[ssorthiek]

The Coleby is really starting to take shape now. There have been quite of few issues on the way including gearbox cracks, cab problems, broken engine governor, sometimes a less than understanding wife (although she is understanding most of the time).

One of the biggest problems I have had with the engine is getting it started without petrol. I can tug at the pull cord all I like without petrol and she just won’t fire! Three times I’ve tried this. They say you live and learn.

I managed to get down to Newark and bought a new WICO series A for spares. I should be able to get the other up and running soon.

Pictures will follow again soon when there is a bit of sun. I’ll hopefully be showing this again next year at a couple of shows but it does get expensive hiring a van for a weekend.

That’ll do for now I guess.

[ssorthiek]

Another great issue. Many thanks to the team

[ssorthiek]

Thanks wristpin, the info is much appreciated. I didn’t have any HT kicking round but used a bit of coax instead which was connected to the spark plug as you suggested. I’m not keen on getting a belt off the HT side so decided to control where the spark ends up (ie the park plug). The coax did the trick for testing purposes only.

So SAE 30 or new type of engine oil sounds good to me. I have now managed to take a none working one apart and found out how these are put together and found the sponge the holds the oil. I’m much happier now.

Many thanks once again

Keith

[ssorthiek]

That’s brilliant Neil and thanks for your prompt reply. I’ll be looking at the Magento again at the weekend. Fingers crossed it will still give a spark.

[ssorthiek]

That’ll be great Andy and very much appreciated. I know very little about these yet and my focus is on restoring a Coleby with a JAP4/3 engine (you have posted on that post previously).

[ssorthiek]

The look and feel is certainly an improvement on previouos issues. Well done to all involved.

[ssorthiek]

Having sorted out the issue with the 5/16″ helicoils, I started to rebuild the gearbox. All was going well until I decided to try and press the bearings on with the bearing housing into the gearbox. As you can imagine I got the bearings halfway on but the stress was to much for the aluminium gearbox and three cracks appeared.

Off to the welders again who did an excellent job repairing the casing. All the holes were filled which gave an excellent opportunity to drill and re-tap with the correct size threads. That was this weekends task.

All I need to do now is to carefully rebuild the gearbox. One issue I have is when I took the gearbox apart, there was a thrust bearing. But there was nothing stopping the thrust bearing moving along the shaft. I just need a spacer. However, one side of the thrust bearing must of course be running at the same speed as the shaft and the other must be running at a different speed (stationary) for the ball bearings within the bearing race to be effective. I’ve come up with an idea for a suitable washer / housing to sort this out, but wondered how other machines are set up with regards thrust bearings.

[ssorthiek]

Again, this helps a lot Neil and very much appreciated. I have found this on a well known Auction Website and it seems to be the sort of thing I am after and not for huge money at this stage.

I think I will get it and see whether it fits the bill.

Keith

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[ssorthiek]

Neil

This is really good information and very much appreciated. It maybe that what I am trying to grease I should be oiling so this is in itself really good information. I can’t find any information or manuals on the Kerry lathe that I have but that’s a different story.

I assume for all three types of grease nipple you mention, there must be different sizes and therefore different size connectors. Is this assumption correct or am I well off the mark? Also can you or anyone else suggest where I can get a good push action pressure oil gun by any chance? I’m starting to build up my toolset now piece by piece so any advice would be welcome.

Many thanks for the info so far.

Keith

[ssorthiek]

I have now spent a couple of weekends trying to sort the garage out, making it into a workshop ready for the warmer weather. I’ve now made myself a bench, got myself a little lathe, sorted out the pillar drill and so forth so it is all systems go for a gearbox rebuild.

I have found some Whitworth helicoils which is all to the good. There are no promises, but I hope to get to a show sometime this year and display both my Colebys off to the general public. I suspect one will be work in progress but the other one runs quite happily at the moments, but seems to need a bit of attention to the clutch, I suspect that it needs a bit of a service. Unfortunately the inspection covers are seized (on both Colebys) so the machine will need to be taken apart to gain access.

Hampering progress at the moment is my finger. I managed to cut it with a bread knife resulting in 5 stitches 3 months back and having had a chat with some clever medical people a few days ago, they seem to think that I need surgery to get it back to normal. If that really is the case, the Coleby will have to take back seat again, not a position I want to be in going into Spring.

[ssorthiek]

Well, the gearbox is now back from the welders and the main worm shaft has been turned down, a collar heat shrunk on and turned to size. All looks good but I do need to helicoil one thread. 5/16″ BSW helicoil is hard to find a guess but I will keep my eyes and ears open.

I have just been cleaning the casting tonight and I think it should be all systems go either this weekend or probably next weekend if the weather holds out. It’s getting a tad chilly out in the garage.

I need to revisit the paint job on the hubs I think. The paint has run for certain and I think there are fine, almost dust particles on the finish. I shall look at this next time I’m in the garage, but for now I’m happy warming myself next to the fire!

[ssorthiek]

GEARBOX

Well, the gearbox has been sent away for welding and the main driveshaft is away being machined. The shaft will have a collar heat shrunk onto it as recommended by charlie but if all else fails, then a new part can always be machined.

There is little to do until I get this back but the weather has turned hear in the North of England so it is time to take a break and spend time with the wife.

Keith

[ssorthiek]

Thanks rollomk6, this is certainly interesting and I would certainly be interested in talking to you. Is this one on the Coleby Register by any chance? I know that one of the members has a register and I have asked him to put my details on with both the Coleby Juniors I have on it.

[ssorthiek]

Thanks gents for the replies, it is very much appreciated and all well worth knowing, especially the effects on other component parts which is probably often overlooked. I’ll be looking at the FBHVC website in more detail to work out the water accumulation issue since I don’t really understand this at the moment, but leave it with me, it’s all interesting stuff to get my head around.

The people on this site certainly has a wealth of information all eager to impart on new members and a heartfelt thanks for this.

Keith

[ssorthiek]

Thanks wristpin, that is most useful. It’s been something that has been bothering me about older engines in general and I’ll probably look for some additive before running my new Coleby in anger but that won’t be until next year now.

I suspect that adding the additive to a lead free engine won’t do that any harm either in modern lawnmower, but views on this will also be welcome. If I can get away with it I only really want to use one petrol can for everything.

Keith

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