Primary case

[Ethelred]

My bikes a '59 A10. According to the handbook the primary case has an inspection hole for clutch adjustment and a double nut drain and level plug. Mine has neither. I know it's been replaced but I'm curious as to know what with, as all the ones I've seen have at very least the drain/level plug.
I presume then that it's just a case of filling it with the right quantity of oil and no way of checking the level.

[Beezageezauk]

Hi Ethelred,

The chaincase you describe didn't come out until 1960.

Yours should have 2 retaining screws with fibre washers fitted.  The higher one is the level screw and the lower one is the drain screw.  The inside of the outer cover should be cut away slightly at the holes that these screws go through.

Beezageezauk.

[Ethelred]

Thanks, that explains it.
As I haven't got the cover off could point out which are the relevant screws as I can't see any fibre washers.
Apologies for posting this in the wrong section.

[Beezageezauk]

Ok, I'm sure that the level screw is the one directly below the curvature that goes around the footrest.

I can't remember which one the drainscrew is but if you remove the front-most smaller headed screw and oil will come out of the hole if that's the one.  If no oil is visilbe, replace that one and then remove the next one towards the rear of the case.  Check for oil again.  Repeat this sequence until oil is visible.

I have a tiny pop mark on the outer case next to the drain screw but some folk paint the head of the screw so that they remember which one it is.

Beezageezauk.

[Ethelred]

cheers mate, just the job.

[trevinoz]

Looks more like a 1960 and later on your avatar.

[Ethelred]

It's been restored, somewhat inaccurately, but the numbers match the original log book and it's definitely a late '59 according to the dating numbers on the owners club website.
It's got that classic 'rocker' look which is what appealed to me.

[morris]

Don't know if this could help?;

[Ethelred]

Excellent. Thank you Morris.

[a10 gf]

Just a reminder about the availability of complete Instruction Manuals > http://a7a10.net/forum/index.php/topic,454.0.html (source of the scan above).

[morris]

Thanks for the reminder E.
Couldn't remember where I got it from (think it's an age thing.... )

[KiwiGF]

Ref the diagram in yr post Morris, just to add complexity to this....my chain case on my 56 has just the filler cap not a clutch adjuster cap, and the first of the smaller screws has a hole in the top of the PCC "bulge" through which the screw goes, so the oil has to reach the top of the bulge before it comes out with the screw removed. That screw I reckon is the 'fill level" screw on my case and the 2nd bolt has the "bulge" cutaway which I reckon makes it the drain screw.

So that makes my case different from the diagram. But then maybe my case is off a B31 or something! Or someone has modified it. The bulges on the bottom are quite chewed where the chain has hit them, and there is some welding on the bulge where the 3rd screw fits.

The haynes manual has the same diagram by the way.

The manual also says there is just 95cc of oil in the case but I've found it needs more like 200cc otherwise the chain runs dry.

[morris]

Now you got me intrigued.
Does it look more like this?;

[Ethelred]

The plot thickens. Beezageeza reckons it's a post 1960 cover, but that one in the picture is from the earliest swinging arm models. Not that it matters, I've got the idea now, but does that mean there are 3 different primary cases fitted to the s/a models over the years?

[bikerbob]

 Yes there were 3 different cases fitted to the swinging arm models the earlier ones only had the one inspection and  filler hole then when they did a model update and changed the headlight cowl exhaust pipes silencers hubs and I believe they then changed the clutch from the six spring to the triumph 4spring they the changed the primary case to give access to adjust the clutch springs. Then  when they produced an alternator model they had to fit a different primary case to accomodate the alternator these models are quite rare as they were produced mainly for the police and needed an alternator for the  extra electrical  eqiupment such as radios and extra lighting but hey still retained the dynamo.