Saving Old Seagulls

I have a 1956/57 102 long shaft that I bought locally as a repair case. I got it to the point where it would start after 10-12 pulls (albeit unreliably). It has a really good strong spark and I've given the carb a thorough clean but it now won't start at all. I can get the odd misfire and it does sometimes blow back through the carb, it's got an Amal 416 fitted. This suggests to me that the timing is out which might have happened when I was cleaning and re-setting the points. I've read here that the timing is fixed by a locating screw under the points but I can't visualise what this means. Can anyone provide a very simple explanation or a picture as I'm struggling to make headway on this. Any other ideas on the non-starting also welcome.

To identify your engine & answer your question we will need the full engine number, as the 416 carb suggests it could be a very late motor.

All technical queries should enclude the engine number.

Having the engine number, and a pic or two certainly does get to the answer more quickly! Especially where the evidence suggests we have a motor that's not in original factory build state....... A Bitsa. ( Not sure if this is up north but there was also a 102 with a 416 carb round Glasgow way that popped up on the the Bay a few months back.)

This link to a previous post last month has the whole of the procedures for both Villiers and Wipac magnetos.........the technique is essentially the same. Pics are for Wipac adjustment but the Villiers is essentially the same once you have access to the points box. I'm sure there is a points box pic for a 102 up somewhere in the prev posts....probably from the Oz chaps..........

http://www.saving-old-seagulls.co.uk/fo ... f=5&t=1517

The latitude on timing is quite large; given a good spark I'd be looking to petrol starvation and make sure the in-line filters are clear plus both jets were 100% clear. And then check again to see if they were clean.

Peter

check the coil..

Thanks for the quick replies. The serial number is AC46369 which is a 1955/6 model according to John's identifier. The only change from original appears to be the change to a 416 carb although I'm a newbie to this seagull lark!! I'll try and get some photos. I've had another look based on your advice and it may be a fuel problem as the spark plug is pretty dry. I'll give it another clean. Any advice on how to set the carb up intially?

Hi,
old rebuilds need oil to seal the bushes and start the suck, blow, bang thing. Put some oil down the sparkplug hole, then into the crank case (via the carb hole) Wang it over a bit with the HT lead off, then fuel on, HT lead on and it should fire up.
Regards
Phil

Good spark... coil ok. Screw under points??? Assuming they mean the locating stud under the magneto baseplate which screws into a dimple into the crankcase. Only has one position. 57's didn't have the 416, so definately not original. Is the base plate solid. Had a forty doing exactly the same thing and with slight movement of the base plate, the point gap was all over the shop plus the earth continuity was intermittent.

Picture of stud. A little earlier than yours but same position.



It is the rusty bit with the square end next to the nut holding the wire for HT lead. Yours maybe slotted.

Still got blue on it

H-A

I got fed up with it! Need to get motivated again

Nice carpet that you have in your front room

Just a little worried that there is a bit of stray red wire on the floor.

Is it a runner yet?

H-A

I'm doing the running..... away from that bluudy can of paint stripper! That used to be my dining room. Carpet is a dropsheet to save carpet...keh? I'm a sparky, bits of wire everywhere!

Honestly, it needs a session with a bead blaster...... ( glass, not sand though.....)
Reaches and refreshes parts the stripper fails to reach...........!

You'd have to strip first though............

Peter

No Peter Soda is the new Media

H-A

True....And also wet as I recall.

Kitchen table is still glass beads........

Peter

No Bi-carbonate of soda (baking soda), fine white powder, less aggressive than sand or ali oxide.

Have put youtube bit on previous post.

H-A