I have been working on a 500cc 1993 Enfield Bullet, that amongst other things, was badly wet sumping.
The timing shaft oil seal was one of the suspects.
Removal ended up being a bit of a nightmare in that it disintegrated leaving the "metal cup" part of the seal in tact. I managed to get it out, but wondered if there was is a trick that I have missed. What should have been a 5 minute job ended up taking a couple of hours. To be honest, the saga was worse, but I won't go into that.
I look forward to any suggestions.
Regards
Pat
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
Hi Pat, I saw the saga play out on the Hitchcocks site and I'm pleased you sorted it. In future you might consider using the correct oil seal removal tool. I always used to use a screwdriver (like most people I suppose!) but I was buying bearings in my favoured bearing factors one day and the proper tool was in a clearance offer so I bought it. Now I have one I can't imagine going back to the old way, it is so much easier and reliably removes the whole seal in one go. Like this, Ebay item 311344450762.
REgards, Mark
Thanks Mark for that, I didn't know of such a tool. I will have a look.
Whilst I am at it, the bike has very little compression. I could use my hand on the kick start to crank it over. This cannot be normal for a 500 single.......can it?
I have the head on leak test at the moment, with no sign of leakage so far.
The barrel still shows signs of honing, no lip on the barrel either. No blow by on the piston, which looks fine. The composite gasket shows no sign of burnt gases pushing its way out.
At a bit of a loss. Unless the decompressor wasn't seating correctly and me fiddling with it has re-seated it.
Your thoughts would be very much appreciated.
Regards
Pat
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
Hi Mark
A guy called Chris may have answered my question.
Please open the link below.
https://youtu.be/vgXl7wilGFA
That lady has seriously impressive guns!!!!
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
Whilst we're off topic...I've just bought myself a newer 'Indian Takeaway' Royal Enfield...So far all seems OK..The motor is sweet and very quiet mechanically and the general fit and finish is pretty good apart from a couple of areas..
Riding it feels pretty much like any British single...I've been told that bikes out of the new Enfield factories are pretty good (they say the later the better generally)..Whether it turns out to be a good idea as a daily hack remains to be seen...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
I was going to reference the young lady starting her Bullet by hand, it is quite a well known video. Compression should be noticeable but not massive. The decomp valve is often overlooked as a potential source of leakdown, I had this exact problem with a faulty copper crush washer on a 500 Bullet once. Remember there are 2 on the decomp body, one into the combustion chamber and one onto the external face of the head. Another thing to watch is that the cable is properly adjusted and not snagged anywhere, a few minutes checking the valve itself is worthwhile too, it can be removed, cleaned and ground in like a normal valve. A quick test is to use a standard long reach plug to replace the decomp body, it's also a quick way to twin plug if you go that route!
REgards, Mark
Thanks Mark..I had lots of Redditch Enfields years back (Constellation x 2,J2, Olympic, Continental GT, Unit 350, Clipper, Trials alloy Bullet, Model G etc.) and I always think they are under rated by many potential owners...
I'm happy to stick with the Indian one for a while and sort out any problems when, or if, they arise...After all, the only way to assess any bike is to own it!....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
The compression is far, far less any 500 should be; I thought. In fact it is far, far less than my M20 that is why I thought there was a problem.
No way would the kick start take even a very small child's weight.
Anyway, I can see no reason for the lack of compression. So I have decided to give the valves and the decompressor a light grind, fit a new solid copper head gasket and put it back together.
My mate back in the day broke his ankle on a slightly advanced Crusader Sports. His dad "showed him how to do it" and did exactly the same:relaxed:
Regards
Pat
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
Pat, it does sound as if compression on your bike is down. I take it you have recently acquired it? Before investigating further I'd try and run it and see what performance is like. Unless it's already apart in which case I can't suggest anything that is specific to Enfields apart from what we've already covered.
REgards, Mark
Hi Mark
It is not mine, I am doing it for a mate.
It is already apart. Only thing that I haven't checked yet is the ring clearances and I don't know what they should be (alloy barrel with liner)!
Everything at the moment seems OK.
It is a bit suspect in that it has covered 9,000 miles and is on a +40 piston.
Out of interest, should compression be around 100 psi on these?
Regards
Pat
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
Just measured the rings.
Top ring a tad over 15thou.
