Sq4 finally completed...

[adrie.degraaff]

That's a 1913? Bradbury motorcycle.

[Brian.Fosh]

Whooyeee

I received a crisply folded V5 today for the Ariel

All in all, it was pretty quick ...

I sent the VMCC form for an age-related number in the week of Christmas eve and received confirmation back the same week
The volunteer VMCC inspector came on the 2nd January
and the statement of search was sent back to me on the 17th Jan.
I then hung around a Month before actually sending the paperwork off to the DVLA on 21st Feb
... And the V5 arrived today .. 2nd March

So Christmas hols and my delays apart, it was around 5 weeks, 3 for the VMCC and 2 for the DVLA.

No complaints from me.

Best go charge the battery now... Oh.. how long will take to get the number plates pressed!

Brian.

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Great fun! reads like you're almost in need of a diaper!

[Brian.Fosh]

Hi folks.
After changing my diapers after the last post and clearing the cobwebs from my crash helmet...

I took the mk1 out for its first 60 miles today. Just a bit of clutch slip found when I snapped the throttle open ... but I only tried that once since i'm running in.
I'll put an extra turn on the clutch springs tonight.

The handlebar clutch lever gap had closed up after 10 miles. I think the Ferrodo style plates were slightly "furry" after 50 or so years in a box. All i had done with these was wire brush off any glaze and rinse in petrolso I think this had picked up the brass weave at surface. The gap never closed up again after adjusting the cable.

I'd first run it 10 miles "around the block". I also twigged at that stage that the Mk1 Lodge CN's spark plugs were getting too hot with the mk2 IMD pistons i've used, getting a very occasional miss after warm up (twice!) ... I fitted Mk2 temperature plugs with Mk1 length of thread instead. (B6HS run fine)


I stopped to top up petrol half way and forgot to open the tap as I pulled away. After stalling as I pulled on to the main road!.. it missed for a mile.. which I think was just the carb gettting hot while i had refuelled. However, at that point Jacks Hill Cafe came in to view ... so what else could I do but suffer a fry-up. It started and fine about 45 minutes later for the last 20 miles return home.

I just need some sunny days... something else on backorder right now.

Regards to all

Brian

[paul.jameson]

Well done Brian - award yourself a little of whatever reward you fancy. It is possible that you suffered a degree of clutch slip for a little while. Ferodo plates seem to expand when they slip which can result in loss of slack on the clutch cable, hence more slipping and so on. I would watch them carefully for a while and be prepared to adjust the clutch cable as necessary whilst out on your rides. Slipping doesn't seem to damage ferodo plates though so once they cool down again all is well (and you can re-adjust the clutch cable.)

[Brian.Fosh]

Thanks Paul.
That's useful to know. I tightened up the clutch springs today and put another 70 miles on it.
The clutch still slips just a little under load If I open the throttle fully at 60 on an upward incline but i won't be doing that while I continue to run it in.

I'll invest in a new set of springs for sure, possibly new plates once i've had a closer look at them.

Regards all.

Brian.

[paul.jameson]

These days, I have taken to using cork plates throughout because they will work happily with far lighter spring pressure than ferodo plates. Perhaps it is old age on the left wrist. I am under pressure from a well known AOMCC member to get a batch of springs for cork clutch plates made by my tame spring maker so that he can enjoy light clutches on his bikes.

Are your clutch centre or clutch basket slots badly worn? That wear, combined with a clutch stripped down and reassembled differently from when it was dismantled can give rise to slipping. By assembled differently, I am talking about clutch plates being rotated in relation to where they previously sat in the basket / centre. I doubt that many of us mark the plate to the slot in the basket or centre. Rounded tabs on the plates combined with rounded slots in the basket or centre can cause trouble.

[Brian.Fosh]

Hi Paul,
You make an interesting comment and my plate set, for sure, has been shuffled more times than a deck of cards in a casino
I've had plenty of bikes with cork clutches but all ran in oil and none hung off such a powerful engine. Interesting to hear cork can run dry.

Regards, Brian.

[Brian.Fosh]

Hi,

After 300 miles, I tightened the head gasket today..it only needed turning one flat on each nut.
Tappets had closed to zero from 0.001" in a couple of places but all were still free to slide sideways on the valve ends so I was ok with that.

The bike hasn't burnt any oil. iIm really very impressed with IMD pistons/rings and T&L's diamond cutter rebore.

Tickover has been slowed a few times now as it runs more freely
I had B6HS plugs fitted. They are all quite pale/white so I've gone to slightly colder B5HS to see what they run like.
I've got the clutch springs wound in quite far now and the clutch slip has stopped, but i'll still get new plates/springs at some point as I must be very close to the springs being coil bound with the clutch pulled in.

I've raised the foot pegs quite a bit to avoid grounding.
A symptom of the engine being so tractable, I found myself lazily taking even quite slow bends and mini roundabouts in top gear... at slightly more pace than I ought.

The Morris SAe 40 Golden Film oil remains pretty clear, unlike the Halfords 20/50 "classic" that after 10 miles of first running went quite black even with my paper filter canister in the return line.
I think the Halfords oil struggles with the temperatures in the head. The Morris applications engineer suggested golden film when I described the engine format to him and I think he made a good call. I would have otherwise gone multigrade. I'll take it up to SAE 50 at around 5-600 miles.

The kickstart returned past its stop on to the back of my heel today... The stop pin had started to protrude from behind the intermediate casting.
I pushed it back in by hand but next time it works out, I'll pull it out, clean and refit with Loctite retainer.

My uprated 35/35 Watt quartz bulb drew way too much for the dynamo to balance the charge and I had to "gun it" in the dark to get to club night in the week .. So I've fitted a 25/25 Watt today and it charges well enough to reach the pub in the dark at a more leisurely pace.

The brakes are bedding in ok but are not great. The front brake lever was stopping prematurely on to the twistgrip body so I have moved that around a bit.

Well .. there you go. that's probably/hopefully the bulk of the settling-in adjustments out of the way.

regards

Brian

[simon.holyfield]

I've been away from mine for a week and your description is making me miss it! It sounds like you are having a great time.

What was the oil pressure doing? I have Penrite 40/70 in mine now, as it goes quite low when it is hot. Same experience with Halfords 20/50 though.

I think you will find the brakes take a while to bed in - the front is not brilliant, but it's not dangerous.

I'm also using B5HS, as I've had the same experience as you.

Lastly, I have an LED lamp in the rear, which I combined with a 35W halogen - that was a problem living in the city but since we moved to a more rural environment it's been ok. I have a LED in the front as well now - we'll see how it goes.