batteries can be bought for under £20.
When lapping, don’t get any grinding paste anywhere other than the valve face and give the head a serious wash down with something like brake cleaner afterwards to ensure every last vestige is gone.
So things kind of stalled with the old Triumph, but with a little down time from the day job due to the current pandemic, we’re on our way again with some free time as the day job isn’t too busy!
With our bike now a rolling chassis I took to the internet and purchased lots of stainless fasteners which isn’t something I would normally do, but with the zinc plating issues we had previously I thought it would be wise to just replace what I could. I also had a good chat with John Nutting, who was very encouraging about the project and reignited my enthusiasm for the Daytona project, so thanks John!
With John’s words of encouragement ringing in my ears, I set about the big Hinckley beast again and even roped my mate into helping me (thanks Rich). I decided that before I carried out any more work, I was going to take it outside and wash the whole thing off as it was covered in dust and God knows what else. After that I dried it off with the airline and covered the whole bike in GT-85 for a bit of protection.
So back on the bench now and we won’t be getting too dirty while putting it back together. While the bike was lacking its carbs and other ancillaries, Rich suggested checking the valve clearances which he did and they were all good, so that’s a bonus! With the cam-cover refitted we’re on to the next job. Having spoken with Triumph T300 enthusiast and CMM reader Dennis Fitch, I have been given lots of tips and pointers on the bike and how to improve it: thanks Dennis! One of the things he mentioned is overlooked by many and that is the cooling system, which needs regular coolant changes to stay tip-top. Not knowing when mine was changed last, we decided to flush the whole system through and then drain it
Spi ne frame and unburstabl e 1200cc four. Thi s i s a strong, powerful motor.
completely. While the system was drained we took the opportunity to remove the water pump as it looked like it was suffering from some kind of disease. With the water pump removed and the remains of its coating removed, it was then primed and repainted in gloss black with satin lacquer. We also replaced the alternator as this looked like something that had been dredged from the bottom of a canal. A good source of second-hand parts is T300 Spares, which is run by Paul Barnett and who is very knowledgeable and extremely helpful; he has been a godsend helping
Corrosion aplenty...
Old chain pulls new through...
to replace the oil and filter, which we did. My next job was to clean the clocks up and refit them into their freshly powdercoated bracket, and fit this to the fairing cradle with my newly purchased stainless bolts. While online I also purchased a stainless engine cover bolt set so they were fitted, too. It really is starting to look the part. However, one thing that did let it down was the manky old chain so this was cut off and replaced with a nice gold DID chain, again from Wemoto. When replacing your chain, a good idea is to join it to the old chain and pull it through, and don’t forget to fit your O-rings and to grease them before riveting the chain. While moving the bike into the workshop I noticed that the fork seals were both leaking (probably due to standing idle for such a long time): time to get the bike jacked up and forks removed. With the forks out they were stripped down and new oil seals fitted, then the oil was replaced