What follows is the blog I made on the run up to my first international in Sweden. I had bought the Bike as a part complete project and had the target of taking it on the Rally, what follows are my attempts to commision it for reliable running after I had got the MOT and registration process completed.
Went out on local trip to test clutch setup, went round Philipston onto Bo'ness road towards the Ferry. Lost all clutch control at Newton stopped at lay-by to readjust clutch and could not re-start kind chap in a HD sportster stopped and we chatted. Eventually managed to start and lost all clutch control after 200yds made it back to the old A9 but could not take one corner in third and stalled! Helen did her recovery act and we returned ignominiously home.
Bill arrived and replaced the clutch cable while I removed the Primary cover. It soon became obvious that the clutch basket was no longer attached to the shaft. The main problem was that a spring washer was missing and the nut had eventually worked its way off. There then followed a trek across Edinburgh on a Saturday afternoon to source a spring washer of the correct size. As most places were shut we were lucky to get one in a spares shop in Leith, thanks to Pilrig motors still being open at Four on a Saturday afternoon.
The washer and assembly were soon fitted and the bike restored to full (?) operation. A test run of 7miles was completed with the clutch still operating.
With a long lie-in and the dog walked, full of enthusiastic trepidation I set off. As the miles rolled by and I traveled the A89 past Bathgate I began to think yes cracked it! -er wrong. About 15 miles along into the ride, on a beautiful day, after motoring along on relatively quite stretches of smooth surfaced straight carriageways I turned on to a narrow twisty roadway with poor sight lines. Yes you guessed it - horse transporter turned out in my path and proceeded at 20-25 mph for 1/2 mile where I took the other direction (on principle) open the throttle and - lost a cylinder. Disaster had struck! I carried on, thinking, do I stop and see what's wrong? or do I carry on and try to get home? would Helen come and fetch me home again two days running?
Rightly or wrongly I thought I would press on, as, if I stopped with only one cylinder I might not get started again. As the miles clocked up I wondered if some irreparable damage might not be getting done to the engine. Still I pressed on and by slipping the clutch at the lights I made heavy weather of the 12 mls home.
To my mighty relief it turned out to be a broken Magneto Brush - oh joy.
Ordered Contact brushes from spares scheme after the spare ones Bill had did not fit.
Fitted new contacts, great service from the spares scheme. Re-painted the side panel again - how I wish I'd never started, now the Sperex paint is reacting with a previous layer. Rubbed panel down again and sprayed a sample with primer and sperex.
Sample panel Ok so I put primer on the side panel and rubbed down until satisfied then applied Sperex. It's still not what I want as filler edges are still visible but I need to get this bike on the road.
Went three laps of the back road round by Wheatlands Farm, approx 9 miles, its running quite well but will not idle and stalled at rest. Bill arrived and the poor starting when warm played up much more than before, eventually checked plugs and - no spark - wheeled bike in the garage and checked both plugs then HT lead without plugs - still no spark. Cleaned contact breaker and got one spark then nothing, then after some more effort and change of plugs some more sparks then nothing. Phoned Eddie who blamed Mag'itis and though the capacitor may be away, had this before but, was more a lack of power under load before cutting out, but could be early warning signs of dieing capacitor. Phoned advert I saw in old bike mart. Ralph Perry will supply reconditioned mag for £202 including p&p he explained in detail his workmanship and quality standards. I felt a bit more able to trust him and will send for new mag and some capacitors, although research on the web would indicate that it might be the armature windings, sigh!
Posted order for refurbished magneto. Took B40 out for consolation run did 6 miles before the gear lever problems forced my back. The shaft is unwinding from the quadrant!!! I should not have listened to Tam when he said it wouldn't unwind! I should have spot welded it- aaargh!
Had e-mails with Alf who gave me the phone number of a guy in Meigle who refurbishes magnetos, I'll contact him tomorrow.
Removed magneto in morning (7.30 am) and called Simon who quoted me £150 approx to fix it, however I can't really justify the expense for a spare unit. Bill lent me a magneto to keep me going then we went to the club meeting in the evening and talked about many things including my latest problems, judgment was that there can't really be that many more things to go wrong - hah. Much interest in the Tom Morton bag Helen won, any plug for the club generally being though to be a good thing.
Tested the mag Bill left and it give nice fat sparks. Bill dropped in in the evening and we fitted and timed the replacement mag. Bill checked the original mag and he thought he could feel a step on the slip ring which would be breaking the brushes. Eventually after much palaver we timed the G11 and got it running (took a while until we remembered to swap the plug leads around) didn't sound to clever, so stopped it and will return to it when fresh and thinking straight (make a change anyway).
Started the bike again and determined that the timing was too retarded from the facts that it starts without kickback on full advance and has no power and backfires on opening the throttle. I moved the timing to more advanced but was not happy, so back to square one and full timing set up. I noticed that the contact breaker assembly moved when the cover was off so I bolted it up with the cover off while I timed it, also replaced spring washer with plain one as suggested by Ralph Perry when I phoned him. He will pack and sent my magneto today with luck and I hope to get it at the weekend. So no excuses weather permitting more miles need to be logged.
Off at 7.45 am for a quick blast down to Pepper Wood and back three time total of 11mls. Actually I say quick blast but it was more like a gentle putter as the road cannot be driven very fast at all, did see a police car by Pepper Wood sneaking road the back ways. Too tired this evening for a excursion especially as it was cold and windy. Adjusted the front wheel bearing to run a bit more freely and adjusted the ignition advance cable to operate better. It all took time (turning down a 2BA bolt to a cheese head screw as well) so enough for today.
