ANNA. (Annanother GT550!)

[Alan H]

Well, Anna has been well naughty, - full details here - so here' an update. More details here - https://www.kettleclinic.co.uk/kcforum/ ... 5&start=30

Took Anna's gubbins - engine - to Uncle Baz's yesterday and had a look inside.
The left crank bearing was deffo dud, but I asked that all the crank bearings & seals were sorted. Plus the conrods were at least checked that they were ok. They seemed all right, but the crankshaft man has the last decision when it's all in bits.
Gearbox seemed fine, and the bearings & other internals didn't appear to have issues, so will all be remantled with the refurbed crank soon.
The bike will be sold after the rebuild - pics & details to follow - but it'll be done properly.
Original piston & barrels - as they are ok, - so it'll not need running in, and when remantled will have some miles on so that I know it's 'right'.
Current tentative plan is to rebuild the rolling chassis, put the loud bit in when it's remantled, and complete the rebuild properly.
Altogether, just another job before I can get on with the Dunstall - Emma!
I do know that whoever buys Anna, will have a bloody proper bike.

[Alan H]

Pics here - https://www.kettleclinic.co.uk/kcforum/ ... 38#p111038

[Alan H]

Got the engine back a couple of days ago and after fitting the starter, SRIS valves and a good check 'round, it's now in the frame.
Hopefully the weather will be kind so I can get the other bikes out of the garage and get this one sorted

[Alan H]

Aluminium oxide blasted the barrels on Wednesday, but couldn't get right down into the bottom of the fins as it's just not powerful enough - must try some different nozzles to see if that makes a difference - so took them to a local guy who has a much better set up.
Got them back last night and they look like new, so they just need a good wash to get any media clear then fitting on the engine later today. Progress is slow, but at least it's progressing!
Pistons cleaned & installed yesterday, so another job ticked off. Need to get the new bearings, seals etc in the shiny clutch cover too.

[Alan H]

Barrels washed, cleaned, fitted & nutted down, ready for cylinder head to go on. Clutch casing to rebuild with new bearings & seals then after it was stripped for polishing, then timing plate to fit & set. Should be running next week.

[Alan H]

Onwards & onwards, I suppose.
The engine top end is back together and clutch fitted, so I decided to 'complete' the wiring as far as possible so that I could use the electric starter to make sure everything was hunky wotsit.
Didn't fit the plugs so the engine is free to spin.
Fitted a temporary cable from battery to solenoid and the electric leg was working. Spun the engine after injecting a small air bubble into each oil pipe - so I could ensure all was ok in that department - and spun away. Hmmm, it worked ok for about a minute, with the air bubbles going up the pipework to the inlets, but the bubbles not moving up the pipes to the main bearings. This after I'd fitted a spare pump and washed it out first. The original pump was in the spares box..... Bugger. Best to find out now though than knacker the crank eh?!?!
Decided to strip the original pump and it was an early 3 piston type but with a stuck piston due to some sort of gritty stuff inside. Washed it all out and flushed all the crap out. But had a look at alternatives & stripped & flushed a later 2 piston pump. I'll have to do another for the Dunstall anyway.
Pump details here - from Ian Sandy's OJB site - https://www.oldjapanesebikes.com/mraxl_ ... s/page-A57 - interesting read.
Of course, when the pump top is removed, the gasket tears, but fortunately Astrax has some in stock, and after a confab with him yesterday, some are on the way here. I have several spare pumps, so when Anna is done, I'll strip & sort them all and sell them on after testing. (I made a test rig for the Yeti pump checks - all I have to do is find the sodding thing!)
Anyway, I'll build up the clutch housing which has been polished, and fit new points shaft bearings & seal, plus remantle the tacho drive. When that's on, I can refit the points plate & do the timing.
Onwards slowly, I was hoping to run the engine this week, but looks like plan B again. Hopefully plan F won't be needed as we all know what that means!

[Alan H]

Back from the caravan and lots of ebay parcels on the mat!
Washed the pump out (again) with wd40 - just in case - and remantled it with a new gasket. Installed & bled and spun the motor on the starter and oil now goes down all the tubes. I'll give the mains a good squirt and that's another job done, so I can build the clutch cover up with new points shaft bearings & seal, plus the tacho drive and that can go on, followed by the points plate.

[Alan H]

Stripped and cleaned a couple of oil pumps and fitted a 341 type to Anna. Pumps through all 6 pipes, so seems to be sorted.
Washed the clutch casing out (it's been polished!) and fitted new bearings & seal to the short points shaft. Tacho drive fitted ok & cover fitted. Points plate to go on next & exhausts, then see what it sounds like.
Thunderstorms forecasted for the next couple of days, so progress may not happen!

[Alan H]

Points cam & associated gubbins fitted & all set up.
Exhausts all on (k'inell haaar fkn heavy!!!!), so a bit of wiring to connect - points to coils & gearchange/neutral stuff to harnesses, plus clips to keep lekky stuff away from whirly stuff, then hopefully it'll smoke into life again.
Now where the fk is the safe place I put that polished points cover?!?!

Regarding the exhaust heaviness factor, I reckon the Piper 3:1 weighs similar to a single inner exhaust. Must weigh a set just to see......

[jabcb]

The new Higgspeed 3-into-1 look quite nice. And are light too!

[badgereng]

Love the look jabcb Stunning bike.

[badgereng]

Points cam & associated gubbins fitted & all set up.
Exhausts all on (k'inell haaar fkn heavy!!!!), so a bit of wiring to connect - points to coils & gearchange/neutral stuff to harnesses, plus clips to keep lekky stuff away from whirly stuff, then hopefully it'll smoke into life again.
Now where the fk is the safe place I put that polished points cover?!?!

Regarding the exhaust heaviness factor, I reckon the Piper 3:1 weighs similar to a single inner exhaust. Must weigh a set just to see......

Exhaust! Heavy??

Strong in arm, thick in ‘ead……

You’re no Yorkshireman

[Alan H]

Oh yes I am!!!!

Had most of the garage 'out' yesterday and the points cover seems to have gone awol, so eventually polished the original and fitted that instead.
I need to connect the points to the harness, fit the gear indicator switch & make sure all the cable clips are there to keep wires away from chains & sprockets etc., then on with the carbs and try for a start.

[Alan H]

Fitted the gear indicator/neutral switch and tested it first - of course - nada. 
Headlight opened & everything appeared ok, so checked the lekky book to see what I'd disremembered....
Of course, the switch needs earthing.  Well, intercourse!!!
Fastened the switch where it should be and all is well - except that I have to remantle the headlight of course.
Routed all the lekky stuff - generator, starter & gearchange wiring inside the casing away from gearbox sprocket etc. with holdydowny bracketery & connected up pretty.
Fitted the inner clutch casing with 'correct' studs - well, SS allen studs - and then had to go & pick up monster girl from day school. 3.5 y.o. granddaughter - & take her to Nostell Priory for lots of kid's stuff. That's a full afternoon's work.
So that put any more bike stuff on hold until tomorrer...... 

[Alan H]

Starter cover fitted & exhaust remantled. Oil pump seems ok and pumps everywhere it should, fitted the top bearing cover on the steering head that I noticed on the bench  , went round with spanners & allen keys and checked 'everything' (hopefully!)
Polished & fitted Ram Air cowl and put a new sticker on it - t'other side was ok!
Starts easier now and ticks over nice and smoke is less. (I always over oil everything after a rebuild.) Gearbox filled with 1500 ml of Duckhams 20w50.
Hopefully the bike might actually get out of the garage later today. Maybe.....