AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Checked the pilot jet and adjuster screw, and fitted a new spark plug - unfortunately with no result. I observed that the carb inlet side - the mouth or rounded profile building the air entrance - is fairly wet (petrol). I presume this is not normal since it makes no sense to have petrol at this area. In other words it seems to me that the petrol or petrol/air mixture doesnt find its way into the combustion chamber.
Any ideas? Sorry for my English wording (German thinking, hard to translate properly)

Hello gents,
Regarding ignition timing - may be I misunderstand the manual: one have to unscrew the sprocket on the camshaft? Or the sprocket on the magneto shaft? And what is the easiest way to start the re-timing from scratch?
Thank you very much! Regards, Peter

Peter, it is much easier to time the magneto using the sprocket on the cam. Loosen the sprocket, lightly tighten the nut to produce a slight drag on the tapered cam spindle. When you have the piston and magneto points in the correct relationship, use a hollow drift, like a spark plug socket, and give the sprocket a sharp rap to seat the taper. Then, fully tighten the nut and rotate the engine a few times and check your work.

Best wishes,
DC

Sorry to come back to this topic, but my engine still doesnt start/run. After checking all components and adjustments as per your various suggestions, my major concern is the soaking wet carb. inlet side. My impression is that the engine simply gets no air/fuel mixture since the fuel resides- for whatever reason - on the carb mouth. After all, would you go for a new carb or is there anything else, any trick, any test I should carryout???
Thank you, regards Peter

Hi

It sounds like the float or needle valve in the carb are faulty and causing it to permanently flood, this would explain the fuel in the bell mouth and reluctance to start. Is the spark plug wet after a few kicks?

take the cover off of the float chamber and ensure the float moves easily, is not punctured, (shake it and see if you can hear fuel sloshing inside), and the small brass spacer is present on the float pivot.

Remove the banjo, filter etc. and the float valve, ensure it's clean and the tapered end is in good condition.

Put it all back together and see if it still floods - if it does replacement float valve needles are cheap.

Regards Mick

If you have never managed to run the engine it is possible that the valve timing is incorrect.

Hello Mick D and SPRIDDLER,
I will check the float and valve (again) tomorrow. Incorrect valve timing is a thought I had few days ago or so, but decided to leave a check on this as a last hope. If the fuel supply/float thing doesnt help, I surely will follow the valve timing suggestion.
Thank you very much, regards, Peter

Hello,
I opened the timing cover of the engine to follow SPRIDDLER´s suggestion and it seems that the camshafts are not in the correct positons (marks not matching as they should as per the manual). For valve re-timing the manual states "...insert the cam shaft..." - but how do I get the camshafts out? Obviously I cant turn them to the correct positions without getting them out. Unfortunately I couldnt find this in the manual. Could you please let me know ...
Thank you, regards, Peter

tippi11 wrote:Hello,
I opened the timing cover of the engine to follow SPRIDDLER´s suggestion and it seems that the camshafts are not in the correct positons (marks not matching as they should as per the manual). For valve re-timing the manual states "...insert the cam shaft..." - but how do I get the camshafts out? Obviously I cant turn them to the correct positions without getting them out. Unfortunately I couldnt find this in the manual. Could you please let me know ...
Thank you, regards, Peter

Hi Peter

The cams will just pull out. The following article might be useful. I found wrong information in the workshop manual I looked at.

archives.jampot.dk/Technical/General_technical_topics/Cams_-_Joining_the_Dots.pdf

Regards. Bruce.

Hi Bruce,
Thank you for the article. Nevertheless my problem remains: I cant pull out the camshafts! When I try to do this, there is a noticeable/hard metallic "clong" (can pull them for 1-2mm). Sounds like something hampers them to axially move outwards. My understanding is that the tappets cant be the reason because they only slide on the cam profile.
Any ideas, any modifications/specials known that might explain this?
Regards, Peter