Gripes from my Hot Springs trip

Hot Springs Blues

I had a bad trip to Hot Springs also. Picked up a nail and screw there. The mech at Terry's Bike shop couldn't make a patch seal and I wore out a Avon AV72 running around town at 20 psi. Couldn't wait 5 days or so for a new one so went darkside as an emergency move.

I used the red hightemp RTV on my Jardine header/tailpipe junction and like noted above. If you let it cure before cranking it up it will hold fine.

I used the copper silicone that Pig9r suggested and let it cure for 3 days (it was raining) and started her up Friday for a trip to the dealer to order a part for my Trophy. I also rode to work this morning and the silicone has held up great..!

While I was at it, I also removed the plugs for the TPS and sprayed them out with contact cleaner and I also cleaned all the springs and linkage in that area, and now that's working great also.. I was going to ask about the new TPS when I was at the dealer, but my bike was running too good!.. lol

My gripe about the Progressive 412s are still there, but not as bad as I was griping before. They are still too soft, but they haven't "worn out". They're still the same on my trips around town here, they're just not great at running triple digit speeds on crappy roads..

Most of my griping was from being wore out myself after that trip..

Now time to get some dyno time and get my PC-III dialed in...

Glad you got er fixed Tex.

So, how's the new TPS holding up so far???

xhdskip said:

Glad you got er fixed Tex.

Click to expand...

Real good, most of the time.
The triumph mechanic said the TPS wasn't the continuing problem,
the PCIII was.
Lon's had his on forever without any problems, so I doubt that's the problem.
It'll run sweet and idle at 800 for 100 miles or so,
Then just out of the clear blue, it'll pick up REVS and idle at 23-2500,
like it did before, just not as high.
I'm just before pulling the PCIII off to see IF it makes any difference.
Just because it's cheaper than running to Marne, Iowa to leave it with Gus.
If unplugging it don't get things back to normal, I'm North bound to Gus' place.
After I did the 12 minute tune it ran great for a few days, then started idling up again..

My suggestion for the header joint would be to forego the RTV entirely. Take it apart, clean it really well, take a strip of rosin core solder and flatten it out. Assemble the joint and leave the clamp loose ans stuff the flat solder strip in, tighten the joint and go for a ride. The OEM joint is nothing more than wire mesh tinned with solder.

The copper RTV has held up well so far. The problem with the Jardines is there is nothing to tighten at the collecter junction. The muffler section just slips on to the collector, there are no clamps.

Sidecar Flip said:

My suggestion for the header joint would be to forego the RTV entirely. Take it apart, clean it really well, take a strip of rosin core solder and flatten it out. Assemble the joint and leave the clamp loose ans stuff the flat solder strip in, tighten the joint and go for a ride. The OEM joint is nothing more than wire mesh tinned with solder.

Click to expand...

TxRIIIRider said:

The copper RTV has held up well so far. The problem with the Jardines is there is nothing to tighten at the collecter junction. The muffler section just slips on to the collector, there are no clamps.

Click to expand...

But you could 'tighten' it if you slotted the female (outer) pipe using a chain saw file (1/8" diameter) about 1" deep on opposing sides of the pipe (180 degrees apart). The, use the solder trick or copper high temp RTV and put a good quality stainless steel Witek worm clamp on it and tighten it down. You have a compression fit, you have a physical clamp and you have a sealed junction.

For as much as they cost, a slip fit is less than stellar.