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Messages - Gromit

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1
British Bikes / Re: 350 Enfield info please
« on: July 08, 2011, 02:44:32 PM »
Looks like the neutraL finder futtock pedal is missing I think that goes on the third shaft sticking out of the gearbox. One for kickstart , long curvy one for gears and a little one for the finder.
Rode a 500 once but never managed to find neutral with the gadget so best of luck matey

Hitchcocks Motorcycles in Shirley Warwickshire UK are good for RE bits I am told.... they were made not 12 miles from where I am sitting now tryping this in Redditch.

2
British Bikes / Re: Amal carb adjustment problem
« on: July 08, 2011, 02:38:26 PM »
Yes have been there with concentrics a number of times .... rotters at Amal should have realised that bike tanks get crud and crap in them and not made the damn things unmoveable.

However on another web forum the suggestion has been made to drill them to the correct size using number series drills and a hand chuck. An going to give it a go on my Bonnie when it is back in loose formation again.

Regards Gromit

3
British Bikes / Re: Amal carb adjustment problem
« on: July 07, 2011, 09:50:31 PM »
Yes been in there today on both carbs no problems in that department. Have taken all the slack out of the cables too and that didn't make any difference... the bottom of a monobloc slide is peppered with holes and slots so I don't think it is the cables suddenly shutting off an air path.

Ah now pilot drilling's ... the monoblocs have a separate jet under a little cover which I will have a look at tomorrow afternoon .... forgot those little b****ers

Cheers ...something at least to have a go at.

Regards Gromit

4
British Bikes / Re: Ariel Charging
« on: July 07, 2011, 09:06:51 PM »
The electronic regulator thingy hasn't reversed the polarity of the system has it ?.... i.e. was the bike POS earth as is normal with all things old and Lucas on a motorbike and the regulator wired for NEG earth .... worth a check of the regulator info sheet and wiring diagram  to see if reversing the battery terminals may cure it ... everything else will be OK except the ammeter will read backwards ... just swap the leads over until the meter reads discharge with the headlight on and the engine stopped.

Regards Gromit

5
British Bikes / Re: BTH magneto advance/retard unit
« on: July 07, 2011, 08:59:13 PM »
There's a bloke who advertises in the VMCC mag ... did a marvellous rebuild job on my Prince of Darkness auto advance on me Norton 650ss came back like new and the springs actually retard it back at standstill !! miracle as they didn't always do it from new I am told

Thoroughly recommended so if it needs some work to make it like new give him a ring

Roy Price is his name ...01480 473225

Regards Gromit

6
British Bikes / Amal carb adjustment problem
« on: July 07, 2011, 08:49:46 PM »
Hi Guys

Now then .... I have a problem with my Morton 650SS.
new carbs 300 miles ago,  everything set up OK on the magneto , was sorted and timed by Les Emery at Norvil and not disturbed since that was about the same time as the carbs were fitted.

Bike was stood for a couple of years and this month I have had the carbs to bits to clean them out and found nothing really wrong just needed the old petrol cleaned out and the slides feed off ... was  OK before I dismantled them Doh ! should leave things alone.

All is well runs like an express train and idles perfectly except when you open the throttle it slows down before it picks up which is very disconcerting as it feels like it will stall ...but never quite does.
Colourtune plugs show the mixture is spot on at idle but goes rich as it comes off of idle and I am talking about squeezing the twist grip to take up the slack. Then when it picks up it is blue combustion again.

Don't seem to be able to adjust this out ... seems like as the cables start to tighten up it cures a slight air leak and the mixture richens up. Weakening the idle doesn't cure it ....

Any ideas guys ??

Wondered if it needs the float level checked and lowered a gnats perhaps ?

Gromit


7
British Bikes / Re: starter motor for a norton commando
« on: June 22, 2011, 10:02:39 PM »
Little history

The Norton Commando electric starter was made in the USA by Prestolite and was a cheapo one purported to be used to start lorry fridge compressor engines, hence the 2 brushes and 2 field coils ... what might start a 250 cc single fridge compressor engine a'int never going to reliably start a high compression 750. Even Joe Lucas realised they couldn't do a motor at Nortons budget price, hence the cheapo yank one being used.

People found that Harleys have the full motor with 4 brushes and more coils and seem to start OK ... but they have a big battery and cable 'cos everything is built like a brick privy on a Harley ... well except the bits that matter... so as L.A.B. says beef up the cables and if you can enquire from a good battery place to see if there's a bigger cranking capacity battery that will fit in the Commando batt carrier consider going for it and it will work .. he says encouragingly.

Oh and make sure the solenoid is a good one as high resistance across the main contacts of just a bit is enough to rob the starter of a couple of volts. Another trick is if you can use one that you can get at to press it in it may start better as you will not have the solenoid magnet coil to supply and all the current goes to the motor instead. Sort of electric start but not quite that suggestion

Regards Gromit

8
British Bikes / Re: Primary chaincase
« on: June 22, 2011, 09:46:24 PM »
Also .... I was told by Les Wotsit at Norvil never to put a modern multigrade oil in the chaincase as the wear improving gloop they put in it to make engines run better makes the clutch slip.

Cant do his trick on a late model Triumph as I think they are inextricably linked and the chain case drains back into the crankcase after a certain date.... there is a hole between the two low down to keep the chaincase oil level correct so it runs in whatever you put in the oil tank eventually anyway.
The measuring business filling the chaincase is to make sure there is some in there when you first run around like a maniac following the first start after you change the chainincase oil.

