'73 DAYTONA T100R

[Rudie]

MY PETCOCK DOES NOT HAVE A RESERVE SETTING.

Until the early 1980's Italian taps, when two separate taps were fitted, one was just 'off' and 'main', the other was 'off' and 'reserve'. The only difference in a given tap is whether or not it has the extra pipe length (inside the filter) inside the tank - an 'off'/'main' tap does, an 'off'/'reserve' tap does not.

Before the ride, if not much fuel in the tank, unscrew the tap from the tank and look carefully inside the filter?

I WILL HAVE THE TANK CAPACITY INFO ON SUNDAY.

IDK HOW YOU KNOW ALL THIS

Owning one for a long time probably helps.

I HAVE LEARNED A BIT IN THESE FEW POSTS.

I am pleased.

Rudie certainly is a wealth of knowledge

Thanks.

 

[SIR LOIN]

DOES ANYBODY HAVE A SOURCE FOR BUYING THE ORIGINAL TOOL KIT AND PHILLIPS HEAD HARDWARE FOR THE PRIMARY AND GEARBOX COVERS?

 

[Rudie]

SOURCE FOR BUYING THE ORIGINAL TOOL KIT

Try internet searching with individual tool part numbers?

PHILLIPS HEAD HARDWARE FOR THE PRIMARY AND GEARBOX COVERS?

Pozidrive, not Phillips; if you do find any screws, you will wreck the heads with Phillips drivers.

The US might be different, but the last time I found Pozidrive head, 1/4"-20 UNC thread screws in GB was about twenty years ago ... Also, they were in just two different Under Head lengths (in stainless so at least the cut ends will not go rusty ).

 

[SIR LOIN]

GLAD I ASKED. GUESS THE ALLENS WILL STAY.

ANY IDEA HOW I CAN GREASE THE SPEEDO DRIVE AND FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS? THE NIPPLE IS SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

THANKS RUDIE.

 

[Rudie]

GREASE THE SPEEDO DRIVE AND FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS? THE NIPPLE IS SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

There was a special grease gun end to fit the Smiths drive nipple, I have always simply pushed a standard gun end on hard and put up with some of the grease squeezing out around the nipple. The drive does not need much grease anyway, I scrape off the excess out of the gun and save it for use elsewhere.

GREASE THE
FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS? THE NIPPLE IS SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

Standard T100R, I am guessing you mean the 'grease nipples' on the ends of the shoe lever spindles? If so, I have also only ever seen them on the ends of Triumph/BSA TLS shoe lever spindles ... And pressing a standard grease gun end on them does not seem to work getting grease into them.

However, given how important it is the spindles pivot freely, but also grease does not get into the drum, as my T100 was not a daily driver, I did not find dismantling the front brake every thousand miles to grease the spindles particularly tedious; I also took the chance to clean the brake dust out of the drum, clean the components, inspect the shoes, etc.

If your bike is to be a daily driver and/or dismantling the front brake every thousand miles would be tedious for you, it is not difficult to fit the forks and disc brake from a 73 onwards Triumph, as Triumph did for the 74 T100D.

 

[SIR LOIN]

I WILL TRY THOSE TECHNIQUES ON THE GREASE NIPPLE.

THANKS AGAIN RUDIE.

I JUST GOT BACK FROM A 54 MILE RIDE UP AND DOWN OUR LOCAL MOUNTAIN ROAD (BIKER HEAVEN AKA ANGELES CREST HIGHWAY) AND AT THE HALF WAY POINT WE PULLED OFF AT NEWCOMB'S RANCH FOR A SHORT BREAK. I NOTICED OIL WAS SEEPING OUT OF THE KICKSTART SPINDLE AREA, THE HOSE JUST BELOW THE OIL TANK (CLAMP WAS A BIT LOOSE), THE TOP OF THE OIL TANK BY THE FILLER CAP AND JUST ABOVE THE OIL PRESSURE VALVE WHERE A WIRE GOES INTO THE GEARBOX (AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE). ALSO THE BIKE WAS VERY HARD TO START (MAYBE THE 5,000FT ELEVATION?).

IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO CAUSE MUCH CONCERN AND MY OIL LEVELS WERE STILL FINE BUT DUE TO THE HARD STARTING ISSUE, I TURNED AROUND AND CAME BACK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN AS MY TWO FRIENDS ON NORTON COMMANDOS CONTINUED ON UPWARD ANOTHER 30 PLUS MILES TO WRIGHTWOOD.

DO I NEED TO TAKE OFF THE PRIMARY COVER AND CHANGE THE GASKET AND DO I NEED TO LEAN OUT MY CARBS AT THAT ELEVATION? THE COMMANDOS HAD NO ISSUES WITH STARTING.

 

[Rudie]

OIL WAS SEEPING OUT OF THE KICKSTART SPINDLE AREA, THE HOSE JUST BELOW THE OIL TANK (CLAMP WAS A BIT LOOSE), THE TOP OF THE OIL TANK BY THE FILLER CAP AND JUST ABOVE THE OIL PRESSURE VALVE WHERE A WIRE GOES INTO THE GEARBOX (AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE).

The domed nut is over the end of the oil pressure relief valve, the black cap to the left of the domed nut is the cover over the oil pressure switch. I expect the insulation on the wire out of the black cap is mainly White with one or two thin Brown tracer lines (? normally shortened to "White/Brown"); the wire does not go into the gearbox (which is to the rear of the the crankcase), you can see the wire is covered with black sleeving, it continues as the thinner one on the right of your photo above the exhaust bracket, it is ziptied to the frame downtube(?), it either goes directly to the red oil pressure warning light in the headlamp shell, or it is connected to the White/Brown wire in the main harness, the other end of that wire will be connected to the warning light.

Having tightened one oil pipe clamp, did you check/tighten the others? Btw, a tip I picked up years ago is fitting two 70-6848 "Clips" to each end of each hose, it is obviously important those hoses never come off the steel pipes ...

The oil pressure switch is mounted in the front edge of the "Timing cover" (parts book pages 20/21, "TIMING COVER AND CONTACT BREAKER"). From the rest of your description and the oil tank filler cap is under the seat, "TOP OF THE OIL TANK BY THE FILLER CAP", do you mean the white plastic screw-in cap just behind the "Timing cover"? If so, the white plastic screw-in cap is the top of the gearbox dipstick (parts book pages 22/23, "GEARBOX SHAFTS BEARINGS AND INNER COVER", part #48).

If there is oil over components to the rear of the oil pressure switch, as the bike has just been on a run, the oil is likely to have leaked from somewhere at the front of the engine and been blown backwards by slipstream. The oil could be leaking from the oil pressure switch but, equally, might be from somewhere nearby. I would remove the switch cover (the wire should be connected to the switch with a female spade terminal on the switch's male terminal), thoroughly degrease everywhere there is external oil, blow some talcum powder or chalk dust over first the area around the oil pressure relief valve and switch - the powder/dust will show oil quickly as soon as it starts to leak. Then first I would run the engine for a while at a standstill to see if the leak reappears; if not, I would go for a run but stop after only a few miles to get a better idea of where the leak starts.

If the leak does turn out to start at the oil pressure switch, be VERY, VERY CAREFUL tightening it, the timing cover alloy is very thin around the switch hole, the alloy is very easy to crack ... after which the crack leaks ... It is even easier to crack if the oil pressure switch is not original; if a replacement switch is bought by the number in the parts book, most dealers supply the switch with the wrong thread ...! Photo of the oil pressure switch with the cover off?

TAKE OFF THE PRIMARY COVER AND CHANGE THE GASKET

Primary cover is on the other side of the engine/gearbox ... Unless that is also leaking ...?

