Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Bsa bulletin board turns out to be a 64 lightning rocket RUNS!!!!!

Before you ditch the cocktail shakers, see how it runs with them. My '67 Lightning had similar mufflers (except that they're upswept) when I got it, and the bike ran and sounded very nice with those. I'd be using them today except that the (removable) baffles are deteriorated from rust. I even looked into rebuilding the baffles, but I wasn't able to find the correct perforated steel sheeting.

first I have to get the heart of the bike beating.
Then we will take a look at the mufflers:p
Ger, the customs treated me fairly.
No big problems, the shipping company lost one of my important documents luckily I kept the original ones.
btw Ger, you used to teach right? what did you teach?


On one side, the piston and cilinder look very bad. LOTS of rust, probably can not save that one.
other side looks allright, just a little bit rust but cilinder wall (dont know the right word!)
seems clean.
The bad side is the one with the open valve, maybe thats what has caused it?

I'll take some pics asap

- Refrigeration techniques, theory and on running instalations in a training centre (KTA; koeltechniek algemeen)
- Basic Safety for contractors (Veiligheid voor aannemers VCA-1).

I teached for Elsevier Opleidingen in Zwijndrecht. Not for a school. Schools don't pay enough .

You've got that right!!!!

Did you work for a school, Wade?

Problem here is: Schooling and education do not connect to what companies / industries want from apprentices and young staff.
So the ministry of education tries to pull well educated and experienced technicians and engineers from business and industry into the schools,
but offers half the salaries these people are paid and used to.

You do not have an official teaching licence...
[email protected] I know, but you want me don't you?

When I lost my job at the Elsevier institute, after a reorganisation five years ago, I talked to a number of technical colleges in the Rotterdam area,
upon invitation from them, only to find out that my unemployment fee was higher than what they could offer.
So I started my own technical documentation bureau and every month I feel respectfully sorry for underpaid hard working teachers.
And when I go on holliday in May, I enjoy the quiet season, while schools dictate the season in which licenced teachers can go:
when everybody goes and prices are higher...

sounds like a smart career move ger, starting your own technical documentation bureau.
I am looking at a various university's right now, but I can not choose haha.
Mechanical engineering or economy in english?

I am not going to advise you, Tobias.
I advised my son. So, as a true son in a son / father relation, he did the opposite, and he's now a happy restaurant chef.
After that I did not advise my two girls and since all three are happy and settled, I decided people are happy without my advise...

polishing the old paint away



while polishing the framepaint, the bike suddenly remembered its origin!

so yeah it's winter! the best time of the year to work in your garage.

I got the pistons loose 2 months ago, and had the inner sleeve of the cilinder cleaned. I found new bsa lightning pistons of the correct size, 020 but they have a different shape.

The high one is the type of piston that the bsa had, the low one is the type of piston I bought.

What's the difference between these?
maybe compression?
Please explain i'm anxious to know the difference

Tobias,
Yes, compression will be different. I don't know how different, but it looks to me to be a LOT.

Could you repost another pic, with the rings of the one piston, engauging the ring lands of the other piston, so we can see if the piston crowns are the same hight from the top ring? ..I'm guessing the wrist pin bores are the same? Perhaps push the one wrist pin out enough to start into the bore of the other piston? Again, to see if the crown hight is the same?

The crown hight at the squish band... If I'm getting my terms correct.... NOT the absolute top of the piston!

Hi rickman,

I do not have a camera here right now, up to the pistonrings they are exactly the same.
The top of the high pistons is 1 cm higher than the top of the low one.

The red lines indicate that these heights are the same.

However, I looked into my 1965 parts catologue.
It shows the low piston in the drawing.
It sais that l/r were fitted with both 8.0 9.0 and 11.0 compression pistons.

On the ''degroot'' bsa site it is stated that the high ones actually are 9.0 compression.
http://www.degroot-bsa.nl/product_info.php/cPath/47_100/products_id/2598\

Excuse my english but wat is the crown hight?

btw Rickman, I just bought a Rickman zundapp a couple of weeks ago gonna put the 125 cc engine in my moped.

Tobias I don't think you want to use that pair of pistons.
You don't want to go running different compression pistons in each cylinder. It's bound to cause bad vibration and not be good for your motor.
The other thing to consider is the weight difference between the two pistons. Again this will cause bad vibration.
You really should try and find a matched pair of pistons of the same brand. Your bike will love you for it.
Hang in there and don't give up, the rewards are worth it. Especially when the chicks see you riding around on your cool old bike!

Tobias,

Look around, there are matched sets of pistons available for A65's. There is nothing wrong with using lower compression pistons.

7.5-1 pistons show up from time to time. Sure helps calm the vibration.

Most LR's had 9-1 pistons as standard. Some seem to have been equipped 11-1 pistons. IMO, you are better off with the 9-1 or lower.

Crown height is the measurement of the top of the piston.

wait wait! you guys got me wrong, I meant that I bought a SET of those lower pistons I would be grazy runing two different pistons.haha

does less compression mean a lot less power?

Tobias,
The answer to your question depends upon the end use the bike will be put to. Secondarily, what fuel you have available....

If you are going to race the bike, I guess you want higher compression...

But, if you are going to just ride and enjoy the bike normally, the set of lower compression pistons will probably allow the engine to have a longer life, be able to use any fuel you can find, and, as was said earlier, not have so much vibration out of the engine.
Unless you plan to use the bike at WOT all the time, I doubt you'd really notice the difference much at all?

What is going to be left of the Rickman? I am looking for lights, clocks, and wiring harness'. If it is an MX'er, there won't be much there... Where is the exhaust pipe going?
Brett

I guess my 'English' is off.... I meant where the verticle side of the piston stops, and meets the top of the piston... Just that 1/8 inch, or so, above the top ring. It isn't a 90 degree turn, so I cannot use 'horizontal'...

And I guess in these 'hemi heads' there is no 'squish band'...

Wish there was a universal set of terms we could look up....

oke thanks Rickman,

I'll have to think about parting out the rickman.
Nest question
How can I know my gearbox is a close ratio gearbox? without opening it?

It probably isn't close ratio. The engine code changed for lcose ratio geraboxes. If it was factory equipped, the S/N would start A65DC, which was also the code for the Lightning & Lightning Clubman. CR trans was not commonly fitted to the LR in the States.

[img]http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/131/l_8f83b642db434ab98759c17f1f688c78.jpg[/img]

I spent my evening working on the bike. wow shes pretty!

You have got the fever allready, haven't you... calling the bike a she...

Yeah I know!

I'm looking for the right wiring diagram.. where can I find it?
edit: found it

and another question about the push rods,
are the 2 middle ones operating the exhaust valves, and the 2 outer ones the inlet? is that correct?

I worked the whole night yesterday, is she is now pretty much ready to be resurected. I flushed the oil system, and oil is now returning into the oil tank every kick.
The electronics are a nightmare, I still don't seem to get a spark in emergency mode.
Tomorrow I will buy a battery, 6 volts is the one i need right?
And I'm still not sure whether I placed the push rods correctly, can somebody please help me finding the answer?

Center pair of lifters, long rods. Exhaust, I believe.
Outter pair of lifters, short rods. Intake, I think.

I believe the system is 6v, if still stock original.....

Hopefully, someone with definate knowledge will verify or tell us otherwise...
Brett

Correct.

For Tobias in his own dialect:

Kort = achter = buiten = inlaat;
Lang = voor = binnen = uitlaat.

Tobias: be carefull to position all rings and springs on the rocker shafts in a correct order during assembly.
I have a detailed drawing and photo's if you need them. Just let me know.