Forum

[Spannerman]

I am the unfortunate victim of a broken tappet cam follower on an eight year old Electra - quite a tragic occurrence, timing side and inlet valve trashed.
But I think it was caused by using the valve lifter to stop the engine. I was advised to use the lifter after my sprag clutch failed due to kickbacks and I did that for a year or so and then bang, timing all wrecked. I also wonder that the setting on my lifter is very high and that it allows the cam to strike the tappet with some force when in use and possibly fatiguing the cam follower causing the catastrophic failure of the cam follower head.
I have repaired the bike and now I am concerned it will happen again. I will obviously not be using the valve lifter to stop the engine but I still prefer to use it to start the engine to avoid kickback risks so I have set it to only just lift the valve ( It only needs to lift th exhaust valve a fraction to work)

Does anyone have any further advice about adjusting the valve lifter to prevent the damage? Or just remove the lifter altogether?

[Gwilly]

I think a few of us know that the slim down version of the cam follower was pants, why they changed from a long lasting solid spec i have no idea..

I wonder if you still have the sprag and electric leg? My reason being we only use the lifter to stop the motor thus protecting the sprag from damage, but if you've dumped it then happy days, use with impunity...

If you still have it then which is easiest to replace sprag or follower?

Not offering advice as you seem competent with mechanicals, maybe you where just unlucky and it may never happen again..

[Davie Hall]

My Electra x had an engine rebuild 2 years ago and I didn't refit the valve lifter. When I switch it off I let it idle so the idle goes right down then switch it off and it never spins backwards. My starter is still fitted and I use it all the time, but I make sure it has a.good quality motobatt battery fitted and let it spin for a couple of seconds once it has started.

[Craig]

Davie..After doing away with the lifter did you just leave the Push Rods as is & do's a normal Plain Tappet Cover fit.? ie is it that simple ;0)

[Gwilly]

Sorry, brain fart, i meant to say without the sprag you could just switch off with the key or kill switch..

Nothing can get damaged buy reversal..

Davie seems to get away with it so there ya go...

[Exile]

I miss Norm...

[Davie Hall]

Mine only has the circlip missing, everything else is as it left the factory. You can operate the lever and nothing happens.

[Spannerman]

Hi thanks all for the replies. I think I have just been unlucky but agree with Davie Hall and will just remove the circlip as it can always be replaced in future. I still have the electric start sprag In place but if it goes again I will not replace it!
You can do without the electric leg but not a timing cam follower!
If anyone else has had an exhaust tappet broken I wonder if they used the exhaust lifter. I would advise it not to be used for stopping the engine especially at higher revs.
You live and learn I guess.

[Spannerman]

Just an update. After 50 miles the big end went quite suddenly. I can only assume I was not careful enough to locate all the debris from the timing case, the pump flow was ok. Don't know if I have the inclination to fix it right now maybe sell for spares but the bike looks too good to break up. Maybe I will change my mind in a few months time.
Will be flushing out everything very carefully in future, however, I guess you can never really be sure you have found everything without a total strip down. Anyone costed the parts for a typical Electra big end rebuild?

[Adrian]

Hi Spannerman,



the big end should have been protected by the oil filter picking up any bits the scavenge-side oil strainer might have let through. It's just a sad fact that the big ends fail in their own right too. I have had exhaust cam follower, sprag clutch and big end all fail on my Electra. Our hosts sell the AVL type conrod, with the little end eye sleeved and a UK made big end pin, that and a set of european main bearings will sort you out if you want to re-use the original crankshaft, or one of our hosts' own Electra-X cranks can be used, prices in the accessory catalogue.



You can also get a quote from Henry Price at Price Part Motorcycles, he has rebuilt a few of these, 01454 261798. He might also buy your bike as is for conversion to a diesel Enfield...



The failing cam followers seem to be rearing their ugly heads again as more low-mileage Electras are snapped up (if you'll pardon the pun) by enthusiasts and start getting used. I am getting a spare engine built by Paul Henshaw of racing Bullet fame and we're hoping to get some custom bronze cam follower guides turned up which will take the tougher standard Bullet cam followers and still fit the Electra-X cases, I was told today they might need to be a slightly awkward shape. An extreme solution for lovers of the 500 Electra-X engine is to have a set of 350 Classic Bullet crankcases (metric bearings) modified to take the Electra-X top end, crank and timing cover. It can be done!



A.