Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you.

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Proof.

Proof that the Titan runs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDfmIRzyZtM&list=UUC60L7_VB2OOBBkT7k9QCZw&index=1&feature=plcp

Imported.

Checklist.

Before test riding:
- Find and install a battery
- Remove points cover, place on ground/in gear and torque the points cam bolt to 17 Ft-lbs
- Repair brakes (and buy new cable and pedal)
- Add air to tires
- Find and install a chain
- Lube all cables
- Find better mounting for throttle cable splitter
- Check / adjust timing
- Check / adjust clutch
- Check fuel valve and re-mount fuel tank

Before riding local:
- Repair all electrics (turn signal flasher, brake lights)
- License and insurance? Vintage/Classic/Historic plates?
- Repair (weld) kickstand, chain guard and front fender cable guide

Before riding highway:
- Replace clutch basket (and place permanent screws and gasket in clutch housing cover)
- Replace tires?(close examination)
- Rear fender - fix or replace
- New spark plugs
- Strip varnish off covers
- Stitch seat?
- Install luggage carrier
- Check dent in front fork - travel is ok? Fluid check?
- Sound test spokes

Video- Lights In Action

After we hooked up the battery and before we started the engine, I did a quick check of the lights out of curiosity. The neutral idiot light worked, as well as the high beam light next to it. The left turn signals lit up (but did not blink, so I have to buy a new blinker) and the high/low beams worked perfectly. The brake light bulb was broken, so I didn't bother looking. Here's a short video I put together to show them still working after sitting for so long.

IT LIVES.

Friday I got home and we got to work right away. I cleaned the frame and prepped it a bit. We mostly did some tinkering and poking and prodding, but got up at 8 the next morning and started working again.

We put the engine back together (missing some parts- had to make our own washers!) and hauled it off to the car wash to get a good cleaning. The road gunk was awfully hard to get off, but we did the best we could and got most of it off. After putting it back in the frame, we looked at the carbs a little bit (could use some work, but not terribly bad) and hooked them to the intake boots on the engine. Mounted the oil tank and filled it up with CCI oil, and filled the carbs with fuel donated from the Water Buffalo; just enough to let it run a little. Hooked up the Water Buffalo's battery, cleaned the contacts and we were ready to go.

Four pumps on the hand crank to give it a little compression, five kicks on the starter, a cough and BRAMMMMMMMM!

After 30 years of sitting idle, the Suzuki roared to life. It sure was great to hear it actually make a noise other than the old tires squeaking across the garage floor. We tried it another two times and each time required less and less kicking. By the time that happened, it was 10:30 at night and we had worked the entire day on it, so we called it quits for the night.

Sunday I had no time to work on the bike, but today after I left to go back to school, Dad hooked up the exhaust and the gas tank and ran it through the gears and it sounded fantastic. I heard it over the phone, but it still sounded right. It sounds a lot like the Buffalo, but I guess all two strokes sound that way.

I got the green light to go and order/find parts. This thing's really gonna happen!

Big Titan Update!

Sorry about the lack of posts (as always with this blog), I've been busy with school.
Since I'm not around the house/garage/workshop, my Dad has been doing a lot of the work on the Titan. Last weekend I came home and we split the case. A couple of bolts broke off because they were rusted, and some screws were hard to get out because they had been chewed up so much by the PO. We had to put the engine back in the frame to get enough leverage to get the bolts out, but eventually the case was split and we got a good look inside.

The gears looked alright for the most part, and we think we solved the kickstart problem. Dad ordered parts for it off BikeBandit, as well as a few parts from a Suzuki collector in Boston. We couldn't do much until these parts came in, and once they did, my Dad got right to work. Here's an update he sent me last night:

"Here's an update on the Titan:
Today I swabbed out all the sludge from the case halves and cleaned up the case edges so we can rejoin them when ready.
I also received the parts from BikeBandit and replaced the pawl on the kickstarter.
Then I re-cemented in-place the 1400 cc capacity modification (that little rubber fence in the transmission).
Next I was able to re-install the lay shaft and output shaft (the two with all the gears)
At that point I could work the levers to shift gears in and out of neutral and all the way up to fifth and back down again.
(Really neat how that works - who figures this stuff out anyway?)
Then I replaced the kickstarter shaft and tensioned the kickstarter - it seems to work well with no "stripping" or slippage.
(We won't know for sure until...)
Finally I spent some time on the oil pump and found some longer screws so I could reassemble it where the screws were stripped...
The guy in Massachusetts has the missing head bolt so I am ordering one from him
I found a helicoil kit 8mm x 1.25 pitch at O-Reilly's so we can re-thread that stripped head bolt when you come home next.

So when you are here we can:
Run some oil through the injector lines to verify they are clear
Check all the parts to be sure they are in right and pre-oiled, no binding etc.
Apply silicone cement to the case halves and re-join the case
Install the new seals and torque all the case bolts
Install that Helicoil in the bad cylinder
Re-fit the pistons, cylinders and heads and torque the bolts
Install the Oil Pump
Then cover the intake and output ports and take the engine to the car wash for a thorough Gunk cleaning
Maybe clean up the frame a bit while the engine is out.
Finally put the motor back in the frame!
Then, when we have time, hook up the carbs, throttle, battery and oil tank, and see if she'll run..."

We've gotta work our butts off this weekend, because I have a small window of time and I'm dying to see if that engine will turn over! I'm sure it will, but i just can't wait to hear it. Once that engine putters to life, that's my green light to start ordering more parts and start polishing the hell out of it. I get home Friday at around 2pm, so we've got Friday night, all day Saturday and probably until dinnertime Sunday to get stuff done.

Exciting! Pics (and video, if we get the engine mounted) next week.