A Derbyshire Summers Day

[Pete Gray]

I took the A7 for a run out into The Peak District yesterday, this photo on the back road out of Bakewell looking towards Baslow.
The bike is running well after sorting a catalogue of issues following the collapse of the dynamo drive idler sprocket apparently 'seizing' the engine.
After getting a van drive home I started by stripping the top end fully expecting to find a damaged bore etc. Eventually stripping the timing side revealed the damage which I cured by fitting a belt drive, cost £85.
But that lead to a bad oil leak caused by using an old tube of blue hylomar sealant, no good!
On stripping again to replace the offending seal I then discovered that the magneto pinion was suffering a huge amount of play at the bearing, so off it came and I had the bearings sorted by local firm Armoto (New Whittington, Chesterfield) Seems they've done a good job but it cost me £90
Then I discovered that the breather hole on the inner timing case was blocked (and always has been) with a very authentic looking cross head screw which I couldn't shift. This casing has been on the bike for many years so presumably I've never had a breathing crankcase?? So dragging a spare casing out of 'stock' the engine is now reassembled and all OK with very little oil showing at the breather.
And I think that the engine is running better than before, perhaps not a surprise ?
Anyway, it was a sunny day so all is well !

[Greybeard]

Fabulous! 

[RichardL]

Pete,

It's beautiful. No one (except one of us, maybe) would look at that bike and think there could be anything wrong on the inside. Glad you got it sorted. Time to enjoy.

Richard L.

[chaterlea25]

Hi Pete,
I'm glad you have the bike running well and enjoying some fine weather
Here on Irelands South coast I have lit the stove tonight 
It was recordded as the coldest July in 50 years here, August hasn't  improved much

Ok back to the A7
I'm not sure which breather hole you mean?
The breather exit is on the drive side crankcase more or less pointing to the gearbox sprocket
The hole on the underside of the inner timing case is meant to be blocked off, its where the crosshole  to the breather exit was drilled at the factory

Regards
John

[RichardL]

Based on what John said, does that mean you now have an open hole in the inner timing cover that shouldn't be open?

[Pete Gray]

Err, yes !

So it's back to the old drawing board then ................................

[muskrat]

I'm A bit surprised the oily right boot wasn't a giveaway  with the plugged hole unplugged.
Cheers

[duTch]

....

..... dragging a spare casing out of 'stock' the engine is now reassembled and all OK with very little oil showing at the breather.

...so if this one doesn't have the

... very authentic looking cross head screw

,
 then maybe yo've found a shortcut no one knew about....

[Pete Gray]

OK, slightly embarrased here but its nothing that 10 minutes with a 3/8" plug and a decent dollop of Araldite won't cure!
And funnily enough there is very little oil emerging from said hole
(Note to self 'Check if there's any oil in the tank!')