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 - Oggers

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 ... 11
31
British Bikes / Re: Timing cover leak
« on: May 21, 2022, 08:46:19 PM »
Well I now have a new band seal to fit around the chaincase. I'll also give some thought to pouring in some warm tallow to help seal the base of the joint - as one handbook advises - or some modern equivalent perhaps? I really do loathe the things! Never seen a truly oil-tight banded seal yet.....   

32
British Bikes / Re: Timing cover leak
« on: May 20, 2022, 12:20:40 PM »
Ian

Well quite.. why Velocette and others could not emulate Ariel and heaven forfend - Triumph - in providing a proper cover goodness only knows. Penny wise and pound foolish springs to mind....I wonder if such an arrangement put folk off buying them back in the day? As an aside, there is a school of thought which suggests that not putting in any oil in the chaincase at all and simply spraying the primary chain with lube every now and then may suffice. After all, that is what is done with the drive chain.....

33
British Bikes / Re: Timing cover leak
« on: May 19, 2022, 12:23:00 PM »
Ian

I agree that Velo clutch adjustment is not straighforward. However, I find that if it is done right, changing gear can be just sublime. My MSS is near perfect. The Viper has yet to attain this peak of peeling perfection as I have the leak on the kickstarter housing to address first!

I would have thought that a flanged cover at least instead of the useless banded cover would not have been that more expensive to produce. Certainly the Velo club recommends these as being a great improvement, and I am tempted myself. Pricey though....     

34
British Bikes / Re: Timing cover leak
« on: May 19, 2022, 11:34:07 AM »
I am not convinced that poor design such as a pressed steel chaincase can be forgiven on the altar of misty eyed nostalgia. The Ariel has cast covers, proper gaskets and adequate fixing screws around the peripheries, and most Ariels are pretty basic workmanlike machines and priced accordingly.  As far as I know it has never leaked oil - despite me removing/replacing them several times.

I agree that other traits of old classics are about the experience and the delight in riding and maintaining such venerable machinery, but for me, the pressed steel chaincase is a poor design rather than a mere characteristic or foible, and one is left with incessantly trying to make a silk purse from a sow's ear.     

35
British Bikes / Re: Timing cover leak
« on: May 18, 2022, 10:59:07 AM »
Ian

I am an engineer, and in my humble opinion, a pressed steel chaincase which is liable to warping and made in two halves to hold lovely permeating warm oil is about as far from sound engineering practice as a chocolate teacup. Yes Velos are pretty, nice to ride, and the engine is remarkable for a single, but in some other respects, a little flawed. Mind, I had a Matchless G9 which leaked oil like the Exxon Valdez. Dynamo seal, chaincase, head, bottom end, to name but a few points of hydrocarbon incontinence. Eventually I just gave up on it and sold it....

My 46 Ariel VB600 has - as far as I know -  not leaked at all in 8 years of ownership. Superb old SV thumper. Pig to start sometimes though....         

36
British Bikes / Re: Timing cover leak
« on: May 18, 2022, 08:17:25 AM »
Gents

Thanks for all the advice. The thicker gasket and the other screws appear to be sealing things. I cannot feel any trace of oil at the base of the cover after a run so here's hoping the thicker gasket has worked. Naturally I now appear to have drips from the pressed steel chaincase - and therein is a whole other story of course! Quite why such a prestigous marque as Velocette went with that deeply flawed design is beyond me!   

37
British Bikes / Re: Timing cover leak
« on: May 16, 2022, 04:20:14 PM »
Ian

Yes appreciate the comment. I'll run it and see if it leaks again. If so, helicoil perhaps. Can you obtain such a small helicoil?
What about re-tapping thread perhaps?

