classic motorcycle forum

most of the bike sites I use seem to have died on their feet or gotten tedious, I really don't want to know about your cruise or what bike you may or may not buy next.

just give it a good run,it will take a while before all the smoke from'the redex,sump and what's coating the exhaust system gets cleared.

just make sure the oil is returning to the tank, if it comes in spurts the pump is ok, if its a steady stream its still clearing the sump.

won't be BSA either.

You do realise there are less much folk out there who know about old bikes than there are messing about with them?
I reckon10% to 90%

Lots of mix an match possibilities with BSA.

If you have the nut off, then only the linings can be preventing it being removed.
Can you spin the plate freely? if not , try moving the brake lever which will release the grip of the linings.

Or possibly you could remove all the bearing retainers from the opposite side and knock the shaft through backwards.
Or of course it could be a right lash up and god knows what you have.

Too many bodgers have had these bikes through their hands over the years which is why 'as found'machines fetch a premium.

photos are a help everytime.

Now I know you are one of us, I might be kinder to you, we have a 70s clique on here,stiff knees and all.

The 5TA does not have a sump plate it has a plug and guaze filter  needs 7/16 whit spanner if I recall.

The sump will  likely be full of oil, so you need to get that out. As regards the smoking,if its a matter of sumpoil it will smoke for a bit but will clear after a run.
Then again you might have stuck rings; if compreession is low, chuck some redex down the bore  for a week.

Modern plugs do not like being cleaned or oiled up. see if you can get some half decent old ones and use those for starting/running till its all clear; and if the plugs you bought have an R suffix, chuck them.  Right plug ofr yours is a champion N4 or equivalent.

tappets clearances ok?

taken for granted you have a fat spark? These engines are so soft they should never be hard to start.

As for getting down and under it, some kind of bench to get it up is a must at our age. I have in the past resorted to a block and tackle to lift the things up. [and a bell to call the missus to help me up sometimes].

where-abouts in the country are you?

standard luca wiring for headlamps is
 blue=main feed to dip switch.
blue/white}
blue/ red  } are the main and dip feeds, it does not really matter which goes to what terminal. Its the actual switch that determines if main is up or down at the lever.

brown/black =horn
earth wire is invariably red/positive on a bike of this era.

I suppose its likely you have some kind of replacement harness, would have been Briitax mostly;possibly Wipac so do not take the Haynes as holy writ.

There must be more old french bikes coming into the Uk  in the backs of vans these days than there are migrants coming in.