[adrian]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

I bought a 10/2016 manufactured Classic 350 [*] Which is the best oil for relatively silent engine? How is Shell Advance 4T Ultra 15W-50 semi synthetic oil?

I think it would be better to stick with the mineral oil (Motul 3000 4T Plus 15w50 JASO MA2) prescribed by the company and do oil changes at 3000kms interval. I had used Motul semi synthetic for a brief period and changed back to the original mineral oil, the reason being that I didn't find any benefits like smoother engine and the like. Why pay extra for the semi synthetic ? (Solely my opinion and I do city as well as highway rides and never faced any overheating situation with the mineral oil).

Originally Posted by deepclutch

[*]Does this bike at around 28300kms need engine flush before engine oil change? If yes, which flush.

You cannot completely drain the engine oil from these UCE engines. Some 1/2 to 1 liters stays in the engine no matter what you do (tilt / kick the motorcycle). So the flush being of a solvent nature, it would be better not to add any engine flush, as some of it will remain back inside the engine. If the current engine oil is horribly dark, then drain it, fill the engine with fresh engine oil and drain it after say 50kms. This will take away lot of gunk with it.

Originally Posted by deepclutch

[*] I hear tappet/valve noise when giving throttle. Does this need valve clearances adjusted?

The noise is inherent to UCE engines, especially the older models. Nothing can be done as the clearances are automatically adjusted by hydraulic tappets, which requires only fresh engine oil. The only things that can be adjusted are the cams. If the rattle is occuring during accelaration, it would be a good idea to check the carburetor tuning as well as TPS setting.

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by adrian

The noise is inherent to UCE engines, especially the older models. Nothing can be done as the clearances are automatically adjusted by hydraulic tappets, which requires only fresh engine oil. The only things that can be adjusted are the cams. If the rattle is occuring during accelaration, it would be a good idea to check the carburetor tuning as well as TPS setting.

I showed the motorocycle to a neighbourhood mechanic and he commented, if this is a BS-III model, upgrading to BS-IV oil pump (costs around ₹700) will generally reduce the tappet noise to a large extend as the BS-IV oil pump has greater pumping capacity.

However, I'm not sure about if this is a BS-III or BS-IV model. It is October 2016 manufactured. It came with LED headlamp, which I reverted to original Minta reflector. Carburettor is shown below. I showed to the RE dealer from where this motorcycle was purchased and they are saying it is BS-IV. And, as usual Kerala RC card does not contain any mention about it is BS-III/BS-IV. Of course, opening up the RH side cover will reveal about the oil pump, nothing more.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

I showed the motorocycle to a neighbourhood mechanic and he commented, nothing more.

That is the CV carburetor that came with BS III models. The ones in BS4 models had one more vacuum tube in the carburetor that went back to the charcoal canister.

The oil pump in the 500s had more lifting capacity, but don't know if it suits the 350s. Not aware of the increased capacity of oil pump in the BSIV models as well. Check with some one from Royal Enfield (Area service Manager) to confirm before proceeding with the pump change. The local mechanics will do anything for money More over, it is a major operation with the RHS cover removed, removing the cam plates and the like, disturbing the cam settings and all. So ensure that your mechanic is well versed in UCE engines before proceeding.


From the picture, the most important thing to be addressed right now (most probably it will solve the engine rattle problem in your motorcycle) is to replace that cracked intake rubber manifold that connects the carburetor to the engine. If those cracks are deep enough to suck in air, your bullet might be running lean, which would explain the knocking sound on acceleration.
regards adrian

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by adrian

That is the CV carburetor that came with BS III models. The ones in BS4 models had one more vacuum tube in the carburetor that went back to the charcoal canister.

[...]

So, this is a BS-III motorcycle. I'm not sure, why the dealer guy has said it's a BS-IV.

Originally Posted by adrian

From the picture, the most important thing to be addressed right now (most probably it will solve the engine rattle problem in your motorcycle) is to replace that cracked intake rubber manifold that connects the carburetor to the engine. If those cracks are deep enough to suck in air, your bullet might be running lean, which would explain the knocking sound on acceleration.
regards adrian

Thanks for the heads up. Yes, I am going to change the rubber intake manifold. Need to do the oil change (Shell 15W50 good enough or any other recommendations) also.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

I showed the motorcycle to a neighborhood mechanic and he commented, if this is a BS-III model, upgrading to BS-IV oil pump (costs around ₹700) will generally reduce the tappet noise to a large extend as the BS-IV oil pump has greater pumping capacity.

Did some digging on this. At least the Mallu Mechanics swear by the updated oil pump. The pump with increased oil pumping capacity was introduced in mid BS4 motorcyles and will fit in BS3 models as well. It is said to reduce the rocker arm clatter after the engine heats up.

A few youtube videos I found on the subject.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0Co42qwVRo&t=647s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqbh6780Yy4

@deepclutch : Kindly update if you have upgraded your oil pump. My 50K+ standard UCE 350 is due for a cam wheel adjustment and I am thinking of experimenting with the new pump.


OT : Missing @Arizonajim Sir's posts. Hope he is doing fine.

