I broke it!

[Mr Fro]

That's right ladies and gentlemen, I have done the unimaginable and broken a Japanese bike! (Ollie's old CG)

There I was, riding home in the pissing rain on the upside of a hill. I was giving it full beans on the red-line in 3rd - just as I approached the brow I stuck it in fourth.

Moments later, on the downside of the hill, it started making an awful clanky, rattly noise and lost almost all of it's miniscule power.

I did think about stopping, walking home, getting the trailer out etc but it was monsoon style rain and I was getting a bit peckish so I nursed it home. It nearly touched 30 at one point on the 2-3 miles back...

When I got back I let it idle which I'd does fine but it makes a bast*rd noise. I got of bit of ali bar and listened round the engine - it sounds very rattly near the exhaust port and a bit noisy on the cylinder so with any luck it won't be too bad a fix...

[Westbeef]

That's what happens when Ollie has had a tinker, it was probably broke before you got it mate.

[TimR]

Dropped a valve ....

[Stu]

I think you have been sold a lemon!

Does the distance selling act apply?

[Mr Fro]

Good point chaps. Now Ollie is an American I can probably sue him for all sorts of stuff - I don't even want to get started on the mental trauma it's caused me.

I think you're on the right lines Tim but being a single it wouldn't run with a bendy one so I'm thinking broken spring or rocker nut - something like that (hopefully).

[fastbob]

It wouldn't run at all with a dropped valve . Might not be that bad . I've still got a box or two of CG engine parts somewhere. PM me when you find out what happened if you want.

[Mr Fro]

I'd like to submit exhibit A m'lud:

Notice the lock nut on the inlet valve on the right?

The gap should be 0.08mm... that's got to be at least 100 times that!

Ah well, that was a piece of piss to fix. I set both the valves correctly even though it was a little warm and the noise has completely disappeared. It even starts easier too.

[megawatt]

Why did the nut come loose and what have you done to stop it happening again?

[fastbob]

Result ! I love CGs . If you suspect that the thread in the rocker arm is shagged I've got a complete rocker and tappet assembly in my spares box . Got a tatty Haynes manual as well.

[fastbob]

Weh hey look at this ! Just don't tell the insurance company. http://i.imgur.com/BmqswLK.png

[Mr Fro]

Why did the nut come loose and what have you done to stop it happening again?

The nuts weren't anywhere near tight enough - neither was the spark plug.

I've ensured it won't happen again by not letting Ollie do it.

I tell you what Bob, for £40 it's bound to be good!

[SlowBusa]

Careful over tightening the spark plug

Most are only about 8lb's (even on Big engines)

Its Incredible considering the pressures generated in piston stroke and resulting force of the burning mixture that the spark plugs dont shoot straight through the petrol tank every engine cycle

[fastbob]

Why did the nut come loose and what have you done to stop it happening again?

The nuts weren't anywhere near tight enough - neither was the spark plug.

I've ensured it won't happen again by not letting Ollie do it.

I tell you what Bob, for £40 it's bound to be good!

So if I bought a dozen of these off Ali Baba for £20 a piece and put them on eBay for say £100 each that would make them even better !

[Mr Fro]

So if I bought a dozen of these off Ali Baba for £20 a piece and put them on eBay for say £100 each that would make them even better !

 

Doubt it but it is a sound business model! Just sand a bit off one of the fins and you can proudly state "Hand finished in the UK".

Come to think of it, for £40 it would be a chuckle to see if it's any good...

[fastbob]

So if I bought a dozen of these off Ali Baba for £20 a piece and put them on eBay for say £100 each that would make them even better !

 

Doubt it but it is a sound business model! Just sand a bit off one of the fins and you can proudly state "Hand finished in the UK".

Come to think of it, for £40 it would be a chuckle to see if it's any good...

[/quote Exactly, I bought a hat the other day that said on the label Made in China but brought to life in Birmingham! My knock off Ultrafire torch that I paid £3.75 for is performing brilliantly. Now JML is selling it for £9.99 so up to a point the higher the price the more convincing the quality.