The Story Of The Resurrection of Blitsie….

[ClimbingTurtle]

Patience young Padawan - all will be revealed....

OK - so progress was a little slow - but I have been battling with nothing of pictorial consequence - ie: wrapping and sorting the wiring harness...

Post to follow.....

[ClimbingTurtle]

So next was to install all the missing motor bits – clutch basket, magneto, starter motor, oil tank, and then start on the radiator and at some point get my head around the wiring – that’s making me nervous….



Around about this point, I got my hands on a coating kit for Zinc Coating parts – a deposit on a XT500 I sold – so I started with some nuts & bolts and the left footpeg….
WINNER!!



So that obviously went on…



Last major job was the rear swingarm bearings – these are caged roller bearings and I was a little apprehensive bout pushing them in without a press and with my other favourite too – the hammer…..
Anyway, I cleaned up the damage caused by a rampant chain and no chain rails



Then in with the bearings – after heating the swingarm to Too-hot-to-handle temp and freezing the bearings and the gentle taps of the persuader using a socket as a guide and they were in!







Assembly went as planned, added the chain guard & rollers and then….
YUP – big moment for me - installed the rear shock…
And please note the shiny coated cap-bolts to hold the footpegs on…..



Whilst I was there, I added this…



And this…!



And then it was on to the wiring harness.



I decided to remove much of the old wrapping – old non-sticky insulation tape, and check and repair the wiring as needed – as it happened, not much was required – just a couple of wires worn through, repaired and then the whole harness was re-wrapped.



Please not the computer box indicated by the red arrow – this haunted me for a few hours on Sunday afternoon, the whole night of dreams and most of Monday at work – I could not for the life of me remember where I had removed it from, and by default, where to put it back….!



By using the Spark plug leads as reference points I worked out where it needed to be, and Google and looking at photos from where I stripped the bike, I worked out where to fasten it in – took more than one try….


People - I am getting excited......!!   

[Piet]

People - I am getting excited......!!   

So are we!  Good progress - almost done!

[Supervan]

What a flippen nice thread. 

[Kaboef]

Great stuff!!

Very impressive.

[ChrisL - DUSTRIDERS]

Very very nice, you should do this more often!!

[Jacobsroodt]

I don't even want to think how many hours have gone into this!

[ClimbingTurtle]

I don't even want to think how many hours have gone into this!

I dont count them - its not worth it..... 

I mainly do this for amusement, I either sell the bike at the end, or keep it - depending on what I want out.
I sold a XT500 last week that I did a load of work on - the new owner got a damn fine, registered, on the road XT that starts first kick for R20k - with a load of new parts in it.....

Then I look for another one - the wife doesnt mind too much, I set a budget and stick to it as much as possible - although the XC budget is pretty much at is max already, and I still need brake discs, pads & tyres - but if i sell my GSA, i will keep this and add some extra stuff to it, upgrade the suspension, add fuel, swap out the rims etc....
It also keeps me out of the pub, relatively sober (mostly, anyway) and I get to listen to some tunes while i work - and I have amassed a huge number of tools needed to do funny jobs, along with the knowledge that comes with a complete strip-n-build - its fun!!

We shall see!!

[Edgar]

Looking very good man. 

[ClimbingTurtle]

Not so much of pictures today - basically the before and after pics are the same - the difference is 5 days spent tracing wiring - and the discovery that the correct wires that plug together change colours at the plug connector blocks...... 

So @superfoxi sent me a wiring routing diagram - many thanks Mike - basically shows me where the sections sit in relation to the frame 7 panels, might sound minor, but if its out you cant get things to reach....

Next step was to plug the individual sections in - herein lies the rub - there are a whole load of different connector blocks that are the same - the FI management and the Oil pressure gauge for example, and the water temp and the rear wheel speed sensor - mix these up and the main issue will be that it wont start.....

After 5 days search in the Interwebs, I finally found Mattsnook.com - he has a X-Country that has more mods than most of Brakpan combined with Springs - and hidden way down in there, there was a file with the coloured wiring diagram - all 5 pages for a non-ABS model - and some more searching to work out the wiring colour codes (WSGE is White with Yellow stripes.....) and then we were away - It took the balance of Sunday to check the wires were plugged in and correct.....

Next was fluids - can you believe we are ta that point? And a new battery......
Then it wa bridge the wires from the ignition (key is broken) and then the motor turned over and completely failed to start....... 

