Forum

[Gwilly]

Your right BB, a little warmth on the rotor does help when it becomes obvious that the gradual progression of effort and hammer sizes seems to be getting no results.. funny thing with a taper, it will resist all sorts and then suddenly release. A little heat will not effect the magnetism much but obviously, needs must if the rotor just has to come off then so be it. better than a damaged crank pin..

[PeteF]

Tapers can be very tight. I once had to get a flywheel off a marine diesel which had corroded on. I made a puller and put loads of force and heat on it; 6mm angle iron was bending and bolts were stipping but still to no avail. I good bash with a 14lb sledge however, and it flew across the workshop!
"If in trouble or in doubt - get a bigger hammer out!"

[KnockKnock]

I'll let you all know soon enough as I just bought the puller along with a few other long overdue items. This may seem like it's taken a bit of time but I do live at the other end of the world to you lot (NZ) and getting these parts down to me is exxxpensive.

[Norm]

Knock knock, got any idea as to how many Electras ended up in NZ, I would like to know how many ended up in Aus. The percentage that have dropped the big end on the ones I know about is high

[KnockKnock]

Norm, I've got no idea how many Electras are down here. As a quick check www.trademe.co.nz (a kinda home-grown e-Bay) has a 8 Enfields listed today, 4 are new 'Classics' and 'Contis' from dealers, 1x'47 model 'g', 1x'79 350cc and 2x'99's and that seems a fairly typical spread. The dealerships are a little vague and have only really focused on anything Enfield for the past few years. There is a bit of a guru on the older models who runs tours through India and carrys spare parts for the locals (he told me recently he has never worked on anything as modern(?) as an Electra) so I might ask him and get back to you. Do you think the bid end issue is something to do with the models sold here (they seem the be mainly Indian home market models as opposed to the export line) or maybe just simply rider style. The roads here are longer/wider/more open (hence the need for a rotor puller - trying out a change up from 19t to 20t output sprocket for cruising) so perhaps its the 'full throttle factor' that causes the failure. Mine came back to NZ with me from the UK and I'm quite familiar with it's own mechanical concerns..... I'll let you know if I find anything out.

[Norm]

Knonkknock, I'll ask Tim Busby to see if he has a figure on the number of Electras in NZ, he will probably know. I'd be a bit cautious with the 20 tooth, might be ok, I tried a 21 for a while which was good around town but out in the country it would run out of pull if you hit a long slow hill. Problem with the big end is the hardening on the crank pins was far too thin and they just chewed out, just poor quality control

[Norm]

Not sure of the actual number of Electras imported into NZ but it is somewhere between 12 and 20, Importer can't remember

[KnockKnock]

Hey Norm, the problem with the cranks sounds ominous... I'm guessing this is not limited to home market models (I'm not quite sure how these differ or even if they exist at all). Whats the solution for this then, an engine strip down and new crank + full set of crank shaft bearings +++? I posted a link to a tube video of the 'typical' sound of a fast idle for my engine at 7000 miles old. The noise has been persistent to say the least and will not go away no matter what I adjust. Do you think this might be a cause?

[Norm]

Hard to tell but some of the early ones tended to push the gudgeon circlip out and it was strange noise to pick up but from memory it sounded a bit like that

[KnockKnock]

Thanks Norm (I think..). I guess either way you can only tell with a full strip down. I'll put it on my list. For now, its summer time so I might just enjoy it for now and plan an overhaul for the wet months. Cheers!