Mississippi Bullfrog

Despite a weather forecast it is actually dry here this morning. So I wheeled my lawn mower out, poured in some fresh fuel, and it fired first time.

Yes, the caps were fully up. There's only one slim washer between the spacer and the spring. The spacer then sits directly under the cap.

Just noticed you stopped at the Ponderosa, conveyors of some of the worst food in N Wales. Do you know about Old Stores which is a belting biker cafe just a few miles down the road? Great atmosphere, almost a bike museum, and way better food.

I use one of those on cars, never had bike it worked on due to the design of the sumps.

Exactly, which is why I am in conversation with TEC because when I told them the fight I was having they suggested it might need the spacer cutting down. But with other Triumph kits they provide spacers when needed. The thing is that it makes the adjustable preload caps pointless because there's no negative adjustment left.

But in reality they are longer.

I'm not sure what you did - 'money shifted'? If it was just a missed gear change then you won't have done any damage as the engines are rev limited, false neutrals happen. If in doubt check the vavle clearances.

I suggest going back and putting something in there that will keep it lubricated. WD40 can free things off but it's not a lubricant.

I am miffed. The local council have just announced they are closing the road in Little Budworth between the church and the Red Lion pub opposite. It would a shame were I to find myself trapped in the pub car park and unable to leave. But the buggers haven't given a date when they intend to impose the road closure.

From my days of restoring 1970's cars which were generally rust buckets...... If you're working on a bike that looks pretty rusty you're going to come across this problem of freeing off corroded parts. Get yourself some PlusGas penetrating fluid. 90% of seized bolts come loose with that alone and it works quite quickly. For the remaining 10% give it another dose of PlusGas followed immediately by a squirt of WD40. WD40 alone isn't much use other than on lightly seized parts but as it is a dispersant it drives the PlusGas into corroded parts better. I worked on some cars which were heavily corroded and only one bolt (an upper suspension bolt in a 1971 Viva) refused to succumb to PlusGas + WD40. Sometimes soaking it overnight works wonders. Heat also works buy just be cautions if you're recently applied WD40 because it's inflammable. As said above, don't go hammering it but you can tap gently, just enough to break the rust seal. Many light taps are better than one or two big whacks. Sometimes a puller can help for this kind of thing.

That looks like the splines of the drive shaft on my phone. It looks pretty neglected so the drive cogbis probably seized on the shaft. Put plenty of lube on it and maybe a bit of heat as well. Don't go bashing it with a hammer.

There's often a different fuse for the headlight as opposed to the flasher switch. So maybe take a look at the fuses?

I have Kriega luggage and Rok straps....very good quality kit.

So both of the above backed out leaving me to have a day to myself. Breakfast at Sleap airfield then on to Old Stores accompanied by a guy I met at the airfield. Home via J&S because my Beeline died, I suspect water has got into it over the winter. I have a crappy Samsung phone and Quadlock don't do a case for it so I bought an Ultimate Addons case and mount which fits my phone. This was at Old Stores and then met them again at J&S. Really nice couple who showed us the 2 wheel drive system fitted to it.

We've all been there.

It is for putting holes in the lawn, the four spines are hollow. Hopefully it will help with drainage as it gets a lot of moss.

I just bought this bit of garden machinery. I'm having trouble finding where to put petrol into it.

MPA Finissage

I have fitted the spinger seat for COC Customs, very impressive bit of kit, it's totally invisible. Then I thought I'd fit the progressive springs and preload caps from TEC. They say that the new springs are shorter than the originals so are easy to fit with the preload caps. But no - the springs are longer and it proved to be impossible to fit them without putting the forks in a workmate so I could put all my weight onto them to get the caps to fit.

I made the second attempt at getting our lot out of winter hibernation and back on the road. Hoping to go to Old Stores and then into N Wales on Friday. Last attempt resulted in total failure. So far only one taker - and one provisional if they can get the bike to go.

Hush - don't say the words 'dry weekend' out loud. I did that last April when I bought a mesh jacket ready for those long hot summer days. It's still got the tags on it hanging in the wardrobe.

Occasionally I win things for going round in circles rather quickly.

People forget how dangerous seafaring is. Its one reason we observe Sea Sunday every year in July. Virtually everything we rely on daily is shipped into this country.