Weekend debrief

[Steffan]

With the bike serviced and running well and more spares and tools
than you can imagine; I head off to the ferry for my big Irish
adventure. The waters were calm, I meet up with my mate John on the
other side and we headed for our first stop on the way to Donnegal.
After about thirty miles we stop to fuel up and I notice a little
noise like something rubbing or air induction. As I had fitted an
S&B inside the airbox I assumed it was just the new sound of the
bike breathing.

As we nibbled away at the 170 miles to our destination the noise got
more and more intrusive, until I became convinced that I something
had worked loose in the primary case, but as the bike was going well
we finished the last few miles and pulled up at the campsite. On
removing my lid and earplugs I was greeted by a terrible noise from
the engine. We left it overnight and in the morning I turned it over
on the starter only to be confronted by a hollow, guzzling rubbing
sound from the bottom of the motor. Removing the gauzed drain plug
below the crank was inconclusive. The was one speck of what might
have been white metal but then it could just have easily been a bit
of the braze from the gauze itself. Cranking the motor on the kicker
with the power off however, revealed lots of lovely gitter in the
oil that was passing out from the bottom of the crankcase.

The trip was over!

Recovery and repatriation took three days.

After all the preparation and care in ensuring tools and spares were
on hand, to say I am gutted is an understatement.

When the bike arrives home it will be stripdown time I guess.....

Steffan
PS Summer seems to have been turned very quickly into a winter of discontent...

[Bill Rutter]

Bummer, sorry to hear this. I hope you're back on the road again soon mate.

[Andy M]

That is a real bummer.

I always feel sick standing at the side of the road until I know just what I broke.

Good Luck and let me know if I can help.

Andy

[002]

You have a few spares !
Wonder if any of them will be of use ?

Got a few things here at home....oil pumps,points,gears...odds and sods !


Jethro

[002]

MMmmmmm....time for a Hitchcocks crank and high capacity oil pumps ?




Jethro

[Steffan]

Nice thought but I am fiscally strapped at the moment, so it will be floating bush and bearings. Assuming that is what is wrong with it.

Preoccupied with setting the points on the "animal" so she stops kicking back and spitting through the carb whenever I try to start her. Fixed the fuel leak though...

Steffan

[Andy M]

Nice thought but I am fiscally strapped at the moment, so it will be floating bush and bearings. Assuming that is what is wrong with it.

Preoccupied with setting the points on the "animal" so she stops kicking back and spitting through the carb whenever I try to start her. Fixed the fuel leak though...

Steffan

A pint of something sootheing for the man with the frizzy hair who was just setting his points "live" please barman 

Andy

[002]

Nice thought but I am fiscally strapped at the moment, so it will be floating bush and bearings. Assuming that is what is wrong with it.

Preoccupied with setting the points on the "animal" so she stops kicking back and spitting through the carb whenever I try to start her. Fixed the fuel leak though...

Steffan

Thats You...That Is !!!!!

Not giving it a Manly Swing !
Must admit the points hardly go out of adjustment.

Give It a good long hard swing !    You Tickle it and she will kick back !

Got to get it just right,more so now.Because the G/Box ratios have been altered,that in turn has lowered the kick start ratio.
I found it more awkward than my old Velo. Till you get the knack !

Jethro

[Richard]

Trouble is he's had the mettle bred out.  Australians obviously getting too used to electric starts on Enfields........

Nearly took my foot off !

Richard

[Andy M]

They are getting fuel injection next year. On the pictures I saw, couldn't see if they'd kept the manual start/auto eject device.

How does this sound: 30-ish HP, 500cc, 80 mpg/300 mile range, push rods, no carb/carb rubbers, still air cooled, 5 speed unit gearbox, bigger battery, single disc on the front.

Near to my perfect spec once the catastrophic pervertor is off and it's up over 30 horses. 

The snag: You could buy a 12 month old Bonneville for the same cash and it'll be a year before someone comes up with a properly developed exhaust and chip package 

Andy

[Dave#22]

Sad news, been there and done it, I had a similar experience a few weeks ago in France. We were out for the day on DR notso BIG, when after stopping for an icecream, it wouldn't start.....no spark.....1 1/2 hrs later after removing the tank, seat etc....still no spark, we left it there and hitch hiked back to the Camper, 6hrs,115km,6rides and a short taxi ride later we were back at the Camper at midnight. Picked up the bike the following day and still no spark, so when we got home a few days later I changed the CDI....still no spark, then changed the stator.....and it fired straight away. If we go abroad next year I will take out breakdown cover, if I can on a 21yr old bike.
   Good luck with the repairs
     Dave

[bullet350]

Injection Enfield Roadtest:

www.realclassic.co.uk/enfieldelectra.html

i can't help but think that the whole point of the enfiled was the fact that it was outdated. still, i'd rather see new enfields i don't like than watch the company go under (a la the entire brit bike industry).

bullet350

[Steffan]

Trouble is he's had the mettle bred out.  Australians obviously getting too used to electric starts on Enfields........

Nearly took my foot off !

Richard

Mettle all bred out is it? Ha!!
I have now found the knack, it's a bit S&M really, a tickle, followed by a choke, followed by a bit of judicious kicking seems to get her motor running.

Steffan

[002]

Of Course !!!

I did Show You !!!!     

And that was with stale petrol and flat battery !!

Bet The Neighbours Love You Now !   


Jethro

[guest40]

"Trouble is he's had the mettle bred out."

Nah, with most roads leading out of Perth being straight for thousands of kilometers, we dont need to..... oh yeah... Steff's from Tassie.... OK I concede defeat.... you are right!