duckwizard Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Help needed, I need a valve lifter assembly for a 1961 B40, bolts to rocker cover. Can anyone help with this. B**ger to start without one !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old trials fanatic Posted May 20, 2006 Report Share Posted May 20, 2006 Sorry just been out to the shed and i've no idea what happened to mine Took mine off and plugged the hole as i was sick of the oil leaks. Surprised yours is a bugger to start as mine always starts first kick then again i have PVL fitted. Have you tried C & D Autos or Dragan fly or Gagg and sons in Nottingham? I'm in the shed again tomorrow, nothing on locally, so if i find the parts i will let you know. IMHO theyre more trouble than they are worth but each to their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckwizard Posted May 21, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2006 OTF, Thanks for the info regarding oil leaks, wondered why the bit was plugged. The b40 has boyer ignition fitted, which starts ok first kick and runs away fine, 2nd kick is a nightmare to start, getting over compression. I have considered fitting pvl as a second option, but thought the boyer was ok?. If you find the valve lifter that would be great for just now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclebuck Posted May 23, 2006 Report Share Posted May 23, 2006 Boyer ignition has no advance/retard and is always fully advanced - or so I was told. PVL is far superior in this respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckwizard Posted May 24, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2006 Uncle Buck, sounds that you have just solved my problem. Has anyone had PVL fitted to their B40 as alternative to Boyer ?. Would this help with starting the engine once it was warm ?. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
totalshell Posted May 28, 2006 Report Share Posted May 28, 2006 cant comment on the pvl on a b40 but i have it on my cub and it is spot on bike starts 1st time every time whether its been sttod a month or i ve ridden it all day starts having been upside down in becks or laid on its side spark is 100% consistent stedy big blue spark buy one today its not shiney and you wont be able to show it off but it makes life so much easier.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkie Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 what is a pvl as my b40 is hard to kick start my knees are shot just an old bloke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 Damn,there was me thinking what a coincidence ! Just got around to sorting out my C15 with its 4 bolt BSA forks and the time came to fire it up... Along with Sparkie my knee is knackered.(My 350 AJS is so soft when its warm I can easily start it by hand.) So I was hoping this thread might lead to an answer to a valve lifter kit for a C15/B40. Without it I'm going to have to let the Ceefer go,sounds silly - but my AJS,even though its a rigid is far easier to cope with. Also, what basic ignition advance do folk use with PVL/Electrex World etc ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
b40rt Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 Boyer ignition has no advance/retard and is always fully advanced - or so I was told. PVL is far superior in this respect. Not according to the timing info I have for my boyer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aawil Posted March 28, 2016 Report Share Posted March 28, 2016 boyer systems have built in advance curves , but are this can vary in degrees if yoy have any sort of bad / loose connection from not advancing (feed connection ) to over advancing (bad earth ) ,after a few problems i now always fit a braided earth from the motor to the frame ,this solves boyer and similar systems , but why for years now i have had fixed timing on all my bikes i just set it spot on for what i need , all start first kick ,pull like i want and give no problem ,even my overbored panther which is 720cc, my bikes rangr from 197 greeves /bsa 441 victor outfit / big panther ldt outfit greeves silverstone racer prewar sprinter , plus all my road bikes ,get it set right and your problems should be over , will ps as i have steel in both legs i have to be a bit careful about bending them and at a fit 72 i nedd to keep on racing and trialing, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bashplate Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 what compression piston are you using? wouldn't have thought a de comp was needed for starting a trials iron. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 what compression piston are you using? wouldn't have thought a de comp was needed for starting a trials iroHHn. Hi Bashplate, sorry I have no idea what piston is in the engine,but the kickstart seems quite high geared and it hangs onto its compression if you try to slowly ease it over ready to start it. A valve lifter would just make life alot easier,my knee wouldn't be aching so much as I sit here typing this ! The bike is one I have swopped,the idea is to use it for the odd club trial taking the pressure off my AJS. I've not had a unit BSA for 20 odd years an my knee was better then.If I can't sort one out I'll have to move it on and find another soft old banger... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japes1275 Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 I've recently removed the valve lifted off my C15. It was more trouble than it was worth and now I've got brakes that seem to work it was virtually redundant. I never used it for starting. I've got the Electrex world ignition as well now and once warm its a very easy kick to start it. It retards itself for starting. My standard B40 has a valve lifter that works but I rarely use it for starting. It's a low comp military bike and starts easily with standard ignition. I do use it for steep descents though as the brakes don't work!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon v8 Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 I've recently removed the valve lifted off my C15. It was more trouble than it was worth and now I've got brakes that seem to work it was virtually redundant. I never used it for starting. I've got the Electrex world ignition as well now and once warm its a very easy kick to start it. It retards itself for starting. My standard B40 has a valve lifter that works but I rarely use it for starting. It's a low comp military bike and starts easily with standard ignition. I do use it for steep descents though as the brakes don't work!! My C15 apparently has Electrex world ignition on it, I've yet to delve into the primary chaincase to see what there is and how its set up. What problems did you have with the valve lifter ? The motor pinks quite easily if you try to make it pull from very low revs,so I'm thinking a bit more retard will help here.Its just finding time to play with it,my work is busy and I need to look after that... Not knowing what the engine was built doesn't help me,but apart from the pinking it runs very nicely,no smoke or rattles etc. If I can't get it easier to start and to plod nicely it will have to go,a shame if it does because its a very smart bit of kit,and clearly has had much time and effort put into it. Do you want to sell your valve lifter kit ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japes1275 Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 The valve lifter was fitted by my dad years ago and I guess he just got a B40 rocker cover and lifter. It ran fine for years but was a bit noisy. When I came to rebuild the engine I found that the exhaust valve guide was loose in the head and the valve stem mushroomed over. When putting it all back together after a full rebuild for some reason I couldn't get any clearance on the exhaust valve, basically the lifter was holding it slightly open and there didn't seem to be way of adjusting it. I decided it that as I'd ridden it for years without a lifter that it would be fine without so didn't bother investigating further and removed it. The Electrex world took a little setting up and I guess that if you didn't have all the gear (like a DTI and a degree wheel) then it would be fairly easy to get it wrong. Its not really something that can be set up roughly and then adjusted easily after - well not without removing the primary cover a few times. It runs really nicely with the Electrex world, picks up well from low revs and you can really feel the change in advance as the revs build. I too have a bad right knee and leg and although it hurts a bit I can still start it ok. I'm hoping it will get better, my leg I mean! I can probably find the instructions for setting it up and send a copy if you like. I'm afraid I'm going to keep the lifter, to be honest it's all a bit homemade and the rocker cover is still on the bike with the hole plugged so it wouldn't consist of much. I might sell the bike if my leg doesn't get any better so will keep it for the next owner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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