1946 VH 500 Restoration

[KenS]

Very nice! I watched the video -thanks for that!- and just enjoyd the ride seeing that headlamp bump up and down!
I could not really make out what the readings were but thats o.k.
You are going to spend many happy miles on the VG. well done!

Thanks Vincent. Yes, The AFR is a bit tough to see due to the angle and the jumpy display attributed to the camera shutter speed. It ranged from a rich 10.5:1 at WOT, 11.7:1 around 50% throttle. The stoichiometric air-fuel ratio (AFR), the ideal ratio for complete combustion, is approximately 14.7:1 for petrol engines. I am using 100 LL aviation petrol and it prefers to run (and smoother) fully advance timing which I set at the recommended 3/8" BTDC. I wonder now of setting it to 1/2" BTC like the VH would work better?

[Roger Gwynn]

Oddly my old firm sells semi-fluid grease for old gearboxes, probably the same or similar stuff but not marketed for cotton picking machines as we don't have any cotton picking cotton to pick.

[fpassmore]

I bought mine from a local John Deere dealership. Good stuff not perfect consistency but damn near.
Frank

[chris.shearwood]

This is the John Deere grease:
https://www.greenpartstore.com/John-Dee ... 02562.html

[KenS]

This is how my shock absorber looks!

[will_curry]

That's a mess.

With everything in place except the spring the sprocket should not be
able to turn freely. Later singles from 1956 had a slightly longer mainshaft
to move the primary drive out to clear the FERC if fitted. One of these
longer shafts in an earlier engine will allow the sprocket to turn freely.

[KenS]

I have ordered new replacements which are on back order, but in the meantime, I made up a few shims so that it would not be able to turn over the top, I have been able to ride approximately 85 miles now, running-in the engine and keeping it under 50 MPH, she is doing great with no heat seizes!

I had installed a magnetic drain plug on the oil sump base when reassembled the engine and decided to remove it after 80 miles and see what was in the magnet. Only a very tiny amount of a fine blackish material that I assume is from the cylinder wall and/or rings as the barrel is "running in".
So far, so good!