I have two WD James ML's.......one is complete, frame No.ML 3401 and the other, currently in bits, is THE earliest surviving WD-ML on record, having frame number ML 27, making it the 25th machine manufactured in early 1943..........
I recently rebuilt the engine for the earlier James project, replacing everything worn with new parts..........but I then remembered that the complete WD ML I have does not start/run correctly despite being an incredibly complete and original bike.....this played on my mind so I whipped the engine out (literally !) and stripped it down............
Very little internal wear I was pleased to find, BUT, the bore and piston rings were worn so I decided on a rebore plus an oversize piston.........within the crankcase I replaced the main bearings with new, but found the big-end assembly solid and good........however, the small end bush was replaced in the conrod, as was the gearbox mainshaft bearing and bushes.................now, two strokes rely on efficient crankcase sealing and compression for optimum running and on examining the crankcase sealing bushes I found that the drive-side bush was of the incorrect type and without the shoulder.......also lacking was the compression gland-spring that pushes against the bush to effect sealing..................
New crankcase bushes fitted, faced crankcase halves, new ignition points, coil and condensor, and this old girl should be up and running properly very soon now.......
With any two strokes, crankcase sealing and compression is everything.........
Well, a bit of a lazy day today pottering around in the workshop..........a bit of a tidy-up,a rummage through my 16H spares (some interesting finds long forgotten about), plus doing a few jobs on my James ML project.........the latter included making a couple of new frame studs and a few other small parts........
Having stopped mid-afternoon for a cuppa I had a peruse of my other ML........I've since repainted the engine after completing reassembly earlier in the week and fitted the rebuilt engine back into the frame plus connected everything up.....for whatever reason however I didn't get round to checking if it would actually start and run......
Well, a few minutes later I'd mixed up a bit of fuel and poured it into the tank....I turned the fuel tap on, pressed the carb tickler down for a few seconds, turned the engine over slowly a couple of times using the decompressor and then gave the kickstarter a good boot down..........the engine fired immediately but then stopped........it did the same again and ran for a few seconds before coughing to a standstill............third kick it again fired and ran but I moved the choke lever on the carb air intake into the closed position and she then ran beautifully smoothly and reliably ! After a couple of minutes of this I moved the choke to the off position and the engine continued to run after that with no problem............guess this little bike needs choke to start from cold (none of the others do, big and small).......
Slight oil weep from one of the exhaust down-pipes where it enters the cylindrical silencer but apart from that, no leaks so far...........
This ML also has the original exhaust system fitted and I was surprised by how quiet it actually is with the engine running..............