allyboy

There was a new development today. I fired up the cota and drove around, there was a much better bite and I was able to get the wheel up much better I drove got about ten mins then noticed a lot of ATF being forced out the breather does this mean anything? I didn't have Time to drain and fill but was wondering if the cases were being pressurised from a leaky seal. Ideas please thanks Ally.

Hi Billy I ride down at Neilson at the trials academy. Also at Irvine where the moto x and quads ride.

Hi Guys I have been getting the 123 ready for action and have realised that the clutch is still a bit weird, i can sit in second and hold the bike back with my legs, in first it does pull but I cant get a sharp take away from a standstill. i have got ATF in the box just now but did have a heavier oil in before. I have noticed the lever is very close to the bottom of the frame it could be touching perhaps. Any advice welcome.. thanks Aly

Thanks for all the advice, and for the link B40 thats perfect and within budget too! I will order on Monday.

Good luck Dave its the only way to go, I just found out that the plug that was in my 247 has failed after about five hours! I was set to strip a perfectly good carb until I did one final check on the plug. I also spent about a month on my bantam going crazy checking everything, the bike eventually started first time from a battery and external coil? It was the magnets on the flywheel that were gubbed, just didnt create enough juice for the stator coil.The bike is so reliable now I have just kept the arrangement. Cheers .

Thanks Guys. I had'nt said on the forum but after the last session in the mud I had not been able to get the bike to start, I was really confused because it has always been a first kick starter and I had no idea what had happened, I checked for a spark and there seemed to be a decent enough spark, a bit weedy but it was bright daylight. I checked there was fuel and kicked again no start. I thought it must be the carb, I had run empty at the beach so supposed the carb was blocked and resigned myself to a strip down although I had cleaned the tank thoroughly or so I thought. I bought some easy start and decided to confirm it was a fuel problem by giving it a squirt and starting it although I expected it to fire first time and confirm what I thought and a carb overhaul was due . I squirted and kicked and nothing, not even a cough. Very puzzled now I took out the plug again and checked for a spark? surprise surprise the plug had no spark, I swapped it for a little plug from my seagull outboard and got a big fat purple regular spark. with the plug fitted the bike fired first time, it did take a while to run sweet, I guess too much wet fuel kicking about so I ran till warm and killed it. left for five mins and it fired up first time again, this plug that failled is almost new, possibly as little as five hours runtime. It just shows that you cant rule out new or newish parts from your troubleshooting. When I get a new replacement plug I will buy a pair and check both. the spare can be kept close at hand in case of emergencies. I only need to fabricate a pair of rubber straps to hold the seat unit down and I will head out again. Really looking forward to buzzing about on this now. Cheers ( off to pub now!!)

Thanks guys I can take credit for the glass work and prep but the paint with a metalic topcoat and the seat were done professionally, theres no way I could have achieved that level of finish myself. The tank glass was so far gone that at first I was going to tidy it up and use it as a mould for a mould if you know what I mean but as I got used to the glass mat and resin I thought it might be repairable it was worn through, cracked and crazed in so many places but I took my time and built it up with mat and resin, where there were cracks or rips I drilled holes at the end s and where there was crazing I sanded back to rough mat and built up the resin as a gel coat. just last week I decided it was worth getting a good quality paint job and since its such a small piece I went for a metallic paint just to lift it a bit. The seat got retrimed locally and is a much nicer cloth than the original, I thought about chopping the seat base and seat back to a trials size but decided against, I really like the trail look on this bike. Thanks again..

Not the best pics yet but very happy with the tank and seat, a transformation.

Hi on my BSA which has an amal carb I find that I need to have the strangler ( choke ) on for a lot longer than you would think, definately longer than thirty seconds If I open the throttle fast there is fuel starvation but after about five mins I can un strangle and it is all good, I have also in the past had "new" components and "refurbished " stators etc that were just not good! also brand new plugs and caps and points that were faulty out of the box? If you can find someone local with the same bike running well it would be good to ask if you can try your new parts on his bike. Cheers

Cheers thats it sorted now, I have the seat back from the trim people and it looks amazing, much better than I thought it would. I was going to respray the tank myself but have opted to use a local paint shop and the new metalic black should be ready on Monday. Not original but its what I fancy for now and as this is my main bike for using its me that will be getting the benefit of it. Photos when ready!!

