19 years old and still outsmarting the gremlins!

19-07-2012, 10:27 PM

Evening all! It's been a while since I've posted on this here forum. So, I think it is time for some silly ramblings about the adventures of a Loon and his not so reliable Monster!

2012, a drought.. The wettest drought I can remember! Hose pipe bans during flooding.. Ok!

Well, due to the 'drought', Nessie has been residing in the secret workshop just near an Olympic Route Network in West London. Only two major outings for her this year. The first being the Horsham Piazza Italia Run on Good Friday. Even a night stuck outside the Billingshurst Travelodge didn't upset here, even though it was bloody cold outside!

She behaved well on the Good Friday and made it just intime to wake up the locals.

And still managed to show those pretend 'Monsters' what a proper, original, shouty Monster should look and sound like!

On to the Auto Italia day at Brooklands, and I should've guessed then that something was not quite right. A run in the rain to Brooklands Museum, and she was starting to show her temperamental side again. A couple of misfires, silly little electrical problems started to show. Indicators flashing quickly, even though the LED relays were working fine, starting the V-Twin was getting a bit hard, but at least she arrived at the museum with all fuses intact and still working (unlike 2011, when the fuses blew in the queue to get in!).

After Brooklands Museum run, that was it. The final straw! I went to use her for my commute to work, and no, she wouldn't start. Dead! Expired.... ect ect (I'm sure I done a thread titled that... :lol

.

A phone call to get the van from work to pick me up, and after 10 minutes of direct sunlight, the Monster started (typical!). Time for a new battery.......

Well, two months on. I now have a collection of three batteries, two Vartas and one Yuasa. Lovely... Thank you very much.... A new starter solenoid has been fitted, headlight stripped off, wiring around the head stock cut and now a nice plug has been added to get rid of the fusing, non working unless on full lock starter button!

Solenoid fitted, first new battery added... Nothing, not even a click! Great. Back to head scratching. Wiring re-checked, and press the button. We have a click and no bang. Great! So, battery whipped out and put on charge. Next day, I buy a new multi meter. Battery has been on charge all night and holding 10v... Great! I can't find the receipt... GREAT!!! I didn't buy it, as I sent the warehouse manager to get it whilst out doing collections.... Great.... So, I buy another one from Amazon.

Battery arrives, dry... So, off to the local motor factors;
"have you got any battery acid packs?"
Yes, it's called distilled water!
"Erm, no good in a dry battery is it!"
Errr, yes it is....

I buy two bottles of distilled water, and head off to Get Geared in Leatherhead. Battery acid pack collected. Acid put in the battery (and to my surprise, not over me!), and left over night to bubble. Next day, a battery holding a charge of 11v!

But, being clever, I had topped up the original battery with water. A quick check of my battery charger also reveals the 15amp fuse had blown. Replacement fuse put in, and the original battery put on charge.

19-07-2012, 10:27 PM	#1
banditloon Guest Posts: n/a	19 years old and still outsmarting the gremlins! Evening all! It's been a while since I've posted on this here forum. So, I think it is time for some silly ramblings about the adventures of a Loon and his not so reliable Monster! 2012, a drought.. The wettest drought I can remember! Hose pipe bans during flooding.. Ok! Well, due to the 'drought', Nessie has been residing in the secret workshop just near an Olympic Route Network in West London. Only two major outings for her this year. The first being the Horsham Piazza Italia Run on Good Friday. Even a night stuck outside the Billingshurst Travelodge didn't upset here, even though it was bloody cold outside! She behaved well on the Good Friday and made it just intime to wake up the locals. And still managed to show those pretend 'Monsters' what a proper, original, shouty Monster should look and sound like! On to the Auto Italia day at Brooklands, and I should've guessed then that something was not quite right. A run in the rain to Brooklands Museum, and she was starting to show her temperamental side again. A couple of misfires, silly little electrical problems started to show. Indicators flashing quickly, even though the LED relays were working fine, starting the V-Twin was getting a bit hard, but at least she arrived at the museum with all fuses intact and still working (unlike 2011, when the fuses blew in the queue to get in!). After Brooklands Museum run, that was it. The final straw! I went to use her for my commute to work, and no, she wouldn't start. Dead! Expired.... ect ect (I'm sure I done a thread titled that... :lol. A phone call to get the van from work to pick me up, and after 10 minutes of direct sunlight, the Monster started (typical!). Time for a new battery....... Well, two months on. I now have a collection of three batteries, two Vartas and one Yuasa. Lovely... Thank you very much.... A new starter solenoid has been fitted, headlight stripped off, wiring around the head stock cut and now a nice plug has been added to get rid of the fusing, non working unless on full lock starter button! Solenoid fitted, first new battery added... Nothing, not even a click! Great. Back to head scratching. Wiring re-checked, and press the button. We have a click and no bang. Great! So, battery whipped out and put on charge. Next day, I buy a new multi meter. Battery has been on charge all night and holding 10v... Great! I can't find the receipt... GREAT!!! I didn't buy it, as I sent the warehouse manager to get it whilst out doing collections.... Great.... So, I buy another one from Amazon. Battery arrives, dry... So, off to the local motor factors; "have you got any battery acid packs?" Yes, it's called distilled water! "Erm, no good in a dry battery is it!" Errr, yes it is.... I buy two bottles of distilled water, and head off to Get Geared in Leatherhead. Battery acid pack collected. Acid put in the battery (and to my surprise, not over me!), and left over night to bubble. Next day, a battery holding a charge of 11v! But, being clever, I had topped up the original battery with water. A quick check of my battery charger also reveals the 15amp fuse had blown. Replacement fuse put in, and the original battery put on charge.