Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - cardan

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 89
1
British Bikes / Re: Villiers engine in 1930s Waratah
« on: July 04, 2025, 08:14:02 AM »
I don't know how to differentiate them! So far as I know even the frame numbers were similar, but I only have a handful to study. Best to have provenance of a bike with Waratah on the tank, known original owner, original registration or whatever.

It wouldn't surprise me if there was a little bit of "old stock" syndrome, with slightly out of date bikes or older, lower cost parts fitted to the bikes to be sent out. But it was all about commercial pragmatism: Williams Bros were a big (huge, in the automobile trade) and well-established firm, importing and selling quite a number of Waratahs, so clearly they wouldn't be accepting or selling old junk.

My working hypothesis is that Waratahs were built in the UK by Excelsior (from 1930-on) and shipped to Williams Bros in Sydney.
 
Leon

2
British Bikes / Re: Hot Start Problem
« on: July 04, 2025, 07:57:11 AM »
Just how do you "set the timing by moving the magneto gears"  ??
Or is that the time honoured method of tapping the gearwheel onto the taper, and then locking it with the nut ...
Whatever... within half a tooth would be enormously better than it is now.

3
British Bikes / Re: Villiers engine in 1930s Waratah
« on: July 04, 2025, 05:59:49 AM »
Thanks for that. I do have a couple of Mk XVI-A engine numbers (prefix AXF) from Waratahs so that will work.

I'm a bit confused because the Villiers book (Browning) says the Mk XVI-A has an "aluminium deflector piston" while Waratah guff in late 1935, for its 1936 model, says two exhaust ports (tick), 67x70 (tick), detachable alloy head (tick), full roller big end (tick), extra long gas tight bronze main bearings (tick), but "alloy flat top piston"!

The XVII-A (BYX prefix) had the flat top piston, but ball mains!

Not to worry - it's a 250 (notice I didn't say 247 or 249!!) Villiers. Should be enough.

Yes, R, all Waratahs from Excelsior from about 1930, prior to that from Sun Cycle & Fittings. Even Excelsior frame numbers, but not necessarily exact Excelsior models.

Cheers

Leon

4
British Bikes / Re: Hot Start Problem
« on: July 04, 2025, 05:42:20 AM »
Oh, and by all means use the BSA method of points 0.003" open with the magneto on full retard and the engine at TDC. But you have to first set the points gap to 12 thou (no doubt listed somewhere in your BSA literature?), then set the timing by moving the magneto gears, not adjusting the points gap.

5
British Bikes / Re: Hot Start Problem
« on: July 04, 2025, 05:37:52 AM »
Hi Billington,

In your photo the rubbing block is well past the opening ramp: when it is in this position the points gap should be about 0.012".

For most of the rotation of the magneto the points should be open about 12 thou; for the rest the points should be closed. Only when the rubbing block hits the ramps and begins opening the points will the gap pass (instantaneously) through 0.003". (And again when closing, but this plays no role in the spark.)

When BSA talks about the points being open 0.003", they mean that the rubbing block has hit the ramp and the points have opened about a quarter the way to fully open (0.012"). This defines an exact point in the rotation of the magneto.

You've asked for help, we've provided it with care an attention. Have you considered accepting it? Humour us. Try it out.

Cheers

Leon

6
British Bikes / Villiers engine in 1930s Waratah
« on: July 03, 2025, 12:03:18 PM »
Mmm... I took this photo when my camera had film, probably back in the 1980s, at the Motor Museum at Birdwood, South Australia.

I think the bike is the 250cc Waratah on offer from 1935 through 1938. I know nothing about Villiers engines in the 1930s, but is this the 250? What's it called? Mk-something-A no doubt!

In 1939 the 250 had a vertical engine, tubular fork, etc, but would it have used the same engine?

Thanks

Leon

7
British Bikes / Re: Hot Start Problem
« on: July 03, 2025, 11:40:59 AM »
That is interesting.

In particular the 0.004/0.004" valve clearances in 1931 seem very optimistic, very precise. I must admit that I don't use a feeler gauge at all on my vintage bikes, but just give them a jiggle to make sure they're ok. I reckon 4 thou on an exhaust valve wouldn't pass my jiggle test!

As for setting ignition timing using engine at TDC and mag on full retard, I do it all the time - it's my standard method on the side of the road. Easy to find TDC, easy to spot the points starting to open (in the BSA case open 3 thou - a quarter of the way to 12 thou). Done. Works every time. But, depending what has been done to the mag over the years, it sometimes means too much advance is available to the engine with the lever at full advance, so maybe the bike runs best on no-quite-full advance. Over-advanced ignition is bad. Not a problem for an experienced rider, but bad in the hands of a novice. Best to set the timing at full advance if you're at home in the shed.

Seriously, I wish Billington all the best with his bike, but he seems to misunderstand the BSA instructions yet stands by his misunderstanding even when others try to explain. I have done my best.

