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[MHSILVERW]

Found this old thread and noted concerns about the Electra - some mixed good and bad experiences and a note that spares availability might be poor(er).
If a 5-speed Electra went 'pop' and was un-repairable because of spares availability etc can/would an old iron type engine - 350 or 500 - be fitted i.e. mated to the 5 speed gearbox as a drop in replacement?

[Adrian]

I think we're still OK for the important spares at the moment, there was some concern a while ago.



The engines are interchangeable, though. Assuming you wanted to keep the left foot shift on the 5 speed gearbox, the engine from a Sixty-5 Bullet will fit. If you fit a 4 speed gearbox (or convert the 5 speed to right foot shift) just about any Bullet engine can go in. I have seen one with a Redditch twin cylinder engine fitted. You'd need to use the old-style primary chaincases too.



Perhaps I ought to encourage this trend as I was recently offered (at a very good price) a used Electra-X engine in good condition, the previous owner had done exactly what you suggested because he wanted the old style Bullet engine. Suits me, my Electra has been sidelined with a failed big end for some time, and while the replacement bits ARE still available to fix it, this is a lot cheaper, leaving me to fix the original engine at my leisure.



A.

[Tim NZ]

Engine Spare are OK for the Electra X. They use the exact same big-end & con-rod assy as in the UCE motor. If the cams and follows wear out, the Std Bullet items can be fitted, but will need modified pushrod ends. Pistons, Valves & springs etc are all available though our host.


What the motor does need a better 'valve lifter' to replace the Joke item fitted, which was designed as a Choke lever on 90's Suzuki's...


To negate the potential of premature cam follower and cam wear, I fit adapted valve springs and collars intended for the post 58 RE Twins. There is no need for such a heavy simplex valve spring as it fitted std, the improved spring set that our host offer for the UCE may well be readily adaptable...

[Adrian]

Some good results have been recorded using a proper, traditional decompressor lever on the handlebars instead of the feak and weeble bit of plastic in the L/H switch cluster to operate the valve lifter. If that's too simple, modifying the head to take the old style decompressor also works.



One service I would like to become available is the reclamation of scored-up scavenge pump bodies after a failing big end dumps a load of ferrous particles in the oil, which are just small enough to pass through the strainer and just big enough to make a mess of the pump chamber before finding their way up to the rockers. To replace a scored pump the whole timing cover has to be replaced, which seems a very wasteful feature. Might it be possible to mill the chamber out oversize and fit an oval bronze or steel insert? Metal spray and re-machine? My new engine will also feature a nice extra magnetic drain plug in the sump, placed (hopefully)to grab any ferrous particles before the scavenge pump does.



A.

[theWoosh]

I have to agree with Adrian et al - the starter motor is pants and fragged the defrag clutch in next to no time, so removed it. I found that it was extremely hard to kick-start due to the feeble exhaust valve-lifter for decompression, so replaced the handlebar lever with something off of an old enfield and had my enfield guy braise an extra length onto the valve-lifter on the push-rod cover. Since then it's been fine. so can highly recommend these mods.

Of course there are other problems but they are probably similar to other Indian Enfields of this age - rotting chrome, decomposing rubber (all of it!) and exposed electrics that corrode if it gets too wet...

All-in-all I'm happy though...
chuga-chuga-chug (rattle rattle)