5,000FT ELEVATION
LEAN OUT MY CARBS

Ordinarily, I would not expect problems caused by that height, especially as the Commandos with similar Amal carbs did not experience any problems?

Imho, first strip your bike's carbs and find out what jets sizes, slide numbers, needles are present now and how much wear between slides and bodies. Then I advise contacting Amal to ask the jets sizes, slide numbers and needles they would recommend - manuals even from the same year vary, the fuel available particularly in California today is radically different chemically from that Triumph tuned with half a century ago.

Btw, any Amal needle will have three large grooves where the needle clip can be fitted (to vary the height of the needle, and the part of the needle taper in the jet, vs the slide position in the body). However, the needle type is the number of faint rings etched in the part of the needle between the blunt end and the nearest clip groove - you should find a "2 ring" needle in both carbs.

ANGELES CREST HIGHWAY

Did you discover your bike's fuel tank empty-to-full capacity?

 

[SIR LOIN]

THE OIL LEAK FROM THE OIL TANK HOSE WAS SOLVED BY TIGHTENING THE LOOSE CLAMP. ALL OTHER CLAMPS WERE TIGHT. THIS SOLVED THAT LEAK ISSUE.

LAST NIGHT I WENT ON THE NORTON SOCAL PRINCE OF DARKNESS RIDE (TWO UP ON THE DAYTONA) THROUGH MULHOLLAND DRIVE. BIKE STARTED ON THE FIRST KICK SO MAYBE IT WAS THE ALTITUDE OR A HOT ENGINE START ISSUE. COVERED 45 TO 50 MILES. THE LEAK FROM THE GEARBOX GOT WORSE. THERE IS OIL SPLATTERED ON THE EXHAUST CROSSOVER DOWN THE FRONT OF THE GEARBOX AND DOWN UNDERNEATH ALL THE WAY TO THE CENTER STAND. IT IS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT OF THE GEARBOX UP BY THE WIRE WHICH LEADS TO THE CONTACT BREAKER. ONE GUY SAID IT MAY BE THE 2 SEALS (70-4568) BEHIND THE BREAKER PLATE ASSEMBLY. THE BIKE ALSO BEGAN GRINDING A BIT FROM 1ST GEAR TO 2ND GEAR SHIFTING.

WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED THE GEAR BOX DIPSTICK AND THE OIL WAS WELL BELOW THE FILL LINE YET STILL REGISTERED ON THE DIPSTICK. I AM USING 85 WEIGHT OIL. THE BOOK CALLS FOR 90 WEIGHT. WOULD THIS SOLVE MY ISSUE OR LESSEN THE LEAK?

THANKS AGAIN RUDIE FOR ALL THE HELP. YOU HAVE BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

 

[Rudie]

GEAR BOX
I AM USING 85 WEIGHT OIL. THE BOOK CALLS FOR 90 WEIGHT. WOULD THIS SOLVE MY ISSUE OR LESSEN THE LEAK?

No.

You have looked at the gearbox dipstick. Therefore you know where the gearbox and its oil are, inside the crankcase extension under the carbs.

The exhaust crossover pipe is in front of the cylinder head. When the bike is moving, the air passing around it is moving backwards. Gravity pulls any leaking oil downwards. So how could oil from the gearbox go forwards and upwards - against both the slipstream and gravity - to reach the exhaust crossover pipe is in front of the cylinder head?

You can see where the leaked oil is on the outside of the bike. The source of any leak can only be above and/or in front of the leaked oil on the outside of the bike.

OIL
IS LEAKING FROM THE FRONT OF THE GEARBOX UP BY THE WIRE WHICH LEADS TO THE CONTACT BREAKER.

You are using the wrong terms:-

. You have looked at the gearbox dipstick; the gearbox (and its oil) are to the rear of the crankcase. Your bike's engine, the crankcase and gearbox are two completely separate compartments (each with their own separate and different oils) within the crankcase castings, the castings form the complete lower part of the engine, below the cylinder block and carbs.

