atomic_fungus (atomic_fungus) wrote,
atomic_fungus
atomic_fungus

#5629: Well, it worked, and it didn't.

So, I went to the hardware store and bought a 14mm bolt, 1.5 pitch. It wasn't as long as I wanted--only 50mm--but they didn't have anything longer that was full thread.

Got home, hit the can, worked on cleaning up the patio: got out the weed whacker, knocked back all the foliage growing from the cracks until it was down to pavement level, then put Roundup on the cracks to "discourage" further growth. I'm going to let that sink in for a few days, power-wash the entire patio, and then re-apply the Roundup to the cracks. That ought to get it into shape and stop all the damned weeds. I'm getting sick of having to mow the patio.

Turned my attention to the bike--or, rather, the spare engine--with my new improvised tool. Loosened the bolt holding the rotor on, threaded the 14mm bolt in just fine. It took some effort but the flywheel came loose easily; it didn't "pop" or anything.

Could not get the 14mm bolt out. I munged some of the threads, because the hole on the end of the crankshaft is just a little smaller than 14mm. The threads in that hole are fine--flywheel bolt screwed in very nicely--but the threads on the end of the 14mm bolt are shot, so that I cannot unscrew it from the flywheel.

Well, we live and learn. Next time, put something of the right size down there to keep the bolt out of that hole.

The annoying part of all this is that if they'd just had the bolt of the length I'd wanted (about 150mm, full thread) I could screw it all the way into the flywheel and cut off the damaged end. As it is, I need to remove the starter clutch in order to have enough room to get the Dremel in there to grind off the damaged threads. Starter clutch comes off with three 6mm allen bolts; I have a 6mm allen wrench but I can't put enough torque on it to pop the bolts free. I need a 6mm allen socket to do that.

Well: tomorrow I'm taking Mrs. Fungus' car for repairs. I will have plenty of time to shop for what I need both at the repair place and the big home improvement store that's a short walk away.

Realizing this, I tabled the matter for the moment and put away the tools. This project has already taken me several weeks to progress this far; what's a few more days?

And then we'll see if it's the flywheel that's the problem, or something else. Whee!
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