Back on the bicycle....

Yesterday I worked on the kart for the first time since Dad passed away.  It was a good day.  I didn't know what  emotions would flow, but all I could do was smile and work.  So, we have fallen down, now it's time to get back on the bicycle.

I finished up the brakes, except for the tether.  Bleeding them alone was a humorous chore, but I got it done.  But there were still some bubbles.  I found out the secret later from John Copeland after getting the timing done by Sonny Gerber.

There it is.  Still there.

Just documenting how it is put together to compare to pre-restoration images

Just documenting how it is put together to compare to pre-restoration images

There... all done.  NOT!  I bled the brakes as if it was a car, but John Copeland straightened me out.
1. empty the master cylinder and keep cap off
2. set caliper below master cylinder
3. open bleeder at the bottom
4. use bottle of fluid to fill caliper; air will be forced into tubing
5. keep filling so fluid moves up the brake tubing and fills the master cylinder
6. fill up master cylinder and cap off

It's info like that which I will be missing from Dad.

Carb!

Here is the carb taken apart with the original gaskets and parts.
Then cleaned all parts with gas and a good blow of air to dry

the main body with the hi and lo jet holes on the near side

I can't have kart work day without using the grinder brush!

This is the container of small parts from the carb.  DON'T LOOSE THESE!

The old and new carb kit pieces

Hi and Lo needles before...

...all buffed up after "the wheel"

ready to reset the float and needle.

***NOTICE THE LARGE HOLE AT LOWER LEFT***
This is the spot for the duckbill.  When we disassembled it in the fall, it was reduced to a puddle of goo.
Use carb cleaner to remove any trace. 

with float tight, put on the plate with gasket

as you see here, without screws in yet

All done... OOOOOPS.  forgot the duckbill!  take it apart, put in the duckbill, put back together

reed cage.  the reeds were not seating well, so had to be flipped.  Easy... but the screw on the right is stripped.
Big screw driver... no
pressure... no

deeper slot with hacksaw... YES

reed cage, reed, reed support, screws

hi lo needles in place.  make sure the washer is soft.  I put on in from the spare engine but it was hard and crispy

points ready to be set

I drove up to John Copeland's Fox Valley Kart Shop in Lafayette, IN.  Sonny Gerber showed me how to do the  timing.  Sonny is the MAN!  He has rebuilt over 30,000 Macs!  THANK YOU!!  I won't give away the tricks.

timing wheel. Dad's will work, but it needs to be able to lock down.

no need for a special tool.  just use a screw driver as a piston stop.

 

after not getting continuity, Sonny had to file down the points .. a few times.

Finally, it worked and to provided a nice spark

 

checking for continuity

with timing done, time for the flywheel. the nut needs to be TIGHT!  use of power tool is good to do first tightening, then us a good wrench to finalize by hand.

Sonny suggests the modern Autolite 411 spark plug

then put the coil on... and it's done!