I'll be as brief as possible.
Bought bike 18 months ago. Then fell ill. Friend started it 10 months ago. I felt fit enough to have a ride as not even sat on it yet.
Will it start?
Not a cough fart nowt.
Both fuel taps leaking on the plungers, rebuild or replace. Parts or from ??
Every 4 or 5 kicks kick start is locked solid. Need to put in gear and rock rear wheel. Then the process starts again.
Battery shows 4.8v been on charge three hours and shows........... 4.8v
Help please PLEASE
REGARDS
KENNY
The kick start locking is due to wear on the mechanism. Are you using fresh fuel? Has the bike wet sumped? If the sump is full of oil it will cause drag on the fly wheel making it difficult to spin the magneto fast enough to get a good spark. The battery condition will not affect the starting as the spark is provided by the magneto. Try cleaning the magneto points as the can oxidise done to lack of use.
Hi,
Replacement corks for the taps are available from most suppliers. The ones fitted must have dried out.
Have you checked that there is a spark? As mentioned oxidation etc.
Once running you may find that the jamming kickstart is less of a problem.
It sounds like the battery is duff.
Dave.
Many thanks for the advice.
Yes I had drained the oil so no wet sump.
I will replace the fuel taps once I know what fitting and where to get them from.
Noticed two odd (make) spark plugs one champion L7 and the other has Chinese characters on it. Different plug caps too but realise this isn't a starting issue.
I will drain fuel it must be at least 10 months old.
So replacement fuel taps from ?
Which spark plugs are recommended?
A search on L7 tells me NLA
Thanks again
NGK B6HS I believe are correct for L7 replacement
Above advice is great
Fresh fuel, new plugs and clean correctly gapped plugs will give you best chance
Might be worth considering a carb strip and clean too if the above does not work.
Modern fuel drying out causes a lot of crud to build up on jets.
Typo - clean and gapped points!
The kickstart is a common problem and can be daunting yo contemplate. I presume yours is early swing arm '54.
Typically it is the kickstart quadrant and the rotating part of the ratchet that wear, as well as the phosphor bronze bush that the ratchet spins on over the mainshaft.
You would need to drain the gearbox of oil and remove the outer cover (three screws and 4 nuts).
Inspect the quadrant (two types, late pointy teeth and early flat top teeth). Then undo the tab washer on the mainshaft nut, off comes the fixed part of the ratchet - often not worn. The bush, spring and ratchet come off. The ratchet and bush typically knackered and will need replacing. You need correct type tooth pattern to match your kickstart quadrant. Originally yours would have been flat top teeth, of course over years likely replaced or mix/not match a possibility.
Do not neglect the bush.
See, it is easy and only 1 hours work to do.
L7 plugs are a bit hard although wiinot affect starting. A10s used L10 plugs. Don't use resistive plugs, caps or leads. The magneto won't like them giving a weaker spark and damaging the magneto windings.
So the fuel taps had both collapsed? Plungers in them. Cleaned out and refreshed the plungers with rubber tubing. Both working fine.
Cleaned out the tank, wow that fuel stank!
Cleaned the carb and checked mag points. Cleaned plugs and 5ltrs new fuel in.
Third kicked and the A10 fired into life.
Test ride tomorrow
Wooooohoo
Lovely sense of achievement when that happens.
Quote from: KingKenny1 on 20 May, 2025, 23:32 So the fuel taps had both collapsed? Plungers in them. Cleaned out and refreshed the plungers with rubber tubing. Both working fine.
Cleaned out the tank, wow that fuel stank!
Cleaned the carb and checked mag points. Cleaned plugs and 5ltrs new fuel in.
Third kicked and the A10 fired into life.
Test ride tomorrow
Wooooohoo
Excellent. Enjoy!
Test ride done, think someone has stolen the brakes 😛
Anyhoo she ran fine, the odd fart but got me there and back.
Conflicting advice on plug gaps, anyone have the true gap? Seems anywhere from 20th to 50th or so I have been led to believe.
Forks very under damped, 220ml (now) in each leg may go another 10ml.
Run not long enough to try air/choke lever all the way clockwise but maybe next time.
Brum Brum chaps 😃
Quote from: neil1964 on 20 May, 2025, 14:05 Typo - clean and gapped points!
The kickstart is a common problem and can be daunting yo contemplate. I presume yours is early swing arm '54.
Typically it is the kickstart quadrant and the rotating part of the ratchet that wear, as well as the phosphor bronze bush that the ratchet spins on over the mainshaft.
You would need to drain the gearbox of oil and remove the outer cover (three screws and 4 nuts).
Inspect the quadrant (two types, late
pointy teeth and early flat top teeth). Then undo the tab washer on the mainshaft nut, off comes the fixed part of the ratchet - often not worn. The bush, spring and ratchet come off. The ratchet and bush typically knackered and will need replacing. You need correct type tooth pattern to match your kickstart quadrant. Originally yours would have been flat top teeth, of course over years likely replaced or mix/not match a possibility.
Do not neglect the bush.
See, it is easy and only 1 hours work to do.
Thank you so much. Are parts available then?
Quote from: idie on 21 May, 2025, 22:40 Lovely sense of achievement when that happens.
Couldn't stop smiling (listening)
Is it normal for the bike to move backwards on main stand when revved?
Quote from: KingKenny1 on 22 May, 2025, 08:44 Quote from: neil1964 on 20 May, 2025, 14:05 Typo - clean and gapped points!
The kickstart is a common problem and can be daunting yo contemplate. I presume yours is early swing arm '54.
Typically it is the kickstart quadrant and the rotating part of the ratchet that wear, as well as the phosphor bronze bush that the ratchet spins on over the mainshaft.
You would need to drain the gearbox of oil and remove the outer cover (three screws and 4 nuts).
Inspect the quadrant (two types, late
pointy teeth and early flat top teeth). Then undo the tab washer on the mainshaft nut, off comes the fixed part of the ratchet - often not worn. The bush, spring and ratchet come off. The ratchet and bush typically knackered and will need replacing. You need correct type tooth pattern to match your kickstart quadrant. Originally yours would have been flat top teeth, of course over years likely replaced or mix/not match a possibility.
Do not neglect the bush.
See, it is easy and only 1 hours work to do.
Thank you so much. Are parts available then?
Yes.
You can buy matching pair of quadrant and tab washer and bush from reputable source (eg Kidderminster) or strip, inspect and likely just replace the ratchet and bush with new tab washer to match your quadrant.
Depends what is important, time or monet5!!!!
Many thanks 🤩
Should my bike have a side ?
Quote from: KingKenny1 on 28 May, 2025, 23:43 Should my bike have a side ?
? Sorry is this a part typed question?
How strange.........
Try again
I have a 1954 Golden Flash. Should the bike have a side stand?
Were all Flash's painted mustard/gold?
Many thanks and apologies for the part message
Side stands were an optional extra. The early swinging arm frames do not have a welded on prop stand lug.
Black was an optional colour.
Hi. It could still be a plunger in 1954, by this time, late plunger frames had the lug for a side stand already fitted.
I believe that in 54, they could be black or gold in colour.
Hi,
In your forks try a slightly thicker fork oil rather than more otherwise the extra will make an escape for freedom.
Mower shops sell a straight 30.
Dave.