Jota Re-Start

1

1969mustang

New member
Location
Alberta Canada
82 Jota 180 series 2. ive owned the bike for almost twenty years, used to ride it regularly, then things changed, its been sitting in a heated shop for a very very long time, not started, bike has 13,000 miles.

I asked the same question here years ago, things that i should do before restart, I just never got around to doing then, so now its happening.

Back then I got good advice to remove cam covers and crank to check for oil getting up to cams before starting.

I have removed cam cover today, still oil in the head. Spark Plugs are out, i put a little engine oil down each cyl bore, turned the engine over by rear wheel, all good, clutch also is free.

Carbs are off and are being cleaned, been getting great advice from Piet and Dellortman as i have neve opened a Dellorto before !

Three old spark plugs mounted and bolted to frame, also an earth wire back to starter motor bolt ( i am paranoid about frying the ignition )

I think that i will drain oil out, its clean but old, then do another change after its been run a while ?

Plan is to Crank over till oil is seen at cams, then replace cover.

Anybody have any other advice that i should or should not be doing prior to trying to start once the Carbs are finished ??
Thank You

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Your bike has a Bosch BTZ ignition system. I don't think they're as fragile as the earlier HKZ type on pre 1975(ish) Laverdas, which would fry its brain if cranked with plug leads disconnected. But I wouldn't risk cranking it with the plugs disconnected anyway, just in case it might fry an ignition module.
You have several options for cranking on the starter motor without plugs:
1. earth the plugs elsewhere on the motor to complete the spark circuit.
2. un-plug the two Bosch ignition modules before cranking.
3. Crank the starter motor directly using jumper leads and a remote battery. Positive lead on the starter motor positive terminal (on top of the starter motor). Negative lead somewhere on the motor. This won't power up the ignition modules.

Seeing as your bike doesn't actually have a battery in it at present, option 3 is probably the most convenient.

Those Bosch BTZ ignitions are 50+ years old now. They were pretty primitive systems even when at their best. Their advance "curves" are actually an advance step and the two boxes are not synchronised with each other. A recommended modification with old Laverdas is to fit a good aftermarket electronic ignition. There are a bunch of alternative systems available that will make your bike run much more sweetly, but that's a topic that's been covered ad infinitum on this forum. Seek and ye shall find.
 
Dellortoman said:
Your bike has a Bosch BTZ ignition system. I don't think they're as fragile as the earlier HKZ type on pre 1975(ish) Laverdas, which would fry its brain if cranked with plug leads disconnected. But I wouldn't risk cranking it with the plugs disconnected anyway, just in case it might fry an ignition module.
You have several options for cranking on the starter motor without plugs:
1. earth the plugs elsewhere on the motor to complete the spark circuit.
2. un-plug the two Bosch ignition modules before cranking.
3. Crank the starter motor directly using jumper leads and a remote battery. Positive lead on the starter motor positive terminal (on top of the starter motor). Negative lead somewhere on the motor. This won't power up the ignition modules.

Seeing as your bike doesn't actually have a battery in it at present, option 3 is probably the most convenient.

Those Bosch BTZ ignitions are 50+ years old now. They were pretty primitive systems even when at their best. Their advance "curves" are actually an advance step and the two boxes are not synchronised with each other. A recommended modification with old Laverdas is to fit a good aftermarket electronic ignition. There are a bunch of alternative systems available that will make your bike run much more sweetly, but that's a topic that's been covered ad infinitum on this forum. Seek and ye shall find.
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Thanks, will look at those options, and consider an upgraded ignition system
 
The oil pump is unlikely to have failed from sitting. So looking to see if oil gets up to the cams is a waste of time.

Drain the old oil and replace with new, start it up and go ride it.

And yes the factory ignition is crap!
 
3CBRG said:
I think he wants fresh oil on cam bearings etc. Only a few seconds "wasted".
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The point of removing cam cover was to make sure i had oil up there prior to starting, ( not to check oil pump ) did not want to start with dry cam lobes etc, also i wanted to check the cam numbers. Cam cover also needs a good clean !
 
1969mustang said:
The point of removing cam cover was to make sure i had oil up there prior to starting, ( not to check oil pump ) did not want to start with dry cam lobes etc, also i wanted to check the cam numbers. Cam cover also needs a good clean !
Click to expand...
If you're that concerned about the cam lobes you could alway put a LIGHT coat of assembly lube on them while you have the cam cover off. That should buy you enough time until the pump gets the oil to the head. It certainly won't harm anything.
 
TeddyG said:
It might be good to remove and inspect the oil filter screen, even though the old oil is clean and assembly lube on the cams is a good idea from Ian. Best of luck getting it running again!
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Thank you both Teddy and Ian, Good advice, i dropped the exhaust pipes off yesterday and drained oil out, washed the screen out , looked good but now i know its clean.

Good idea on the assembly lube, will get some and do that before cranking, made up some new oil cooler hoses today they were looking a bit tired and hard, so thats really the Lube system checked externaly.

Waiting for Carb parts to arrive now.
 
I,ve got a comprehensive Del Orto rebuilding step by step- post your email if you want it- the Green Book also has good info and diagrams for twins and triples
 
Thanks Teddy, i have the green book and a lot of info from here and the web.

Carbs are not as bad as i first thought they would be.

Issue im having is cleaning the pilot circuits from the venturi side of carb ( air filter side ) i can get some air thru the drilling on the left but not a full flow as yet

On another thread Piet has told me that the drilling on the right is a blind hole, so have stopped try to clean that one !
Thanks Again
 
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