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[MartinB]

Norm-i fear you're right.However my mate who's doing the repairs is very competant with Jap bikes and also works regularly on Harleys but he has struggled with the poor quality of the Enfield .

If i learn how to kick start the bike and only use the electric starter in emergencies such as when stalled in traffic i assume the sprag will last a lot longer?

[Norm]

Martin,
Your last statement sums it up, "if stalled in traffic" it is stalling in traffic that can smash the sprag and it only takes one stall to do it. I understand your friend problems, get a part for a Japper and it bolts straight on, get something for an Enfield and you spend an hour making it fit if you can and there are times you end up throwing the bits in the bin. Parts might be cheap but sometimes you need 3 parts before you get one that fits, sometimes you still fail as I did recently trying to get a drive shaft for a cast engine that didn't have 20 thou runout. The motor is still in bits.

[MartinB]

Update........it's done and all working well AT THE MOMENT.Static timing has been re-set with the 6 degree offset making it 8 degrees in all.

There was an issue with missing primary chain tensioner parts that may not have helped.

The whole lot had been taken apart before i bought the bike so may not have been correctly re-assembled?I know i am clutching at straws now and my confidence in the bike has diminished considerably.

Will i keep it?Who knows.

[Alex.]

Don't despair - the sprag is certainly a "characteristic" of the Electra X (I didn't say a problem, for those lucky ones) but give the Enfield a good try, I am just back from a summer evening ride, and it was wonderful!! I wonder if part of the explanation lies in those few words I often see - mods include.... I suspect Electra X may be best left as standard as timing is so crucial, but that may just be my experience. Mind you, I might have to change my name to apparently lucky alex - I had an MGF too, loved it and had no head problems. I think from memory the dowels used had an influence too - originals were "plastic" - upgraded spec included improved (land rover) gasket and I'm sure metal dowels.....it was a few years back right enough! Good luck with both.

[MartinB]

Alex i thought i was one of the apparently few lucky ones until my sprag went.I do love pottering round on my Enfield as it's a good stress buster and the opposite end to the modern bike scale.I fear i should have left mine well alone but the tinkering is all part of the fun-or at least it used to be!

Re the MG K series-yes i believe the early versions incredibly had plastic dowels.A bit like plastic swing arm bushes on some bikes maybe?I too had an MGF with no head gasket problems in my 2 1/2 years of ownership.It had done loads more miles than my TF but may have been replaced before i bought the car.Anyway the gasket's all done now as well so i'll have to see if the repairs to both my vehicles are long term solutions or not!