. The wire which leads to the contact breaker enters the front of the crankcase.

OIL SPLATTERED ON THE EXHAUST CROSSOVER

If oil really was leaking from the crankcase around the wire to the contact breakers, again, the oil cannot defy gravity to land on the exhaust crossover pipe well above where the wire enters the crankcase.

ONE GUY SAID IT MAY BE THE 2 SEALS (70-4568) BEHIND THE BREAKER PLATE ASSEMBLY.

The guy was talking nonsense ...

If you look at the parts book, "TIMING COVER AND CONTATCT BREAKER" pages 20/21, you will see there are two 70-4568 seals - parts #4:-

. The one with the circlip is in the bottom of the timing cover, seals around the crankshaft to maintain oil pressure from the pump into the crankshaft.

. The other one fits in the hole partially showing in the back of the smaller compartment for the contact breakers and auto advance unit.

The triangular timing cover seals the "timing compartment", that has oil in it to lubricate the timing gears on the ends of the crankshaft and camshafts. The 70-4568 in the back of the smaller compartment for the contact breakers and auto advance unit prevents oil in the timing compartment entering the smaller compartment.

The way to tell if this 70-4568 is working or has failed is simply to remove part#18, the circular chromed cover over the contact breakers; if the smaller compartment does not have any oil in it, 70-4568 is working; if the smaller compartment is full of oil, 70-4568 has failed.

However, the 70-4568 alone failing does not mean oil will leak from the contact breaker compartment along the wire to the front of the crankcase - the wire has (should have) two seals not shown in the parts book (either 70-4707 or 70-8756), one in the timing cover on the wire just under part #10, the other on the wire by its entrance into the crankcase.

So for oil really to be leaking from the crankcase where the contact breakers wire enters, not only must the 70-4568 seal have failed, both wire seals must also have either failed or be missing ...

THERE IS OIL SPLATTERED ON THE EXHAUST CROSSOVER

As this is the highest point with leaked oil on it, the source of the leak must be near it - in front and/or above?

Three places I would check:-

. the exhaust rocker box oil feed bolt, nut and copper washers;

. the rocker box to cylinder head joint;

. the nuts on the rocker box studs, immediately above the exhaust pipes.

THERE IS OIL SPLATTERED ON THE EXHAUST CROSSOVER DOWN THE FRONT OF THE GEARBOX AND DOWN UNDERNEATH ALL THE WAY TO THE CENTER STAND. IT IS LEAKING FROM

With such a large area covered in oil, you do not have much hope of identifying leak sources until you degrease and wash the bike to clean off this leaked oil.

 

[Cosmic Sled]

Nice looking bike

 

[SIR LOIN]

I HAVE NO OIL LEAKS FROM THE ROCKER BOX NOR THE TOP END. THE CHROME COVER I TOOK OFF THE CONTACT BREAKER DID HAVE A TINY BIT OF OIL IN IT POOLED AT THE BOTTOM. OIL WAS ALSO SPLATTERED ON THE REAR OF MY FRONT FENDER SO WHEREVER IT IS LEAKING FROM ITS SHOOTING OUT WITH SOME PRESSURE.

I WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH IN 3RD GEAR THE ENTIRE 26 MILES UP SO THE MOTOR WAS UNDER A BIT OF STRESS. MY ENGINE OIL LEVEL IS FINE. MY GEARBOX OIL LEVEL IS LOW AND THE WETTEST PART OF THE ENGINE WAS WHERE THE WIRE GOES INTO THE MOTOR JUST ABOVE THE OIL PRESSURE VALVE.

SO I'M ASSUMING THE 2 OIL SEALS BEHIND THE CONTACT BREAKER ARE BAD AND THE 2 WIRE SEALS ARE BAD? IS THIS ENGINE OIL COMING OUT OF THAT AREA?

