Weee Triumph Troubles & Tribulations

[Garrett]

So I pulled all 3 plugs on my Daytona.
The two nearest the timing chain were soaked in oil. It looked as if someone had dipped the plug in oil.
Farthest away from the timing chain was dry.

What next? Starter still does not engage. Solenoid clicks.

.

[TheIglu]

Could just be from a leaking valve cover gasket. That's what Pic #1 indicates since above the threads is soaked as well. Can't tell from Pic #2, you need to take less blurry pictures, or takes pictures of things that aren't as blurry.

So basically the spark plug holes sit below the oil bath in the head. The valve cover gasket seals the oil from the spark plug holes. When it leaks, it leaks down in around the spark plugs. Then you go to pull them out and the pooled oil runs down onto the spark plug threads and tip when you go to pull it out.

[Garrett]

Lol it was difficult to hold the plug and take pics. I'm like Michael J Fox. I can't take a picture for shit.

For what it's worth, there wasn't any oil on the plug boot.

[TheIglu]

Just the fact that you have oil up above the sealing rings tells me my theory is likely the right one. Also the cheap fix for you. May as well exhaust that theory before you have to open up the top end, right?

Good way to check.... test the compression. But you may want to blow out any oil that got into the chambers from gravity first. Don't want to hydrolock that thing.

[Garrett]

I can't test the compression. I can't get the starter to engage, the solenoid just clicks.

[Paul_E_D]

Charge the battery

[PinHead]

The bike is garbage. Just give it to me for proper disposal.

[Garrett]

Charge the battery

I tried it with a jumper pack. No go.

[Paul_E_D]

Triumphs are picky about the battery. Charge it. Try again.

[PinHead]

I tried it with a jumper pack. No go.

Check your ground connections, might be loose or corroding inside the connectors.

[Garrett]

Triumphs are picky about the battery. Charge it. Try again.

Okie

[Expat]

Triumphs are picky about the battery. Charge it. Try again.

Paul knows about this!!

[loudbeard]

I'll second what Iglu is telling you. I believe he's referring to the gaskets that seal between the valve cover and cam ladder. They are a bitch to keep in place when installing the valve cover. Pick up some feeler gauges and check your valve clearances while you have the cover off.

[Garrett]

The seller said "Road it home from work one day after the starter turning real slow for about a weak then next day nothing"

[Paul_E_D]

Get a NEW battery then. But the correct one. Could also indicate a bad stator.

[Garrett]

Perhaps a stupid observation but shouldn't the jumper pack take care of any battery issues?

[GearHd6]

What year Daytona is it?

[Paul_E_D]

No, it may not have enough amps etc. I tried known good batteries out of other bikes and still got the click. The fact that it clicks tells the whole tale. If something else were wrong, it wouldn't even click. did you test the starter yet?

[Garrett]

What year Daytona is it?

'96

- - - Updated - - -

No, it may not have enough amps etc. I tried known good batteries out of other bikes and still got the click. The fact that it clicks tells the whole tale. If something else were wrong, it wouldn't even click. did you test the starter yet?

Okie I'll pick a battery up on me way home. And no I have not tested starter yet.

[GearHd6]

I've got a 98 Daytona that I had to put new heavy duty battery and starter cables on to get it to start good. A brand new battery still wouldn't turn it over with much authority. And the worst thing for those Triumph starter sprags is to turn it over with a weak battery.

[Garrett]

New battery. same thing.
Tested solenoid with multimeter. Pass.
Tested for continuity between end to end on starter wire. Pass.
I think the starter itself is dead.

[GearHd6]

Jumper cables right to the starter for a quick test?

[Garrett]

Yep I had the jumper cable hooked to the battery cable and to ground.

[GearHd6]

Yep I had the jumper cable hooked to the battery cable and to ground.

Right to the lug on the starter? If so, then yeah I'd say the starter is dead.

[Garrett]

New starter will be here Wed. Now to figure out how it comes out....