[saurav_s]

Hi
I have a 2019 Interceptor, which is mostly used over weekend rides.
My height is 5 ft 4 inch and flat footing is a problem with the current seat height.
Was looking for ways to reduce that without compromising on the seat comfort (as it is, the seat is a problem for long rides)
Recently came across a post on the way2performance suspension lowering kit and ordered them, after reading the good feedback.

I stay in Mumbai and was looking for a good suspension mechanic to do the swap.
Not sure whether I should trust the FNG for this.

Any recommendations

P.S. this is my first post after almost 1 yr of being a lurker-member and after maybe a decade of being a lurker-nonmember.

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by adrian

@deepclutch : Kindly update if you have upgraded your oil pump. My 50K+ standard UCE 350 is due for a cam wheel adjustment and I am thinking of experimenting with the new pump.

I forgot to update. I did the oil change, upgraded to BS4 oil pump last week. Definitely the clatter sound has reduced a bit. But, overall I am yet to see any big change. Another thing is, the mechanic changed swing arm bush to metal type which costed me Rs160 or so. It seems like these are two basic things done to BS-III Bullets. It costed me Rs5500 for all the work. (This includes removing the extra fittings and moving to stock headlight, tiger eyes and many)

1) With pillion, the motorcycle is shaking, in the back, and this affects the handling also. Any idea what to look for.

2) After the oil change, there is an oil leak from the head gasket area, from busted gasket. Oil drops are not observed in the parking area, but definitely leaking especially if rode in highways for some kilometres. I have to fix this next week. Did the work at a supposedly expert mechanic here at Muvattupuzha.The oil leak happened after the oil change. I am using the motorcycle with this oil leak. Is there anything to look for? I hope changing the gasket is enough. Did he overfill the oil to result in busted gasket.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

I forgot to update. I did the oil change, upgraded to BS4 oil pump last week.

Thanks for the update

Originally Posted by deepclutch

With pillion, the motorcycle is shaking, in the back, and this affects the handling also. Any idea what to look for.

Check for overtight drive chain. When the weight of the pillion adds up, the swing arm straightens up more resulting in the increase in distance between front and rear sprockets. If the drive chain is not loose enough to handle this, then it causes handling issues as the shock absorbers won't work as it should. Riding with a too tight chain will also put load in the front sprocket bearings. Also don't forget to periodically check the tightness of the swing arm spindle bolt now that you have changed to metal swing arm bushes. Several people has complains about the bolt getting loose from time to time post changing to metal swing arm bushes.

Originally Posted by deepclutch

After the oil change, there is an oil leak from the head gasket area, from busted gasket. Oil drops are not observed in the parking area, but definitely leaking especially if rode in highways for some kilometres. I have to fix this next week. Did the work at a supposedly expert mechanic here at Muvattupuzha.The oil leak happened after the oil change. I am using the motorcycle with this oil leak. Is there anything to look for? I hope changing the gasket is enough. Did he overfill the oil to result in busted gasket.

At least the new oil pump is doing it's job (more oil per minute = increased oil pressure). No problem to ride with the oil leak, just keep checking the oil level of the motorcycle using the oil sight window. It is not clear from the picture, but I doubt if the leak is from the head area. The reason is that the water drain hole of the small spark plug (right hand side one) is wet with oil. Hence I doubt that it is the rocker cover gasket that is leaking, which is dripping oil into the right spark plug well which inturn is draining through the drain hole. If it is the rocker cover gasket, it is the most prone place for leak in a UCE engine and also the most easily rectified thing. But if it is leaking from the head gasket and you are removing the head, then don't forget to examine the valve seating, the condition of the valve guides etc. It is also a good time to scrape off some carbon from the piston and the valves using a plastic scraper.

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by adrian

At least the new oil pump is doing it's job (more oil per minute = increased oil pressure). No problem to ride with the oil leak, just keep checking the oil level of the motorcycle using the oil sight window. It is not clear from the picture, but I doubt if the leak is from the head area. The reason is that the water drain hole of the small spark plug (right hand side one) is wet with oil. Hence I doubt that it is the rocker cover gasket that is leaking, which is dripping oil into the right spark plug well which inturn is draining through the drain hole. If it is the rocker cover gasket, it is the most prone place for leak in a UCE engine and also the most easily rectified thing. But if it is leaking from the head gasket and you are removing the head, then don't forget to examine the valve seating, the condition of the valve guides etc. It is also a good time to scrape off some carbon from the piston and the valves using a plastic scraper.

The oil leak seems to have stopped now. Even after covering 100 kilometers, it is not leaking. I'm not sure if the leak was from rocker cover or a head gasket leak. Was it because of overfilling engine oil?
Yet to show the motorcycle to the mechanic. Will update.

Originally Posted by adrian

Check for overtight drive chain. When the weight of the pillion adds up, the swing arm straightens up more resulting in the increase in distance between front and rear sprockets. If the drive chain is not loose enough to handle this, then it causes handling issues as the shock absorbers won't work as it should. Riding with a too tight chain will also put load in the front sprocket bearings. Also don't forget to periodically check the tightness of the swing arm spindle bolt now that you have changed to metal swing arm bushes. Several people has complains about the bolt getting loose from time to time post changing to metal swing arm bushes.