I CLEANED THE OILY AREAS OF THE BIKE WITH SIMPLE GREEN AND DUSTED IT WITH SOME POWDER AS YOU SUGGESTED. WHEN THE BIKE SITS IN THE GA, I HAVE NO OIL LEAKING ONTO THE FLOOR.

I CLOCKED 114 MILES THAT DAY AND THE GEARBOX OIL WENT FROM FULL TO JUST BARELY REGISTERING ON THE DIPSTICK.

 

[SIR LOIN]

Nice looking bike

THANK YOU SIR.

 

[Rudie]

WHEN THE BIKE SITS IN THE GA, I HAVE NO OIL LEAKING ONTO THE FLOOR.
OIL WAS ALSO SPLATTERED ON THE REAR OF MY FRONT FENDER SO WHEREVER IT IS LEAKING FROM ITS SHOOTING OUT WITH SOME PRESSURE.
I WAS TRAVELING BETWEEN 50 AND 60 MPH
THE WETTEST PART OF THE ENGINE WAS WHERE THE WIRE GOES INTO THE MOTOR JUST ABOVE THE OIL PRESSURE VALVE.

No pressure in the compartment in the timing cover.

Leak is more likely from the right hand fork leg, probably at the bottom of the slider - will not leak in the garage because the forks are not moving, leaks when the bike is moving because the suspension is working.

Run your fingers along the underside of the hoop around the rear of the fender. If there is oil there, it is most likely either from the drain bolt/seal, or there's a screw and seal into the bottom of the slider accessed from the axle cutaway in the bottom of the slider. Parts book "TELESCOPIC FRONT FORK" pages 40-43 show all parts. Triumph recommended 20-weight oil in that fork type, previous owner might have put in engine oil.

 

[SIR LOIN]

APPARENTLY I SPOKE TOO SOON WHEN I SAID I HAD NO STANDING OIL LEAKS. THIS IS AN UNDERSIDE PICTURE OF MY GEARBOX LEAKING FROM THE KICKSTART(UPPER RIGHT HAND), I HAD JUST TOPPED OFF THE GEARBOX OIL.

WHAT PART NUMBER (T2239?) WOULD RECTIFY THIS KICKSTART LEAK?

THE 2ND PICTURE IS THE UNDERSIDE SHOWING TWO DRIP POINTS WHICH APPEAR TO BE COMING FROM THE OIL FILTER/DRAIN PLUG AREA. I RAN MY WHITE RAG ABOVE THE LEAKS AND HAD NO OIL ON THE RAG. I HAVE ORDERED A WASHER FOR THE DRAIN PLUG.

I DID CHECK THE FORKS WHEN I GOT HOME FROM THE RIDE AND FOUND NO LEAKS IN THE FORK AREA. THE FRONT SPLATTER LEAK IS STILL A MYSTERY WHICH I SHOULD HAVE DIAGNOSED SHORTLY.

OUR CLUB MECHANIC, JONNIE GREEN FROM TONUPCLASSICS.COM IS VACATIONING IN ENGLAND SO THE SOLUTION MUST WAIT TIL MID AUGUST UNLESS THE JOB IS EASY ENOUGH TO DO MYSELF.

ALSO RUDIE, THE TANK APPEARS TO BE FROM A 78 BONNY 750 WITH A 2.8 GALLON CAPACITY. THAT YEAR IS AN EXACT COLOR MATCH WITH THE TANK I HAVE.

 

[Rudie]

LEAKING FROM THE KICKSTART
PART NUMBER (T2239?) WOULD RECTIFY

If you use the correct 73 T100R parts book I linked for you earlier, the part number is 57-2239, which will be easier to search for on the internet.

Having removed the gearbox outer cover, to be able to extract the "Kickstarter spindle" ("GEARBOX SHAFTS, BEARINGS AND INNER COVER" pages 22-25, part #36) to change the seal, you will also see the "return spring" (part #46). When refitting spindle and lever, the lever and spindle must be turned one complete turn to tension the spring before refitting the cover; if the spring is not tensioned, the lever will sag.

