[ivantheterrible]

Hi all,
I was told that this was the forum to join for all things RE. Just bought a 2005 65 military with a 612 Hitchcock kit. Got a good price on it, but it has some problems that I'm hoping y'all can help me with.

First- it's gear shifter is slack. Can't select any gear. Guy I bought it from was riding it when this happened.

The starter sprag seems to be out as well. I wonder if these two things are related?

Lose of power, noticed by the previous owner on the same ride when the gear shifter went out. I also wonder if this is related.

The guy I bought it from took it to a mechanic and was told it either had a leaking head gasket, or a bad piston. I don't think the mechanic did more than a visual inspection.

If it matters, the 612 kit has about 600 miles on it and the PO claims that the break-in procedure was being followed.

I don't have the bike in my possession yet, so I haven't had a chance to dig into it. I'm hoping that based on my vague description one of y'all more knowledgeable folks might have an opinion about what it might be.

Thanks for your time and consideration.

[c1skout]

Welcome to the fold.

Look up Pete Snidal and order one of his service/maintenance cd's. Lots of info there! Should cover any problems you may have.

My bike is kick only and a 4 speed, so I'm just guessing here..... but the first thing I'd do is open the primary and see if anything there looks torn up. The spag can come apart violently and cause expensive parts to turn into scrap. Lots of info here on various repair or deletions of the e start. Search should find that.

The transmission shifter I would suppose is it's own problem, unless the primary chain is causing binding on the mainshaft somehow. You'll have to remove the transmission cover (behind the kick starter) to get to the shifter parts. Could be the shifter ratchet spring broke?

Composite gaskets are available to fix oil leaks at the head, but If you're just leaking at the front it could be from the rocker oil feed banjo bolt.

Let us know what you find when it gets home. And how about some pics?

[ivantheterrible]

thanks for the reply. I'll certainly post some pics, and not just of the various broken bits

[Arizoni]

ivantheterrible
First, WELCOME to the forum.

A few thoughts about your problems (although I don't own a Iron Barrel):

The shift on these older RE's was kind of a hodge podge when they designed it.  Often, problems developed because of wear in the bushings and shafts needed to get a "right hand shift" transmission to shift with a left foot shift lever.
It may be that some retaining pin fell off.  It is most likely that whatever the problem is, it is external to the transmission.  The inner workings were pretty robust.
Hopefully one of the guys who owns one of the older iron barrels like yours will chime in.

The sprag clutch, located on the crankshaft left side (with rider sitting on the seat) has been a problem ever since they added it to the engine.  It is accessible by removing the primary drive/clutch case cover.
Hopefully, it is just not engaging.  If the sprags did fail it can dump a LOT of small, very hard pieces of metal into the bearings and primary drive chain area and these can cause a lot of damage.
Even if the clutch is in fair shape, it's a good idea to remove it.  There are a lot of posts on our forum that tell you how.  Just use the search engine and search for "sprag clutch replace" in the Iron Barrel section of the forum.

At 600 miles, the piston should be in pretty good shape but there is no doubt that someone has been in there frinkling around because to convert the engine to a 612 it had to be taken apart.  That could result in a blown head gasket but bear in mind, the head gasket really doesn't seal the combustion chamber.  The chamber is sealed with a metal to metal fit between the end of the iron cylinder and the aluminum head.  The "head gasket" is really there to seal the tunnel the push rods go thru to keep the area from leaking oil.

A more likely cause of the engine loosing power is either the ignition timing is off or the valves need adjustment.
A gooked up carburetor that needs a good cleaning could also easily cause a power loss.  Especially if the motorcycle has been sitting for a long time and the fuel is old.

[Stanley]

Unless I missed something, a sixty five has the improved5 speed box with a good LH shift.
I wish I had that on my bike.

[ivantheterrible]

thanks, Jim. I find your post comforting! I trust all will be revealed when I lay some photos on y'all. I've been busting through all 200 plus pages of the Iron barrel section here. I'm on page 51.

Great site!

[Bilgemaster]

A very special welcome to you, Ivan Grozny! I too have a 2005 "Military," though with nothing so grand as that Hitchcock's big bore kit installed. What follows is the lowdown on mine, which may or may not help you get your own better fettled...

A previous owner had been kind enough to install an electronic ignition, for which I'm grateful for ease of maintenance and reliability's sake. I removed that sillyass crankcase breather catch can system which had been clogging up and causing real problems. I also put in a full-sized 7" headlamp with a natty little cap instead of the goofy little 5 3/4" DOT-mandated one, and also yanked out that wiring "dogbone" in the headlamp shell that bypassed that perfectly good lighting switch, keeping the headlamp always on (another DOT mandated goofiness). The sprung rider and pillion saddles must have been added by a previous owner, along with a handy loop handle attached atop the lefthand shock to more easily hoist the beast up onto her centerstand. I found another matching handle in the parts bin given to me by the previous owner, and stuck that on too, onto the righthand side, figuring I might be able to then use both handles' loops to securely strap gear down onto the pillion saddle when touring. I also slapped on an ultra-cheapo $16.99 sidestand from India, which is holding up remarkably well...keeps me from having to do the full heave-ho every damned time I stop, especially on that hill by my boats' storage lot gate. That whole "Grunt!--[Open Gate]--Grunt!--[Close Gate]--Grunt!" routine got old quick. One other super-useful addition has been an inexpensive little waterproof combination 12V USB & Cigarette Lighter Power Socket doodad that I've snuck onto the frame under the rider saddle, though it would fit nicely onto one's handlebars too. I use my phone's Google Maps "Route Options: Avoid Highways" trick and some Bluetooth earbuds for touring, so keeping that gear powered up is sort of "Mission Critical." Also, chicks dig USB ports.

