[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Charlie,

I think you may have misunderstood what I was trying to explain, so have found another photo from the article and indicated what I believe is the fuel entry point. There is no sign of this on your photo number P1040986 in your first post, so it is probably bunged up with crud.

Sean

Attachments:

1. 

[vhgmcbuddy]

Looking at the article you have provided a link to in post #1, in the 14th photo of the sequence it appears to show a small hole in one of the ribs on either side of the centre casting that the main jet is screwed into. My guess is that this hole is drilled into the rib, parallel with the main jet. There is then a cross drilled hole which runs through the rib and into the jet chamber. This cross drilled hole will have a plug in it. As you have the plug removed, see if you can insert a piece of wire and feel for the hole which should join into the cross drilled one behind the plug. I hope this makes sense Charlie. It’s very difficult to explain without being able to point!!

[vhgmcbuddy]

Hi Charlie tried with and without thermostat and new thermostat,previous owner used it as it is with no problems he Also converted it to the mini engine and used it with his job,how can I get info on working machine it is working OK between overheating but not sure what the levers on the left side do

[vhgmcbuddy]

yes thanks steve, great day, and good to catch up

[vhgmcbuddy]

Took the engine off, freed up the shoes and the clutch pins. It runs beautifully. I’ve also mastered driving it which was a challenge. I had no idea. That you are supposed to release the clutch then increase the throttle, that was a revelation.

My lawn looks fabulous now! Thank you so much for all your help. Now I have to decide how far I go with repainting the machine. At the moment I think I will do the petrol tank, the grass box and the side panel. Part of me wants to keep as much as original as possible.

Jon

[vhgmcbuddy]

hi to you all, a big thank you to all that have entered so far. we are currently up to 50 exhibits, 14 british anzani’s to support the theme and a great selection of other machines including wheelhorse, holder, shay, martin markham, hayter, colwood, trustys,jalo, wrigley and autoculto and more. there is still plenty of room for more if anyone else would like to enter just let me know and i will get forms sorted. again many thanks

[vhgmcbuddy]

The drum is stuck solid to the shaft, moving the engine may be the easier option. Sounds like I was working along the right lines (I’d already identified the circling and grub screw) so, maybe a couple of gallons of WD40 might help.

Thanks, I’ll persevere.
Jon

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thank you all for your answers,I’ve got it idling well now, it starts like a dream and I’m learning to control it on the throttle (I think a new cable may be in order.) I do think that the clutch isn’t as free as it should be, so any advice on how to free up the clutch drum so I can free up the shoes which I don’t think are moving freely.

Thanks all for your help.
Jon

[vhgmcbuddy]

I do somewhere have a manual for both the engine and machine, but at the moment I have put them somewhere safe and cant locate them just at the moment.
Most howards start at serial number 101, however this doesn’t seem to tie in with the bulldogs that ive seen.
The bulldog was introduced in 1954, and the name changed to bullfinch at some point in 1955.
your bullfinches wheel does look a little too close on one side. Spare gearboxes do turn up from time to time on ebay etc, as do the little jap 2A’s, it will just be a case of being paitent for them to show up, recently I just obtained a particular gearbox that ive been searching for nearly 8 years for, but as you machine is fairly common hopefully it wont take anywhere near as long.

[vhgmcbuddy]

Geoff,

When I stripped my Norton down, I noticed a small hole in the top face of the crankcase which lined up with another hole in the cylinder barrel (see photo’s below). I’m not sure of it’s purpose, maybe lubrication or a breather. Looking at your photo’s suggests that either your engine hasn’t got these holes or you may have accidentally covered them over with the new gasket.

Sean

Attachments:

1. 
2. 

[vhgmcbuddy]

Good Morning everyone.

I am very grateful to all who have helped me so far and I hope that Charlie and Hortiman will see my messages that I have sent to them?

Thank you S1G, your information ties in with Hortiman’s information so it does seem that I have a relatively early Bullfinch. I have had a look at your website and it truly is superb and I am grateful that someone has taken the time to collect this valuable information and make it available to others. Hopefully, among your new information you may have a user and or parts manual for the bullfinch that you could possible let me have a copy of?

Unfortunately I have been unable to ascertain what the first serial number would be for a bullfinch? As an example, when the name was changed did Howard simply add 11 to the beginning of the 4 digit serial number or did they start a new number system, it would seem that a new number system was used?
Thank you Stuart for the clue (A25) belt and through an Australian site I have found that the correct belt would be an A24½ so that would be on the shopping list, My machine had an A21 belt fitted which explains a lot of things.
That said, something that I hadn’t considered which was nicely spotted by sidevalve44 is the pulley. I had assumed that the one on my machine was the correct one but it isn’t so that is also on the shopping list, perhaps Hortiman could help me with that, along with the engine?

Never the less and as sidevalve44 suggests I am seeking a JAP 2A to replace the Suffolk, which as stated does indeed struggle.

It seems that one of my pictures to my earlier post did not upload and that is of the right wheel, this shows how close it is to the chassis compared to the left side (I just hope it hasn’t sized) and as I am looking at the different aspects of the machine, I am not going to take it apart until I find the obvious parts that I need, for example #14262 spacer – base plate Pivot (used from serial No.2231001). I am not sure if the Bullfinch would have such a spacer since I am reading from the 200 parts diagram but on my machine there is so much play it would possibly need one?

So, the list is growing longer and I welcome any and all information and or advice/suggestion.

Thank you once again

John

Attachments:

1. 
2. 

[vhgmcbuddy]

As far as I can assertain g101-g951 were fitted with jap 600 cc singles so long as the factory could obtain them due to war time shortages, otherwise scrap yards were raided for motorcycle engines etc until they could be replaced with japs. The handles on these machines were the cycle type handlebars as fitted to the earlier junior. Up to g500 the gearbox was shorter as the thrust bearing was inside the bell housing, and the instruction manual suggests removing the engine and clutch every six months to grease it!
I’m led to believe that the jap twins and british junior twins were fitted to the roteho 8. Information on the early gems is a little sparce but I’m trying to build up the biggest picture possible before I update my site, along with information on the other models such as the bullfinch enquired about at the start of this topic.

[vhgmcbuddy]

You could try Standen Engineering (https://www.standen.co.uk/parts/) at Ely, as they acquired the manufacturing rights for Dowdeswell equipment.

[vhgmcbuddy]

That’s great thankyou, do you have anything covering machines prior to g951? And particuarly g500 and lower?

[vhgmcbuddy]

Thanks for pointing that out Stuart. there’s a couple of things that need updating, particuarly as some new information about the gem has just come to light. I hope to revamp it when I’m next off work for a week.

[Author]

Posts