Cheers,

Leon

8
British Bikes / Re: Hot Start Problem
« on: July 01, 2025, 11:53:50 PM »
Is there any time in the rotation of the magneto that the points open to 0.012"? I assume no.

Do your bike a favour and get someone who knows what they're doing to have a look at it. You will be amazed at how a 92-year-old side valve runs when it is properly set up.

Leon

9
British Bikes / Re: Hot Start Problem
« on: July 01, 2025, 02:00:51 PM »
Hopefully you have set the points gap to 12 thou and set the magneto timing correctly. https://classicmotorcycleforum.com/index.php?topic=6299.msg31348#msg31348

If you haven't, do it now.

Leon

10
British Bikes / Re: ACME aussie bike
« on: June 11, 2025, 12:03:21 PM »
That pic of painting the tanks is a good un ! We wonder what an infrared oven was though ??

Sorry R, I missed that when we turned the page. "Infrared" suggests the oven/parts are heated by radiant heat (radiation) rather than a gas flame in the oven heating the air (convection). I suppose the "things" on the side of the oven in the photo are infrared heating elements - think mini/very low power electric bar heaters. No air movement so no dust.

I don't mind the Acme. If I had a farm to potter around I might bid at $2000.

Leon

11
British Bikes / Re: Villiers XIIC 148cc doesn’t run anymore
« on: June 08, 2025, 07:11:28 AM »
Ditto. Also time to check the main shafts for wear and roundness - the wear is some distance in from the end so if the shafts are not parallel and round your new bushes will be wasted.

Also the bushes need to be in line when you're all done. I usually make them a thou (0.001") under size, then ease them out with an adjustable reamer fitted with a pilot. The pilot fits into the bush in the opposite side of the crank case to keep the reamer parallel while its cutting. Not a difficult job, but you need the right tool. (I borrow my adjustable reamers from a friend who has a boxed selection - last forever if only used on phospor bronze.)

Leon

12
British Bikes / Re: Troubleshooting a JAP Special
« on: June 05, 2025, 01:45:44 AM »
Wow, that's quite a nice piece of hardware. Particularly for £130, which probably wouldn't cover the cost of supply/fit new valves.

Re a potential new carb: If you're planning just to ride the bike on the road you might want to try the existing carb first. 1.25" is a seriously large carburettor; for example a 500cc works TT racer used a 1 7/32 carb - 1.2188" - in the 1930s, with a big megaphone, 6000+ rpm, bump start and very little idling. With a muffler and road riding, your existing carb might be fine.

Pleased the crank is going to an expert.

Leon

13
British Bikes / Re: Villiers XIIC 148cc doesn’t run anymore
« on: June 02, 2025, 05:11:23 AM »
Is it sucking in false air through the bronze bushings on the crankshaft?

It will if the main shafts or the bushes are worn: the shafts and bushes need to be round with only a thou or two clearance (say 0.025-0.05 mm). You definitely should not feel any movement if you grab the flywheel and try to move it up and down. If it clunks you're in trouble! The other place that wear occurs in early two strokes is in the bore: not so much up the top (as it is in four strokes) but above and below the ports where the rings jump across. And the rings, of course.

If these parts are worn the bike will probably still run, but will get hot an bothered when riding. If you've got good compression - it really should be quite "sharp" as you kick it over - then wear is probably not the problem at the moment.

Leon

14
British Bikes / Re: ACME aussie bike
« on: June 01, 2025, 05:49:42 AM »
Yes "maker" is good, or even "builder". Both are probably more accurate than "manufacturer". "Assembler" is a bit special, and in my mind I keep this for those who opened the crate and literally put the parts together. There was a bit of this in Australia in the early days: I suspect the Sun Villiers in veteran years is a good example. Most Australian makers/builders started with imported lugs and parts, and local "vision", and went from there.

Rims either side of the WW2 years is an interesting topic! It turns out that bicycle and motorcycle rims were on the list of controlled imports and were probably not available from, say, 1940 until January 1946 when they were removed from the list. I recall Malvern Star had to massively retool to keep bicycle production going during the war. Anyway, here are some extracts referring to imports of rims (and engines, hubs, and other unclassified parts) after the ban was lifted. 70 bundles of motorcycle wheel rims!

I wonder if the pause in Acme production between 1941 and 1947 was due to shortage of items like rims.

Leon

15
British Bikes / Re: ACME aussie bike
« on: May 30, 2025, 01:19:41 PM »
The booklet "The Story of Bennett and Wood Pty. Ltd." was published in 1949, the year that the company's own Acme motorcycle gave way to the BSA Bantam. Unsurprisingly, the Acme motorcycle is not mentioned at all. But they do comment that the motor cycle factory was established in Wentworth Ave "over ten years ago" - say around 1938/9 - which ties in nicely with the beginning of Acme production for 1939. They could enamel sheet metal (see attached), they had a plating works (shown plating handlebars that they presumably made), they had frame jigs and brazing in the Speedwell Cycle Factory, and a huge spare parts and accessory department. In a nutshell, I believe that they did "manufacture" the Acme motorcycle.

Leon

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 89