Despite a well fitting cover I have found quite a bit of water in the points cover after leaving the bike out in the rain overnight. It is an invconvenience rather than a crisis but it it normal?
I fit the end cap with the small hole at the bottom assuming its a drain hole (it doesn't)
I am aware non of you lot would treat your bike with more respect than to leave it out in the rain overnight so you may not have experienced this issue:wink:

Drain hole up I believe. A little grease to seal during wet events.

email (option): cbhaws@verizon.net

That happens. Te prevent it happening you might cover the bike up overnight. And make sure you have a dry cloth👍

email (option): bsawm20@hotmail.com

Whilst camping in Normandy and other events in UK, I have to leave my bike outside. I have a cover for it, but on some occasions, moisture from condensation in the points cap has meant a non starter. I've always found that a quick squirt of WD40 does the trick. I always keep one of the mini WD40 aerosols with me. Ron

email (option): ronpier@talk21.com

Is there consensus on the position of the hole in the cap? ... up or down?

Regards, Scott D

I have the hole at the bottom but on reflection it's probably not a good idea. If water were draining out that tiny hole there'd still be plenty enough in the points area to ensure a non starter. The hole's probably intended as a vent, in which case it would be best at the top. Will change mine tomorrow.

It's good to know it's a common/standard issue. I can scrub ome task of the To Do list.
Hole at top makes sense. I have had it at the bottom and water has not drained. I may try a turn of insulation tape to seal the cover.
As an aside I now have a turn of tape around the headlamp rim after it flew off when hitting a pot hole last week on the East to West run. Thankfully the teo following bikes and car did not run it over and the LED headlamp bulb still worked!

I have a 1cm widen rubber ring cut from a bicycle innertube over the cover.
Venting hole in top. Sofar never any moisture in there.

The absolute best cover you can give your bike is a half shelter tent. It looks the part, stores in the bags and available.
We all cover our WWII bikes with the half shelters for a night or two or three of re-enacting. Mine is the second Brit bike added to the The First Division Recon Mechanized. I ride traffic Control while on convoy to local battles. We block the roads and intersections, while jeeps, Weapons Carriers, half tracks, armored personnel carriers, command cars, troop trucks, weasels, DWUK’s
The convoy into Reading PA is a couple of miles long and getting bigger. Hopefully no Covid this June and we can really cut loose.

This year it was canceled, but last year we had 50,000 spectators Saturday and 1700 dressed reenactors. Starts Friday with the Battle oF Reading PA and ends Sunday night. Our move in process takes a couple of days. Thousands of rounds of blanks fired, flame throwers burning out Jap positions, big bangs little bangs and we let the children hold real WWII guns. We tell a story along with British, Polish, Scottish, Russian, Chinese, Italian, German, Japanese, and many more countries represented. The displays are open to the public. If folks ask real nice sometimes they can get a picture in their favorite vehicle holding a gun and maybe my helmet on their head.

Battles take place all over the airport grounds many times a day. The air show is non-stop even overhead during some battles even with paratroopers.

email (option): cbhaws@verizon.net

They lived outside except when they were being torn apart. so that is where mine lives now.
Admittedly it is against a wall under an overhanging walk way, which is not waterproof.
So if it rains from the wrong direction it gets wet .

WD 40 and no points cover till your first stop works wonders.

We were standing in some light rain having a beer at an All British Rally some while back.
While we stood there getting wet I was scanning the camp ground.
Sure enough , all these pristine,mostly over done bikes, standing in shelters while their run down owners stood out in the rain.
This brought back memories of the ABR's some 40 years earlier when there were all these run down decrepid BSA's sitting in the rain while their pristine riders sheltered in the tents.
My how times have changed.

email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au

over the years - i have placed the vent hole at the top and placed some silicone sealant around the inner of the cap before putting it back on the magneto

It has worked well over the years

Jo'B

email (option): jonnyob1@googlemail.com

"The arcing and sparking that occurs inside of a magneto between the rotor and the cap terminals generates a huge amount of ozone. Ozone is very corrosive and causes things to rust and fuzz-up very quickly. Also, as the temperature of the magneto and the surrounding air changes, a sealed mag will end up with condensation and moisture inside. The vent holes are meant to allow ozone to escape and moisture to dissipate."

Another way water can get in the points is through the advance and retard mechanism. Water running down the outside of the cable and into the face cam. Make sure your rubber boot on the cable is sound and water tight.
Tim W

Useful tip, I will check the advance retard boot.

email (option): bsansw1@tpg.com.au

That sounds to me as a real reason of wet points. on all our BSA trips through France and the alps we had a few days of heavy rain. When the bikes stopped at a gas station and engine off, they wouldn't start again, For that reason i carries a little gas burner with me, to make them dry again, it worked. the next trip to Poland this year we kept the bikes outside in very heavy rain and one of the four bikes didnt start at the morning. the points were sealed with with old bicycle tubes, cutter in pieces. normally no water could come in, we also have side stands, so that water could drop out. could it come from the other side? running through the magdyno? that would make sense to me, and the cable idea as well... Anyway, after a half an hour you keep it running again... thats what makes fun of this old bikes... greets Jarek

email (option): jarek@jareksgarage.de

I think most things have been covered...apart from...only go to places where it doesn't rain a lot...Ian:laughing:

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

You had a good sun tan there Ian.