So a couple of weeks off but last weekend saw me back down the garage…
The Atlas has started making ‘noises’ – not sure what but it sounds like piston slap. When I say it ‘sounds like’ this really means that it has a terminal kind of ring about it. A ticking kind of noise normally means some kind of rotating part like a clutch of some sort it playing up but this noise feels more like it’s to do with something going up and down. Up and down is bad.
I did wonder if I had the onset of a loose valve seat but when this happened in Atlas #1 the noise was persistent. Here however the noise seems worse if I ride off before the bike is off the choke – it must be driving the neighbours mad as I’ve taken to letting the bike tick over ’til warm at 6 am!
So I’m approaching this problem with some caution as I don’t have another bike to fall back on – got to keep nursing this Atlas for a while yet. Carried out an oil change and there were flecks of metal in the oil – not much but I’m sure it hasn’t been present in the past.
I decided that while I had the engine free of oil I’d sort out the slipping sprag clutch but despite the appliance of heat and a big hammer the damned nut wouldn’t budge on the end of the crank. It wasn’t helped by a clutch that started to slip so putting the bike in gear and getting Mrs A to stand on the rear brake wasn’t holding the engine locked. I know that when things go this way it is time to back off and think. Next weekend I’m off to see a mate with a rattle gun which will be the way to sort it out and talk bollocks for most of Sunday!
Nick 🙂
Bent screwdrivers, big hammers and old Laverdas 