Sturmey Archer engine settings.

[smartfella]

Hi All.

Has anyone got the valve clearance, points settings etc for my SA 350cc side valve engine.
It's not been started in a long time and i believe the settings where wrong.

Thank you.

[R]

Thats a very good question.
I have a Raleigh (engine project) and I've not seen those specs in print anywhere ?
Nor any booklets/leaflets on them which may have such details.

Magnetos have a fairly stock 0.012" points gap, and the ignition timing - which is adjustable
with the advance/retard lever - will be something like 30 to 35 degrees btdc.
Or say 1/4" to 3/8" btdc at full advance.  It will need to be retarded for starting.

The valves in sidevalve engines don't need big clearances, so say 0.005" to begin with,
and perhaps a shade more if this is not enough on riding it.
If it proves noisy it may need a shade less.

Wonder if there is a marque specialist with the VMCC  ?
Very likely given that Raleigh and Sturmey Archer was quite a large manufacturer.

[cardan]

Worth checking the valve timing too: at top dead centre on the non-firing stroke that the exhaust valve is probably just closing and the inlet just opening.

If there is overlap (unlikely on a vintage sidevalve), it's usually evenly spread, so that both valves are just open at TDC.

If there is no overlap (i.e. there is a period where the exhaust has closed, but the inlet is yet to open) then the exhaust usually closes at TDC, and the inlet opens after TDC - maybe 10 or 15 degrees. Strange but true.

It's good to know what the manufacturer intended, but realistically the valve timing on an old engine is rarely to exact spec due to wear and manufacturing tolerances.

R's clearances will work fine, although I'd leave the tappets a bit looser - maybe 10 thou. I cannot tell a lie: I've not used a feeler gauge on a side-valve tappet for years.

Have fun, and let us know how you get on.

Leon

[33d6]

It's a Raleigh engine. The Raleigh/Sturmey Archer Group sold their Raleigh engines for use by other manufacturers under the Sturmey Archer banner. You just get the appropriate Raleigh info. It would also be useful if you included the engine number as that is helpful in identifying exactly what you have and may even tell us what it was originally fitted to.
Cheers,

[john.k]

The little Ransome crawler tractors had a Sturmey engine..........the 350s were often fitted to Atco mowers......IMHO ,the SA was a much better engine than a JAP,and had a proper lubrication system,not something cobbled out of  1910 era bits.

[smartfella]

Here you go 33d6. Engine numbers in photo. 3423, 16H

My dad bought it many years ago for a project. Sadly he got cancer and lost interest before he could start it. After 3 battles in 15 years he lost the last battle. He passed it onto me with no info at all. Sadly i know little about SV timing. I'm still learning as are we all i'm sure.
Ta for the help all.

[R]

Aaah eeerrr can we see a pic of the whole engine ?

16H is a designation usually found on a model of Norton
sidevalve engines, although it may just be a coincidence ?

[john.k]

A 16 H engine will have 79x100 on it ,and a Norton number,no mention of 16H.......the pic shows a wide mounting boss,typical of an industrial motor.

[33d6]

I hate to say this smartfella but that engine number is totally unlike any Sturmey Archer factory engine number nor is it anything like a Raleigh factory engine number.

Raleigh went to extreme lengths with the codes in their engine numbers and particularly with those they sold under the Sturmey Archer banner. Depending on the year you can find the full engine number includes id codes for engine size, engine type, ohc, sv or ohv. Front or rear mounted magneto. Oiling system. The actual engine number. Customer code and finally, year number. With all this  on an engine you got a big range of letters and numbers but nothing like yours with a few numbers and a different size 16H stamped on the end.

Raleigh sold the Sturmey Archer variant from 1928 to 1933 which is when they reverted back solely to bicycles and dropped all motorcycling activity so no Sturmey Archer engines after 1933. This wouldn't stop some obscure firm from making Sturmey Archer copies after that though would it. For example, locally Victoria Railways made a gazillion J.A.P. engine copies for their gangers trolleys and the like. Same thing could have been going on elsewhere.

Tomorrow I'm off to see my daughter for a few weeks so won't be saying much here but hopefully will see what others have to say about your engine. A few pictures would be nice. There's nothing like a mystery engine to suck us all in is there.

Cheers,
 

[john.k]

A smartfella might be sure the maggie is sparking OK before worrying about the valve timing......In any case,if the engine has compression turning over,the valve tiiming  is likely good enough to start it....the engine has but one camshaft ,so its likely right .

[smartfella]

Some more photos.

[smartfella]

And another couple.

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
The engine looks just like this one that sold recently on fleabay except for the green paint 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-sturmy-archer-engine-350cc-barn-find-project-bobber-/323882483310?

Plenty pics on the link

John

[R]

Yep, Sturmey Archer engine through and through.

Looks like these is quite a bit of the original bike there too,
with frame forks wheel and gearbox clutch visible in those pics.

[33d6]

No, not original Sturmey Archer but a look-a-like fair copy probably made by Ransomes Sims & Jeffrey of Ipswich.

As mentioned above Raleigh stopped all motorcycle activity in 1933. We know their gearbox rights went to Norton who continued making them for their own use. (Dollshead gearbox? Pure Sturmey Archer.) We know they sold their Raleigh 'Safety Seven' three wheel car business which became Reliant. We also know Ransomes Sims & Jeffrey were selling their Ransome "Overgreen" gang mower in the 1950's powered by what they claimed was a Sturmey Archer engine when it obviously couldn't be.  RS&J were a big Raleigh customer and as a major agricultural engineering business and major commercial lawnmower business had the manufacturing facilities to make their own engines when Raleigh stopped supply. I suspect they bought the rights to the Sturmey Archer engine, made their own version and that is what we have here. As was the eBay example in its green engine plates. I'll keep chasing this on my return from visiting daughter.

There's nothing wrong with this except where does it leave smartfella?  Where does that leave him with the engine settings that he first asked about? As we know with J.A.P. this type of engine is usually detuned somewhat for industrial use. Smaller carb, softer cam timings and so on. Is it the same with smartfella's engine? All lots of fun ain't it.

Cheers,