Advice needed for T35 Mk1

[grav220]

Hi All
I am giving my new acquisition a service/thorough look over and am finding a number of little omissions and bodges which have set me wondering what it's like in the unseen areas.( eg no fork oil, missing grease nipples and split pins, a piece of threaded rod to hold the stand, dip stick missing.)
I should be grateful for advice on some specific points
1. I am looking for the engine breather. Is it right at the front,on the top of the timing cover? On my bike there is something that looks suspiciously like a nail head blocking a hole here and it has all been neatly painted over.
2. Missing dip stick. This seems easy to self make, but can somebody tell me how far the marks should be, measured from the top of the hole (I presume the hoie below the filler plug is for the dipstick)
Thanks for any help
Graham

[Doug]

Graham,

The engine vents out a small hole in the bottom of the timing chest cover.

I got an original dipstick from Graeme Brown, who had the ex-Factory stock of spares. He had a whole bin of them (1988). His stock was passed on to the LDMCC Post War Spares section, who might still have some. Yes the dipstick fits in the tapered socket just below the oil fill. Or you could make your own, and I am sure someone can provide the dimensions. If I get out to the shed this weekend, I will do so myself.

-Doug

[David Lawrence]

Hi Graham,
I do not know if you have been in contact with The London Douglas spares regarding your dipstick, I know that we have recently sold our last one, however there is a new batch on the way, I doubt that the delivery will take more than a couple of weeks.
Regarding the breather, do you have a spares catalogue for your bike? The breather mechanism is a simple mesh mounted in a steel tube pressed into a housing in the front timing cover, it is clearly shown in the spares book exploded diagram, item 2 on plate 5. if you do not have a copy I think you would find it most useful particularly as the Club spares use the works part numbers for ordering components.
Coincidently!!! I look after the supply of these together with the instruction manuals and if you contact me via my email (email envelope below the avitar) I will arrange supply of copies. The Club charge a small amount for these, the proceeds go to maintaining our archives and future production of handbooks.
Regarding the "lump" on top of the timing chest, these appear on the early Mark 1 crankcases, the actual reason is a mystery to most of us! If anyone out there knows the actual reson for them I would like to know. However, they are nothing to do with the breather.
If you do decide to buy either the spares book or the Mark 1 manual please let me have the frame and engine number so that I can be certain which manual you need.
Please note, The Club only sells spares to members, but do sell the books to non members. If you are not a member we hope you will consider joining us.
Dave

[grav220]

Thanks Doug and David
I will order a Club dipstick.
I see the breather mentioned by Dave in the parts list, an"oil baffle and gauze" but assumed it was completely internal. How does it ventilate to the atmosphere? I have now noticed a hole/drilling right at the bottom of the timing cover, any significance?
Graham

[eddie]

Hi Graham,
                 Yes, the hole bottom centre of the timing cover is the port for the breather. The oil baffle and gauze as shown in the parts book was a later fitting - some of the earlier engines had a non return valve in it's place.
     You mentioned in your earlier posting that the stand had a stud instead of the original bolt. The 2 stand lugs have been known to twist the tube they are mounted on, especially if owners try to kickstart the bike whilst on the stand. This then makes it impossible to get the head of the original bolt out past the frame tube - the usual dodge being to replace the bolt with a stud and 2 nuts.

  Regards,
                Eddie.

[grav220]

Thanks for your help Eddie. I will have to do something about the studding holding the stand as the aluminium stand will obviously wear very fast as it rotates on the thread. Perhaps get a piece of suitable diameter rod rod and have threads cut on the ends.
G

[eddie]

Graham,
             The stand should have a bearing tube in the pivot. It is 5/8" OD x 1/2" bore and about 30 thou wider than the stand - the bolt/stud can then be tightened up to prevent it moving and wearing the lugs. With the bearing tube fitted, it won't matter whether you have a plain bolt or a threaded stud for it to pivot on.

  Regards,
                 Eddie.

[grav220]

Thanks again eddie
G