Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Bsa bulletin board First BSA, 1972 A65L, Engine troubles

Well, I really pushed the question to the guy about just cleaning the sludge trap since were this far, but he really was convinced that was the only issue. Also, it says it on the title and odometer, and the VINS match. Too be honest I already put the engine back on and have 2 more valve springs too compress.. did everything in a day was gonna try and fire it up tomorrow. You know, if it still sounds like [***] Im definitely just going to split the cases but, it got too a point where I really did not feel like dishing out all the cash, I really can't afford it right now graduating from college soon and have to get my [***] together a little. Hoping everything works out for the best and I know its better safe than to be sorry but...I really just wanna ride this thing. I would be happy with getting 5k miles out of it and have it [***] the bed when I have a job and some money to dish out a few grand for a total rebuild.

I guess I'll keep you guys updated even though I feel like sorta a dick for not heeding all your advice!

Hey, also where did you buy that filter that connected from the line heading back to the oil reservoir? Looks like a neat idea, was planning on doing it.

I think (just my opinion) that that filter pictured in my Phase 1 rebuild may be a little small for this application. I'm planning on installing a "Norton-type" filter (available from various forum sponsors) or the MAP CYCLE filter (uses a triple filter element). There are many, many (a whole lot of) forum threads on external oil filters.




Welcome to the club. In spite of forum advice ("you are postponing the inevitable") I went ahead and ran my bike without a teardown, rode it 20 miles, fortunately it just wet-sumped and oiled the tire and didn't blow up, got it home then tore it down.

Not to rain on your parade, but my "zero mile" engine with the uncleaned sludge trap lasted around 300km before it totalled. The bike's mileage for the trap isn't the total issue - once the bike has stood for some time the crud hardens and can block the oil feed, and the oil travels through the trap before it goes anywhere else. You might be lucky, but if you aren't, expect to pay around $3K in rebuild costs against a couple of hundred to crack the cases and clean it. If it is a genuine low mileage engine then it should be fine just to reassemble.

Damn guys stop changing my mind. Haha. Is there a way to test adequate oil pressure or flow? If I'm getting good oil return to the reservoir?

Even if the sludge trap is completely blocked you will still get good oil pressure and good return to the oil reservoir.
Zoltan--you gotta stop pissing about and strip it down and clean out the sludge trap. Otherwise you run the very real risk of a seizure happening. As a callow youth I had this happen to me in 1965 ---the primary side rod went straight through the crankcase--not a pretty sight.
If this were to happen to you then you would very much regret not taking the collective advice available to you on this forum.
Don't take too much notice of Hugh--it is not his bike--it is yours---and he wont be faced with a $3K bill if the bike throws a rod due to a blocked sludge trap.
If you strip it down and find it clean--then--fine--you go ahead with a clear conscience.
Just my 2 centsworth.

Zoltan,
Maybe this isn't clear, but the oil PRESSURE to the engine, and oil RETURN to the tank, are the two different operations of the oil pump.

ONE oil pump, TWO duties to address.
Two places the oil comes from;, one from the oil tank, one from the sump.

Just making SURE you know the dif, OK?

A different wording from what Tman has mentioned. If your sludge trap is blocked you will more likely show a higher pressure than if it were clean.

The fact you have rebuilt the motor in a day isn't really a bragging right, doing these jobs super quick was something I used to thing made me good at doing it. After tearing the things apart because I can't remember if I fitted a part or not ( sometimes to find I actually did). I now prefer to take my time, make lots of measurements and checking free movement throughout the build. Knowing it's right the first time is what gives me satisfaction.

Again the sludge trap, it wouldn't have cost you anything to check, apart from a replacement plug costs.

And again if you can't afford to do the job right, put it on a back burner and get on with your life till you can afford to do it properly. I had to do this myself. Took it back after 3 years and completed the build.

However this is your bike, and your expense if it goes bang.

More rewording: Oil is pumped into the crankshaft through the timing side main bush. From there the oil goes through the crank web and into the sludge trap, which runs through both crankpins. It then exits the crank through holes in the rod journals, thus lubricating the big end bearings. If the sludge trap gets blocked, the oil won't get to the rod bearings, in particular, the left one, that side being farthest from the source of the oil.

If you're not going to check the sludge trap at this time, be listening for a rod knock. That will be your warning of impending disaster, and if you shut it down right away, you may save the engine.

Oh I didn't say it in the sense of bragging but excitement... it took me literally all day. And not compressing the valve springs while the engine was off was a dire mistake. I am definitely going to put more thought into all of this since everyone is insisting for the bikes sake

Yea, never had a bike with an oil tank, never meant to sound ignorant.