This was informative. I will ask the mechanic to adjust the drive chain. Also, may be related - When I go through roads with no leveling (undulating terrain as in re-tarred roads), the motorcycle seems to wobble, or the handle turning to side? BTW, rear tyre is new - Michelin.

[amol4184]

Will you fine folks be able to identify exact model of a Bullet just by looking at pictures?

I have been handed over a Bullet from 1980s (I think) and I would very much like to understand the technical specifications of it. The gear and brake pedal are on the opposite side compared to modern motorcycles. It also has a decompressor switch on the left and what seems like a battery meter for which I have to make sure the needle is always pointing right at the middle before starting the bike.

[tharian]

Originally Posted by amol4184

Will you fine folks be able to identify exact model of a Bullet just by looking at pictures?

I have been handed over a Bullet from 1980s (I think) and I would very much like to understand the technical specifications of it. The gear and brake pedal are on the opposite side compared to modern motorcycles. It also has a decompressor switch on the left and what seems like a battery meter for which I have to make sure the needle is always pointing right at the middle before starting the bike.

Would be difficult to identify which model year exactly. The chassis number should help in identifying manufacturing year.
It would be a heavy crank surely. All the Bullets pre 2002 had the wrong side gear shift with the neutral finder.
These are contact breaker (CB points) ignition bikes which means, you need to pull the de-comp lever and push the kicker gently till you get the needle on the ammeter in the centre and then give a solid kick to fire the engine. If not, you get a nice kick back because the spark will fire before the piston reaches top dead centre.

It is fun to ride these bikes, but you need to know the motorcycle well to do that.

[amol4184]

Originally Posted by tharian

Would be difficult to identify which model year exactly. The chassis number should help in identifying manufacturing year.
It would be a heavy crank surely. All the Bullets pre 2002 had the wrong side gear shift with the neutral finder.

It is fun to ride these bikes, but you need to know the motorcycle well to do that.

Thanks! Let me take and upload some pictures. The bike starts effortlessly (halk kick start as they say) and has great low end grunt. Haven't had courage to push it beyond 45-50kmph though.

[adrian]

Originally Posted by deepclutch

The oil leak seems to have stopped now. Even after covering 100 kilometers, it is not leaking. I'm not sure if the leak was from rocker cover or a head gasket leak. Was it because of overfilling engine oil?

A leaking gasket will keep on leaking. May be in your case, the mechanic might have accidentally spilled some oil on the engine fins while refilling. An overfilled UCE engine will most often push oil out through rocker cover gaskets or in worst cases spit oil out of the breather pipe leading to an oil fouled air filter.

Please check the following informative post from Arizonajim regarding oil level.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ml#post3881478 (The Royal Enfield 500 Classic thread!)

[deepclutch]

Originally Posted by adrian

A leaking gasket will keep on leaking. May be in your case, the mechanic might have accidentally spilled some oil on the engine fins while refilling. An overfilled UCE engine will most often push oil out through rocker cover gaskets or in worst cases spit oil out of the breather pipe leading to an oil fouled air filter.

Please check the following informative post from Arizonajim regarding oil level.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/motor...ml#post3881478 (The Royal Enfield 500 Classic thread!)

No gasket leak. I asked the same mechanic and he said it was leftout oil from the rocker cover that streamed into the outer side near gasket area. He said, he forgot to clean it.

I did some jobs in my motorcycle in the past weeks:

Replaced front tyre with MRF Zapper which comes with the C350.

Tank was rusted and leaking. Mseal did not work after sometime. So, fuel tank was replaced with a 2nd hand tank from a BS4 bike. I got it repainted with clear coat for Rs1700. Instead of the yucky yellow stickers of Classic 350, went with RE Electra's Silver Royal Enfield monograms on both sides of the tank. I think, this silver monograms looks good with C350.
--
I had upgraded headlight with Osram Rallye H4 100/90W. The light throw is very good, but Ammeter is deflecting to the left, when in idle. I think this bulb will affect the battery in the longer term. Any recommendation for a good halogen bulb and parking light bulb (inside the headlight cover) for good night light as well as good while raining? Halogen bulb of 50W rating.

[Majumdarda]

Some issues have cropped up with my 2013 Bullet500.

Issue: Motorcycle not starting after home wash.

Background: I washed my Bullet and after some time, tried to start via the ES. It started but then the engine stopped suddenly with a hard sound. I have heard this once or twice in past, its similar to when the engine stops if the gears are not properly engaged. But this time I had not touched the gears at all.

Checks performed: The battery is good (though there were issues with the battery a few days back), I just changed the main spark plug and the cap; Also ensured that there is spark when I kick. The Air fuel mix is adequate; Headlight, Horn, Fog, etc are working appropriately.

If I press the ES button, there is only a kirr kirr sound coming up from the motor down below. I guess that is the starter motor.
If I KS, then there are no sounds, and it's just dry kicks.