New Member New bike

[MarkMazurek]

Hi all,

Ive upgraded/downgraded my ZB32 to a Ariel square four 1957, ill stick a few pics up if I can work out how.

It was MOT'd 2010 and looks restored but was my uncles and is an unknown quantity. Any tips for start up and if it looks original? Totally new to SQ4's. The engine number appears to be XJ259 but Im unsure of the frame no until I see it again in the flesh. Im sure I read somewhere you need to be careful with possible blocked oilways?

Any help at all much appreciated.



Mark

[MarkMazurek]

<a href="http://s750.photobucket.com/albums/xx14 ... 0426-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx14 ... 0426-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[brenton.roy]

http://i750.photobucket.com/albums/xx14 ... 0426-1.jpg

Hi Mark, welcome to the group - any yes, it's an upgrade. A little heavier, but a very nice bike to ride.
All the bits that I can see are right for '57, short of really pedantic stuff like the clutch lever and chrome on the clutch cover.
It looks a very nice bike.
The engine number is a little earlier - '53 or so.
Re the oilways, unless you pull the engine down and clean them, it's a bit of a lottery. The short version is that oil gunge collects in the crankshaft oilways, starves a big end and a rod exits.
re startup, I'd definitely replace the fluids. Check the piston moves freely in the carby, and that there is a litle bit of oil in the primary case (just touching the chain).
Good luck! - Brenton

[MarkMazurek]

Thanks for the welcome!

What oil do you suggest for the bike? Is it just straight 40? Guessing multigrade isnt an option or is there a good oil filter in the bike? I need to read a bit more, I just want to see how it runs though.

Thanks,

Mark

[adrie.degraaff]

The front mudguard makes it 1956.

[brenton.roy]

No worries Mark, we're a good bunch!
Thanks Adrie. You're right. I've always called my Mk2 a '57 as apparently it was delivered then, and it has this guard (frame ML).
Mark, the legend is that Multigrade was designed for the Square Four engine. What oil to use can cause a lot of debate, but what I do is to use good oil, changed often - depending on the bank balance, 500 to 1000 miles, as I don't use it as a daily bike.
No, there's no filter as you or I think of one, but they are available aftermarket - from Draganfly, ebay (Norton type) etc.
regards, Brenton

[MarkMazurek]

Update.... the bike is amazing, it started straight away with new fuel, so smooth, not sure what all the fuss is with the goldstar!!!!

It has a boyer electronic ignition. I have ordered a dragonfly external oil filter, has anyone any experience of fitting one?

Thanks,

[Danny.Lee]

Hi I just stripped a basket case VB that had been left standing for some time. The main issue was rust / pitting on the balls and races of the big end and mains. Also, the oil supply line to the big end was almost completey blocked with congealed rust/old oil even an airline wouldnt clear it needed wire to poke out the biggest block.

Worth noting there was no measurable wear in big end or mains. what I think happened was the bike was left standing and all the oil drained out of the bearings leaving the upper (dry) side exposed to corrosion pitting. In each bearing pitting was only present on one side of the race affecting about 30% of its circumference. I also think the oil had time to congeal though I think a big end failure must have been on the cards sooner or later anyway, cos that blockage must have been building for a while.

The moral for me is that any engine not in fairly regular use must be considered suspect if only because of the risk of corrosion to bearing parts.

Regards

Danny

[david.anderson]

My experience is just like Dannys in that every Ariel that I have stripped had pitting in the ball races and often in the roller races including roller bigends (singles), and sometimes a ring around the bore.
All engine oils become acidic due to combustion. Hydrogen Sulphide is a by product of combustion and when combined with water forms sulphuric acid. Ariels engines appear to form condensation internally fairly readily. H2S +H2O =H2SO4. Modern oils have some antacid to help combat the problem but older oils did not.That is why engine oil must be changed by mileage or time,whichever comes first. It is not just the particles in the oil you need to get rid of, it is also the acid.
Unless the engine has been in regular use I would recommend the engine should be stripped and the crankshaft oil ways thoroughly cleaned.
You should ensure that whatever oil you use is high zinc and phosphorus. These additives used to be common anti wear inclusions in oil but were removed following the introduction of unleaded fuel as they rapidly destroyed catalytic converters. They are however essential in any flat tappet engine to reduce cam wear. I use 25w - 60 gas(lpg) oil as it contains high zinc and phosphorus, and my engine is new and maintains good oil pressure with the lighter oil. Generally look for an oil that is marked as suitable for older vehicles.
David

[ben.mitchell]

I agree that the shallow front gaurd with a nacelle and full width front hub makes that bit of the bike 1956, I have only seen the left side of the bike but on the right side it should have the one gallon larger oil tank introduced for 1956 but the drain plug at the bottom was only added in 1957...so apart from the usual method of checking the frame number this would be another way of checking, plus the number on the gearbox after the GB7 bit tells you the month and year of mamnufacture.
Nice bike
Ben