Valeo

[Guest drknow]

Here's what seems a good price on a new Valeo on fleabay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/OE-NEW-Moto...124566257QQrdZ1

[Frenchbob]

Salut, Chris! The only French vehicle we have is the wife's Clio [the others are Italian or British], and of course I've never looked at that. In defence of Lucas alternators, though, I'll mention that my Thunderbird's original one still works fine, having survived a fire that melted the carb and rocker boxes and then spent years in a drawer!

 

It all begins to make sense with the Valeo: French glue is about as effective as French paint.

 

Perhaps we should have a thread written in Franglais, being rude about French products.

 

That was a joke, of course.....................

 

Interesting that the one on Ebay is being advertised as a replacement for the Bosch ones. I don't know of any Bosch ones that have worn out or broken. Since I had trouble with the Valeo I've discovered that they're everywhere, and mostly broken.

[chris a]

Yup , some things ithe French do are top and others...are just shite or so technologically retarted you could cry !!!! But as thy say the grass is allways greener on the other side of the hill...

Have you come accross anyone over here who can supply and fit valve guide K scoll guide liners???I've tried a number of good mechanics and motor reconditioners down in the montpellier region and they all thought it was a really bad idea which is pretty amiusing to me seeing that the T3 has had a set in for about 40 thousand miles and still going strong!! I've got a spare head to overhaul and the NTX I recently bought will probebly get a head overhawl soon too . I would really like to line the guides rather than replace them especially for the small bloc as the standard guides for those were not reall great anyway if only i could find someone who will do it . Same story with acqua bead blasting : no one has heard of it down here apparently !!!

[Frenchbob]

Yup , some things ithe French do are top and others...are just shite or so technologically retarted you could cry !!!! But as thy say the grass is allways greener on the other side of the hill...

Have you come accross anyone over here who can supply and fit valve guide K scoll guide liners???I've tried a number of good mechanics and motor reconditioners down in the montpellier region and they all thought it was a really bad idea which is pretty amiusing to me seeing that the T3 has had a set in for about 40 thousand miles and still going strong!! I've got a spare head to overhaul and the NTX I recently bought will probebly get a head overhawl soon too . I would really like to line the guides rather than replace them especially for the small bloc as the standard guides for those were not reall great anyway if only i could find someone who will do it . Same story with acqua bead blasting : no one has heard of it down here apparently !!!

 

I haven't, Chris. France isn't as well provided for as the UK in respect of engineering and specifically bike services, it's true. I've no experience of valve guide liners, and my instinct would have been to steer clear, but your experience with the T3 suggests otherwise. I think I've a spare set of S3 guides somewhere if you want me to look them out.

 

I'm going on a run with the Amicale Limousine des Motos Anciennes on Sunday [they should be voting!], and I'll ask around for you. I'll also ask my local Guzzi/BMW/Harley guy.

[chris a]

Nice one Bob ,

it would be interseting to see if any of your locals can do liners. The Cylinder head shop in the uk swears by them and I've seen that Pete Roper uses them too. Apparently, they were originally designed for big diesel lumps and trying to improve rebuild costs.certainly also worked for me on the T3 but I did originally also have some missgivings too...

Any luck with the starter yet ???

chris

[Frenchbob]

Nice one Bob ,

it would be interseting to see if any of your locals can do liners. The Cylinder head shop in the uk swears by them and I've seen that Pete Roper uses them too. Apparently, they were originally designed for big diesel lumps and trying to improve rebuild costs.certainly also worked for me on the T3 but I did originally also have some missgivings too...

Any luck with the starter yet ???

chris

 

Apart from cleaning and lubricating the solenoid plunger and worm I've done nothing else to it, yet: busy preparing the Thunderbird for tomorrow. Chris, I've mailed you about your valve sleeves.

[Frenchbob]

Hopefully, the end of the starter motor troubles: lubricating the plunger and greasing the worm seems to have done the trick. I also had to replace the starter relay, which must have popped before the fuse went. It was a Bosch that I had put in, not a Siemens, so I don't think that played a part in the original malfunction.

 

While under the tank, I had a look at the bullet connectors which wire in the clutch switch: they were OK but I noticed that the straight bars on my bike stretch the wiring to its limit - a potential problem area. Does anyone know of a reason why I shouldn't just wire the clutch switch out by connecting across the two female bullets?

 

Thanks again to all who took the trouble to post advice.