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1961 ES2 Magneto chain and sprockets

Submitted by allen_hanford on Tue, 23/01/2018
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Singles

The magneto chain on my bike is 42 pins long. The book specifies that it should be 44 links long. Assuming that the "link" referred to in the book is equal to the "pin" I'm counting in real life, my chain is two pins too short. With the tension set at the loosest position the chain is excessively tight.

I have no problem fitting a new chain but what bothers me is: why would anyone install a shorter chain? Were they addressing a common problem or was it just a hack mechanic doing something that doesn't make sense?

Submitted by john_oldridge on Tue, 23/01/2018

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Hi Allen

I could be wrong but I thought a 1961 ES2 had coil ignition? ( my 1960 M50 has), could it have been modified to a mag, hence the tight chain,..............just a thought!

Regards John O

Submitted by andy_marks on Wed, 24/01/2018

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The earlier singles used 15T sprockets and the later ones (your included) used 16T sprockets. What has yours got? Could be someone has swapped sprockets around at some point.

Submitted by ian_soady on Wed, 24/01/2018

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And I have heard of people fitting one 15 and one 16 tooth sprocket. Fires once then a long silence (apart from the cursing of the person trying to start it.....)

Submitted by allen_hanford on Wed, 24/01/2018

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Well, both sprockets have 15 teeth and the adjustment holes have been filed out for more travel. Somebody went to a lot of trouble to make this mess. Since my bike is a bitsa, what are the chances my bike was retrofitted with an earlier magneto?

Submitted by allen_hanford on Sat, 27/01/2018

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Previously Barry Carson wrote:

Hi, this was the setup on the 1960 model 50 engine i had. ignore the link on the chain don't know if its the right way around.

Thanks. I really appreciate that. What was the alternator setup on the model 50?

Submitted by barry_carson on Sat, 27/01/2018

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Previously Dan Field wrote:

Have you got wallpaper and a radiator in your garage?!

.............................

i am not that posh Dan. the photo was taken in me old kitchen a while ago. smiley

Submitted by barry_carson on Sat, 27/01/2018

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Previously Allen Hanford wrote:

Previously Barry Carson wrote:

Hi, this was the setup on the 1960 model 50 engine i had. ignore the link on the chain don't know if its the right way around.

Thanks. I really appreciate that. What was the alternator setup on the model 50?

.......................

Hello Allen .at the time this engine was roughly bolted together tin wear missing ect but this is a view of where the rotor coils would have been mounted . the crank shaft would be different / longer.

Barry

Attachments barry-alternator-jpg

Submitted by allen_hanford on Sun, 28/01/2018

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at the time this engine was roughly bolted together tin wear missing ect but this is a view of where the rotor coils would have been mounted . the crank shaft would be different / longer.

This looks a lot like what's on my ES2. The (miserably incomplete) drawing in the parts book doesn't show a magneto, but it does show the alternator rotor. Mike Pemberton told me that my bike had a mag with an alternator on top of it but it seems like that would mean either my crankshaft has been changed or there was a blank shaft sticking out. Very puzzling to me.

Submitted by allen_hanford on Sun, 28/01/2018

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Submitted by peter_holden on Mon, 29/01/2018

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Hi Allen The engine you have was designed to be fitted with a contact breaker assembly as shown in Barry Carson@s pics.This replacedthe old Mag-Dyno Clockwise M01. The magneto you have has no provision for adjustment of the drive chain and would have originally come from a Velocette or possibly Vincent comet. It would notbe possible to fit a M01 unit without major changes to the Engine plates etc. If it were mine I would seek an original points unit.

 


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