New Member 1952 A10 won't start.

[Rookie_V#60]

Maybe you can weld in a sheet like this, so that nothing can fall into the input channel

[RichardL]

John, I, too, noticed Muskrat's misspeak regarding our names. Musrat, are you running ether in your machine and fueling-up in an uventilated space?   Maybe you could ask me the same, since I knew John was Irish, but forgot in the heat of typing.

Regarding the head, since a new one doesn't seem that expensive, I can see the point of just gtting a replacement. Though, transport from Melbourne to Peoria (for example) wouldn't be cheap. However, if this was a 1915 Indian, or the like, no one would be suggesting throwing out the damaged head, instead one would be very happy to have it. Oh, and speaking of Peoria, for those of you who don't know, it is the international home and maufacturing center for Caterpillar equipment. I have to guess that it would not be difficult to find a qualified welder of cast iron at a very high skill level (like a retiree who's started a little side business). All this said, js52GF, guys like Brian and John and Muskrat (and more) really know their stuff, so, this isn't really a debate.

Richard L

[bsa-bill]

for those of you who don't know, it is the international home and maufacturing center for Caterpillar equipment

Why do I have in my mind an image of an A10 on tracks

[muskrat]

 Sorry for the mix up John/Richard. I thought John's flag was French but then remembered their flag is WHITE.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/181055614654;jsessionid=F7029CAD9EE2F5AD31149B545BF599D1?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D181055614654%26_rdc%3D1
At that price it's a no brainer.
Cheers

[wilko]

  The fence i welded in was folly Muskrat.We got an astounding 10mph faster though. Never bothered to pull the head off and dremel the separating wall out We just replaced the motor with a hot B33! Have about 4 M20 engines now used as doorstops!

[chaterlea25]

Hi All,
Yes Musky thats the way to go and being in the USA post shouldnt be a deal breaker
Before I read your last post I was looking on ebay for a head as I knew I had seen one in USA recently
I also saw this one
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Very-Nice-Complete-BSA-A10-Cast-Iron-Cylinder-Head-C54-/280803911555?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item416137a783
But that maybe a later type??

I also saw this twincarb head that has seen better days
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bsa-a10-a7-650-gold-star-a10rgs-twin-carb-cylinder-head-/251226808589?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a7e48e10d

and a single carb ally head in need of much$$$$$
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bsa-a10-a7-650-alloy-single-carb-cylinder-head-/261167739328?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3ccecf71c0

Cheers
John

[js52gf]

I spoke with a local Triumph mechanic that said cast could be brazed. Then I made a small sheetmetal patch to cover the hole and had it brazed in similar to what Rookie_V#60 suggested. By the way it was definately ported, they even hit the valve guide. I am goint to try to get things put back together & start kicking again tommorow.

[RichardL]

js,

Two questions about this:

What does it look (or feel) like inside the port?

Is the brazing truly well adhered to the cast iron? The photo is slightly out of focus, but it seems like the margins of the brazing are too defined an not necessarily melded with the cast iron.  Remember, if this material breaks away, either in the port or down the pushrod holes, a disaster is in the making.

Richard L.

[Stephen Foster]

The brazing doesnt look to have fused correctly from what I can see in the picture ..Im not a mechanic but would have thought that any roughness inside the head would lead to pre-ignition ?

I am experienced in brazing & welding & dont like the look of that repair ?

Sure "Chaterlea" & "Muskrat" would be able to comment further ?

If You are prepared to organise carriage from U.K I will give You a better A10 head than that ?

[muskrat]

 OK now that you've gone down that path I hope it works. I tend to agree re the brazing not penetrating and doubt if you could get enough heat there for a good bond without too much distortion.
Next thing to check is the valve seating. It might be good but the guide may have been stressed a tad from the heat. Give the valve a light lap to check. The we lap them all in, don't we. Once going keep an eye on the plugs for difference in colour. I'd put money on there being bias.
Best of luck with it mate.
Cheers

[kiwipom]

Hi guys, having done a lot of brazing in my time I do know that you need to get the whole area very hot and the area that you are brazing needs to glow red, then it needs to cool slowly to avoid cracking. This would cause a great deal of distortion in areas like valve seats/head gasket area and even valve guide holes, so if I was you I would procure a replacement. Steven has offered to supply one for the cost of post or I can do the same, good luck with you option of choice cheers, Bob

[RichardL]

Well, JS, I guess you see just what kind of people you've fallen in amoungst. They'd rather give you a freebie than let you risk the problems that might come from welding or brazing.

Richard L.

[js52gf]

First let me thank you all again for all the great input. Hope I havn't offended anyone by not following thier advise, most of which would have been the better path to take.
I must confess the repair was done in my own shop. My business partner is the designated welder. He was having dificulties while brazzing & braze was only sticking to the sheetmetal patch. I am experienced in soldering & felt what I was seeing was the equivalent of a cold solder joint. I attemted do some of the brazing & was able to get a small area of casting at the top of the patch to glow & accept the brazing rod. I could not get enough heat into other areas to get the cast metal red hot. My partner resumed attempting to finish the job. After the head cooled completely, I removed some of the excess braze with a burr tool, took a couple quick snap shots (the 2 posted), cleaned the area with a wire brush & enamel reducer. Then I applied a thin layer of JB Weld over the brazed area. I tested the patch adhesion by using a large screwdriver as a lever to press from the valve side outward. I feel the patch is much better than the one I scraped off. Today I smoothed out the inside of the intake port & lapped the valves before reasembling the head.
With all that being said, I did get everything put back together today & run the engine for a minute or so. With the weather being cold I didn't want to run much longer & let all the heat out. The engine sounded great to me, I expected more noise from the rockers being set with .015" clearance but didn't realy notice it. I had left the rocker covers off to see if I could tell oil flow was good. I didn't notice much oil movement around the rockers but didn't have good lighting & the bike was sliding on the kickstand backwards if I didn't hold it back. I felt it was best to ground the kill wire to stop & maybe make another attempt in the morning.
 

[muskrat]

 Good to hear she lives mate. Just keep an eye on the plugs for difference (bias).
What's the plan for it? Ride or sell?
Cheers

[Rookie_V#60]

I think brazing was the best way for doing this job. We always brazed broken finns and never had problems with it even on havey vibrating engines. Took always old saw blades for finn replacement.
Cheers Rudolf