Central Texas Carb Clinic 2010

Central Texas Carb Clinic 2010

Well it's that time of year again to schedule the Central Texas Carb Clinic 2010. The weekend is June 5,6, 2010. The main tuning will be done on Saturday with Sunday left for the ride back home. The clinic will be at Bluff Creek Ranch in Warda, TX where it was hosted in 2008 and 2009. www.bcrwarda.com . The ranch phone number is 979-242-5894.

Similar format as before: Ranch camping fees $10.00 per night/person (tuners are covered by their sweat equity). There is a “bunk house” in the loft of the barn with a screened tent and cots (six available) so if you want to travel light and just bring a bed roll you have that option as well. I will cook up some longhorn bar-b-que, home made rolls, vegetarian beans, veggie dish and cowboy cookies. Cost of the meal will be $8.00.

I plan to ride out of Amarillo, TX on Thursday June 3, 2010 after breakfast and make a leisurely two day trip through the Texas Alps (Claude to Quitaque to Junction to Campwood to Boerne, TX) and arrive at the ranch on Friday evening. We can either motel it or camp on the way. There are some great state parks we could stay at (Lost Maples State Park, Garner State Park, and a County Park in Camp Wood are all viable options) so let me know what you would prefer. Sunday I will do a lightning run back to Amarillo, the shorter, but still scenic way with a few twists and shouts thrown in. No super slab riding, all back roads. So if you would like to join me for any or all of the down leg or back leg journey, let me know so we can coordinate a meeting place. For those who want to start with me in Amarillo and arrive Wednesday night, I will put you up in my home.

Pipe in with what tools you will bring and whether you will be a Tuner or a Tunee. Let me know how many will be in your party, names and what motorcycles you will be bringing. Even if you won't be riding an XJ or XS but want to come out for a fun weekend, you are more than welcome: Beemer's, Ducatti's, Kawi's, Suzki's and Hindi's are all welcome but you Harley riders well...
"we'll even let the Irish come"(Mel Brooks Blazing Saddles;-), I mean the Harley riders come.

Comers:
Jim Witler (on a Yammer TBA on arrival???)
Tommy Nolan (1982 XJ750RJ Seca Gray Ghost)
Lee Keohan (XJ650)
Ray Knight (1983 XJ900RK or XJ?)
Tuners:
Gary Schulte (Maxi….?)
Hosts:
Paul Nolan (1982 XJ750RJ Seca Sweet Scarlet)
Jon Holmes (2007 Kawasaki KTR 600)

These are the tuning tools that I have available:
Morgan Carbtune Pro, Gunson Colortune Tuning Spark Plug Kit 14mm Spark Plug, YICS Port Blanking Tool, YICS Chamber Port Cleanout Tool, Compression Gauge, Idle Mixture Screw Removal and Adjuster Tool, size #2 & #2 JIS-standards Phillips Screw Drivers, Heavy-Duty Impact Driver Set and long bits, Auxiliary Fuel Tank, Valve Shim Pool for XJ Non-X models 2.45 – 2.90 4+ of each, Valve Shim Bucket Retainer Tool, Feeler Gauge Set (Non-X), High and Low Torque Wrenches, Full set of metric tools, sockets, box wrenches, allen keys, bearing pullers, c-ring spanner tools, healthy assortment of bicycle tools, stainless steel metric allen bolts, washers and nuts.

Len Chacal of XJ4Ever will provide all parts he sells for 10% off with no shipping charges with the following requirements: a single order will be made by me and shipped to the ranch. The order must be submitted three weeks before the carb clinic so parts that may be back ordered and can arrive in time to be done as single shipment the clinic. Please note the discount only applies to those items ordered in group by me and delivered to the ranch. Len will not extend the discount to an individual who says he/she is going to the carb clinic and order separately. Go to http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewforum/f=23.html to review his EXTENSIVE parts list. Len is prompt in responding to email inquiries at info@xj4ever.com and he won’t try to sell you something you don’t need. I have done business with Len for 3 years and I give him my highest compliments for his business ethics, quality of parts, knowledge and service. Let me know what parts you need then I will put together the order for the clinic and get it to Len 3 weeks before the designated clinic date. Order Deadline Monday May 17, 2010.