So if you can confirm it does not mix then use automatic gearbox fluid in the chaincase as it has no wear gloop and is made to make ferrodo and cork material clutches stick ... that's wot makes an auto box auto ...lots of them, and lubes gears etc well too . and thinner so you get a little more in the HP dept.

Regards Gromit

must stop answering the question with an epistle

9
British Bikes / Re: Nickel and Zinc Plating DIY style
« on: June 22, 2011, 09:31:39 PM »
Ah well now then ......

What you may think is zinc plated and passivated i.e. grey dull coating, on any bike still with original fixings I would bet a pound to a penny if it is before 1965 ish it is cadmium plated.
Cad plate is far superior to zinc for stopping corrosion and about equal to nickel plating, but it comes at a cost to the poor buggers who worked in the plating shops ....cadmium is 10x worse for you than lead.

Incidentally all plated "bright" parts were bright nickel before 1930's when chrome came in as a more durable finish to coat the nickel in ... it hardens the surface but is effectively a clear coating of a few microns to bring the shine out on the nickel.

One tip from my esteemed mechanical engineering work colleagues is "No stainless in structural locations" it is a bit like cheese and has low yield strength so will break if stressed well before high tensile steel ... all bolts should be grade 8.8 (shown by an 8 or 8.8 on the head.) for suspension or load bearing applications. Also stainless work hardens like brass and copper and goes brittle very easily ... try drilling it ... you get so far and it hardens up.

More info than you wanted I suspect ... never mind it 's free !!

Regards Gromit

10
British Bikes / Re: Taper Piston Rings
« on: June 22, 2011, 09:13:36 PM »
Cheers WW
I have a vague suspicion from the problem that is exactly what I will find .... Hepolite for me in future !!

Gromit & Welsh Wizard recommend Hepolite piston rings to the Empire !!

Regards Gromit.

11
British Bikes / Re: Taper Piston Rings
« on: June 21, 2011, 08:09:38 PM »
MMM came from a reputable dealer but I think a set form an engine machinist I use in Hepolite packing is called for.

Cheers Gromit

12
British Bikes / Re: Paint Dilemma
« on: June 21, 2011, 08:07:27 PM »
Polyurethane lacquer over base I would go for.... as the lacquer can be applied in several coats and it gives that really deeeep look to candy colours .... and it doesn't wear off too quick. And you can spray it with a normal spraying respirator and not kill yourself on the cynaide fumes unlike isocyanate 2 packs.
Big plus it also can be cut back and polished which most modern paint systems cant be ... modern stuff is designed to be baked at 35 deg C + to set it off and is as hard as nails so any blemishes from home job going a little wrong are there for ever. Have a look at a modern car closely and the paint in all likelihood will be slightly orange peel ... you cant get it out ever ...

Firm in Coventry UK that escapes me will mix up original Trumpet colours in small tins at a horrendous price .... me I loiter in Brown Brothers or Jawell paints and search the colour swatches my self when the assistant is bored with showing me their wares ... works every time for me.

Some colours are really difficult. I have an  1950 Armstrong Siddeley car in grey of all colours ... can I match it can I heck even the guy at Jawell hasn't managed to mix a match up yet.

Regards Gromit

13
British Bikes / Re: Taper Piston Rings
« on: June 20, 2011, 09:53:20 PM »
Cheers guys .... first the answer to all the observations is yes did that no one bore is ok the other is awfully oily yes yes 40 thou over and yes.

And I think you have answered my question which was are they tapered and the manual hints they are ... time for some spanner wielding ... again ... bloody thing

Regards Gromit

14
British Bikes / Re: Luggage rack- TR25W
« on: June 20, 2011, 08:17:07 PM »
Try these people they were great with BSA and my TR25W when they were in their old shop. Not visited the new place but if they took all the stock with them I bet they found some good old bits in the loft, that even their father didn't know were there  !!

C & D Autos (BSA Spares)
Barns 6-8 Tracy Farm
Redditch Road (A4189), Ullenhall Henley in Arden B95 5NY
01564 795 000

Alternatively there is good ole

Vale-Onslow L H Ltd
116 Stratford Road
Sparkhill, Birmingham, West Midlands B11 1AW
0121 772 2577

Never know what this emporium might have out the back .,.. I do know they still have the square 1968 fibreglass side panels. I got mine from there and there's a pair still in the window.

Len VO god rest his soul claimed to be the UK's oldest working man still at it at 90 odd. The sons and grandsons still own this emporium which if you can get there is worth the visit to step back to the 60's into a shop that hasn't been decorated or updated since. The company goes back to the 1930's when they assembled their own model machines from the best bits around called unsurprisingly Vale Onslow Specials !!

Regards Gromit

15
British Bikes / Re: T140 - what version
« on: June 20, 2011, 07:04:43 PM »
My T140V is a 78 model and it has single phase alternator, splayed port head and concentric Mk1 carbs, Veglia instruments and triangular "dash" between the instruments with key and 4 lights marked OIL, BEAM TURN and NEUTRAL but mine doesn't have the neutral switch in the gearbox which isn't important but is the fourth idiot light wire you have I think. Mine has the later black switches and no electronic ignition.

I am sure mine is not original but it sort of matches the parts list. Shouldn't worry as long as all the 'leccy bits work ...so you have few wires too many ... make sure they are not live and tape em up .

Oh another bit I have tried in vain to find on a similar vintage T140 is the front brake light switch in the hydraulic pipework, that is supposed to be a 140E item... mine just has the god awful mechanical futtock on the brake pedal that explodes when you take the pedal off.

Just ride it no ones that anal that they will notice at the Cat N Fiddle ... if they do, gesticulate and ask where their conkers bike is parked cos you want to criticise it back plllppp

Happy riding Gromit

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