Hi is this corrected from the outside by pulling the lever off and relocating at the correct angle or is ir inside the casing that needs altered. cheers

Cheers John it was a great day out I see from your logo your a bultaco man now!! Did you get your 247 sold ok? It was a lovely thing. Ali

Not action shots yet but stunning views today and my pals with a very nice Bultaco Sherpa 250 and a very dodgy Chinese death trap It was the tall guy on the death trap!! He paid £40 for it. Way too much if you ask me! I quite like the Black mudguards on the Montesa. When the tank cover is ready I am getting it gloss Black If thats good with the mudguards I will get proper black ones, if its too black I will possibly get some alloy ones and go more vintage looking. Mechanically the bike was great, I need to replace the tyres and the throttle cable isnt right for the Domino twist grip but it is working for now. Cheers Ali

Some pics of where I have gotten to with the cota and where we went today.

Hi Had an amazing day with the cota today three hours of mixed terrain and a lot of practice at jumping and getting the bike over low obstacles and across small gullies. I ran out of fuel once but other than that the bike was great. I even managed the deep sandy sections much better today, no falling off either. Cheers

Yaaay after rebuilding the engine and getting it back into the frame I gassed her up primed the carb and gave her a couple of kicks, After about six kicks the engine fired well and ran very sweetly, She now fires first kick every time again, this was my worry, I hated stripping an engine that was running so well. I have ordered a domino fast action throttle and some fresh grips, I have already got new levers fitted. As well as sorting out the motor I have painted the frame and the mudguards black, if I like how it looks I will get a set of black mudguards from in motion. I am going to Irvine beach on Sunday with a pal that has just bought a tidy Bultaco Sherpa 250. Now I will be able to take the Cota as well as the Bantam trials. I will try and get some pics. Cheers.

Hi Tomorrow I am going to get the rebuild started, any ideas on torque for the barrel to cases studs and the head to barrel nuts . I am going to do a light resto to the frame and barrel etc give it all a good pressure wash to shift the grunge. Cheers

I am off until Monday now but will get you some pics when I get back. The wheel came from a bike breakers so probably came off a 123 but who knows what mods have been made. I suppose someone needed a tyre and ended up swapping the whole thing. Cheers .

There is a large repair to this casing so it could have been some bodys great idea for sealing that went horribly wrong. I am delighted to be getting a second chance with this motor, John will tell you it is a genuine first kicker with plenty of poke. I will take my time and do the best I can to get it back together well. Its just a shame I opened that case last!! Ive got the barrel, head and side cases to go on and refit to the frame. The chain is stiff and needs a good soak the exhaust needs flushed through, the seat tank unit is now all fibre glassed together and just needs a good sand and filled and sanded again primed and painted. Johns 247 is without doubt the best, I would never take it offroad though but I would be tempted to put a light on it and use it for posing on summer days. Cheers

There could be trouble ahead then I can always get the ribbed hub laced onto the 18 " rim If the internals all fit I could use as is. Cheers

Hi My Mistake it is a 123 wheel with an 18" rim I have had a look and it seems right except the drum on the old wheel is ribbed on the outside the same as the front and on the new wheel it is smooth. is there any reason for this? Cheers

So I split the case from the clutch and had a look. Still seized and solid I split the generator case and still seized and solid. I didnt know what to do next and then spotted a triangle of black rubber wedged between the flywheel and the housing just beside the kickstart splines it was well and truly wedged solid and no amount of pulling would free it. About 4mm thick and 40mm x 20mm it looks like a bit of tyre sidewall. i put a new blade in the stanley and trimmed off the rubber then started slicing down into the narrow clearance between the flywheel and housing. it took a while but eventually the flywheel was free!!! This of course means that there was no mechanical failure in the engine and I can start to put it back together. Is this a part that should be in the engine or some random thing? I dont know how it would have gotten in Good news though I want to clean up the rings as they seem a bit sticky and the cases could do with a tidy up. I have discovered a yellow wire that is not connected, is this for the lights if fitted? Cheers Ally

Hi and thanks I got both a 21" rim and a complete 247 wheel with a 18" rim so so far so good, I need both tyres as well but as you say spoiled for choice.. Ally

Hi I have got the engine out the frame and have the screws out of the side case that houses the clutch, I am having trouble getting the case apart? is there a special technique or am I just being a bit too gentle. I have been tapping a narrow blade into the seam and at the front there looks like a bump for a locating dowl that has a wider gap perhaps for levering the case off? any advice appreciated. THANKS Ally

Cheers John I know its not the piston or barrel so the answer lies inside the cases. I will get onto this at some point. I got some base cylinder gaskets off ebay today so if you ever need one give me a txt. I dd have an amazing day on the bike before it seized. Cheers Ally