Middle ring a tad over 30thou.
Bottom ring a tad over 35thou.
That was worth checking.
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
Looks like you've solved the puzzle! As to clearances I'd treat it like a solid iron barrel, that's what I do with my Works Rep Trials 350. Contrary to received wisdom Bullet motors don't run particularly hot so overheating is not really an issue. You might consider fitting an inlet valve stem oil seal while you're there and also the hardened steel cylinder head washers, all available from Hitchcocks and can be seen along with a host of wallet lightening goodies in their Bullet Accessory Catalogue on the website or a paper copy from them.
REgards, Mark
Thanks Mark, you have been most helpful.
Regards
Pat
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
The exhaust valve guide is loose in the head, another thing to replace.
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
['The exhaust valve guide is loose in the head, another thing to replace.']...
This is beginning to sound like a Triumph twin!....:laughing: .(or a triple after 15,000 miles)...Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com
I;ve had many Enfield singles over the years both Reditch and Indian and had very little trouble with either of them. They are very underated as Ian says. I am not a fan of the latest ones tho because they;ve "modernised" them. Fuel injection, disc brakes and the like. If I want that i;ll buy Italian or even Japanese. The whole point of them was the "classic" connection to the old brit bikes.
It gets worse.
I ordered two oversize valve guides, a plus 0.003 and a 0.005 as it looked like a valve guide had been replaced in the past and I didn't want a situation where the loose guide I took out was plus 0.003. The so called plus 0.005 had a slightly smaller o/d than the plus 0.003......great!
The plus 40 ring set I ordered came in two boxes. Each box contained 5 rings which looked like some kind of Wellworty ring set. I was expecting just three rings.
The supplier didn't know what I had been sent either. The invoice said European made, whilst the box said made in Japan.
The problem I have had is that this is a 1993 Enfield, when quality was at its nadir and on top of this someone has done some work on the engine and I am not 100% sure which parts they have altered or omitted to fit (e.g. no bottom collar on the valve spring, no inner valve springs).
I am thoroughly, thoroughly pissed off. I only offered to sort out his wet sumping issue.
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
I forgot to mention someone made a pretty good job on welding the uppermost fin back on the barrel (alloy barrel). Unfortunately the top of the barrel near the weld looks a little off square so head gasket sealing will be a challenge. I am not taking the liner out so that the top of the barrel can be skimmed (top hat liner where the liner sits proud of the top of the barrel).
Oh, forgot to mention the studs are not straight, so fitting the head back on will be a challenge (hence someone battering the head off in the
past, miss hitting and smashing off some fins - barrel and head).
The bike only cost him £900.00!
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
I've found that Hitchcock's are one of the best firms ever to deal with for RE and Amal parts. See their on line parts lists for easy identifying and ordering parts. I can't remember ever ordering anything that didn't arrive the next day. Even the WD/CO wheel bearing that saved my holiday in Normandy on the 65th.
http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/home
Loctite Bush and bearing fit will probably take care of a loose valve guide.
Ron
email (option): ronpier@talk21.com
To be fair they have been really good. Everything has been next day.
They sent me a mag puller instead of a timing pinion puller last time round. I am not sure what went wrong with this order. It is as if they have had a newbe on the order picking side.
I did think of bearing fit on the loose guide, but wasn't confident it was up to the job for an exhaust valve guide.
Regards
Pat
email (option): sacombsashtrees@hotmail.com
['I did think of bearing fit on the loose guide, but wasn't confident it was up to the job for an exhaust valve guide.']..
Personally I wouldn't use that on a valve guide due to heat and side loads...Any shifting of the guides position will throw it out to the valve seat with obvious results..
Take the head to an engine shop, get them to machine the valve guide bore slightly oversize and true and then have a guide made to suit...Don't forget to have the seat recut after fitting a guide...
If the bloke only paid £900 for the bike he shouldn't resent the cost of a proper repair...Furthermore, you might save him money by Loctiting the guide in but you can be sure he'll forget that and be back to you if it goes wrong...After all, you repaired it so you are responsible for any failure...:laughing:....
'Saving money' is, I can assure you, a false economy and only means the job is not being done properly...I've learnt this the hard way myself....Tell the man the price of a proper repair...Either he will want that or you should advise him to find someone else to lash it up....Ian
email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com