Club 80-90 Forums

http://www.volkszone.com/VZi/showthread.php?t=502356 Have a look on this site .

HarryMann wrote:Done properly, the grinding paste will just clean up the surfaces nicely... the old way on similar m/cycle stepped heads was to use coarse on the bottom step and fine on the top (I think )

Reminds of the good old days with my trusty B33 BSA

Oh lovely thing I'm sure, my memory is of an Ariel Hunter 350 (bought and ridden back at age 15 )

Guess we didn't have an atom bomb dropped on us to wake us up in 1945

I had a mint Ariel Leader a long time ago - would be worth a lot of dosh now

Soz for going off topic by the way

I had a mint Ariel Leader a long time ago - would be worth a lot of dosh now

A mint Leader - bet there's barely a dozen a round now..

I had an Arrow, loved it, stripped and tuned it.. took dummy tank and 2 hundredweight mudgaurds off... what a beast! 12:1 heads, corks in the flywheel holes, altered timing, full (empty) expansion boxes, flew when it ran on two cylinders

Wouldn't stop though...

And I bet you had to bump start it

That reminds me of the James / Villiers / Greeves 200 engines

What's all this got to do with "compressions" as per the O.P.

Ah yes 11:1 using Hepolite Slipper pistons in the B33 that must have been it Looked like the Himalayas they did - I know what I am going to dream about tonight !!

One day I will do it all again, when I win the lottery that is...

Mike Hailwood was once leading all the Jap 2-strokes on an Ariel Golden Arrow at Brands Hatch, the crowd was cheering, the atmosphere was positively electric...

... until, almost imperceptibly at first, he slowed, then he was caught by one, then another, and the damned thing had worn itself out in 3/4 of one race

We was talking about using fine and coarse grinding paste on stepped head/barrel joints, and which step had the coarse and which the fine to get the best seal..

I wonder what those engines would go like with modern 2-stroke oils and 40:1 petroil mix instead of what was it? 20:1 forgotten

..and those Burman boxes, dreadfull things, often quoted with the brakes as the main reason they weren't a bigger seller!

But what a revolutionary frame! Nothing came close to handling like it.

British lack of funding again, make do and mend philosophy from management.

My Off Topic conscience has got the better of me - see thread at =

https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.p ... 358#334358

In the 60s my mate saw a low milage arial leader for sale at a well known scooter and motor cycle shop Chessington scooters in the south east.If this is correct the golden arrow was 200cc and the leader was 250cc.After a few weeks of owning it we took off the metal fairing and wind screen visor .The previous owner used the bike for going to work at the local factory as did many other workers in those days.With its service history and mileage entries it had been run in carefully the bike and performance of the bike was good.With its trailing leading front suspension it would cope well on bends.I remember a bike ride out one evening in accompany of him riding my 200cc triumpth tiger cub the leader would pull away from me with ease its performance out paced me easily.On this occasion we both pulled up to red traffic lights & there was a triumpth bonnivile with all the bells and wistles .When it changed to green the boni took off but to my suprise the leader kept up with it until about 45 to 50 mph then slowed down to stop at an other red light.When i cought up with them the bonnivile rider had got off his bike and was in conversation with my mate saying how suprised he was how quick the leader was.

Yup OK, Ariels... here now https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.p ... 028#335028

There is a sad ending to the tale of the leader.My mate thrashed the bike and eventually it mechanicaly failed .Due to lack of funds we didnt get it repaired but left in his dads garage.His dad told my mate to dump it instead we buried it in the garden i remember digging this great hole .Several years later we dug it out with an idea that we could rebuild the leader but to our suprise the alloy cylinder heads & barrels + casing had turned to a jelly like substance .In effect created large holes and missing fins on the engine.I can remember clearly how dissapointed we both where to see this.

hi sorry to re-hijack this thread but i'm wondering if you've had any luck
with your engine yet?
& i'm also curious about the paper barrel gasket you afore mentioned,
we were wondering what the hell to do as we can't find them for earlier than '83 either,.

thanks
k8
x

Kate,

As you can see grinding paste should do the trick..or GSF /volkspares do the complete engine set..I am quite baffled still..the barrel gasket is sold for post 83 but not 80-82...
I hope someone can tell us why?

The post 83 gasket is for the water boxer and essential on that motor.
The 2 litre gaskets only come in the gasket sets. Having said that, I think it will not be the head sealing that is the problem, unless, as is very possible, the head you have bought is a re-con and has been machined so that the shoulder of the barrell prevents the barrel face touching the head. In which case, you will need the gaskets.

As I am a dodgy old rip off merchant, I can supply a set of 4 for 12 quid plus 2.50 postage, but make sure the valves are closing first.
One good test would be to remove the rockers on the non compression side and quite literally turn the engine by hand (13mm socket in centre of pulley) If you can feel 4 distinct compressions, its valve setting.

Failing that, good luck. I've given you the best advice I can.

There isn't a paper barrel gasket on the CU engine, they're thin ally Runner and the ct ones only come in the type 1 gasket sets.

If you're doing the 1776 still, You'll need barrel shims from Kingfisher. Even a .010" one will help sealing with a bit of sealant.

sorry Katy for hi jacking
the grinding paste has made a difference for barrel to head, but there is
the remains of a papery substance on the back of the barrel,. barrel to block?,.
alas, money keeps running out for us, even sold my stunning Beetle to
get all the 1776 stuff but it dissapears so now we're going 1641
& pretty much have everything we need for it
we'll still have a block for a 1776 one day., if we can afford it..