TANK APPEARS TO BE FROM A 78 BONNY 750 WITH A 2.8 GALLON CAPACITY.

Absolutely no chance.

78 Bonneville has a completely different frame - tank mounts on a single bolt pointing upwards from the middle of the top frame tube, tanks have a big vertical hole/tube through the middle for the bolt and associated mounting rubbers, washers and securing nut.

Otoh, your bike's tank mounts at the front with two studs, nuts, cupped washers and insulating rubbers through a metal strip welded to the frame tube above the engine, at the rear with a single bolt, cupped washer and insulating rubbers into a threaded lug in the frame tube.

Aside, a 78 Bonneville could not have that threaded lug in the frame tube as the frame tube contains the engine oil (the tube is also a much larger diameter than a 73 T100R's).

78 Bonneville tank does not have the front to back seam across the top; aside again, afaict Triumph's tank supplier changed the press tools in early 1973 - nearly all tanks before have the seam, none have after.

If you managed to get nearly three gallons into your bike's tank, as I have posted already, it is what is known as a "UK & General Export" T100R tank. Also as I have posted already, these are unique (afaik) amongst Triumph tanks in having a single tap outlet, as your bike's tank has. Otoh, any Bonneville tank has two tap outlets.

THAT YEAR IS AN EXACT COLOR MATCH WITH THE TANK I HAVE.

Dark red paint is not unique to a 78 Bonneville; amongst many other models and years, it was standard on 72 T100R's.

However, on both a 78 Bonneville and a 72 T100R, the tank's other standard colour was White; your bike tank's other colour is Silver; as I have posted already, it is a custom repaint, at best only mimicking standard Triumph colours and patterns.

 

[SIR LOIN]

I GUESS I WAS WRONG AGAIN ON THE TANK.

I HAVE ORDERED SOME PARTS AND WILL TACKLE THE KICKSTART AND DRAIN PLUG OIL LEAKS AS SOON AS I RECEIVE THEM. THE SEALS BEHIND THE CONTACT BREAKER I WILL LEAVE FOR THE MECHANIC AS I DON'T WANT TO DISTURB THE BIKES TIMING.

SHALL I INVEST IN THE GLENN'S TRIUMPH TWO CYLINDER REPAIR MANUAL SINCE MY HAYNES MANUAL IS MEDIOCRE AT BEST?

ALSO, MY HAYNES MANUAL SAYS THE SPARK PLUG GAPS SHOULD BE .025 AND THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS .020 FOR CHAMPION N4 PLUGS. I AM RUNNING NGK B8ES PLUGS AT .025. IS THIS WRONG?

SINCE YOU HAVE OWNED A DAYTONA FOR MANY YEARS RUDIE, SHOULD I EXPECT TO HAVE SOME OIL LEAKAGE AT ALL TIMES WITH THIS BIKE OR WILL I GO TRYING TO FIX THEM ALL? AFTER ALL, IT IS MUCH CHEAPER TO JUST ADD OIL THAN REPAIR ALL THE SEALS AND GASKETS.

 

[Rudie]

HAYNES MANUAL IS MEDIOCRE AT BEST
INVEST IN THE GLENN'S TRIUMPH TWO CYLINDER REPAIR MANUAL

Haynes: regrettably,

Never seen Glenn's manual so I cannot say. I use the Triumph 500 workshop manual, which is also available brand new in print if you prefer it that way. However, the Triumph manual does cover all versions from 63 so can be difficult sometimes for a complete newbie to follow. When I first bought my T100, there were knowledgeable people around who were prepared to pass on their knowledge freely. Now new owners who have questions have internet forums.

HAYNES MANUAL SAYS THE SPARK PLUG GAPS SHOULD BE .025 AND THE OWNERS MANUAL SAYS .020 FOR CHAMPION N4 PLUGS. I AM RUNNING NGK B8ES PLUGS AT .025.

