Today - I feel like a demigod - the bike runs at the touch of the starter and glow plug button, it idles perfectly, the charging system works together with the charge warning light, the oil pressure light goes off pretty much instantly too.
Progress on the new bike has been slowing as the weather closes in and I have been taking advantage of the good riding weather to be out and about instead of locking myself in the garage with my rather large nose to the grindstone.
So, what has been achieved on the new diesel Enfield...
The wiring loom has been tidied up and all the required relays fitted and tested inside the left hand toolbox.
The fan belt cover is finished so I won't loose my right trouser leg when riding the thing.
The fuel system has been plumbed in properly - not an easy task as the fuel pump had a seized valve and I didn't want to drop the engine to replace it. Eventually it freed up with the engine running on gravity fuel feed with a pressure feed to the pump on a recirculating tank until the ball valve freed up and the pump started to do it's thing properly. Also the overflow circuit has been completed so the spill from the injector pump, injectors and the air bleed from the fuel filter has been completed. Diesel fuel systems may be simple in design but difficult to execute with pressure piping that needs to be both tightly routed and completely airtight or the system can airlock.
I have been procrastinating one one major aspect - the primary drive cover. It's a difficult task on several levels:
It needs to keep your foot/ankle/leg safe from the thrashing duplex primary chain
Needs to contain a lubrication feed for the clutch bearings, plates and chain.
Needs to keep oil out of the starter motor.
Of course I could always just splash out 600 quid for the belt drive and dry clutch setup......Nope.
I did make a start on the cover this afternoon, it's a long drawn out process as every 'tin can section' needs a disk cutting out of 3mm alloy with a grinder then a strip to fit around the outside that then needs to be bent into a circle then welded before welding the disk onto one end to create what is basically an alloy version of a tuna can.
Anyhow - I ran out of welding gas (again).
Hopefully the H4 headlamp glass will turn up tomorrow and I can grab a new bottle of Argon so progress can continue.
Knowing my luck it will be roadworthy just as the first snow and ice hit the roads - better start planning for a crash bar!