Back on the road

As usual, click any image to zoom in.

After the recent breakdown, Mike reckoned they might not have tightened up the tappets when they were working on the engine which would explain the pushrod jumping off.

I went for a decent length run with Mark today. At one point the engine cut out completely for about 1 second. Strangely, it had been showing a discharge leading up to that point but the engine fired up again and the ammeter began to show a charge. I'll have to take the seat off to check the wiring (and also in the headlamp) since it felt like an electrical fault.

Pushrod woe

As usual, click any image to zoom in.

I've taken the inspection cover off and you can see the exhaust push-rod seated tightly under the exhaust rocker arm (at the 3 o'clock position).

At the 10 o'clock position the inlet valve's rocker arm has been separated from its push-rod which is now wedged firmly behind the rocker arm's downward facing semicircular nipple.

This means the inlet valve is jammed open probably resulting in a bent valve stem.  Hope there hasn't been any more damage done.

Replacement engine in

As usual, click any image to zoom in.






The engine in my C15 has been rattling and knocking so it was time for it to come out and get checked over.



I've bought a "new" one from Mike Kilvert (who sold Mark his green C15) and with his help got it in and converted it to 12v electronic ignition.

These are pics from when I went down to his place in Wales and wired up the Pazon kit, and a video of trying to fire it up for the first time while holding my iPad!

These are a few pics Mark took today when he came over to see the bike.



Sadly, it lost power with a clunk today after riding A MILE or so from home - wondering if a valve has failed seeing as there is no compression at the moment.

Happily, Mark was with me and he not only rode back to my house, picked up my car and drove back, but I was sneaky enough to walk really slowly so that I'd only covered about 150m before he pulled up next to me and took over pushing duties. The exercise will do him good - no flies on me!

Speedo light and ammeter

As usual, click any image to zoom in.

	We bought Mark a new ammeter for Christmas. As it happens, guys 'n' gals, how's about that then, he didn't seem too enthused so we also had to get him a new kickstart rubber, a t-shirt, a mug, and a BSA star. Kids today, eh?
Anyway, after us putting him through school, A-Levels, and a Masters degree in Microelectronic Systems Engineering he came up with this little beauty. Education is a wonderful thing, n'est-ce pas? "Apparently", he was stopped the other night and asked how fast his speedo told him he was going. He replied, "Are you MAD, officer? At that speed I was keeping my eyes on the ROAD!" Truth is there was no light in the speedo so he ordered five 12v LEDS (with the obligatory 470Ω resistors) which is what you can see here as a PIERCING LIGHT.

	Mark has spent the morning wrestling with the joys of putting big butch manly fists (inherited from his dear mother, mange tout) inside the headlight of a BSA C15 and now has nocturnal illumination aplenty.
	New Earth (orange cable) run from ignition coil mount to the headlight – visible just to left/below centre in the shot on the right with the red/blue connector.