AJS & Matchless Owners Club

New 1962 G2 250 owner.
Bought the bike ad a runner. Started it and rode it out of my garage, stopped it to don helmet etc. Wouldn't start since then.
Depressing the kick starter caused the push rods to move up and down when checked through the inspection port, but very low compression. Top end rebuild followed. Valves re-seated (lapped) and decoke performed. New head gasket ready to fit, but thought I'd just check piston while at this stage.

When pressing the kick starter the piston moves up and down, but you are able to stop the pistons movement while the kick start does what it should. I suspect clutch slippage. Popped of the cover by the starter to check fork movement, and it does move as it should. Cable disconnected and fork moved to the extent of its movement doesn't solve the slippage. Is there adjustment elsewhere?

David Simmons wrote: ↑Tue Oct 31, 2023 2:43 pm New 1962 G2 250 owner.
When pressing the kick starter the piston moves up and down, but you are able to stop the pistons movement while the kick start does what it should. I suspect clutch slippage. Is there adjustment elsewhere?

Welcome, David.

This is the construction of the clutch. Maybe your first move should be to increase the friction on the plates by tightening (screwing inward) the three pressure spring screws 040389.
All the info below is available in the Archives under 'Books' in the link here: http://archives.jampot.dk/

Found the problems. Previous owner had rebuilt the clutch, but put the plates in the wrong order! There was a steel plate, with the castellated edges as the outer most plate, rarther than the plain one. The outer plate had jumped out of the basket, and in doing so prevented the other plates making proper contact.

Weirdly satisfying to discover and correct these initially frustrating foibles. Well done!