Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

Hi

I'd try acetone in an ultrasonic cleaner if you have access to one, if not, put the taps into a screw top jar and cover with acetone and leave as long as required, (shouldn't take too long).

Regards Mick

Must learn to type faster

I've been using this stuff on headlamp switches. Strips the tarnish off brass in few minutes:

https://priorypolishes.co.uk/product/no ... -solution/

Works great on watch movements too, in case your speedo needs a clean!

Thank you people.

[img[/img] As suggested soaking in acetone, Hopefully doing something as the acetone is slowly getting darker

Got the fuel taps soaking in acetone at the moment, but while that was going on I turned my attention to the magneto. Although I had encouraged it to spark, it only did it when it thought it would and most of the time it thought it wouldn't.

Once the timing cover was off it became apparent that the drive chains weren't the only ones that needed to be replaced. Even with the magneto pushed back as far as it would go the chain was still slack. It would be no more effort to fit a new one than it would to put the old one back on, so that's what I will do in due course. Once removed and cleaned up it was discovered to be a Lucas type MC1. Also it's stamped 729 which I am guessing means July 1929, as the bike was despatched from the factory 1 October 1929 I think that's about right.

Most Lucas items from about 1900 onwards are stamped with the date, this was done to prevent false claims under guarantee.

With the magneto away I decided to look at the primary drive. Having put the machine up on the bench and removed the outer chain case the state of the chains could be seen. As suspected both the drive and dynamo chains were quite worn out. As it happens the magneto chain was a not lot of good either, so all three will need to be replaced.
The clutch plates proved to be in quite good condition however it would seem that some previous “mechanic” had been inside the clutch before me and done or undone the centre nut with a cold chisel and hammer.

'Interesting' lockwasher!

With the clutch removed I was able to gain access to the gearbox sprocket which turned out to be not as worn as I expected it would to be.
But as I had gone to effort of making a replacement sprocket there seemed little point in not fitting it. Note, the large nut securing the sprocket had also been subject same hammer and chisel experience as the clutch centre nut. As such it was "dressed up" before refitting.

Decided to refit the clutch at this stage mainly just to prevent the various parts getting lost. For whatever reason one of the clutch springs was shorter that the other three, however have some odd ones about the place'
As an aside the gearbox and clutch centre nuts once the tab washers were bent back, both proved to be loose, despite or maybe because of the previous hammer and chisel treatment.