Other than that lot, as far as I know everything else on my 2005's probably bone stock, including the exhaust system. I've still got that preposterously long original "Bengal Bottle" silencer/muffler, which I rather like the almost bizarre length and look of, and also the "pulse air" system with its inlet doodad welded into my downpipe/header near the exhaust outlet. I'm led to understand that this pulse air system (its controller's under the lefthand sidepanel) is intended to let a bit of fresh air into the escaping exhaust to help burn off any residual unburnt fuel when it reaches a kind of not-quite-a-catalytic-converter doodad that's usually sort of tap-welded into the muffler end of the downpipe, or in some cases within the muffler itself. I'd imagine all of this restrictive power-sapping and sort of heavy emissions crap would have been long since removed by any previous owner savvy and eager enough for added performance to be lobbing in a fairly expensive big bore kit from Hitchcocks. I'm perfectly OK with mine being there for now, since it keeps the roar to a minimum when I kick the beast to life. Like I've said here before, I have neighbors I like on both sides with small children and I don't want to be "that guy" rousting those kids from their naptimes just as Mom's breaking out the Chardonnay for a little "Me Time." Maybe in several years I'll do the whole "Performance Upgraydd Thang," but for now I'm pretty content just thumping along backroads in the 50s as I do. It's powerful and fast enough for the geezin' likes of me.

I can tell you that you were told right that this is the Forum to be on to help get your Enfield squared away. I got mine last December, and she was ailing too. Thanks largely to the clever and helpful folks here, I'm now pretty confident I could hop on her, go most anywhere, and my ass would wear out before that bike.

[ivantheterrible]

Great post bilgemaster! This does indeed seem to be the place.

[pushrod]

Welcome Ivan, glad to have another Enfield rider here.

[Bilgemaster]

Thanks Ivan Vasilyevich! Where are you exactly? Your profile would only suggest that you might have spent a whole lot of time in St. Basil's Cathedral...

[ace.cafe]

I don't know what is wrong with the shifter. It is not a common failure on 5 speed gearboxes, but it might be very minor.

As for the 612 kit, the parts are very high quality from Hitchcocks. I am not a particular fan of the concept of the 612 kit, but it is well made.

I assume if the mechanic suspects compression loss by naming head gasket or piston, that he took a cold cranking compression test. It would be helpful to know the reading from that test.

It is very common to get too much compression with the 612 kit, and it can cause piston problems. Cold cranking compression readings with the throttle wide open are a must to get this engine dialed in properly.

[ivantheterrible]

Thanks Ivan Vasilyevich! Where are you exactly? Your profile would only suggest that you might have spent a whole lot of time in St. Basil's Cathedral...

Hah, that's a good one, and totally understandable that you'd think that. But, though I am of Russian and eastern European heritage, I've never been to the old country.

[ivantheterrible]

I don't know what is wrong with the shifter. It is not a common failure on 5 speed gearboxes, but it might be very minor.

As for the 612 kit, the parts are very high quality from Hitchcocks. I am not a particular fan of the concept of the 612 kit, but it is well made.

I assume if the mechanic suspects compression loss by naming head gasket or piston, that he took a cold cranking compression test. It would be helpful to know the reading from that test.

It is very common to get too much compression with the 612 kit, and it can cause piston problems. Cold cranking compression readings with the throttle wide open are a must to get this engine dialed in properly.

Thanks for posting. I get the impression you are 'the Man', as it regards these bikes. (no offense meant to others who might also be 'the man' as if regards these bikes. )
I'm interested in what you mean by not being a fan of the 412 concept. Concept is such a precise word in this context. I'd love to hear (read) why you feel that way.

[ace.cafe]

Thanks for posting. I get the impression you are 'the Man', as it regards these bikes. (no offense meant to others who might also be 'the man' as if regards these bikes. )
I'm interested in what you mean by not being a fan of the 412 concept. Concept is such a precise word in this context. I'd love to hear (read) why you feel that way.

Well, we have built a fair number of 612 Bullets, and also quite a large number of 535 Bullets. The main difference is the long stroke is slower revving, and the larger displacement of the 612 places much higher demand on the intake system. The typical result is that low rpm torque is improved, but max rpm is lower, and revving is slower.

Rider perceptions show that it is more at home pulling a sidecar or pulling loads, and not as lively and sporty as a well tuned 535. Nothing wrong with it, but it seems a different bike when you ride it. Hp is numerically similar to a good 535, but it rides differently.

Some of this can be offset with enlargement of the carb and intake port, to help higher rpm extension, to a point. That must be done judiciously, by someone who has experience in such matters. It will reach max piston speeds sooner than the 535, so it won't ever rev quite as high as a good 535. Good for a puller, though, if you like to ride a passenger and encounter hills often. Also it is much stronger than a stock Bullet, so you will definitely feel it.

[ivantheterrible]

Thanks Ace.