What have you done with your bike/s today?

[CheeserBeezer]

Which A10 Andrew?

This one! 1958 swinging arm, bog standard model. Been everywhere with it!

[Worty]

Nice!  I notice the choke is on the handlebars, where I have mine.  I keep it fully off all the time as I tended to find it would come on whilst riding.  Have no problems starting it, although it can kick a bit if one's effort is not fully committed.  Have the same mirror too, but on the left (just don't like mirrors on the right or those long things sticking up like antennae).

Is that Beemer on the left a /5 or /6 - was thinking of getting one recently.

Think I'll keep the A10 (SORNed today) for more local runs (up to 100m) until I can be assured of reliability a bit more (maggie is fine, by the way).  Kwaka arrives on Thursday, so will use that on longer runs/further afield/two up, etc.

[CheeserBeezer]

I think they moved the choke onto the frame in 1960. The choke lever can be tightened up to stop it turning on by itself. Not sure what the beemer is.

[Worty]

Evening all.

Took the A10 engine to the Esteemed Bergs for an investigation.  Thus far, we have a problem folks:

1. Timing side bush is knackered with up to 15 thou play up and down (I guess that's in addition to the end float).  Bergs reckons it's the worst he's seen.
2. Crank has been bodged on the previous rebuild (by my 'engineer' mate who can't rivet ).  Either that or he's just rebuilt with a bodged crank.  Threads had gone and Bergs says it looks like someone has had a grinder on it.
3. Oil pump was loose, so oil pressure down.  Bergs reckons it was a miracle that the big ends didn't give up.
4. Blow back through piston rings - and one of them is cracked.
5.  Possibility of worn inlet valve guides.

This is before Bergs splits the cases to examine the crank.

I reckon this has the potential to be very, very expensive - possibly beyond my pocket money - watch this space folks.

Big shout out for Bergs - sound bloke, very knowledgeable and great to talk to!

[Worty]

Pictures, courtesy of Bergs!

That feeler gauge was 15 thou!!!

[berger]

as my old house master used to say after his lectures to us bad pupils ," have you anything to add deputy house master" and he always had to have his say. so just to add the oil pump being loose and the bit of gasket missing that helps to stop distortion will no doubt have contributed to worty's oil return problem. and lets not forget that the feeler gauge is wide so there could be 20thou of lift 

[muskrat]

G'day Worty.
Criky M8, it's a wonder it went at all  A testament to how rugged our A motors are.
I rebuilt my A7 because it had 8 thou up and down and thought I was lucky not to have blown her.
Andrew at Priory Magnetos was able to supply most of the parts needed at quite reasonable prices. You've got all winter to sort it.
Best of luck with the crank.
Cheers   

[Worty]

... and I struggled to comprehend how Berger's  bike managed to run on a broken crank.

Depends on the extent of the problems and, subsequently, what the bill is likely to be!  Maybe some very tough decisions ahead.

Did spot a crank on Ebay that looked good - for £350 - but that'd only address the first part of my issues.

BUGGA!!

[berger]

another problem is where someone has ground the crank end away and the threads giving all probability of the worm drive to the pump shifting all over the shop because the threads that are left are not good at all

[muskrat]

... and I struggled to comprehend how Berger's  bike managed to run on a broken crank.

Depends on the extent of the problems and, subsequently, what the bill is likely to be!  Maybe some very tough decisions ahead.

Did spot a crank on Ebay that looked good - for £350 - but that'd only address the first part of my issues.

BUGGA!!

How many grandkids can you sell 

[berger]

worty just one more thing --- as columbo said----- your breather cork wasn't thick enough and there was too much float so that hasn't helped things either 

[Worty]

How many grandkids can you sell 

I've five in Oz (Manjimup, Perth),  £200 a piece if you're interested Musky.  Call it the Worty Bike Memorial Fund.

[Worty]

worty just one more thing --- as columbo said----- your breather cork wasn't thick enough and there was too much float so that hasn't helped things either 

JEEZ!!  BUGGA!! F*S!!

I started doing my own car/bike mechanics, DIYing, plus a pile of other things because I didn't reckon the 'professionals' did a particularly good job.  I had two Mazda 323s back in the '80s that used taper-roller bearings on the hubs.  Even I knew, after checking it out, that you nip up very gently, then back off a little to allow the bearing to seat but not tight.  On the first occasion I had one replaced by a local mechanic who belted it up tight and I had a front wheel lock up at 50mph (just after going round a tight r/h bend).   On the second occasion, due to the same reason, my pregant wife with my son in the back lost a rear wheel completely (sheared the stub axle and ended up in a field).  Fortunately, she'd also cleared some tight bends and was on a straight stretch.  Both occasions happened on the same stretch of road 1.5 miles and about 8 years apart.

The moral of the story is that if you want a BSA job done properly, do it/learn yourself or get Bergs and/or other long time British bike owners to do it for you.

[Worty]

How many grandkids can you sell 

I've five in Oz (Manjimup, Perth),  £200 a piece if you're interested Musky.  Call it the Worty Bike Memorial Fund.

Sorry Musky, they're not my grandchildren, they're my nephews and nieces.  Looks like I'm so desperate, I'm trying to sell my sister's kids, still....... it's for a good cause.

[berger]

  take the flywheel off, counter weight the crank,  stick it in the lathe,  turn the shaft down,  shrink a sleeve on, screw cut a new thread, mill the slot back in for the lock washer, but first find man with amazing skills to take the job on