Hi all - and a happy new year to all of you.
My trials and tribulations with the old warhorse continue so I thought I'd fill you all in. I have 2 questions:

I took it for a very satisfying 15ish mile spin in early November then again before Christmas. On returning home the 2nd time I noticed a rather nasty noise coming from the gearbox which had my mechanical sympathy glands swelling alarmingly! - it sounded like a run bearing and straight away I commited myself to a gearbox rebuild before I'd given switchhed the engine off.
On removing the box I found it completely empty of oil!! - there was a blob of MS2 grease (god knows why??) which was blocking the filler spout giving me the impression that a few drops of oil was all that was needed whenever I checked the level.
However it doesn't seem that the damage is too bad as there is no evidence of heating (darkened metal etc), the gears work ok up and down the box and nothing seems disastrously loose - there is a very small (hardly discernible) amount of transverse play on the drive cog but that is all.
Question 1: - is it likely that no significant damage has taken place after only a maximum of 45 miles on the road (at low/moderate speed too)and is a small amount of play in the drive cog allowable? - oops I guess that's 2 questions really!
I have got hold of some NON HYPOID SAE 40 Castrol to replenish it and I think I will just try reinstalling the box (this time with oil!)and see how it goes/sounds depending on what the 'council of elders' say!.

Question 2: The kickover is still VERY hard work and starting is consequently difficult (It bump starts no problem on a good surface). As a comparison I tried starting Rob Miller's 720cc bike (mine is 600cc) with a warning from Rob that I may find it tricky due to the extra cc. As it turned out his bike is HUGELY easier to start than mine - first kick. It almost seems "floppy" in comparison but starts and runs like a dream. Mine runs fine too - when started!
Mine seems way too tight. The compression will naturally be higher with a rebuilt engine, new rings etc but even so it just seems much tighter than Rob's and hard to start. I think I have sorted out the "wet sumping" issue by cleaning the very solidly blocked oil tank breather. Any ideas people? should I tip an eggcup of fine silver sand in the pot too loosen things up a bit? (Joke!)

All advice gratefully received!

email (option): Kimble.west@bridgezoneltd.co.uk

Hi Kimble..No oil in the gearbox seems to be a 'Dutch thing'.. ..I had to rebuild one from there that was completely buggered to the extent the layshaft had worn through the bush and into the gearbox case!...The tolerance of the bushes that are in the sleeve gear (that the mainshaft comes out through) are .0015"-.0035" when new...You can get away with a small amount of wear but you don't want the mainshaft waving about in the breeze...
If everything is working OK I would put the oil in an see how it goes...The oil you mentioned should be OK...Check the oil level every 350-500 miles max until you determine how quickly it is loosing it..
Regarding the apparent tightness of the engine it could be any number of things...including the gearbox. If the primary chain is too tight that is one thing that will do it..Really it is impossible to say. If the primary chain is ok it is worth disconnecting it and trying the gearbox..if that is loose to turn both in neutral and in each gear that will eliminate that from the possibilities as well...
At the same time you can remove the spark plug and turn over the motor to see if that is unusually stiff...really it is a matter of elimination to home in on the problem...Ian

email (option): Ian@wright52.plus.com

Thanks Ian,
I'll let you know how it goes with the box.
The primary chain tightness seems a very logical next target for investigation - I can see how that might affect the engine tightness.
I have already disconnected the gearbox and engine and it's definitily the engine.
It does still seem a little tight without the plug in (although alot easier to turn over generally - of course!)
I'll adjust the chain and see how that goes before resigning myself to an engine strip down & rebuild!
Any other ideas out there folks?

email (option): Kimble.west@bridgezoneltd.co.uk

I was thinking along the same lines as Ian, that it can't hurt to try the box with oil. Apart from the agro of removing and replacing it of course. I was also going to suggest kick over the engine without the plug. But if as you say it still feels tight then there is one thing that comes to mind and worth checking. ....That is the cush drive. The part that goes on the crankshaft first and sits up against the main bearing by means of a spacer that goes through the crankcase. Some of them have tat spacer as part of the unit and some have a separate ring. If you have the type with the separate ring, and it has been omitted, the cush will be sprung loaded against the crankcase and not the inner race of the main bearing, where it's supposed to be. I have seen it done!! Or maybe it's just rubbing for some reason. Might pay to undo the cush drive nut to see if it turns over easier by hand. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

If the spacer is entirely omitted the engine will lock completely solid when the crank nut is tightened. However, the spacer is not hardened, so even if it is present it is possible enough wear has occured to allow contact between the crankcase and the sprocket carrier which can cause tightness...Usually the tightness dissappears once the crankcase has worn away sufficiently to restore some clearance!. (which isn't really desirable).I have known the spacer to sieze in the crankcases and on the crank sufficiently badly to stop the engine when it is running...and it is then a sod to get what's left of it out of the recess....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Hi Kimble

The symptons sound much the same as the last time, is it possible the pipe is blocked again?

Is it also possible that something has gummed up the oilpump?

Rob

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Thanks Guys,
All good stuff - I'll check the cush assembly too. Rob I'm pretty sure the oil tank breather is fine now but I'll check again.
Watch this space...

email (option): Kimble.west@bridgezoneltd.co.uk

If it was just the oil breather pipe blocked before opening the oil tank lid should have made it run, not that they seal very well anyway?

I wonder if that was your original problem, it sounds more like you did something else that temporarily solved the problem and it has recurred.

It seems unlikely that the engine cush drive nut would be tight, then loose, then tight again?

Rob

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk

Hi Rob,
The engine has always been tight - it seemed that clearing the oil breather pipe sorted out the wet sumping problem which was exacerbating the situation.
I will check both the primary chain tightness and the cush drive issue and report back early next week.
(Failing that I'll nip round in the dead of night, swap petrol tanks, and then ride off on yours claiming to have fixed everything!)

email (option): Kimble.west@bridgezoneltd.co.uk

I've checked the lock on the garage

And I hope you find the problem.

Rob

email (option): robmiller11@yahoo.co.uk