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A blast around the block

Submitted by ady_strowger on Sat, 25/03/2017
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Commando

Hi all

Just a line to say after much inactivity the norton fired on the first kick today and a blast around the block confirmed all was ok the saga to this started two years ago, nothing more than an alternator replacement then some re-wireing all to do with my decision to go three phase..... problems? oh yes wont go into detail but I wont be using an alternater with the name wassel on it ever again its only still there after some help from a mate with a lathe and my ability with a round file, the coming miles this summer will see if it can last the distance

Submitted by david_evans on Sun, 26/03/2017

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Hi Ady, If you give us a quick idea of the problems you encountered then others will know what to look out for. That will benefit the NOC community. (and others)

Submitted by ady_strowger on Sun, 26/03/2017

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Ok here goes saga of the stator initially i couldn't get it to sit square and true over the rotor now some of you might be wondering why i didnt send it back well the truth is I had brought it 12 months previous, I didnt intend to leave it that long but the norton still ran and just manage to keep putting some life back in the battery and it wasn,t till the boyer started protesting that the primary cover came off. Just out of interest the old and now weak rotor had a year '73 stamped on it and is now gainfully employed keeping little screws and washers together, back to the stator and much use of a small round file had it sitting true although putting it on the studs didnt feel as Zen like as the original putting on and off that felt pure poetry. I had a nice eight thou gap checking while also turning the crank and had it running and charging ok in the garage with the cover off however after returning from doing about 15 miles there was a horrible mess in the primary further investigation showed some melting at different spots around the stator so out with the aradilte my mate skimmed that true then in went the rotor for a skim now it an east ten thou all around and so far no problems I did check for any run out on the crank and try as i might i cant detect any play on the drive side bearing so hopefully its sorted and the moral of this tale is use the parts you buy asap that way any problems they can go back...............Ady

Submitted by john_holmes on Sun, 26/03/2017

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Thanks for the update, that confirms there is a problem with Wassell alternators, they melt with the 8 thou clearance which works with lucas NOS alternators. So the best source of alternators is now LAP, who use the original Lucas tooling but cannot mark them with the Lucas trademark now owned by Wassells. So the pattern works but the one in a green box marked Lucas is rubbish.

Submitted by ady_strowger on Mon, 27/03/2017

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Hello John who are LAP and how do I contact them? any more issues and this wassel alternator is getting binned

Thanks......Ady

Submitted by john_holmes on Mon, 27/03/2017

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Set up by ex Lucas employees and have made Lucas motorcycle parts using original tooling but not Lucas branded, they also did some indicators with LAP embossed instead of Lucas into the lens.

http://www.lapelec.co.uk/

TMS do them as well as the Wassell ones in the Lucas green box, you need this page

http://www.tms-motorcycles.co.uk/store/products/list.asp?cat_id=196

and look at the alternators, the Lucas ones are Wassell, the UK made are LAP and are in a brown box with the Union Jack on it, check by clicking on image.

There are other sources but its not so clear which is which.

I would ring TMS or whoever you order the alternator from to make 100% sure what I was getting.

Submitted by ady_strowger on Mon, 27/03/2017

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Hi John thanks for that I know wassel have been around for a while but to use the Lucas name on something while paying lip service to what it's containing is abit of a joke I've a mind to contact them to let them know of my experience

Submitted by john_holmes on Mon, 27/03/2017

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Lucas would be the best ones to contact, its their name that's been dragged into the gutter, I hope they have a good clause in the contract ref quality as its a license agreement that could be ended. I was wrong, Wassell rent the trademark, they do not own it, like all renters they can be evicted.

Submitted by steve_elston on Mon, 27/03/2017

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Hi all

This new Lucas pattern replacement alternator got to this state in less than ten months from October 2013 to august 2014

take into account I won't ride my Norton in winter conditions for fear of stacking her,so only a limited mileage

Thanks to Ady for starting this thread,its put my mind at rest because I also started yanking on the crankshaft to check whether my mains were shot or not, when I set it up it had good clearance between rotor/alternator I use a cylindrical plastic shim so there's no chance of a tight spot

I also had to re-machine both alternator and rotor to remove the melted potting compound

Steve

 


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