Hi all,
Just run this by you all.
1960 C15 with a 12v conversion and I'm trying to preserve as much voltage as possible by using led bulbs.
Strangely , the Wassell/lucas bpf headlamp bulb works fine with the engine off , nice and bright, but the moment I start the engine, it flickers on and off.
This is not a bad connection issue as everything is soldered and earths are good etc but I'm wondering if the led circuit is getting upset by spurious pulses of AC coming through the reg/rec.

The same bulb was in my other C15 with a 12v conversion and it suffered exactly the same issue , flickering when running and fine when engine off.

I gave up eventually and found the bike would just balance with a 36w dip bulb at 30mph in 3rd.

Failing that , I'll have to buy a later encapsulated stator as both my bike's have the earlier open coil stator which I think was about 60w output.

I have a few reg/recs all simple 4 wire , 2 x yellow and red and black , and tried  a couple of them but still the same result

Any help or ideas anyone

Hi ,
C15 rear wheel smiths speedo drive.
Does anyone know the thread of the grease nipple please ?
Preferably to buy a nipple or failing that to screw a blanking screw in to keep the muck out
Thank you

Hello,
Might anyone have part number 40-0208 .
The little oval aluminium cover that closes the pushrod inspection hole please?

Thank you

Currently I have , I reckon, a bantam seat on my C15.
Whilst the front bracket fits and the shape of the seat base goes nicely outside the top frame , the front bracket pushes the seat back a bit.
I'd like to get/find the correct base with the correct shape front bracket , but I've seen different shape front brackets and it's difficult to know what it should be.
I've seen brackets with forward slots and upright slots etc
Thank you

Where or how does my 1959 C15 breathe from the crankcase please ?
I know my later side points C15 breathes through the camshaft and eventually out of the breather pipe near the clutch cable arm.
But I can't see where my distributor engine breathes via or from to the atmosphere.

Hi all,
Refurbing my son's c15 with a distributor and noticed the cam retaining screw and any washer is missing,
Could anyone help with thread and correct assembly order please?
Many thanks

I have just purchased a pair of Wassell WW60077 open spring shocks , but sadly they do not fit.
apart from being 11.9" long as oppsed to the original 10.9" the lower bush ID does not slide over the swinging arm spigot - even a quick spruce with emery will not do the trick.
the old girling unit glides on and off and there are no burrs or damage to the spigot
Is this a case of aftermarket parts not being correct or am I unlucky and a replacement pair will glide onto the bike !!!!!
just had a closer look and there is very little clearance between the swinging arm and the frame outrigger that supports the pillion footrests , so a longer unit may push the swing arm too far downwards to foul the pillion support.

Good evening,
My front wheel spindle seems to have side to side movement between the 2 bearings.
I can't see any spacers , so I assume one or both are not driven inwards enough.
How deep in is the nearside bearing driven in please , is there a shoulder similar to the off side bearing ?
Thank you

does anyone have the definitive rear shock length please?
early 1959 ish C15
thanks in advance

Hi all,
Has anyone tried one of these bulbs ?
I bought one to fit to my C15 with a 12v conversion.
Even though converted, there was not much charging left with everything turned on.
It seems that even though these bulbs are rated between 6v and 24v , they don't like the low end of that range.
I had a long and productive chat with a technical guy and it seems that the internal circuitry needs a decent voltage to keep it running.
When I checked my voltage at the back of the bulb, I had mid 9s low 10s.
I'd been fiddling with the bike so expected it to be down below 12v , but the standard bpf bulb seemed bright enough, .
When running the back of bulb voltage was high 13s as you'd expect and this new led bulb worked fine.

Just in case anyone has the same issue.
Earth's and connections etc were all fine.

I have an SS80 that is have begun the 12v conversion by joining the (very dilapidated ) 3 wires into 2 at the stator.
It is now 2 wires and 12v
I have obtained by chance a Ww10124W reg rec which is a 3 phase unit , having 3 yellows .
The instructions say that it CAN be used on a 2 wire stator but don't actually show how to connect the 3 yellows onto 2 wires.
Is it a matter of leaving 1 yellow disconnected or double line it up with its yellow partner?
Many thanks in advance

Morning all.
I have a 1965 SS80, all the books and charts that I have advocate sae40 and 30 for the engine summer and winter respectively.
Did BSA ever advocate sae 20-50 please?
I was thinking of speed of oil flow when cold really, but I am aware that the SS80 has a roller big end.
Thank you for any thoughts.

A theoretical question please.
If a bike eas on 6volts and the condenser installed.
If this bike is converted to 12v using the same condenser, will the higher voltage across the existing condenser damage it please?

Hi all,
Does anyone know if it is an easy conversion from the 4CA backplate to the 6CA backplate.
I can mount the condenser elsewhere then.
Thank you

I figured that I should introduce myself as I have posted things here AND benefitted from things here - sorry for about face!!

1 x D14
and 2 x D7

plus a fair bit of work on a pal's SS80

The D14 had a nice 1000 mile outing across Italy on the Moto Giro d'Italia
Both D7s have enjoyed multiple trips across Dartmoor on the Three Moors Runs and the June Jaunts
bot these runs are designed for tiddly bikes and great fun 500 miles and 300 miles respectively

Pretty much at the end of the project and want to get the right oil in the engine.
All the BSA books tell me she 40 monograde with which I'm happy to go
But I think I also saw sae 20-50 , is this beneficial in these bikes please?
Coming to eventually a bit warmer weather, roller big end and this plain timing side bush, do they prefer 40 or the 20-50 please?
Given the lubrication principles in its design but the advent of modern oils?
It's never going to be thrashed, but I want to keep it healthy inside
Thank you

Hi all,
Been working on my pal's SS80 with a lubrication issue.

When working on oil pumps on cars, I've always primed them, the C15 has a non return valve to stop oil drying down from the tank through the pump.
I'l prime both sides of the replacement  pump anyway , but will it pull the oil through this ballvalve OK on start up?

The scavenge side was the issue as the pick up pipe was damaged and sucking air rather than oil

Any other things to do on reassembly  please?
Thank you

Good evening,
My pal has a 1965 SS80 and I've been helping him work through countless things on it.
We're pretty much done now thankfully , but he can't get the hang of starting it!!

I show him the routine , up to tdc,  over the top , big swing and away.

But he experiences a small kick back as he eases it up to the (obviously the points open on the way up) , I said turn the key off until you're at the right spot , the key on and swing it then.

All bobweights, timing etc are fine. Once it's going its lovely.

Anybody else get these little kickbacks ? And your solutions please?

Hi all,
Side point ss80 and I think  that the springs are not pulling the bobweights right back to full retard.

I've had a look around for suppliers, can anyone help please?

The bike has a habit of kicking back as you ease it up to the when starting. When running it's fine, but I think the weights may not be returning to retard as they should

Thank you

Good evening,
Working on my pal's SS80 and cleaning out the oil ways.
I see the spring has a slightly larger diameter  at 1 end, which way round does the spring go 0lease , large diameter towards the ball or outwards please?
Thank you