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[Gwilly]

More Northamptonshire than Devon i think..

Mark just wondered if there was a ding in the cylinder liner at the bottom of the stroke..

Be about 180 degrees..

[Mark M]

Thanks Gwilly, I think Scotty meant the Otter was from Devon, (from Honiton, Doombar is nominally from Cornwall) we're definitely in Northants! That photo of the pub is a few years old, the front area has been smartened up since. I'm stripping the motor now and I'll let you all know what I find. One of the barrel studs has stripped so far, another job to do but unfortunately the barrel on this one is so tight they have to come out. My experience of Bullets is that some go on really easy and some need one or more studs taking out. Yes, I have undone the through studs around the crankcase neck, this really helps by the way!

REgards, Mark

[Dennis C]

It's a bit of a bummer Mark but at least you noticed it before completing the assembly. I did similar on a B31 bitsa, got it to the timing stage to find it had the wrong con rod, 3/8 inch too short!, From a side valve engine I guess, I too was peed off.

[Gwilly]

Ah yes, brewed at Luppitt, Honiton, Only about half an hour from me.

Nice pint on a balmy evening, didn't realise it had travelled that far oop north.

Back to the bike, what happens if you lift the barrel 1/4" does it free up? surely the liner isn't too long and catching the con rod..

Has the barrel been used before?

[Revband]

I find this thread quite amusing, one of the most knowledgeable contributors on here being given advice? by people who seem unable to read and understand his posts, my sympathy Mark but I am sure you will soon have it sorted.

[Mark M]

Revband, that's very kind of you but I'm sharing this both as a lesson in humility (we can all go wrong sometimes!) and also as an antidote to the "what tyres what oil" type of post. I now have the barrel off (bit of a struggle as predicted,) and all is well there so my attention is focussing on the drive side bearing. I had an inspiration last night after the second pint of Otter, I think my troubles began after I'd tightened the primary drive sprocket onto the crankshaft. The drive side bearing arrangements on Redditch Bullets varied a bit from 1948 through to 1956 when both the 350 and the 500 got the later stronger 500 bottom end. The type of bearings, (some fitted two balls and some one ball and one roller) and the spacers and their fixings and seals were updated at least three times. This is a late 55 bike and when I stripped it was fitted with two ball bearings on the drive side. That's what I replaced but I now think it should be one of each and maybe the outer bearing has collapsed under the pressure of tightening the sprocket. There is a spacer outboard of the bearing but it doesn't agree with the measurements in the Parts Book so it may be wrong and pressuring the inner race rather than the outer. There was a change to the engine spec midway in the 54-55 season according to the Parts Book but I'm wondering if it's completely accurate. I may have to talk to the nice chaps at Hitchcocks! By the way, we recommended the Otter off the list after tasting it in a friend's local in North Somerset.

REgards, Mark

[Chris Tindal]

Definitely an antidote to the "what tyres/oil?" posts

[Dennis C]

Yes it certainly is, we all get it wrong from time to time and the fact that the factory made changes as they went on their merry way has often been a challenge, the sensible ones amongst us leave this type of build to others, unfortunately I am not one of the sensible ones either. It makes life interesting.

[Holetsek]

Dear Mark,

It sounds like you are missing the spacer between d/s bearings.

Greetings from Finland!

[Exile]

This is how we learn! Thanks for putting this on the forum Mark. Let us know how you solve it. I'm sure you will.