What have you done with your bike/s today?

[Worty]

Tell me Worty... what horrible experiences? I've used these things for years without probs, just that the spare one I've got needs attention -(as a spare) as I say.

Heh, here we go then:

#1 - original with the bike, stripped all its teeth after a few thousand miles.
#2 - original 'repaired' by Rivet Man - stripped its teeth after a couple of thousand miles - found rivets were all loose.
#3 - bought a spare - teeth stripped again - probably due to ancient fibre wheel?
#4 - bought a second spare - fell apart when one of the counterweight posts decided to let go.
#5 - put on one of the spares I'd repaired (#3), which was replaced by Bergs with a brand new one (#6) he had when he rebuilt my motor (no confidence in it).

The cost of all this was loads of fibre wheel particles whizzing round the engine, countless removals of sump plate to check gauze, oil changes, timing cover off to clean out particles, resetting timing multiple times, etc, etc.  Also, due to #4 disintegrating and depositing bits of metal into the engine, a tooth got chipped off one of the timing gears (also replaced by Bergs on the rebuild).

All in all, Bergs said my motor was one of the worst catastrophes he'd seen, mainly due to the Rivet Man botched rebuild and the ATD issues.  If you have time, you can read all about it in the thread 'Worty's A10 Engine Rebuild'.

Apart from the engine rebuild costs, I would estimate that I'd spent around £500 on ATDs, although I did repair and sell a couple for about £100-ish.  I think one went to the US and one to Israel (before the current troubles kicked off)!!!!

Once again, hats off to Bergs for the superb engine rebuild - still running sweet as a nut.

[CheeserBeezer]

Very nice bike - hope it is an SRM engine.

I pass through Holmfirth quite a lot on my rides, nice town but very busy.

Please, don't mention ATDs to me - horrible experiences.

Yes, it is definitely an early SRM engine - I knew that before I bought it. It has a reference inscription in the timing cover which I've checked out with SRM - that's how I know they built the bottom end in 1992. The end-feed, and casting and oil seal in the timing cover look familiar SRM.
We pass through Holmfirth occasionally too.

[Joolstacho]

Oooh errr What a nightmare mate. Then we need to account for the millions of miles put on thousands of bikes that worked faultlessely.

[Worty]

Oooh errr What a nightmare mate. Then we need to account for the millions of miles put on thousands of bikes that worked faultlessely.

Maybe just unlucky, or something was amiss from the RM rebuild, who knows??  All I do know is that since the new ATD went on after the Bergs rebuild, there's been no problem.

I'd say most of the problem was very old fibre wheels that had deteriorated over time (I think they swell slightly and get a bit soft, or brittle, or something??), and had been kicking around someone's garage for 40 years??  The RM 'rebuild' was laughable, and the one that disintegrated was probably just worn out (or 'repaired' by a PO).

Eventually, I ended up repairing 3 units (was it Andrew (CB) who posted the instructions on the Forum?).  Two were sold and one I ran up until the Bergs rebuild (I also sold that one, I think??)

[Joolstacho]

Well mate you went through the wringer for sure! The unit on my SR seems to be excellent, it's just that long ago I found a pretty good spare that I thought I should restore I'd better check it out tomorrow, see if it's worth it... be a matter of getting the parts to get it up to scratch I think. Understand that Andrew would rather not send overseas, (understandable), I'll check it out in the morning, (but there might be a cricket match to look at though... hahahaha! Suck it up boys). 

[Worty]

Well mate you went through the wringer for sure! The unit on my SR seems to be excellent, it's just that long ago I found a pretty good spare that I thought I should restore I'd better check it out tomorrow, see if it's worth it... be a matter of getting the parts to get it up to scratch I think. Understand that Andrew would rather not send overseas, (understandable), I'll check it out in the morning, (but there might be a cricket match to look at though... hahahaha! Suck it up boys). 

Don't mention the b****y cricket.  Us Poms surely know how to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory - spineless and gutless!  I also follow Liverpool FC with my son - that's also a shambles at the moment.

[Joolstacho]

Well poor Liverpool at the mo'. I'm Bolton Wanderers so I can't talk... though we're looking close for the Championship League next season. 

[Worty]

Well poor Liverpool at the mo'. I'm Bolton Wanderers so I can't talk... though we're looking close for the Championship League next season. 

It's the hope that kills ya 

[Catz]

Yes it's looking a bit grim at the moment. I've been a Liverpool fan since i was 9 years old when they lost to Arsenal in the 71/72 FA Cup Final.
As of today we're 12th in the league and i just hope we don't go the same way as Man U, God i can only just bear to write that LOL, when they got relegated to the old 2nd Division way back in the 70's.
But it's all ups and downs and don't forget folks it's only a game.
Keeping with the theme of the thread though, i looked at my bike today

[CheeserBeezer]

Oooh errr What a nightmare mate. Then we need to account for the millions of miles put on thousands of bikes that worked faultlessely.

(was it Andrew (CB) who posted the instructions on the Forum?).

Yes, guilty as charged!

[CheeserBeezer]

Generally, I don't like the look of float chamber extensions and, TBH, they're unnecessary. However, I do use them for curing distorted float covers by turning them down. They don't distort like the original covers. I'll clean the excess gasket paste off later, with reference to the attached picture!

[greybloke]

Got me bits back from the finishers today and have set it up in the winter workshop (others call it the dining room. They are wrong). Tidy powder (bubble wrapped) and delicious paint (foam wrapped).He even threw in some Xmas biscuits. Decorations may have to wait to go up.

[Worty]

Very pretty GB2, just don't get upset at the first time you knock a chunk out of it because the bloody thing doesn't go together as it should.

[Colsbeeza]

I have been chasing ignition problems with the Lilac. It is a flat twin 500cc, so I replaced the twin-points single-cam ignition with a Russian Ural single-points twin-cam ignition after very poor ignition and advance problems. Went sort of OK for a while, but after resetting ignition timing, carburettor float levels etc. it now won't rev without misfiring. Starts with difficulty but idles nicely . So yesterday ordered a Megger and an adjustable spark plug-tester to go a little further than I ever have to chase the spark effectiveness. No such problems with the BSA. Thumbs up for magnetos.
Col

[Swarfcut]

Col.. Try the easy stuff first. Sticky points pivot, weak return spring, failing condenser, coil past it's best and poor wiring..... At least these are easy to access and test. Cheap inline spark testers well worth a diagnostic punt.

Swarfy.