Rocket Gold Flash

[bsa- bill]

Thanks LJ
One of the minor problems sorted yesterday, Fitted the camshaft, had to file about 20 thou off the shoulder of each of the timing side camshaft bushes, then spent far too much time putting the pinion on ( that damn key that some of you warned me about ) When I removed the original cam I lost the key so ordered two  new ones from a well known dealer ( thinking of the Ebay debate ), these keys seem to have a life of there own and fly out of the keyway at the first sight of the pinion, don't know how I got it on so easy last time?.
Anyway while searching the shed for something to hold the key in while the pinion got started I found the original key ( life is like that, or at least my life is ), I tried this key, it was a bit tighter in the keyway, I squeezed it in with grips and the pinion went straight on.
The camshaft nut is now good and tight, the camshaft turns by hand and has no discernible end float . - result as they say

[bsa- bill]

Timing cases and primary cases back on today,
Decided to use a degree, disc to set the timing  never used one before .
found I could not get anything to work out correct ( was measuring with vernier gauge to check as head was off )
Seemed to vary about 4 degrees , the disc was tight on the crank so it could not move, was baffled for a while.
then I thought of using my dial gauge to measure piston travel, more important was it's use in determining TDC, this was where I was going wrong.
Using eye and finger to judge TDC is in my case wildly inaccurate, I found that I was consistently out ( yes as much as four degrees ) it is probably due to the last 2 degrees and  first two degrees give very little deflection of the piston.
Easy to set up as well , magnetic base sticks nicely the a down tube, the range of mine is 10mm so works just nice for 3/8ths

[bsa- bill]

Working nights for a little while so bike time is limited, however I decided to takle the not starting feature by starting with a check on the carb, this is a new carb that came jetted for a Super Rocket but examination shows a 330 main jet, I've swapped this for a new 400 I had, everything else is as should be.
One other thing I noted was the original jet that the carb had ( it was jetted for a Flash and the shop changed the jets to Rocket and included the original in the package) was stamped incorrectly, the 2 was upside down, Not what you would expect from Amal, makes me wonder about the rest of the jets.

squirted carb cleaner through all the portals, see no reason why it should not fire up, last attempt seemed to indicate no fuel getting to the engine as the plugs were dry even after mega kicking.

OK next I'll swap the maggie for the one on my Flash that definitely works, or at east it did on Tuesday when it passed it's MOT, great day for a bike ride on Monday although wet early on

[bsa- bill]

Still no Joy starting RGF, recond Magneto works on the Flash and the Magneto on the RGF is off the Flash and is 100%
puzzled as why the plugs are not wet so decided to check valve timing, off with the timing case yet again, valve timing OK.
Kicking engine over I hear a metalic click every now and then ( night time session all is quite I can hear better), turn engine to BDC and remove idler gear, turn camshaft to watch valve action - down up, down up, down up, down   ------ click up, this valve seems to stick then fly up.
pushrod seem to rotate in its bit OK, so forum's acquired wisdom please, all valves were free when I put the head on and I don't think I've done anything to bend one but wont discount it, other than a bent valve could anything else cause this ( thinking cam followers )

[muskrat]

G'day Bill,
                yes could be lifter or valve. To check, remove rocker box, with the pushrods still in place turn the motor over. They should rise and fall under their own weight. If so it's the valve.
 Do I remember correctly that you had trouble with the cam pinion and key. This may have caused the timing to be out slightly, and the piston just touched the valve. It doesn't take much to bend one.
 Is it firing on the other cylinder?
Cheers

[a101960]

Bill,

Check that the pilot jet has been drilled through properly. Can you guess why I would suggest this?

John

[chaterlea25]

Hi Bill,
Apparently sometimes the rockerbox casting has to be relieved to give clearance on the ally head 650 models
maybe the rocker box came from a std A7/10???
Just a thought???

HTH
JOhn O R