In all fairness, I would have been stunned if i got 2 bikes in a row to start first try (My last XT Project started first Kick - i kid you not!!) - there seems to be quite a drag on the system - so either the battery is not that well charged, the starter is labouring - and the whole system seems "slow" - so I will re-oil the piston tonight, I have charged the battery, and we will see - it NEARLY fired last night - gave a quick Stutter and then went back to cranking.....

Failing that, back to trouble-shooting!

Nearly there people!!

 

[GRUNT]

Fantastic! well done, I cant wait for the pics of this bike when up and running

[ClimbingTurtle]

Blitsie is Running!! 

After trouble-shooting the wiring, I discovered that the Spark Plug Leads were the wrong way around - in my defense, this was stripped when I picked the bike up, and I did not know the correct order - so after a bit of research, sorted.
Added battery, started in 4 seconds, straight to a decent idle....
Today we see if we can button up all the loose ends - sprocket, chain, one non-working indicator, re-check oil, check the fan, adjust the brakes & clutch, add the body panels - hopefully we do a short test ride later this afternoon...

Pics to follow!

[Black_Hawk]

Well done CT 

[noble steed]

Blitsie is Running!! 

After trouble-shooting the wiring, I discovered that the Spark Plug Leads were the wrong way around - in my defense, this was stripped when I picked the bike up, and I did not know the correct order - so after a bit of research, sorted.
Added battery, started in 4 seconds, straight to a decent idle....
Today we see if we can button up all the loose ends - sprocket, chain, one non-working indicator, re-check oil, check the fan, adjust the brakes & clutch, add the body panels - hopefully we do a short test ride later this afternoon...

Pics to follow!

Glad you have the motor running!

I found indicators to be a pain to troubleshoot, as they're all wired through the instrument cluster, no discreet flasher relay. After a couple weeks trying to get it sorted including trying to treat the cluster PCB for any corrosion etc, I eventually got wiring diagram for cluster, cut the indicator wires going into it and ran a separate circuit via an indicator flasher relay. Indicators have worked well since!

[Oubones]

Well done!
If I ever need to buy a bike again, I think I must come and get one of your rebuilds!

[ClimbingTurtle]

Blitsie is Running!! 

After trouble-shooting the wiring, I discovered that the Spark Plug Leads were the wrong way around - in my defense, this was stripped when I picked the bike up, and I did not know the correct order - so after a bit of research, sorted.
Added battery, started in 4 seconds, straight to a decent idle....
Today we see if we can button up all the loose ends - sprocket, chain, one non-working indicator, re-check oil, check the fan, adjust the brakes & clutch, add the body panels - hopefully we do a short test ride later this afternoon...

Pics to follow!

Glad you have the motor running!

I found indicators to be a pain to troubleshoot, as they're all wired through the instrument cluster, no discreet flasher relay. After a couple weeks trying to get it sorted including trying to treat the cluster PCB for any corrosion etc, I eventually got wiring diagram for cluster, cut the indicator wires going into it and ran a separate circuit via an indicator flasher relay. Indicators have worked well since!

Cheers - turned out there was no bulb,,,,, 
Works fine now!!

[ClimbingTurtle]

OK - couple of pics you reckon?

Herewith the Resurrected Blitsie!

[ClimbingTurtle]

Then I realized  that I left the bash-plate off - so with that fixed, and a new set of UBag6's on him - here we go - ready to ride!!

[ClimbingTurtle]

So the next bit was a blast around the suburb - with the new luggage, may as well test that too hey?

Result?

Blitsie handles well, didnt open up too much with the new engine bits, but on returnafter 10km, discovered a couple of issues - small, I hope....

A couple of drops of oil at teh bottom of the clutch cover - re-tightened the caps and also tightened the drain plug a little as well - it wasnt massive, but it must be gone.

Second issue was a little more serious - overheating and pissing coolant out of the radiator cap, all over everywhere - best we attend to this!!

So, things to check - the fan (I Know it works with power) doesnt appear to come on, so best we check the thermostat, and do a little research....

Bearing in mind, the initial problems with Blitsie started with heat-seizing, so I reckon we need to do some stuff...!!

All good tho, at least we know what we need to do!!

[Kamanya]

I love threads like this.

Moaaarr!