1968 BSA B25 Starfire

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by TominMO

Given that you are living in the scary-sounding town of Volcano (population 115), where do you have to go for DMV? Jackson?

Yup. Jackson and so far, they've been good to deal with.....but ya never know when walking in.
Volcano's population depends on which end of town you enter. One sign says 103. The other sign says 85. I hope the pics open someday. Feel free to click.

[2LZ]

Geez.... I'm really beginning to think that it's not Brit bikes that are bad or unreliable, it's the morons who have wrenched on them over the last 57 years.

Example: While attempting to adjust the valves, per the manual and additional BSA TSB, I couldn't get the intake spindle clocked into what was supposed to be the normal range. I figured maybe the intake seat had been ground in the past, throwing off the rocker angle a little.

So, being bored a couple days ago, I removed the rocker box off the bike and disassembled both that box, and the one I bought off of http://www.ebay.com for research purposes. Come to find out, some moron reassembled the rocker box completely wrong! It's amazing to me with how utterly simple this bike is, how someone can get shit so bass-akwards!? Can't wait to see what else I find..... This bike is fast becoming a CSI project.

[cheesy]

Sounds like the stuff I found on my brothers' Tiger Cub.

[dirtbkr188]

Originally Posted by 2LZ

...This bike is fast becoming a CSI project...

Click to cue the music...

[2LZ]

Got the corner stone in the mail today that's been hanging the entire motor assembly. The CORRECT rocker box gasket. The B25's had very subtle changes to the rocker box over the first few years, which also slightly changed the shape of the gasket, sometimes just a mm...but if it's not correct, it will leak. After all, it's British, right?
It's funny. It's really weird now working on something now that's "pre-computer" design. Just some guys with pencils making changes year to year. Some so slight, they're hard to detect. Thankfully BSA put casting numbers on everything, and the Brit Bike forums have tons of info available to decipher these numbers. Pretty cool for research freaks like me.

All needed parts have been readily available, but this gasket took three tries. Hopefully get in some wrenching tomorrow before heading to our local store for the game.....and a few beers, of course. ;-)

[2LZ]

Got the motor reassembled, valves adjusted to (Mr. Ratio's) spec, the compression release installed and adjusted, and the last oil lines run today. Glad it's finally together.

Next, prime the oil system and check for leaks. These bikes are dry sump with a separate oil tank. The oil pump has a feed and scavenge side. Fingers crossed.

If that all works out, then it will be install the new battery (positive ground), fire up Uncle Lucas, pray the Magic Smoke stays inside the wiring, and check for spark.

[2LZ]

Got her fired today! Fourth kick, didn't toss me or wreck my knee! WOO HOO! Oil pump working great, seems to run ok. I'll tweek the carb a little more....and all the lights work! Lucas comes through!

[Barnone]

Wow! Great news on your BSA. I had a 650 back in 1967, forget the year it was. Had a single carb. Sold it and bought a Suzuki X6 Hustler which was so reliable that it was boring!
Glad you are restoring the BSA.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by Barnone

Wow! Great news on your BSA. I had a 650 back in 1967, forget the year it was. Had a single carb. Sold it and bought a Suzuki X6 Hustler which was so reliable that it was boring!
Glad you are restoring the BSA.

Thanks Barnone! Good to see you're still hanging around!

Maiden voyage today. I'm not sure what's up but ice cold, it fired first kick. Let her warm up for a few minutes feathering the throttle, pulled in the clutch, hit the shifter (right side, of course) and was really expecting the "stuck clutch lurch and die"....but it went right into gear. Clutch worked great. I was really expecting to have to adjust the spring plate for flatness but I'm leaving it be. Maybe it's the tried and true Rotella T4 15W/40 diesel stuff I run in everything? Who knows.

Rode it up and down the street a few times. Shifted great through all the gears. No surprises or wobbles. Brakes work as good as 1967 drum brakes are expected too. Dang happy so far!

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by 2LZ

Got her fired today! Fourth kick, didn't toss me or wreck my knee! WOO HOO! Oil pump working great, seems to run ok. I'll tweek the carb a little more....and all the lights work! Lucas comes through!

From past experience with British cars and bikes, that BSA is haunted if everything is working like it should.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by cheesy

From past experience with British cars and bikes, that BSA is haunted if everything is working like it should.

You really want a scare? I rode it around my house yesterday for about 20 minutes, Got her good and hot. Parked it in the shop and started the 300 mile service on the Royal Enfield.

I locked up the shop last night after dinner and not a single drop of oil hit the concrete. I must have burned it all. Guess I should check it this morning.

[cheesy]

If they ain’t leaking, they’re empty.

[2LZ]

Originally Posted by cheesy

If they ain’t leaking, they’re empty.

Adjusted the carb some more today. Amal's are a trip. It does have a slotted needle for moving the clip so that's good. Raised it one and got rid of a small stumble at 1/4 throttle. Running pretty dang good at the moment. Took her out for another short burn today and got it good and hot. See? She must be out of oil. This was after I got back and it sat for about an hour.

[2LZ]

IT DRIPPED! IT DRIPPED!!!......but not from the motor or expected chain oiler. The left front fork. Not the seal, but the dampening rod bolt just above the axle on the bottom of the fork. I'll have to address that when I have the front tire off in the future. The guy I got it from said he just rebuilt the forks prior to putting it in storage. At least they have oil!

[TominMO]

Can you back the bolt out a little and put some grease on the threads? That'll make it stop dripping.