38
British Bikes / Timing cover leak
« on: May 16, 2022, 03:36:58 PM »
As well as a small leak from the kickstart housing, I appear to have a slightly more severe weep from the bottom of the timing cover. I have since removed the cover, cleaned up the mating surfaces, and replaced the very thin gasket with a thicker one cut from flexitallic fibre sheet - about 1mm thick - along with a smear of Wellseal both sides. However, I have since found that one of the 3/16 screws - one at around 7 o clock - near the base of the cover where the leak was - does not tighten, indicating that the thread is stripped within. Another PO bodge had been made with some PTFE wrapped around the existing screw. The cover looks a much tighter fit and it is quite possible that the other screws will be adequate, but any thoughts as to what could be done here? I am well aware of helicoils, but anything else a little simpler - and at the risk of another bodge - a self tapper perhaps? just to obtain a bit of a clamping force in the vicinity.

Many thanks 

 

39
British Bikes / Re: Sealing petrol taps into the tank
« on: May 16, 2022, 08:16:41 AM »
Thanks chaps- I have used Dowty washers and all seems well - so far....

Supplementary question if I may. The kickstart bush appears to be weeping oil. This is the main bush through which the kickstart shaft roatates. Bit of weep which is somewhat annoying. Apart from renewal, is there anything I can do here please?   

40
British Bikes / Re: Sealing petrol taps into the tank
« on: May 13, 2022, 08:18:16 AM »
Just to be clear on fitting the tap

Before fitting, place Dowty washer or fibre washer over the tap end to make flush with the locknut
PTFE tape/soap - whatever onto the exposed portion if the thread
Screw into tank boss - lever facing outwards
Do up locknut

Is this right?

41
British Bikes / Re: Sealing petrol taps into the tank
« on: May 12, 2022, 11:42:36 AM »
Ian

Why Viton and not Nitrile? I thought Viton was for high Temp only?

42
British Bikes / Sealing petrol taps into the tank
« on: May 12, 2022, 10:54:01 AM »
Chaps

Quick Q please

I have now managed to shear my reserve petrol tap on the Viper. I have ordered a new one as below

https://www.groveclassicmotorcycles.co.uk/A26R-Petrol-Tap---Lever-Type---Reserve

Clearly the L/H side 1/4 BSP screws into the tank boss. Any advice as to sealing methods please? The old one simply had a Dowty washer and I am not sure if that is adequate.

 

43
British Bikes / Re: Poor running - very smoky!
« on: May 12, 2022, 09:09:41 AM »
Rex

Yes - I have seen similar on other carbs. The pilot screw slot broken off! Mine really did need what I would consider excessive torque to seal it. I wonder if a small O-ring would help at the mating faces? 

44
British Bikes / Re: Poor running - very smoky!
« on: May 11, 2022, 03:08:05 PM »
Ian

When I removed the carb to clean it, I did remove the pilot, and screwed it back in as far as I thought necessary without wishing to damage it. Clearly it wasn't enough. It did need to be screwed in pretty firmly - far tighter than I would have thought. I'd estimate it only took another 1/8 turn or so, and it really took some torque for such a small screw - perhaps the seat isn't great?

   

45
British Bikes / Re: Poor running - very smoky!
« on: May 11, 2022, 01:02:24 PM »
Right

I think I have cured it. For information sharing purposes and for others, I did as follows.

I checked the level with a clear pipe attached to the pilot jet and held up the other end to the pip on the float bowl cover. Fuel level was spot on.
Checked out the (brass) float, the needle valve and the seat - all good. Cleaned them all up - again!.
Checked main needle seating, the jet block, cleaned out main jet - all good

No joy- thing won't start at all well, and when it does, it smokes worse than a Chinese factory.

Brainwave - I had another look at the pilot jet, all good, and screwed it back firmly into the recess. It now starts and runs as before - result! What I think was the cause, is that the pilot jet end was not mating fully with the sealing face within, allowing petrol to pass through and flood the mix. Lesson learned. It also now appears to idle OK. We live and learn.

Pages: 1 2 [3] 4 5 ... 11