The Cotterpinkid's GF Update

[cotterpinkid]

Hi Folks,

Thanks for the warm welcome (my previous topic). As a reminder it's a '57 GF Plunger that has been stood for 10 years in the shed (following a rebuild and only 527 miles) and in a fit of something I've dug it out. Anyway...

Magneto - this was slightly suspect so I took it to Tony Cooper's, the insulation is braking down on the winding so it's sparking everywhere, a bearing was loose and a few other bits and pieces need doing.

I've stripped the engine down to the crankcase mouth just to see if there's any problems due to it standing for so long. Everything is nice and clean, there are no marks on the bore where the pistons have been resting, the inside of the crankcase is nice and clean, there's a bit of carbon on the head and piston crowns due to running rich (276 carb through the vokes air filter), the rocker box and pushrods look fine. So far so good?


The start of my daft questions:

It's a late (1957) Plunger would BSA have still fitted the 276 carb then?

Where do I get a 'quality' gasket set from (it's had an SRM end feed conversion if that matters for gaskets on the timing side)

The kickstart shaft is worn where the kickstart lever cotter fits, my initial throughts were to have it built up with weld then machined back...any thoughts?

Carburation isn't a strong point with me and evidently it had very run rich are there any pointers for setting them up (I'm perhaps a little early with this question!). If I recal the carb used to flood over when I first started it up, then it would be okay until the next time it was started.

Cheers

PS

I'm almost getting excited that it'll be running again!

[Brian]

Things are coming along then CPK.

Carby, should have a monobloc, 376/1.   1 1/16", 240 main jet, 25 pilot and a 3 1/2 slide. .106 needle jet.

Start with standard jetting and see how it goes. A crook maggy will show up as running rich when there is nothing wrong with the carby.

With the cotter pin you can get the shaft built up as as you suggest or buy a new shaft. A quick fix is to put the pin in from the other direction.

I buy gasket sets from C@D's and have always been happy with the quality of the gaskets.

The plunger A10's are great bikes, I am sure you will love riding it when you get it on the road.

[alanp]

The timing side gasket you need is a special SRM one. I'm not sure that C&D can get you a timing side gasket to suit the SRM end feed conversion. I had to get mine from SRM after getting a set elsewhere with a normal timing side gasket.
Alan

[cotterpinkid]

Thanks for the responses Chaps,

The reason I query the carb is that it's a very late A10 plunger (1957) and although they were originally fitted with a 276 GG I would have thought that the carbs BSA fitted would have moved on with the times a bit. However, both the service sheets and Roy Bacon's book still show a 276 fitted right up to 1957 on the A10 plunger, but (as an example) if I compare the carbs used on the A7 (given on service sheets) it shows it being changed from a 276 to a 376 from 1955/56 onwards. The 276 that is currently fitted to the machine is built to the original A10 Plunger spec. Any thoughts?

(Perhaps this needs moving to the carb section of the forum?)

[LJ.]

If that carb came with the bike then I'd leave as is. Its a good carb I've found, using a twin set up on my early A7 plunger and one on my 47 M21. It needs special attention and understanding as it is prone to overflowing, check the brass pin in the float bowl is seated correctly and ensure float is the correct hight. You can remove the top of float bowl to experiment with petrol taps on but keep the bike upright.

[cotterpinkid]

Thanks LJ,

The bike originally came with a concentric (30+ years ago) and high compression pistons (not sure how high but there was a fairly hefty dome on them). When I rebuilt it (10 years ago) I decided to soften the tuning up and fit standard pistons and fit what I thought would have been the original carb (276). I didn't have it on the road much after the rebuild so didn't get as far as checking the carb out / setting it up, but as far as I can remember it would overflow pretty well when I first started the bike up. I'm more use to monobloc carbs and need to learn a little about setting 276's up.

Just about to order the gasket set / tab washers etc so I can put the top half of the engine back together (whilst awaiting the mag. rebuild).  I'll be back in touch when it comes to the carb and setting it up (if not sooner as I'll be having a peak at the primary side and gearbox).

Cheers