Also it's on the other side of the sludge trap, in other words after the clog

Well the bike fired up and the noise is gone. Oil flow looks good ... Having trouble with a ground / short some where, thinking it's something with the timing as electrical kicks in and out while kicking / building compression on the kick starter. Also I was stupid and rode it without the seat on up and down the street and my ass made a short and I fried some wires. The manual wiring diagram is pretty bad and Im quite surprised there isn't a colored on out there, if anyone has a nice picture of there OIF undersea showing how the wires plugged in It'd be greatly appreciated! Was going to make a colored diagram with this paint app I'm downloading now.

EDIT: Well after carefully going through the wire diagram everything makes sense now... this british earth ground stuff is quite different from white I'm used too .

Well done,
I hope you enjoy the bike now its running ,
let us know what you think of the handling..
Change the oil quick

Having trouble with the bike wiring again. The little bulb in the front headlight (not the headlight bulb) it's attached to a the white wire... Well when I try kicking the bike over the power dies and it won't start... Then the light will pop back on on its own. I was thinking a short somewhere or something but even then the bike would start. Went through the harness for hours can't seem to figure it out, any help or suggestions would be really appreciated

Ignition switch. clean and check resistance across contacts, or a poor connection somewhere else on the ignition feed.
Or bad earth connection, positive side of the battery.

If it has an electronic ignition the battery might be failing. Had that happen with my Boyer and a brand new battery which had an internal short. Also as Gavin said, check the earthing from the positive battery wire/fuse to the frame; take it off and clean the end and the frame mount. The ignition light on mine used to go out every now and again as it is earthed against the headlight shell and loses contact. A tiny dab of silicon to hold it in place fixed than. Also check the wiring in the zener diode as the earth wire there is critical to the whole system. If the zener is gone (solid state rec/reg) the earth wire should still be there somewhere and needs to be solidly earthed. Mine is attached to the zener diode mounting post.

Thanks for the suggestions, it isn't the ignition I even tried hot wiring it. Ignition light still goes out when I kick it over. Bike will put and turn over but won't idke - ground is very secure I made sure of it. At a loss of ideas

Zoltan--what you are referring to as the ignition light is NOT an ignition light as you would see it in a car. It is actually an oil pressure warning light. When you switch the ignition on with the engine not running the light will come on because the oil pressure is low--zero in fact.
When you start the engine the light will go out as the oil pressure increases.
Then when the engine idles the light may come back on or even flicker--this means that the oil pressure is low---nothing to do with the ignition.
The light going out when you kick it over is just that the kicking builds up some oil pressure and the light goes out. Then when you stop kicking the light will come back on as the oil pressure reduces to zero.
HTH

Wow thanks trident man that actually clears up a lot haha. I thought there was a significant short or something as for whatever reason I thought it was an ignition light. Well I guess the bike is just having trouble then getting started, it will put a couple times, I know I have good spark and fuel, perhaps it is the timing.

More common problem is its timed to the wrong hole on these EI units.

Do you own/understand how to use a multimeter on the Volts and Ohms scales?
If not find a friend to help you hold the meter.

Hey thanks for the suggestions guys, not sure what did it, should've went one at a time, however I adjusted point gap and threw on some new spark plugs, and cleaned the jets even though I know I've been ONLY using clean fuel - tank is sealed as well - and the spark plugs that were on were only a few weeks old, well she fired right up and idled well.
Bike was running well then -wtf - never knew what a bike sounded like when it jumped a pushrod. scary might i add... thought i blew a hole in the piston or something... Seems i tightened the lock nut like a pansy- anyways tightened the rest of the locknuts better - bike sounds a lot quieter now too. However NOW there is a lot of smoke coming out of the left pipe - white grey- definitely oil... did I tighten the clearance too much now. I have almost sacrificed enough to appease the motorcycle gods

never smoked before even after replacing the cam follower
going to check for wet sumping - though wouldn't that cause both pipes too smoke? valve guides were good last time I checked - thinking perhaps theres excessive oil in the top end - maybe slight blockage in the return.. will check tomorrow



still need to put on the stock tail light, need new gauge mounts, and turn signals. still needs a good cleaning probably won't tear her down completely till next winter. Any trick to put on an led tail light to this positive ground gal

Zoltan, first of all, congratulations on sticking with it, the bike and this forum. You are "learning by doing," has its risks, outweighed by the rewards.

As to the LED taillamp, most of those you see on eBay are for negative ground only. Check here for some + ground LED replacement bulbs:
http://www.norbsa02.freeuk.com/goffyleds.htm

I'll leave the smoking to others, more perceptive than I ... .

BTW, bike looks good. I'd suggest adding the stock rear fender loop, otherwise, the fender will no doubt shake itself into two pieces. [edit: Looks like you have the grabrail&fender loop in the first post&pic of this thread, and a subsequent pic shows the frame loop intact.]

A LED taillight assembly will save you a lot of bulb changing. I'm very happy with mine, which is now eight years old
- a local Dutch product.


The pictures suggest the frame was cut behind the rear shock lugs. I may be wrong though...

With a grab rail through the taillight horn you may be able to solve that.