FH - shaking down 2

Well, I expected to do a few modifications or repairs after a bit of shakedown mileage - for example I now know that it needs a larger engine sprocket and I've got a couple of oil leaks - but I didn't expect to be taking it off the road quite so soon! I fully filled the tank for the first time yesterday having driven around with about a gallon sloshing about in the bottom for the last few miles and unfortunately it appears that the extra weight of fuel has revealed a pinhole. Now this tank has had a few weld repairs, it's been tested with air several times and filled with Slosh sealant - but there's still a pinhole.

You can just about see it here - there's a bit of a 'halo' around the hole. The tank is empty in this picture - with 4 gallons in there, it drips constantly.

Would something like Petro Patch work do we think? JB Weld perhaps?

In other news, fellow AOMCC member Stan has been in touch to tell me that BSA engine sprockets (A, B and M series) will fit and I have ordered one; I've put a 2 BA cheesehead screw in the open chain oiler hole in the outer primary case, because of course this hole is not used on FERC bikes and just provides a leak path. Stan suggested a couple of other things:

• Use Morris AG90 gear oil in the box
• Put an O ring under the speedo drive nut to stem the cable oil leaks
• It's worth getting an aluminium gear for your auto-advance unit as a backfire can strip the fibre teeth
• It's worth having a spare rocker shaft in your toolbox as these can break

You get great support in the AOMCC.

I did check where the idle screw had ended up after the hot adjustment yesterday - 1 1/2 turns out. However, starting today was a bit tricky - the bike was more reluctant to run. I had the choke fully on, perhaps the weather was too warm? It was spitting back a fair bit.

I've also ordered a new fuel cap.

FH - shaking down 1

 Well, I've decided that since in the last nine miles of circuits around the house the Huntmaster hasn't exploded, I have today filled it up and racked up another 15 miles.

Amongst other places, we've been to the lovely 1910 Weybourne Station on the North Norfolk Railway. Here the FH poses next to the 1960 - built English Electric Class 37, ready to depart on the last up-train of the day.

It's going very well. In the first nine miles I had adjusted the brakes 3-4 times, and after changing one of the levers they are starting to feel OK. 

Some days ago, I had adjusted the tickover. Today, having put perhaps 11 miles on the engine I stopped at Weybourne to find that it was less easy to start; adjusting it on arrival at home, I leaned it out 1/2 turn or more - the plugs are showing tickover was rich. I may have gone too far, but before I adjusted it the engine was very easy to start cold.

The other thing that is obviously wrong is the gearing - you can feel it is too low. Inspection of the build pictures show there's a 22 tooth engine sprocket fitted - standard fitment for solo bikes is 24, so we will have to see if we can get one of those.

Lastly, we have a timing cover oil leak and a primary case oil leak. I know that the old chain oiler screw hole is open, and there may well be too much oil in the primary case but since that will have to come apart to fit the new sprocket, we won't worry too much. The timing case is another matter.