Classic Project

Well at last I've got the old girl turning and burning. For those youngsters who don't know how a real bike works there is a list of decodes to the technical terms at the end of the post.

After a fair bit of head scratching, 'tinterweb' searching and rummaging about in my old grey matter. I solved the problem on the ignition side. I've got the timing set bang on, same with the points. Put some new pick up brushes and a new earth brush in the magneto and gave her a couple of spins with the plugs out, by eck!!!, the the magneto is sending some sparks to the plugs... So, I got some new plug caps and plugs. Bunged some petrol in the tank and some oil in the oil tank. Set the choke, tickled the carb and gave her a couple of kicks and .......... BRUM BRUM.. Loads of smoke from the pipes that quickly cleared, but after 20+ years what else could you expect, (at least no birds nests came flying out of the exhausts). Pressed the kill button, took out the plugs, holy socks!!!!, black as the old coal hole.
Cleaned them up, bunged them back in. No choke this time, two kicks and away we go again. Rough as a badgers bum so start to tweek the carb to settle everything down. Still rough but not as much crepe' coming out the back end, left hand side clean(ish), right hand side still 'cloudy' but not half as bad as before. A quick check of the plug leads and low and behold, a faulty plug lead, (intermittent break in continuity through the lead), so new plug leads from my friendly Norton spares chap. Sort them out tomorrow and give her another run up.
The carb really needs a strip down, good clean and rebuild with a service kit and tuning. Then its sort out the clutch, (heavy as a Yorkshire pudding), brakes and, rewire the electrics. So hopefully come Spring 2017 she'll be burbling about the Lake District, but, only on dry days.

Points:
Contact breaker that sends power to the plugs at the right time, (when the piston is at the correct position in the cylinder to get the fuel/air mixture to ignite.
Timing:
For the engine to operate correctly the spark, from the spark plug must occur at the right time when the piston is in the right position, in this case 8 degrees before the piston is at top dead center for start up.
Carb or Carburator:
A thing bolted to the inlet port that mixes fuel from the fuel tank with air to form an aerosol mixture that is sucked in to the engine to make it go brum.
Choke:
A lever to reduce the air flow in the 'carb' and so enrich the fuel/air mix (more fuel than air) for cold starts.
Kick Starter:
A big foot operated lever that turns the engine over to start it. Can also give the rider a nasty shock when it literally kicks back if you don't do it right.
Magneto:
A thing that spins a magnetised bar in a coil to generate electricity, in this case to power the spark plugs.
Tuning:
Setting up 'carb' to get the best fuel/air mix.

 

DD I'm not sure about that, couple of weeks back one of my neighbours son who has had quite a few bikes asked me 'where's the starter button'.
So that's what that extra foot rest on the right hand side is the gear lever, well that's answered that one, next?

 

Yer not wrong there chap

 

Well Mick, glad you like my baby and thanks for the tips.
Lucky for me there's an old chap not too far away who has an Atlas and an Interpol, both of which get used on the two or three dry days we get up here on the Northwest Frontier so I'll probably be joining him for a run out or three next year.

There's plenty of 'modern' stuff around like Red Hermitite, and Hylomar to help with joints, (have always used either/or and never had a problem up to now.

Now that 'Miss Whiplash' sparks up and the snag with the RHS cylinder is sorted it's a pleasure to hear her burble away. I know what you mean about the clutch, mine is as heavy as a Yorkshire Pud and as stiff as a stiff thing but that's probably to do with not being used for 'kin years. Still there's plenty to keep me out of Mrs Al's way

 

Sorting the clutch is next on the list after servicing the carb. Since I pored a load of oil down the clutch cable it has loosened up a wee bit, plus it's just about at the end of the adjustment range, (must be stretched to buggery and back having been left under tension for 'kin years).
The primary chain case seals can be made from some storm sealing stuff from Screwfix or so I'm told by the old chap up the road with the Atlas, apparently it's the 'bogs dollocks' and much better than the seals the various part suppliers can come up with, and, more importantly cheaperf so being almost a Yorkie and being near Scotland I'll give it a go.

 

You forgot to include, frugality, cheapskateness, and tight fistedness in your list of Scotish education

 

Spoilin't boat never crossed my mind Mick, a new cable is on the 'to do' list along with loads of other stuff.
My respect for great examples British engineering goes way. I served a real apprenticeship, (getting stiffed for 'long stands, etc) in real engineering using real inches and feet, (none of this metric stuff), oh, and Noah worked in our carpenters shop. Scrimping on detail was never in the plan when I got Miss Whiplash. I oiled the cable because the fekkin' lever would hardly budge when I got the bike. Once the carbs fettled, sorting the clutch is next on the list.

 

Well I now know why the clutch on my Dommi was heavy. All the feckin' plates were stuck together.
Took off the primary chain case, the adjuster screw was screwed in way too far and the clutch springs were too set too tight. Took out the springs and removed the pressure plate. Oh, bugger, all the friction and drive plates were glued together, the whole feckin' lot came out in one lump. Luckily some gentle persuasion with a screw driver parted all the pieces.
So, after filing off the burrs from the outer teeth, wiping the drive plates with steel wool and meth's and giving the cage a good clean out it all got re-built, re-set and adjusted.
Now it moves as smooth as silk, and, best of all no "CLUNK" when engaging the gears.
New clutch plates added to the 'must-do' list

 

After a struggle to get the carb tuned on 'Miss Whiplash', I contacted Amal Tech Department for the baseline set up spec. So a day spent stripping, cleaning and inspecting the carb has found a basic fault, a worn main jet needle. Instead of a nice sharp pin-point tip it's as round as a babies head.
I now wait for a service kit of bits from Fecked in Dorset, who by the carry a good line in replacement bits for antique Trumpets too so any of you blokes fettling a 'Golden Oldie' the link is below and also in the Dealer/Workshop forum.

www.feked.com

 

Your probably right there. The needle may or may not be from the original carb and was higher up than the baseline set up (Slot 3) so it would have run rich and may have been chattering about in the jet as the first inch or so up has wear marks instead of a nice smooth finish. Still new bits on order and having the baseline spec it will be set up as per.