Forum

[stinkwheel]

Thanks Adrian. That's really helpful stuff.

Next step will be to have a peek and see what's under the covers as it were. If, as the engine number suggests, this is a 350 motor with a 500 barrel, someone has already split the engine. If they've gone to the effort of reassembling it with a 1950's primary drive and upgraded alternator, it will be worth finding out if they've done anything with the rest of the engine internals. No Amal though.

The guy that sold it to me had very little idea what he was selling other than it had compression and a spark and he'd decided to buy a harley instead. The guy he bought it off (who is the last owner on the V5) had apparently mentioned the engine being rebuilt.

That's my weekend sorted.

[Adrian]

It should be a very satisfying project, you have the makings of a decent 500, it would be nice if you don't have to strip it right the way down for a nut and bolt restoration. If you're lucky it's just a question of replacing the unsuitable bits/bodgery with something sound and - hopefully - more stylish. Go for it!



A.

[Scalyback]

A Meteor Minor/Bullet?



I would be tempted to call it the 'Mullet'

[Mark M]

Ahah the Mullet! That was the name given to my friend Craig's Meteor/Bullet hybrid. I sold him the engine when his 350 Bullet motor died and he did the rest with some tasteful modifications. It worked and rode really well.

REgards, Mark

[Adrian]

The name could also be given to a Meteor-framed bike with a Bullet engine in. At what point does an Indian bike with a few Redditch bits fitted officially become an anglo-indian bitsa?

A.

[stinkwheel]

Well. The engine HAS been rebuilt. Someone has spent a lot of time and effort making the head totally spotless, valves lapped, head polished, oil seals fitted. Appears to have a hardened valve seat on both the inlet and exhaust valves, is this normal on a 500? It's not a big valve one anyway, I measured them.


New piston. I'm not sure if it's a British made one or an original Indian. It's been assembled with a solid copper head gasket but no gasket sealant. Barrel has been deglazed. Still has the standard rockers and pushrods. Someone has had an idea of what they are doing because it has two gaskets on the feed pump. Standard pumps though.


The really odd thing is. It doesn't appear to have been started, at all. Why go to all that effort rebuilding an engine then never start it?


I've taken the engine out of the frame and I'm pleased I did. Whoever built the engine had a good idea of what they were doing. Someone else did not. As well as the mudguard being attached to the swingarm and the chain guard being attached to the frame (No, really! the mudguard hits the back of the seat and the chain hits the inside of the chainguard when you bounce on it) one of the engine bolts has been replaced with a bit of mild steel studding. It's bent. I'm going to have to cut it apart to get it out.


Someone's been trying to start it by glugging fuel in through the sparkplug hole. I drained about 100ml of stale fuel out of the crankcase drain bolt and a full load of virgin engine oil from the other. Doesn't look like there has been oil in the primary for decades.


I've added more photos to the album anyway. I'm absolutely delighted with my new project, it's delivering way more than I expected. I'll need to get onto our hosts soon to discuss where I go from here to get more ponies out of it.

[Adrian]

Just looking at your latest pics it seems that the poor old bike has fallen into two very different pairs of hands at different times. I hope you were able to buy it cheap!



I would be very tempted to re-fit standard factory tinware and brackets at the rear of the machine, though you could probably keep the alloy mudguards and fit/trim them a bit better.



As for tuning, I would suggest that in addition to looking for a steel con-rod you fit a better piston than the 500 engine's factory item, which can easily fall prey to self-detaching crown-itis...



A.

[Adrian]

These items in our hosts' used spares stash might be of interest if you want to rebuild you sidecar forks for solo use and keep the twin brake front wheel.



http://www.royalenfieldspares.com/Used- ... EDCOPY_277



A.

[stinkwheel]

Thanks for all the help and advice so-far. I'm continuing to put pictures in the previous google album as I go along. https://goo.gl/photos/PsxGEJMGPodNmudg7




Just been stripping the primary. As well that I did because a brand new and slightly too large primary chain tensioner has been fitted that had it singing like a guitar string and was preventing the engine turning over properly (It'll take 5 mins work with a file to shorten it slightly). The spacer that goes on the central chaincase bolt for the clutch torque-arm is also a total shambles, it'll need a new one making.



Anyway. Having a look at this clutch... There are five friction plates and five metal plates (inside and outside ones are dished). It has a splined centre similar to the one in my 350 bullet and no cush drive. The backing plate behind the cush drive which has the "posts" the pressure plate attaches to is a seperate piece and looks home-fabricated from stainless. The "clutch pressure plate tubes" also look home fabricated. A picture of the "exploded" clutch assembly can be found here: https://goo.gl/photos/1RDJWSFm2sw9mz6c9



As far as I can tell (and I'm open to advice/correction here) we have an early 90's primary chaincase with a hole drilled in it for the clutch cable. The clutch basket is off a 90's 350 bullet with an aftermarket 5 plate conversion. The clutch centre is also a 90's 350 bullet one with a home-modified backing plate. The pressure plate assembly is off a late 50's meteor minor or similar.



This should be one hell of a clutch? Assuming it works and the homemade bits hold together (the welds are splattery but seem to have penetration).



Also the gearbox. 1950's? It has no hole for a clutch cable and the filler nut is embossed with old oil brands recommending SAE40 oil. Were these still grease filled like my Indian bullet?



One more silly question. Pretty sure the answer is "Idiot owner #2 did this." because evidence of his work was present in the form of the tensioner and the alternator stator being missing spacers and rubbing on the rotor. The primary should still be oil/ATF filled yes? I ask because there are lashings of red grease on all the moving parts and no gasket or seal fitted between the chaincase and the crankcase, just a load more grease. It would have pissed oil had I filled and run it as it was (shortly before setting fire to the primary chain tensioner).

[stinkwheel]

Also. How are people getting paragraphs to appear in their posts here? I promise I'm not just typing out a huge, barely-readable wall of text. I just tried triple-spacing my last one.