Timing when refitting gear leaver

[MikeCrook]

I do not appear to have the timing marks refered to in the workshop manual for aligning the quadrant and gear shaft .

I have tried trial and error at first only seemed to have 3 gears then stuck in a gear permanently.

I have a CP gear box 1936 ng/350 , help please

[will_curry]

Mike,

Some photos of what you do have may be helpful. All the CP boxes I've met
have had marks on them but none have been pre-war. If I get time
tomorrow I'll dig one out and take some pictures.

[paul.jameson]

I have prewar boxes with the timing marks. Like Will, I haven't seen a box without them. I have just looked in the workshop for bits to photograph for you but I don't seem to have a set and I can't find a decent illustration in a manual for you. From memory, at least one of the marks is a 0, rather than a centre punch mark.

I could envisage the mark on the quadrant being missing if someone has turned it round at some stage to even out wear but I can't see how the mark on the shaft could be lost.

If all else fails, get in touch with Geoff Brown (gearbox spares) who should be able to provide replacement parts.

[Pete.Silson]

Mike

Alan Moore has an excellent video on YouTube of a BA gearbox:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plr2YoDyr8Q

The BA gear selector is the same as a CP. He shows the alignment marks at the end of the clip.

Pete

[MikeCrook]

Thanks everyone

I am awaiting replacement springs from Drags and will try again, don't know how I will align the shaft and quadrant if I cant timing marks aren't there !

Heyho the joys of owning a vintage bike , still while its off the road the wife won't increase my

Life insurance.

[MikeCrook]

Help again please,

I found the timing marks and aligned them as youtube demonstrated after fitting new gear change pawl and springs. I am unable to select 2nd and 3rd gear. Ist , neutral and 4th ok,
The selector seems to get a neutral possition for 2nd and 3rd. I greased all the assembly but did not replenish the oilgrease in the case. The gear leaver was sticking at first but then freedup on test run and sprang back as normal. Any ideas please.

[GuyWalton]

When i first did the gearbox refit on my square four the gears were difficult to non existent . Until I found out that the neutral referred to whilst refitting the outer casing is infact a false neutral between second and third . Refitted in that position and everything worked perfect . So find that false neutral and then line up the dots and it may work .

[Roger Gwynn]

If you get the timing wrong you will lose 1st or 4th, depending on which way you have it wrong. When I was 17 I was lucky enough to have a Vincent as my 1st british bike and after re-building the 'box I had this trouble so I rode without top gear to a guy in Coventry that I had bought parts from and he fixed it FOC because he said it was fun to do because he hadn't worked on a Burman box for a long time. He supplied parts on invoice, trusting people to send the money after receiving the parts, which is what I did when I started Draganfly 10 years later and was rarely disappointed in the honesty of our community.

The Vincent had cost me £15 and, yes, it was a Comet.

[MikeCrook]

Thanks Roger and Guy. With your advice I have rectified the problem.
So glad I joined such an understanding club, it probably wont be long before I'm looking for more advice . I haven't worked on bikes since a teenager , now 66 and prone to age related mistakes , but determined to do my own repairs. Look forward to returning the favours some time.

The council here in West Wales help with the authentic feel of riding a pre war bike by refusing to maintain the roads for decades.

Thanks again