Unofficial Royal Enfield Community Forum

Royal Enfield Motorcycles => Bullet Electra & AVL => Topic started by: scoTTy on August 06, 2007, 04:01:52 am

Title: Maintenance question
Post by: scoTTy on August 06, 2007, 04:01:52 am
2007 Electra

I am in the process of finishing up the 300 mile check.

I have adjusted valves, primary chain.... still takes some getting use to as the service manual said 0 lash at cold.,. It also said. .1 MM   ???

So a phone call later..  I learned something... I use the triwl method.. but not truly sure of what friction I should feel... it appears working on Enfields are an Art vs. working on the bikes I have had in the past.

I digress

 My maintence question is about adjustment of the eccentric cam spindle which in one part of the book it says as needed while here it says during the first service..

And It said to tighten the lock nut. once the desired backlash is reached..  well perhaps I should read deeper into this manual.. but what's the 'desired' backlash? And should it really be done in the first 300 miles?

I also found with the seat and tank off that's a good time to check tightness of bolts.. my coil buried inside the frame near the gooseneck was swinging in the breeZe, a little locktite later :)  Also , found a bolt without a nut at the seat frame..and

I took gloss black paint like you get in those brush containers at auto places.. and everywhere there was a weld and a crevice where surface rust was starting , it got large globs of paint.

So if anyone knows what the desired backlash is please pass it on..

 ;D

thAnKs
Title: Re: Maintenance question
Post by: Thumper on August 06, 2007, 12:24:52 pm
2007 Electra

I am in the process of finishing up the 300 mile check.

I have adjusted valves, primary chain.... still takes some getting use to as the service manual said 0 lash at cold.,. It also said. .1 MM   ???

So a phone call later..  I learned something... I use the triwl method.. but not truly sure of what friction I should feel... it appears working on Enfields are an Art vs. working on the bikes I have had in the past.

I digress

 My maintence question is about adjustment of the eccentric cam spindle which in one part of the book it says as needed while here it says during the first service..

And It said to tighten the lock nut. once the desired backlash is reached..  well perhaps I should read deeper into this manual.. but what's the 'desired' backlash? And should it really be done in the first 300 miles?

I also found with the seat and tank off that's a good time to check tightness of bolts.. my coil buried inside the frame near the gooseneck was swinging in the breeZe, a little locktite later :)  Also , found a bolt without a nut at the seat frame..and

I took gloss black paint like you get in those brush containers at auto places.. and everywhere there was a weld and a crevice where surface rust was starting , it got large globs of paint.

So if anyone knows what the desired backlash is please pass it on..

 ;D

thAnKs

TT Scotty,
I'd recommend you adjust the valve tappet clearance up at the rocker arms using a feeler guage the first couple of times. Once set accurately that way, feel the resistance of the 'twirl' so that you're familiar with it. Once confident, you can use the twirl method as your primary method and only check at the rocker arms as needed. You should be retorquing your head now anyway, so the valve covers will be off to do that.

I believe the eccentric cam spindle to which they refer is for the drive chain.

Take a look at my maintenance notes which has information on both of the above procedures:

http://members.verizon.net/allofusmorrows/RE_maintenance.htm

Matt

Title: Re: Maintenance question
Post by: scoTTy on August 06, 2007, 06:27:59 pm
Matt,

Thanks for your forward.. now it's back out to my heated garage :o

scotty
Title: Re: Maintenance question
Post by: justin_o_guy on August 07, 2007, 02:00:14 pm
I keep a product from Kelly paint in the garage. It's called Ospho & it turns iron oxide into iron sulphate. It is a dilute phosphoric acid. I tried the gel & didnt like it, The liquid works fine IMO. Its cheap & lasts a long time. Then the paint goes on.
Title: Re: Maintenance question
Post by: Kevin Mahoney on August 07, 2007, 03:04:18 pm
The clearance figure given for the valve lash is a theoretical number which represents the desired clearance after the engine is hot. Forget about it. Set the pushrods (cold) so that you can spin then with your thumb and forefinger with no up and down movement. When the engine gets hot, the cylinder expands and lengthens which then gives you more clearance, which is why they are louder hot than cold.
 I think the answer to the backlash of the cam spindle is "enough but not too much". I would forget about this as it is rarely adjusted.
Title: Re: Maintenance question
Post by: luoma on August 08, 2007, 02:57:50 am
Nice thing about the Enfield is that it is not too finicky about the adjustments. When I bought mine I was told "adjust by feel, tune by ear." That's about the way it works to. As long as all the parts are there, and fastened securely, it runs fine.
Title: Re: Maintenance question
Post by: RagMan on August 08, 2007, 03:35:50 am
When you only have one cylinder to worry about, tuning by ear is not a problem..
Title: Re: Maintenance question
Post by: scoTTy on August 08, 2007, 04:53:11 am
but I'm deaf from too many loud guitars ,cars, and cross country motorcycle trips.. so it's all feel for me.. ;) ;D
Title: Re: Maintenance question
Post by: scoTTy on August 09, 2007, 02:16:37 am
and thank You Kevin , for the insight..  now I understand

scotty