Hitchcocks Forum

Hi guys---- just give me some thoughts on this one please ? My bike is a 2005 Classic 500 with 7,000 miles on the clock. During the winter months I've fitted }------ 2 x Phos.Bronze valve guides, 1 x Hitchcocks O/S exhaust valve, 1 x original inlet valve, Cyl. head generally cleaned up, both valves properly ground-in and checked. Composite head-gasket, Hitchcocks 8.5 forged piston, 3mm compression plate, original iron barrel honed and re-fitted. Oil & filter changed (20w/50 Comma), New plug--0.025", timing checked, points gapped at 0.015". It has the transistor-assisted pack fitted by previous owner. So what's the problem ??? After warming up ( and a clean exhaust) it smokes at idling-----not a lot such as wet sumping might give, but just a hint of blue in the exhaust. My instinct says---------"new rings settling-in to a used(slightly) bore"-------------- What do you think ?? Have I missed something ?? I had bought some valve stem seals from Mr H but, despite some "tech-help" from them, there was no way they would fit-----just too damm small. Any comments ??   Cheers me dears.

 Hi Alan,


   How many miles have you got on the new rings? Sometimes they take a while to settle down  and even then they often seem a little puffy, it's an Enfield you see, they all do that sir.


 

They will smoke if left idling on the side stand, if this is the case, try it on the centre stand; if it is on the centre stand, I can`t offer any more advice.

Compleately agree with Leon Re Side stand.....


Alan Go for a Nice ride about an Hour, Stop for a Oint or Two ^ a Cob..Kick her up and watch........ If Bad Black Smoke Problem!


Trouble is after Leaveing it all Night at Home, You Could Have Oil Mist,Condensation,Wet Sump or Bye Pass Drip...Al Cleared after a Good Run...


 


BUT! IMHO... If You Leave it For about 2 Hrs Then Re Start You Should Have No ill Effects After a Min ! ??


 


( Or Old Brit-Bike Test of My youth, Thrash the Bollocks of Her then when the Engines Glowing..Stop for a Fag..If It Leaks or Smokes BAD, If it starts Ok ..Prob Solved (Blown Through) Simples....)


 


Dont Panic Can Last for years if Bad anyway But do Look In to it,,OK


 


Cheers Craig

Hi Alan a question occurs to me. Why go for a high compression piston and then put in a compression plate? I am under the impression that 3mm equates to around 2 atmospheres so your 8.5:1 piston is back to the 6.5:1 you started with.

Hi guys and thanks for the collective responce.  Since my first postingIi've put about 30 miles on, just for a quick ride-out. Norm--- I think you were in the ball-park on this one as it does seem to be easing off already. Leon-- it was on the cente stand but seems to be on the mend now. Craig--- Have I got a  "Cross-gender Bullet ?"----Thrash the bollocks off HER ?? Good imput though !!! Simon--- The bike came to me with a history of overheating. Cyl. head off showed the Indian cast piston with V. bad scorch marks so wanted to buy a forged one to replace it. At Hitchcocks they said the Std. European made item was still a cast piston---only the 8.5 being forged. Also I am planning to put an Aluminium barrel on but not untill next winter. So, wanting to start at original settings I also calculated that the plate would give me the 6.5 ratio. I now have a new piston &  rings working in a part-used ( 7,000 miles ) bore. Never having been in this situation before gave me the reason for this thread. !!     I will now start to put some serious miles on the clock and see what happens.  My thanks to you all.

Alan,
7,000 miles on the bore is nothing, these bores seem to stand up pretty well and with a hone to suit the piston there will be no problems. I have found some after a rebuild will smoke a bit even up to 3/400ks before they finally settle. I generally put them together then ride them around at night because it is cooler, put a hundred ks a night on them and after 3 nights they are right to go

Ahhh----ha !! A picture is forming in my mind of an eccentric, night-time rider with a red-hot, fiery engine, tearing up the neighbourhood. YE GODS & Gadzooks !! It's the return of the Ghost Rider (Economy, Enfield version---Thud---thud.), in touch with these recession-hit times. Nice to have you back Norm. It's a bit extreme though,--even for you matey !!   I reckon you're trying to out-do dear old "Bert" Monroe and show those Kiwi's the way home ???  Anyway--thanks for that bit of support and I'll just have to be a bit inventive when 'er indoors asks just where the  *&^** do I think Im going at 2-'o clock in the morning with me crash-hat on ?? ( No,no, guys--I use the leathers for that !!). Yeee--------Haaarrrrrrrr.

 Alan,


     It is 10ks around the block for me here so I go around 10 times, but you are right after a couple of circuits, people in servos and the drive through bottleshop in particular start to look at me in a strange manner. One night a bloke was on the phone in a public phone box and he was still there when I did my last circuit.  Some people ride trackwork on racehorses, I seem to do it on Enfields