summers end update

[benet]

Hi Guys, We had a glorious summer here in NZ and i managed to clock 500 klm's just cruising around Sth Auckland on the A7. Even managed to get my first speeding ticket!!
I now have more confidence to go further afield but that will need to wait until next summer as i'm about to put the rego on hold for the winter.
The solid copper head gasket has worked well but i will remove the head again as there are some small oil seeps coming from that area and i suspect it is because i used spring washers under the head bolts. I did not have much luck with the copper gaskets on the rocker covers, despite having the head face machined and doing the covers on a sheet of glass with wet and dry sandpaper. I have reverted back to the paper gaskets with a silicone sealer but even then it is still leaking a bit.
Also planning to strip down the gearbox and replace the 3rd gear as i can't stand the irritating whine any longer, despite trying two different oil additives to quieten it down.
On the subject of noises, the motor runs well but i have concerns as it seems quite rattley. Not having heard these running before i have no idea what is acceptable. My stethascope indicates the primary chain is little noisy and i did tighten it with not much effect? I have checked the tappet clearance many times and they are nicely set at .015"
A bit of noise also coming from the generator chain area so i will attend to that.
The communications on the Forum continue to be interesting and helpful, long may it last and for those in the north, enjoy the summer riding.
Regards. Ben
 

[morris]

Also planning to strip down the gearbox and replace the 3rd gear as i can't stand the irritating whine any longer, despite trying two different oil additives to quieten it down.

Nothing to worry about, they all do that sir...

Try a search, and you'll find lots of posts on the forum regarding that subject, and seems to be for 90% about 3th gear.
Wonder if anybody got an explanation why 3th gear?

Anyway, winter is a great time to take things apart with a hot cuppa on the side, so enjoy it. before you now it, it'll be summer again

[RichardL]

Talking completely out of my hat here, but wonder if it isn't the case that 3rd gear gets overworked because we want it to be taller, so we could go to forth at higher speed and lower revs. That's how I feel, at least.

Richard L.

[wilko]

Close up your tappet clearance and some banana skin should fix both problems!

[RichardL]

That was my thought too, so I looked up the longstroke A7 clearances and was surprised to see them spec'd at 0.015". Nevertheless, maybe you (Wilko) have some special knowledge of this, of which I know nothing. No big surprise there.

Richard L.

[muskrat]

This is what I did to quieten the primary of the '51, also did it to the A65. A piece of $2 nylon cutting board attached with 4 well countersunk screws. Done a few thousand miles on them now. The chain plates wear grooves till the rollers contact then there's no more wear.
Cheers