Amateur Manx 40M preparation

25198 Views 130 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Mike 40M, Sep 26, 2021

Mike 40M

Discussion Starter · Mar 24, 2017

Starting a thread about my -59 Manx. Should never had bought it 3 years ago, if it had not been raced quite successfully by a friend of mine. We used to ride together on our road Nortons, he on an Atlas and I had a Dommi 99. Learnt a lot from him about race lines and how to stay alive on public roads. For some reasons, I have to get it going asap. Started collecting new bits for it a year ago. In january I started to take it apart. Also got new parts needed. As a motorcycle in pieces takes a lot of space, I started to assemble it yesterday. Frame in good shape, only minor scratches in the paint. Swingarm bushes ok, now greased. Head bearings Ok.
First thing to do was rear mudguard in bad shape., replaced with a new. I think a -59 should have alloy rear mudguard, but as I'll try to set it up as it was when my friend raced it, it got another fibreglass one. Advice and critics welcome.

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XB33BSA

· #69 · Aug 24, 2018

thanks for posting up all this 40m thumper tales mike !
its quite a treat to read all the detail that you have put in words for us to soak up

i guess ill snap some images and do a lil thread on my bsa bitsa
,the rarest of rare goldstars, the 1947 xb33
i have put a few hundred miles on her and then she has sat lonely for 3 years
i am thinking of selling it a shame to see it languish
it starts easy as can be first kick hot or cold
and its fun but time for someone else to enjoy it

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XB33BSA

· #76 · Aug 27, 2018

the norton looks so bitchen mike !!
sweden eh ? i would like to see your race hauler and hear some about it
is the vintage roadrace thing a pretty tight community in sweden
?
do you know the racing science guys that do the 350 twinhonda class ?
and robert is building the cyb 350 replica

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XB33BSA

· #78 · Aug 27, 2018

ha! its sooo bitchen
say it kind of slowly i was born in 57 so i am old as
probobly came out of the late 60's saying how bitchen something is, to tell someone it gives great pleasure to see it
it means it looks stunning, 2 thumbs up etc just awesome dude

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XB33BSA

· #115 · Sep 17, 2019 (Edited)

jalsteve said:
For the sake of production and cost efficiency Burlen make some parts differently eg floats form plastic and not copper soldered up. This makes the newer floats more buoyant add viton tipped float valves and you get better seat to valve sealing and reduced flooding but you can get stiction in valve or the valve not opening quick enough or just not enough! I run brit bikes wet at low RPM and racing brits even wetter.

You also need to look at the size of the bore of the float valve there come in different sizes (the hole against which the float valve seats).

Float chamber - I buy used and rebuild, I never new.

i have never seen copper floats ,brass is what you meant i am sure,
copper is red, brass is yellow ,that is an easy way for us to distinguish the diff
re sticking viton tips this is why the japs and others have a simple dangler hook at the spring loaded stem end
it serves to mechanically pull the valve open upon a bit of float drop
the hole size in the seat has 2 distincr effects
a larger hole offers more flow at any given float drop/opening but also needs more float pressure to shut the valve

spring loaded stem tips are very desirable

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XB33BSA

· #117 · Sep 18, 2019

Cyorg said:
......
View attachment 99123

yep those are all brass my color ref was regarding clean metal the brass turns brownish-red
i have in front of me now a dozen del's from early 60's on and even the remote bowl ss1 ss2 have brass floats
copper is too ,weak and would need be heavier than brass by a considerable amount to not be as fragile as a dry popcorn fart

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XB33BSA

· #118 · Sep 18, 2019

Mike 40M said:
Another weekend on the racetrack. The Norton started easily as usual ( after I found I had forgotten to remove the plug in the intake ). The new gear lever Mk IIIB, worked well. They had made some changes to the course since last time I raced there, so it took a couple of laps to find the new lines. Luckily the Manx is very forgiving and sorted out my wrong racelines without complaining. In the end of the first practice I was really enjoying riding it. Still I played safe and braked way to early, not knowing how good the brakes are. Back in the pits noticed a wet point in the rear left part of the tank. A maybe fifty year old plastic repair had started to leak. Removed it and found a 2"+ crack in the weld. Instead of making a quick fix, I called it a day and took out the Honda instead. More of that in my Honda thread. Will talk to my favourite alloy welder.
Still some questions needs answers. What oil temperature I shall try to get? Seems 3 litres is too much oil as temperature is only 55 degrees C, when back in the pits. What grease to use in the cluch roller bearing and how much? How long to warm up the engine?

131f is def chilly when i worked in the natural gas production field we had lots of diesels converted with a mag to run nat gas
every day on rotatyion shifts one of us would vist the 30 some compressors and manually observe and write down temps presures etc
the oil temps were of course higher than the water but in the 200- 220f+ range was good
high enough to boil of water low enough to help cool valve springs and whatnot
keep in mind that too much grease or oil in high speed rolling element bearings is very much a bad thing they can catch fire in the worst case
the main reason for the lube is to lube the cage and its sliding type contact with the rolling element be it ball or roller

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XB33BSA

· #121 · Sep 18, 2019

Cyorg said:
......
View attachment 99125

well i stand corrected

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