Items to think about for ordering for the clinic:
Shims for XJs and XS (I have a shim pool for XJ, Non-X models, sizes 2.45 – 2.90 4 of each)
Rubber valve cover gasket
Valve cover hold-down bolt rubber pressure washers
Fuel system maintenance (fuel lines, fuel filters, gas cap seals, petcock rebuilds or replacement, fuel lines, vacuum lines, etc.)
Fuse box upgrades
Alternator brush replacement
Exhaust gasket replacement
Fork tube rebuilds
Wheel bearing replacement
Tapered roller bearing set for head/steerer tube
Shock absorber replacement
Engine gasket/oil seal replacement (i.e. "leaks elimination")
Ignition system maintenance (coils, plugs, plug caps, etc.)
Maintenance Free Batteries
Stainless Steel Brake Lines (I have a set of Len’s SS brake lines on Scarlet and it was well worth the upgrade)
Brake shoes and pads
Brake springs
Spin-on Oil Filter adapter (another great upgrade)

X type shim jobs are a major operation and best not done in the limited time of the carb clinic. Some other items may not best be done at the carb clinic unless you know you will have enough manpower and tools such as fork rebuilds, head tube bearing replacement, but with the discount and free shipping it is a good time to get needed parts for a later maintenance/upgrade job.

Thanks,

Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc
Amarillo, TX
1982 XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet"
1982 XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost"
1982 XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (The Donner Cycle)
1979 XS1100SF Special "Black Ranger"

 

Here is a response from one of the members of the XJownersgroup list who attended last year.

Paul, I'm still in. This year I plan on riding to the event, well I planned to ride last year, but got snowed out and had to trailer the bike to Amarillo.

This year I will be a watcher; my XJ runs pretty good, but will be staying at home. My new (to me) ??# runs good, too.

I would like to stay at your home in Bushland on Wednesday evening, if you have room. Can I buy pizzas or ?? for dinner? I feel like a bum bringing only my appetite.

I would like to stay in the screened bunk house again. Should I get a hold of Jon to reserve my spot? Count me in for dinner on Saturday evening, too (remember I will be bringing my appetite).

I will bring my XJ shim tool, a metric feeler gauge (makes the math easier) and a home made carb sync tool. Believe me, it is home made, but seems to work OK. I will also remember to bring a digital camera.

Regarding camping or motels, I really don't have a preference. I will bring a bed roll regardless and a tent if necessary. I will go with whatever you/the group decide(s).

If anybody is undecided on attending this event: please attend. Paul is a great cook, a wonderful host and a magnificent tour guide. He knows the best roads in Texas.

Thanks for your efforts and thanks to everyone else for listening.
Jim

 

Big Bummer in Amarillo Texas. My three bikes are down and out. My XS11 has bent valves, My XJ750RJ Seca Sweet Scarlet broke her frame this week, and XJ750RJ Seca Gray Ghost electronics gave up the Ghost and we are still trying to debug the bugger. I am down to borrowing my kids Honda 250 Rebel or riding my bicycle for my two wheel fix. Work is going totally insane and the boses do not want me to take my much needed vacation. Bottom line, I am going to have to post pone the Central Texas Carb Clinic to a later date.

Thanks,

Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc

 

Here is the link to the immages of the broken frame on Scarlet. http://tinyurl.com/2d7psx9 The crack begins on the left horizontal tube near the front and extends about 75% of the full length of the horizontal frame tube. I inserted while zip ties into the cracks to illustrate the location and length, a green zip tie points to where the left side crank case shift cover got punched out by the return spring tab on the side stand. The frame was thoroughly rusted from the inside. Bummer!!! My year round all weather riding has taken it's toll on Sweet Scarlet. Hmm, I wonder if there are any titanium framed motorcycles???

Gray Ghost eletrical bug was a new battery that would not take a charge (EverStart Walmart Special "NeverStart" nevermore!) replaced with an AGM maintenance free battery from XJ4Ever.

The XS11 has a set of replacement heads and valves waiting to go on.

Scarlet's touring panniers, trunk box, tank and fenders to be switched over to the Ghost for a "Robbo Copped" morphing into “Scarlet’s Ghost”

Paul K. Nolan, MD
AKA: The Bike Doc
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Gray Ghost"
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Sweet Scarlet" (recently demised from broken frame but soon to be RoboCopped into "Scarlet's Ghost")
1982 Yamaha XJ750RJ Seca "Bones" (Donner Cycle, being stripped to the bones to keep others alive)
1979 Yamaha XS1100SF Special "Black Ranger" (Being resurrected, new head has arrived)
2008 Honda Rebel "Black Beth"