Ariel Owners Motorcycle Club

roger.fellows wrote:That's quite similar to the later Mk11 with duplex chain. Looks fine. The later is longer. Have you checked that the chain has a 'ramp' introduction to the tensioner rather than a step? Certainly looks as though it has.

Thanks Roger. Yes, there is a slight ramp at the start. I thing I might extent the width at the top and bottom on the edge nearest the crankcase wall; to stop any potential twist of the saddle on the axis of the stud. If the saddle is closer to the wall, it would always be straight.

Good thinking, the duplex one bolts to the crankcase and fits in a slot to fix all three dimensions.

I thought you might be interested to see my approach to line boring the timing side mains. It uses the same principles as your but arguably from the opposite approach!
It is possible to use the support for the Weller tensioner used on Mk I and early Mk II engines on the 4G. You need to make a short bolt with a hole down the middle which goes in the end of the breather hole to hold the support on.

Nice to see those photos Paul...and that adjustable reamer looks like a good quality one rather than the rather poorly made Indian ones...

Is that a domed nut on the top of the timing chest? Is that instead of the rivet for the fibre rubbing strip? Just about to replace my strip, so quite interested....

Yes Paul, the fibre rubbing strip on this engine is held on with screws and dome headed nuts. The owner is someone who likes his bikes to be individual rather than standard. I replaced the fibre rubbing strip on my own engine using the time honoured method of rivets but you do need a second person to assist in the task. It worked out OK though. If your tensioner for the timing chain cannot slip, you don't need the fibre rubbing strip. Ariel didn't fit one to the Mk I or early Mk II.

Hello Paul as a Steam Locomotive fitter your not doing such a bad job on the 4G.

There are some cheeky individuals on this Forum!

OK, I admit it - I have worked on both these engines in the past year.

IF you have done your training at the Railway Workshops you should be pretty well grounded in the basics.. Have you ever poured new white metal around a crankpin Paul? Nev

Now I'm puzzled. I looked up NELPG but I'm no closer to guessing which railway it might be loaned to in Herefordshire - or were you at the NYMR?

Got any good tips for someone toying with volunteering for loco operations at the North Norfolk Railway?

Many years ago a guy I knew talked me into volunteering for a railway preservation group.......Of a week day he was a mild mannered clerk in the public service..........weekends he turned into Captain Bligh.........I think I was sacked for failing to take him seriously,or maybe it was stories of cutting up locos for scrap that upset them....Steams nice on a cold day,but their yard was at the old Swanbank Powerhouse,all black coaldust covering the ground,and acres of rusty iron......talk about hot in summer......and beer was banned .