Raining today so put in some OT at Alva, went out again in the afternoon when it had dried up. I went to Duntarvie Castle and back still running OK so went down by Wheatlands farm where I ran out of petrol, but no problem, just switch on to reserve? Well! yes reserve worked and petrol flowed once again, if only it would start! I can't believe it another magneto with exactly the same fault. I was hauled ignominiously home again by SWMBO who was strangely less than pleased, how did she think I felt?
Broke a plug on getting it home then could see a spark when fitted with another plug but there was no spark at Wheatlands, run it stationary for full ten minutes to see if fault could be recreated. The engine was very hot and might benefit from being more advanced but did not cut out. I should have tried to restart it but was in hurry for evening meal.
Out at 8am to try again 12 miles up and down the road to Boathouse bridge as SWMBO would probably not come out again, so soon, as she says I shouted at her yesterday (as if). Came in and again it would not start when warm with no visible spark. Eddie and Willie Muir both AMC gurus of great standing say get known good mag. first, waiting for delivery is a problem though. Got some leather trousers at Perth though and they fit well.
Took B40 out later to try new trousers and did 6 miles before imminent rain curtailed further trips. I feel so frustrated.
Working late and trip to Stafford curtailed any excursions. Magneto did not arrive and am feeling profoundly depressed about it, Helen phoned Ralph Perry on Thursday and he STILL had NOT posted it. I try to put it to the back of my mind, and will start to prepare the B40.
Still feeling shattered after Stafford trip where I got some stuff for future needs Model8 etc, but did get Oxford throw over panniers at a good price. Did 72 miles on B40 round Linlithgow road twice and in to Grete & Alecs and back. Oil leak in rocker box to fix and misfires under heavy? acceleration, plug a bit white looking so a carburetor adjustment required.
Magneto arrived fitted it in the evening and it started ok. Took 2 hrs so by 9.30 I didn't want to road test it.
26/4/05 Tuesday
21 miles in the morning and restarted it 4 times, first kick usually. Great!.
Eddie recommended that I sort out oil leak on RHS Barrel, so stripped it down and noticed that oil was present at the head gasket, some crap was blocking oil way so cleaned it and refaced head joint with emery cloth (280) on plate glass surface. Took off barrel and bottom joint was saturated with oil, cleaned it all off and filed it as flat as I could, put new gasket on with sealant but, couldn't get piston into barrel: eventually after trying to source a piston ring compressor I used some thin aluminum sheet which worked a treat, stopped at 10pm.
Fitted tank, exhaust and seat, attempted to start but after five kicks no joy, swapped plug leads and hey presto away we go on first kick. Ticked over for 5mins with no visible leaks, will road test when weather improves.
29th Friday
Out at eight am and did 39 miles round the local lanes and up to Linlithgow and back ran well with no obvious oil coming out of the engine.
Met Bill at his house tanked up at the services on the A720 and we went round the Pentland Hills the wind was against us on the way down but a steady 45mph was possible at least Bill kept up at that speed. After west Linton on the Dolphinton straight I was able to reach an indicated 60 with more gas on tap but the wind battering effect was bad enough at 60. We tuned off on the Dunsyre road and burbled through the hills on deserted roads with the lambs seemingly in every field almost within touching distance. Just outside Newbiging a 4x4 pulled out in front of Bill and faffed about before zooming off I was so engrossed in watching this that when I was overtaken by a car it was a nasty surprise, such are the perils of driving on seemingly deserted roads, you can lose concentration. Called in at a friend of Bills but he was out so we returned by the A70 (The Lang Wang) I went on ahead traveling at a steady 50 -55 and slowing down from time to time to let Bill catch up. I left Bill at the Kirknewton turn off and went back to Kirkliston traveling 62 miles. Persistent leak of oil from bottom still there, I have tightened the oil feed pipes already so it must be from the gearbox.
Tightened the gearbox screws and refilled, I shall keep a close eye on this to ensure its fixed. Put handlebar mirror n clutch side of machine for continental travel.
Not feeling to good today, so did other non bike tasks, however did do 8miles in the afternoon but had to turn back as the toolbox lid would not stay shut. Fixed this but ran out of time for more driving.
Raining off and on all day but dry at 4pm so I went up to Grangemouth looked at the house we have bought area still seems to be OK. Went to Skinflats, Carron, Falkirk, Brightons, Maddison and Bathgate then home. This journey was 50 miles and was a more urban mix than before the weather stayed dry but with heavy dark overcast clouds and occasional sunny spells, quite nice really. Bike performed quite well but the brake light switch had gone out of adjustment again so tried another fix. Oiled the rear suspension again and checked for oil leaks, nothing very serious.
No time in the morning to go for a drive and weather appalling in the evening.
4th May Wednesday
Short trip to Linlithgow and up the back of Bo'ness and back along the coast road to South Queensferry about 21 miles wind quite strong and sky dark and quite cool, good practice.
Took the bike to Alva as it lets me get practice and do some work. I started along on the motorway and things were going fine for about 1/2 a mile and then the engine began to falter and die I limped along to the next exit fortunately only about a mile further on with the engine catching and faltering. I pulled up at the first opening I could and it ticked over quite nicely. Checked out the bike and I think the fuel tap was not pushed properly in and I was getting fuel starvation. Anyway continued on through Bo'ness, Grangemouth, Skinflats, Kincardine, Alloa and Sauchie with no problems and was doing an indicated 60 mph on the Clackmannan bypass. After getting some tasks done it was time to go to Crossgates so with Helen following in the car. I was doing 65-70 mph round the bypass apparently although I was indicating 55-65 mph so I will have to take this into account when traveling.
After we were finished at Crossgates went home across the Forth Bridge the wind was gusting strongly and the surface appeared greasy with a moderate shower in progress. I survived anyway and made it home through heavy traffic, 58 quite hard miles with a fair amount of town driving took its toll on the old wrists but the weather apart from the trip home was very good and a very enjoyable ride.