Sunday 16 March 2014

Distractions

Not as much progress to report this week as I spent two evenings removing the engine from my BSA. However, I've cleaned up the front indicators, fitted the headlight cowling and got the right hand engine case and cylinder head on.  Thanks again to V-Ten for their help with the head.  John was very patient in going through the sets of valves I had to find the ones in the best condition!



More on the electrics this week, and possibly renovating the rocker box.  We'll see how realistic that is as a target!

Sunday 9 March 2014

Engine in!

With the wheels now properly fitted, having installed new bearings, grease seals and brake shoes, I've managed to slot the engine into the frame.






Whilst I've not fitted the right hand engine case (I'm waiting on the kick start shaft seal) I have fitted the ignition system.  I've opted to ditch the points and condensor set up for a CDI system. It was a relatively cheap Ebay purchase and I've heard some good reports of them.  With the coil plate in place I just need to find somewhere to tuck the CDI unit itself away.  I'm hoping that this approach will give me a more reliable set up than the standard configuration.  I've a few other tweaks planned for the electrics, but they'll be done over the coming weeks.


Apart from completing the engine assembly the main focus of the next week or so will be the electrics.  This will also involve cleaning up the front indicators and switch gear so I can wire them in.  There are a few repairs needed to the switch gear loom, and the internal wiring of the switch gear itself. Nothing that a steady hand and a soldering iron can't fix though!





Tuesday 4 March 2014

One step forwards, two steps back...

Had a half hour free this evening, so thought I'd pop the barrel on.  Piece of cake, needed some care to get the rings in (spacing the gaps 120° apart) but took 10 minutes tops.

Unfortunately, as I turned the crank the camshaft dropped out!  There isn't anything to retain it until the right hand case is fitted.  The problem with this is that it means that the camshaft to crank timing is now out.  To set the timing you need to be able to see the crankshaft pin (see last post), but it's hidden by the clutch.  Grrrr!

So, the clutch is off again.  I've learnt my lesson and scribed a mark on the crankshaft gear tooth that needs to align with the mark on the camshaft gear.  If it happens again I'll have a reference that I can see.

End result of the evening; barrel on, clutch off.  [Technically one step forward one step back]


Sunday 2 March 2014

Engine progress, and a shiny tank...

Some dedicated project time has brought things along a bit this weekend.  I fitted the chrome side panels, the knee pads and the tank badges whilst watching telly one evening.  I'm really pleased with how it's come up.



The chrome isn't perfect, a few tiny pits still show through, but the combination of the fresh paint and the re-chromed panels is great.  Thanks go to TJC Design for the paint work; they've also done the various plastic bits to match the powder coating that was done by Griff's Reality Motorworks.  Both places were really helpful, friendly and have done a great job.

Griff's also did the vapour blasting on the various aluminium parts, a fair bit of zinc plating and powder coating of a small luggage rack.  The crankcases came up very clean, as you'll have seen in the previous post.  They're not quite as nice now that I've had my grubby mitts all over them whilst assembling the engine, but a quick once over when the engine is in the frame will sort that out.


Here the gearbox is all back together, kickstart mechanism refitted and the camshaft in and timed.  I had a bit of a head scratch over the gearchange, and was worried I'd screwed it up for a while (although I couldn't see how).  Turns out the shift pattern is 'upside down'.  This Honda, although it is a left foot change, is a one ↑ three ↓ shift pattern.

I'm in for a confusing summer as my KTM has a left foot one ↓ five ↑ (conventional modern set up used by most manufacturers for decades) and my BSA has a right foot one ↓ three ↑.  So that's three different set ups in the garage.  If I ride my Dad's BSA at all then I think my head might pop as that is right foot change one ↑ three ↓.  To be honest I need a rest having just typed that out!

The timing is a funny one as well.  Usually there would be a mark on each gear, to allow you to set the relationship between the crankshaft and the camshaft.  On this model there is a mark on the camshaft gear (the 0 that you can see by the teeth where they mesh with the crankshaft gear), but not one on the crankshaft gear.  Instead the reference is the tooth by the puller bolt hole nearest the alignment pin on the crankshaft.  I had to read that bit of the workshop manual a few times to make sure I had the right idea.



The last couple of photos show the clutch reassembled and mounted to the engine.  I've replaced the mangled retaining nut and washer that I discovered when stripping it down.

I've also fitted the piston.  I was hoping to get the top end on this weekend as well but reached that point of being a bit tired where it's sensible to stop before making any stupid mistakes.  So hopefully I'll manage to get the top end on, and the engine in the frame, by next weekend.

My last thanks, for now, goes to Steve Riley at Piston Broke Engineering in Bristol (0117 9412300).  I've known Steve for about 15 years now and he has given me advice on rebuilds of pretty much every common engine configuration, as well as general engineering help.  He's reground and rebuilt cranks, rebored barrels and fixed so many mechanical messes that I've either discovered or created.  If you have anything engine related that needs an expert eye then you can't go wrong by giving him a call.  You're pretty much guaranteed a few amusing anecdotes as well!  Steve gave the C110 crank a once over, and rebored the barrel for me.  Thanks Steve, your help over the years and with this project is greatly appreciated.

Right.  Time for some sleep!