Project Z750 part 27

Well, some good news. the headlights didn't need fixing. they were working all along.

My wife helped me diagnose the problem. It was a really tricky one too.

She suggested I try the headlights with the engine running, which I knew wasn't going to work as my other bike's headlight comes on when I turn on the ignition, but I thought I'd humour her.

So, ignition on and press the starter. Oh crap. nothing. I turn the ignition off and on again (I know it's not a computer, I was listening for the fuel pump) all was quiet. no fuel pump. Here we go again.

Tank off again. I feel like I'm going backwards here. I put a battery directly to the fuel pump. whoops, should have put a cloth underneath the fuel hose first. But i don't care about a little spilt fuel. the pump works.

So it's the wiring (again). My wife suggested I try the pairs of alarm wires (which again, I knew wouldn't help as they were fine).

I wonder if I'll ever learn to just listen to her. She was right and fiddling with the alarm wires again, the fuel pump now powers up with the ignition (and I also still have indicators).

so I started the engine and attached the multi-meter to the headlight socket. nothing. I didn't say "I told you so" (out loud).

So then I try the other headlight just to really show her that it wasn't a good idea. 12V, it's working. I tried the first socket again and turned on full beam. 12V. everything works. Stupid bike, only having headlights when you turn the engine on.

So, whilst mumbling to myself about stupid bikes, I fitted a new horn and now everything is waiting for the forks.

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Triathlon Training in the new year

So, my 2019 training has got off to a good start. I'm running regularly and my knees seem to be holding up. I've got a training plan to get me to a middle distance triathlon in September and I am managing the run distances I have set myself. I need to find some longer cycling routes to work and ones with a few hills too, but that shouldn't be a problem. my weekly cycling distance is okay, I just need to move to get my ebike to be doing less of the work. last week I did use my normal commuter bicycle and managed the whole four days as well as my runs, so that was a really good sign. Swimming won't be an issue, I have always found that to be the easy part of a triathlon (not that I'm fast, but I can keep going, and I did manage to swim the distance within the cut off time when I tried the ironman 70.3 last time) The main worry about going longer is my knees. I've got a 10K booked in late January which will test my knees out and I'm hoping that they hold ...

Project Z750 part 16

The piston puller has arrived. it looks like a pair of pliers, but works opposite so that when you press the handles the "nose" of the pliers expands. the idea is that you put the nose into the piston, grip very hard and turn and pull the piston so that it comes out. the theory is great, but actually using one isn't. in use you are trying to grip as hard as you can, and at the same time trying to pull the piston out of the caliper (as well as maybe turning it if it's stuck like mine). it took a herculean effort to get one of the pistons out, I was gripping as if my life depended on it, trying to twist the piston and pull it out of the caliper. when it turned (a little) it gave me renewed hope of getting both pistons out, and eventually the piston was out, so just one more left. so now on to the fifth and final brake caliper piston. I put the piston puller tool into the caliper, gripped with all my might (no laughing please) and twisted. Well something mo...

Project Z750 part 14

I thought that some photos would be in order rather just all that plain old boring text, so here is a front caliper and it's pistons: This is the caliper before I managed to get the slide off. the pistons show a before polishing started and part way through. Here are the pins that hold the pads into the calipers. again you can see the before and part polished (I hope you can tell which is which) I thought I would show a picture of the rear caliper in pieces: there are more bits for a single caliper than I realised. The rear is a single piston caliper. and one of the front calipers. the front calipers are twin pistons (as I hope you noticed) I dont think that I will be able to remove all of the corrosion from the caliper pistons, so it looks like I will be getting all new caliper pistons. I'll order them once everything has been cleaned thoroughly.

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