Jon Cull

Thank you for that, who knows what spec it was built to ? There is only a single 90A 24v alternator, where the 12v unit,(As shown in the download on P138) would normally sit there is a brake vac pump. Below that is the PAS pump, none of it looks cobbled up, there is also an engine hour meter at the back of the rh side of the engine. As it is I can't see any option but to feed the switched side of the glow relay from the positive side of the first battery. I can then use the standard type Champion CH63 glows or equivalent.

I have a customers 110 in for repair which I'm told came back to the UK a couple of years back. It is fitted with the 2.5 N/A Diesel and has a single very large 24v alternator. It came to me as a non runner, the electrics have had a few poorly done repairs, but for the large part looks original. It arrived on a recovery truck as a non - runner, a quick inspection revealed a burnt out 12v stop solenoid on the pump, This was no problem to replace with a 24v unit, I then found all the glow plugs to be burnt out as they were 12v as well. There is no ballast resistor fitted so the glow plugs need to handle 24v .I can't find a listing anywhere for 24v glows with an M12x1.25 thread, Putting the Vin into the Landrover EPC only shows it as a 110,there is no detail of equipment specs. I'm thinking a ballast resistor and the standard 12v plugs may be the only way to fix it. Is anyone familiar with what may have been fitted back in 1988 ?

If it runs well once going then you have to assume that valve and ignition timing are good and the engine is generally healthy. Poor starting then points towards ignition - A weak spark.Are the gaps correct in both spark plug and magneto points. Are the points clean in the mag ? A spark at the plug when its laying on the cylinder head may not be any good under compression. A failing condensor,HT windings, dirty HT pickup or sticking points can all lead to a weak spark. Often failing HT windings show up more when the engine is hot. Once you are used to the bike's preferences for its starting ritual it ought really fire up withing one or two kicks,hot or cold. My Matchless G3l never needs tickling,just air lever closed,a few slow rotations with the valve lifter pulled. A little bit of ignition advance and a long swinging kick and its away,hardly ever more than one kick.

Some very nicely made parts there,always good to see. Its a good job I don't have a Big 4 or I'd be having to add a chair with a driven wheel !

Is it possible that it was built from all new spares after the war ? Les at Russell Motors told me the story of how he spent about 6 years building brand new Matchless G3l's from WD spares.

Petrol, unlike engine oil,(Which in a way I think we are spoilt with) is a nightmare.As said the more you know,the less you know.I had problems a few years back with Ethanol eating a fibreglass tank on one bike.Also my rigid AJS trials bike suffered badly from the ethanol drawing in moisture and causing low speed running problems.At the time I solved it by using Aspen Alkylate petrol which has no ethanol and a 5 year shelf life.The engines run really well on it,but its very expensive. I still run all my chainsaws and strimmer on it because they are all 20+ years old and modern petrol ruins the rubber/plastic components in the fuel system. I can happily leave them over winter and they still fire up with no issues. My G3l and the AJS now seem happy on Shell Optimax which was "Supposed" to be free of ethanol... I never worry about valve seat additive, I rebuilt the AJS engine 9 years ago,its done alot of work since then and shows no sign of compression loss or needing pushrod adjustment.

I've fitted little 10A blade fuses in all our G3l's,they don't seem to suffer any battery drain but I like the fuse being there in case of a direct short. Some people don't think they should be fitted,but things get very hot very quickly and with an open carb mouth it wouldn't take much...

The civvy stand was already on the bike when my son bought it,so it was just a case of himm copying the foot on my bikes stand then welding it on, Ron is absolutely right about trying either Steve or Les for parts,both are very helpful. The other thought is the Kempton Autojumble - Steve Surbey is usually there and we often arrange to collect parts from him there to avoid postage costs.

Welding a foot onto a civvy one is exactly what we did on my sons G3l. Oil and fuel caps are the same.

I didn't actually see the Dodge in the water,but was told about it the next morning.Apparently it was held up by the traffic trying to get off the beach because the traffic in the village was all jammed up. Only what I was told...

Well we made it home yesterday afternoon,just the one breakdown on the way back ! Steve's Matchy cried enough just south of Salisbury and ended up in the van,he rode back to my place on my bike... The carbon brush in the mag had made loads of dust and was shorting the spark out,not something I can remember seeing before.It was a new one fitted before the trip... My bike went very well apart from the new voltage reg packing up,my brothers bike suffered a failed head gasket,(Also new) my son Jack's bike had the gearbox mainshaft nut come undone, allowing the clutch to move in and out. Easily fixed,as was the head gasket kindly donated by Chris Orchard, just my reg that couldn't be fixed.The other Steve's very freshly built M20 went very well and is getting better all the time. The picture shows the Cull family's trio of old ladies back in the workshop drying out...

Hi Ron, very sorry I didn't manage to catch up with you at the campsite.We had a very busy time,so much to see and do. I was also kept busy during the week with a head gasket job on my brothers G3l,(Replacement donated by Chris Orchard - Owe him a big favour) gearbox mainshaft nut on my son's G3l ,dry clutch rollers protesting on Steve's G3l and the clutch trying to explode on Rob's 16H. A suspect voltage reg on my G3l meant a flat battery for me all week too.Then the other Steve's G3l had a mag "issue" and conked out just south of Salisbury on the way home in the rain, took a lift back to my workshop in the van... So a busy,but very interesting and emotional time. Is it possible for you to post caps to me ? I am happy to pay whatever postage and packing is necessary.I would like at least three if they are available please.

Just realised it was you Steve that my son Jack and I met at the steam rally in Abergavenny on Sunday. Jack had popped in to the rally whilst waiting for me and my Aussie brother to pick him up. That Triumph looks very smart,see you next week !

Thank you for doing that Ron, I spent all day behind a steering wheel - didn't make it into my workshop...

I'll take some pics for you,won't be until late tomorrow as I have two long journeys to do in the morning.