See above for opinion on Haynes ...

B8ES is generally equated to Champion N3, which is a 'colder' plug than N4; N4 is generally equated to B7ES; however, I use B7EV or B7EVX, which are plug types with thin centre electrodes, less prone to fouling when the engine is not fully warm and/or using less than ideal fuel.

Plug gap is less critical; if 5 thou makes a difference, the bike would be harder to start cold; I doubt this is a problem in California?

SHOULD I EXPECT TO HAVE SOME OIL LEAKAGE AT ALL TIMES WITH THIS BIKE OR WILL I GO TRYING TO FIX THEM ALL?

Depends on your mindset. If it is a matter of pride to have a leak free Triumph, you will enjoy most of the time and money spent fixing the causes of the leaks.

The main problem is your motorcycle is a collection of mostly fifty year old parts and, unless it has had very few previous owners in that time and all of them were at least careful, you will have to fix the results of those owners who were not careful.

When spending money, you will discover, while parts availability is apparently good, not all modern parts are well made; this is the time and money you will not enjoy spending ... however, you can reduce this lack of enjoyment by asking lots of questions.

Otoh, there are modern sealants that were not available for many years after I bought my T100.

When I bought my T100, I was not new to Triumphs, there were lots of new Meriden sourced parts still around but then little interest in 500's, so I was able to eliminate the more rubbishy parts of the design relatively cheaply.

Nevertheless, my T100 (all my Triumphs) still produce(s) random new leaks, thankfully just not very often. Or I might consider selling them and buying an XS650 ...

 

[SIR LOIN]

THANKS FOR THAT TRIUMPH WORKSHOP MANUAL LINK RUDIE AND THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ALL MY S. GLENNS TRIUMPH REPAIR MANUAL HAS GREAT CLOSE UP PICTURES AND IS GEARED MORE TOWARDS THE NEW TRIUMPH OWNER. I SHALL INVEST IN THAT ALSO.

I WENT ON AN EVENING RIDE LAST NIGHT AND JUST NOW REALIZED HOW ABYSMAL MY GAUGE LIGHTS ARE. I AM RUNNING A SEALED BATTERY (NON LITHIUM) WITH STOCK WIRING HARNESS AND ELECTRONICS. WHAT BULBS WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IN BOTH MY GAUGES AND MY HEADLIGHT THAT WOULDN'T PLACE UNDO STRAIN ON MY CHARGING SYSTEM?

ALSO, WHAT IS THE POINT OF THE PILOT LIGHT? IT HAS THE LUMENS OF A BIRTHDAY CANDLE.

 

[Cosmic Sled]

Sir Loin. I am enjoying following this post. In case this is of interest: I ride a 1968 T100S, I replaced all my bulbs, including pilot and instrument lights with positive earth compatible LEDs. I have a Lithium ion battery. The bike has only done a few miles since (I am also working on reducing oil leaks). The lithium battery is great as it keeps its charge when the bike is laid up.

 

[Rudie]

ABYSMAL
GAUGE LIGHTS

positive earth compatible LED

+1.

Only thing I found is some white LED are too bright; red LED can be brighter but will affect your night vision less.

HEADLIGHT THAT WOULDN'T PLACE UNDO STRAIN ON MY CHARGING SYSTEM?

Headlight is more vexatious ...

The only actual bulb replacement is also LED, as the standard bulb base is known as "BPF" - British Pre Focus. If you go for this option, there are a number of versions about, those that use them and like them recommend the one with eight small LED (in two rows of four) on each side.

However, the LED replacement bulb does not solve the standard headlamp's problems; both Lucas lens-reflector combinations that take BPF-base bulbs are also abysmal - neither focusses any bulb's light well - apparently the replacement LED makes the bike more visible to other road users ... because the extra light is scattered widely ...

