Sooty plugs, running rich - where do I start?

[trevinoz]

I agree with Trevor, run them in hard and quick.
Must be an Aussie thing.

[BSA_54A10]

Wouldn't know about that.
John Healy is more American than apple pie and it was him in my cyber ear that changed my views or rather made me give it a try to prove him totally wrong.
Been paying homage ever since
Don't believe in hero worship any one and every one can be and will be wrong at some point in time, but credit must go where credit is due.

[Kickaha]

I agree with Trevor, run them in hard and quick.
Must be an Aussie thing.

Any bike I have "run in" it has just been ridden as normal, including the A10 which only has about 300 miles on it since going back together

[Rocket Racer]

Back in "the day" in period big road tests, the issues they had were typically around gearbox bushes seizing on unbroken in bikes being thrashed. Typically slogging a sidecar with two blokes to John o groats and back

The big no no has do be : do not labour a fresh engine. Typically only an issue if the bikes being ridden two up early on or has a chair.
Revs are good, as is variation.
I do tend to take a big of care with fresh gearbox bushes, but other than that follow Muskrats edict.

Lots of oil changes.
rings appreciate being worked hard and early.

[Butch (cb)]

I'm with GB on this one.

Meanwhile, I had heard tales of heat cycling during run in. As in trips that were not too long, not to short. Is that pretty much BS then?

[BSA_54A10]

bedding in rings and running in a complete motorcycle are not the same thing and should not get confussed.
Manufacturers stipulated the running in regeime to avoid potential problems and get a consistant results from completely new engines in completely new motorcycles.
brakes had to be bedded in as did gearboxes bushes and valves.

However our bikes are well run in by the time we are reringing the engines.

[CrispinA10]

This was a complete rebuild rather than just new rings, but based on what's been said I'll certainly be treating the bike a lot less gently when I get it back next week. I should say that the bloke who is looking at it in Dover says that was not engine oil leaking overnight but gearbox oil, as suggested by several people earlier in the thread. Happily, it is not through any expensive bearings, but something to do with the speedo cable routing, which I will find more about when I pick the bike up. He is setting up the Amal (sorry Wassell) and says that it wasn't quite right the way it was set up by Draganfly, but I assume that was because all A10s are slightly different. Anyway, greatly looking forward to getting it back sorted and giving a bit of work to do. Shame it's so flamin' cold here in the UK (which would probably be considered mild and balmy where some owners come from).
I'll report back what he says on the sooting issue where this thread started.
Many thanks to everyone for all the helpful advice.

[terryg]

Use the search function to find several threads on preventing oil leaking from the speedo drive coupling, at the gearbox.

Others have variously used O rings, fibre washers, heat shrink sleeving and silicone sealant - or some combination.

[CrispinA10]

Been somewhat preoccupied over the last couple of months, but everything finally back to normal so an update on the Beezer issues. In short, it now running like an absolute dream and I am so grateful for all the help. The carburation was WAY out, there were two separate oil leaks and the wet sumping is cured (by a curious little concertina-style ally tube, not an on-off tap). Some of the tweaking was done by Roadstar Cycles, a glorious 1950s-style motorcycle shop in what looks like the old cavalry stables next to Dover Castle. It's like Ogri's workshop - interesting machinery round every corner and a clock above the oil-stained counter which proclaims: It's time YOU had a BSA.
And only 18 miles up the road. Brilliant.
Following everyone's advice I have been running it in with a lot less caution, giving it some mild stick at frequent intervals, and it is far, far better. The smoking left pot has stopped smoking, which I assume means the rings are bedding in better, it ticks over and twitters perfectly and is a joy to ride.
Still running on (new) SAE 30 and planning on yet another oil change after a couple of hundred miles.
Day off today and with English weather almost spring-like (a balmy 10 degrees C and bright sun) spent an hour and half hacking round the country lanes. Although I took a spare pair of plugs and a spanner in my pocket fearing the dreaded soot, it is no more. I haven't whipped them out to check them yet, but am expecting a lovely chocolate electrode. Just in time for Easter.
Again, many thanks for all the help and suggestions. Can't wait to get some serious mileage in.

[Worty]

Just jumping in here, but I too have a question on this topic.  I have a 1962 A10 which has rather sooty silencers.  Just recently, I went for a 40m trek and when I returned the left hand silencer has a small amount of wet oily/sooty deposit in it.  Doesn't smell like oil or petrol particularly, but its texture was oily.  One suggestion was that I may have broken the oil ring, but it doesn't smoke or use much oil and ran perfectly for the journey.  Do you reckon I can get away with airscrew adjustment (brand new carb, by the way), or do I need to faff around with jets, etc.  It had been standing for some time over winter and had wet sumped a bit - might this have broken the oil ring??

[muskrat]

G'day wortluck.
If it was a broken oil ring she'd be smoking 2 packs a day.
Float level and pilot jet/screw would be my 1st thought for sooty plugs. A hotter plug might help. The oil would probably be coming from the exhaust guide.
Cheers

[Worty]

Cheers muskrat

I must admit the broken oil ring was a weird suggestion given the lack of serious symptoms - I reckon you're a bit more on the ball with the float level/pilot jet/screw - what would you recommend??

[muskrat]

G'day wortluck.
First is the float height, have a look here http://www.whfolk.co.uk/REOCHUMBER/Articles/monobloc.htm
Then it's pilot screw adjustment AFTER you get her up to operating temp.
Cheers

[Worty]

Cheers pal, will let you know how I get on - much appreciated!!

Ride safe and often 

[Worty]

Alright muskrat (and any others who are interested)

Whipped the plugs out this evening after my blat at the weekend.  They are a nice dark tan colour with no sooting present.  After 30m around the Yorkshire countryside, I ran the bike at around 70mph down the motorway for around 10m, followed by a short trip across town, a brief tickover then parked it in the garage.

She isn't using oil, runs really well (tickover, acceleration, no blips through throttle range although protests slightly at 75 plus if i briefly wind her up).  Despite all this the r/h silencer is sooty and the l/h silencer is sooty with a small amount of oily liquid deposit.  The only real change I made recently was to fill her up with some premium unleaded rather than the usual rubbish.  I'm thinking that I've got a bit of oil blowing back into the pipes, but need more info on this - can you enlighten me??