slightly larger mean radius. This may increase wear marginally but in any case the bronze plates wear
immeasurably so the life will now drop to only a few million miles ... My fiber clutch plates have dune
100,000 miles and are not noticeably worn. Thick oil and antifriction additives promote clutch slip, so if
any one is still using engine oil in the Primary Chain case then they should read page 12 again. So use
SAE 20 or even ATF if clutch slip is a problem. Castrol GP 10-40 4-stroke oil can be useful if that is all
that is available but do not use it in your engine, it is too thin, only meant for Castrol's profits and electric
start Hondas.
CLUTCH DRAG: Yet another cause is for gearbox oil to travel down the pushrod tube by virtue of the
clutch push-rod acting as a pump, when it bends under load. Clue, cut a ¼ inch out of centre of the push-
rod and fit a ¼ inch ball bearing.
A notched clutch centre can be partially cured by installing two bronze or fiber plates together, thus using
the un-worn part of the clutch centre, this will make the clutch operation much lighter, but could also
aggravate clutch slip, but well worth a try if you've a spare plate.
ALTERNATORS: The rotor/stator gap of 8 thou. minimum is harder to achieve on the Mk I11 but it is
essential or the rotor will rub and the overheating will cause stator to burn out and disintegrate, this
applies to all models in fact. If lacking gap use a half round file and carefully file away moulding
compound and iron laminations of stator until an eight thou. feeler gauge will travel all the way round
between rotor and stator. While considering alternators the Mk III is fitted with a high output 180W RM23
stator that needs two Zener diodes, this can be fitted to earlier models if desired or even the RM24 (even
higher output at low speed) 180W 3-phase alternator will fit both models, but the 3-phase will need a
different rectifier and a new pair of matched Zener diodes fitted. Full details from Al Osborn or Les Emery.
J.H. Alternator: on Mark lll the rotor stator clearance can be affected by the chaincase/engine plate stud
which, unlike the other models, has an adjuster nut which can be used to push the chaincase in or out
and affect the fore and aft clearance between rotor and stator. That is at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock
positions. If the rotor/stator are too close top and bottom then this will not affect it, but I have never had to
resort to the filing you mention.
To gain clearance at 9 o'clock slacken the 3/8in Nyloc nut (9/16in AF spanner) in the chaincase and
screw up the plain }in nut behind the inner case to push the case outwards slightly and re-tighten the
Nyloc. Reverse the procedure for more clearance at 3 o'clock. > >
(Note from T.R.S.-have it your own way if you will, but this won't give you such a smooth tickover or even
plod.)
ELECTRIC START: In most cases about one of the biggest space wasters ever. A cheap supply of
brushes is Lucas set 251108 (4 brush set) a bit of cutting is needed, but at today's prices it is worth it.
There has been a four brush conversion set available from the United States but rather expensive at $75
from Cycle Sports (summer 1979). The new electric start Triumph Bonneville already has this mod.
Parts are thus for a straight swop type modification: -
1. Frame field, 58-241, MGL2101 A is the motor body.
2. Brush plate, 36-863, MGL1033B replaces the 2-brush plate.
3. Spring set, 50-335, MGD18SS.
Cycle Sports, 2355 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, California or pester a Prestolite Dealer that these parts
do exist, or questions to Robert Marshall, 1924 Kentucky Street, Redwood City, California 94061, USA.
The kill button is often overlooked when in a non-running situation, as it is often hardly ever used it soon
corrodes and becomes intermittent. Suggestion is to by-pass the reconnection under the tank. This is
especially so for the 750s and early Lucas H/Bar switches.
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