Compounding the problem is there were originally two BPF lens-reflectors and bulbs - both interchangeable physically but not correctly:-

. 71-77 (i.e. on your bike originally) was a 516801 lens-reflector with a 370 bulb;

. before 71 was a 516798 lens-reflector with a 446 bulb;

. however, when spares were difficult in the late seventies and through the eighties, any combination could have been fitted, but wrong bulb in either lens-reflector is even worse for lighting up the road at night.

Curiously, from about mid 77 until 82, Lucas then supplied one of the best lens-reflector-bulb combinations for old Triumphs - the circular bulb base and lens-reflector known as "P45t". Unlike the BPF, the P45t lens-reflector focusses the bulb's light well, the bulb is 45/40 (main/dip Watts) so suits the standard alternator output well, it connects to the harness with the common 3-spade ("H4") plug,, the P45t lens-reflector is a straight swap for a BPF.

However, while by all means search Ebay and similar for "triumph 99-7060" and "lucas 54522680" (the bulbs are still common new as the P45t was the international automotive standard for most of the 1970's, millions of vehicles worldwide were fitted with them), the Triumph owners that have them know all of the above well ... The Wassell company that has the rights to use the "Lucas" branding choose to inflict the awful BPF lens-reflector on us new.

My preference is to use a modern lens-reflector that takes a "P43t"-base bulb (the bulb that locates with three radial tabs). Two things to watch with this option are:-

. the reflector angle - much shallower than a Lucas and it will push the warning lights out of the headlamp shell;

. possibly the bulb plug will hit the back of the shell.

Even if the plug does not hit the back of the shell, the most common one - wires straight from the spade terminals - should not be used as the shell bends the wires sharply. Say if you consider this option and I will supply more details of the better plugs.

The standard P43t bulb is 60 Watts main/55W dip; i.e. either filament draws more than one Amp extra compared to a BPF bulb; nevertheless, as long as you keep the engine rpm up, and switch to an LED pilot bulb when engine rpm must be low, it is possible the standard alternator can also keep the battery charged. Although I prefer to fit one of the later, more powerful, alternators.

PILOT LIGHT? IT HAS THE LUMENS OF A BIRTHDAY CANDLE.

Originally, it was/is more use in the UK:-

. We have always had a legal requirement known as "parking lights" - anything left on an unlit (no streetlights) public road at night must be lit; a motorcycle would normally be lit with the pilot/parking light at the front and the tail light at the rear.

. For a long time, all drivers/riders were discouraged from using headlights under streetlights at night - all vehicles using "sidelights", motorcycles and pedal cycles were easier to see, police patrolling on foot would stop vehicles using headlights. However, British police have not patrolled on foot for probably fifty years, most modern road users do not have any conception of consideration for others - aside, the latest edition of our Highway Code has introduced a definition of "vulnerable road users" (of course, motorcyclists have not been included ... ).

Today, replaced with a LED, ime the "pilot light" is excellent as a bright front marker light, both in daylight and under streetlights at night, while not drawing much power. Following the recommendation of a poster on A.N. Other forum, I replace both the standard pilot bulb and its holder with one of these, its Black wire connected to the lighting switch's terminal #6 and its Red wire connected to the bike's harness Red wires, the standard lighting switch turns off the pilot when the headlight is on and vice-versa.

If you consider Eagle Eye LED, the wire conductors are very thin - quite a length of each must be stripped then folded to make something that can be gripped by crimped spade (lighting switch) and bullet (harness Red wire connection) terminals; however, they have plenty of wire to practice with ...

Whatever you connect, avoid the common red, blue and yellow insulated terminals (the bullets are too large for the Lucas snap connectors). In the US, British Wiring sells correct 1/4" (wide) spade terminals, their insulators, correct Lucas-matching 3/16" o.d. bullet terminals, snap connectors that can connect more than four wires.

THANKS FOR PUTTING UP WITH ALL MY

Happy to help and it is what the forum is for.