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Messages - berniej

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 20
1
Twins / Re: Im "famous"... well not really
« on: 04 September, 2020, 09:48:11 »
Lovely bike Matt and well presented by you!
I must say - either your bike is very smooth or the handlebar camera they used to get the shots of you riding has some impressive AV mounts!!

Good work!

Bernie

2
Twins / Re: A65 Indicator Wiring.
« on: 22 August, 2020, 13:22:26 »
Extremely useful - I know a lot of folk who have fitted the electric eel the wrong way round.
I do wonder though if the smoke container is sufficiently large - at least for my BSAs...?

Cheers,
Bernie

3
The Star and Garter / Re: pressed aluminium number plates
« on: 18 August, 2020, 09:22:16 »
I've used Tippers for a while now. £30.50 inc for a 7 * 5.

Cheers,
Bernie

4
Twins / Re: 1959 Shooting Star
« on: 10 August, 2020, 13:43:58 »
.... and if the timing still looks right then might it be heat-related? I had a problem with the mag on my M21 that turned out to be due to general deterioration of the innards but for a long while it seemed to spark fine when it was in a good mood but not at other times (eventually this became worse and it was easier to relate it to both heat and compression).

Cheers,
Bernie


5
Twins / Re: A65 condensers
« on: 18 July, 2020, 13:41:15 »
Ordinary capacitors (=condensers) aren't but electrolytics are.

Those that are specifically designed to fit on points plates or outside a distributor often use a single lead and the case as the two terminals so can't be easily reversed.
If they were electrolytics then a change in polarity of the bike electrics would also require a change to the capacitor - I didn't think these type are electrolytics but not 100% certain on that....

Cheers,
Bernie

6
Singles / Re: Valve lifter
« on: 03 July, 2020, 18:07:52 »
I think the valve lifter is completely unnecessary on the B40 models. My SS90 has higher comnpression than the standard model but I still don't need to use it.
I start this bike with the same techique used for most smaller engines, bring up to just before compression, let the kickstart lever back up on the ratchet and then kick through.

On the other hand my M21s couldn't be started without one as I do need to lift the valve to get just past TDC before initiating a long and confident kick.

Hope the sun shines soon Phil!

Cheers,
Bernie

7
The Star and Garter / Re: Tick over
« on: 28 June, 2020, 21:37:23 »
 :)

8
The Star and Garter / Re: Tick over
« on: 28 June, 2020, 14:25:31 »
You're right - "providing the diode is fitted the right way round" - and that's the problem. Imagine an ordinary filament bulb - break the glass away and pull the filament off leaving the two posts.
Connect your LED across the posts one way and it will light. Connect it the other way and it won't.

The polarity of the posts is fixed and depends on whether the bike is wired +ve earth or -ve earth as one of the posts connects to the bulbholder case which connects to earth and the other to the blob of solder on the bottom which connects to the non-earth feed from the switch.

If you buy an LED where the solder blob is +ve and the case is -ve it won't work on a +ve earth bike (unless you reverse the connections at the bulbholder e.g. insulating the case from earth and reversing the connections - which can be done but it's diffiicult to do it neatly.

Cheers,
Bernie

9
The Star and Garter / Re: Tick over
« on: 28 June, 2020, 11:23:03 »
A Diode is a component that only allows current to flow through it in one direction. If you connect a multimeter across one in resistance (ohms) mode you will find it reads infinity (or a very high reading) when connected one way and zero when connected the other. They are commonly used components in many kinds of electronic circuits.

The Light Emitting Diode is a type of diode that emits light as well as behaving like a regular one - but only when connected the right way round (so that current flows). It also contains a resistor to limit the current that flows through it to a low level. If you connect it the 'wrong' way round then no current will flow and no light will be emitted.

The thing that complicates fitting them to our bikes is the design of the bulb/bulb holders which typically use the case as the earth connection so that has to match the polarity of the LED bulb.

However, some LED bulbs can now be found that will work either way - which is good news. These have additional circuitry built in that ensures that the current flows through the LED in the correct direction irrespective of which way the terminals are connected. So, look for bulbs that are either the correct polarity for your bike or advertised as 'polarity insensitive' and you should be OK.

Cheers,
Bernie


10
The Star and Garter / Re: Tick over
« on: 27 June, 2020, 11:38:09 »
There are some LED bulbs which are auto-sensing and can be connected either way round but most are polarity sensitive.

I've used these folk a couple or times as you can get + or - earth options: https://www.classiccarleds.co.uk/collections/brake-tail-light-bulbs/positive-earth

Cheers,
Bernie


11
The Star and Garter / Re: Tick over
« on: 27 June, 2020, 08:55:20 »
I must admit that I do the same at the end of a ride before killing the engine just to hear the slow chuff of my M21 'firing every other lamp-post'.

I have read elsewhere that it's not recommended to leave it like that for too long as the lubrication of the piston and con rod small end is dependent on oil being flung up from the 'flinger' plate on the crankshaft - at low speeds there won't be much fling.

I don't think it would be good to leave it idling for long whilst over-advanced though as that's going to put more stress on the engine.

Cheers,
Bernie

12
Singles / Re: M33 Magneto points gap
« on: 21 June, 2020, 11:58:54 »
Good news! Yes, the cam plate is flat with two ramps as you say but that's OK. It's job is just to switch the points between closed and open quickly and cleanly and for the right duration.
Sounds like you have it sorted now  :)

One difference between coil and magneto ignition which might be of interest is that with a coil you can have the ignition set way off and you will still get a good spark when the points open.
A magneto only reaches maximum charge at one point in its rotation and it's designed so that this is also where the points open. If the timing is off at the pinion then although you can compensate a little with the advance/retard lever you may be getting a weaker spark as the points will be opening either before or after the mag reaches max charge.

Cheers,
Bernie

13
Singles / Re: M33 Magneto points gap
« on: 14 June, 2020, 14:04:57 »
Rog, does your mag have manual advance? If so then fully advnced is cable pulled tight if it enters from the top right but fully slack if it enters from the top left.
7/16 BTDC fully advance and 12 thou sounds fine.

If you have difficulties when set like that it might indicate that the mag timing is out at the pinion.

Cheers,
Bernie

14
Singles / Re: Alternator wires
« on: 13 June, 2020, 18:18:13 »
Phil,

Looking at your last pic, the bullet connectors for your alternator wires are outside of the tinware so I would have thought that you could disconnect there by pulling the wires out on the alternator side and then fitting your new grommet over those and sliding down to the crankcase.

Does that make sense or have I misinterpreted your pic?

Cheers,
Bernie

15
Which BSA do you ride? / Re: my M21
« on: 10 June, 2020, 17:30:24 »
Looks good to me - do you mean runs rough or just cosmetic?
The M21 motor is quite a simple beast and as long as it's getting fuel and oil should chuff along happily for many a mile.

Cheers,
Bernie

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