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Alpha280 / SPZ710

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No sign of a key or keyway on either parts list for that shaft but the crankshaft pulley on the engine is secured with a large gib key.

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I’ve got two Howard 200 parts manuals, one titled Howard Clifford 200 and the other just Howard 200.
The Howard one shows a Nut LH used after serial no 2231001 on the outer end of the shaft and no key between the pulley and shaft which is threaded so I assume that the pulley is screwed on. If I’m viewing the diagram correctly the pulley will be turning anti-clock wise in work and logic would suggest that it will therefore have a left hand thread so that it tightens in work. The LH designation after Nut would suggest this to be so.
The individual part numbers for both the pulley and the shaft are the same in both manuals but perhaps after the above serial break point the shaft was increased in length to accommodate the nut.

This may be of interest. https://www.dropbox.com/s/vxejbkoa7ys89ou/Howard%202000001.pdf?dl=0

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On a four stroke engine do the oil in the bore thing and turn the engine over so that the valves are shut and the points closed. Good squirt of WD40 in he carb inlet and exhaust outlet and tape them off. Fuel tank. Either brim it with stabilised fuel to drive out moist air or drain it and hang a desiccating sachet in it having put a very small amount of thin oil in and let it run through the tap to lessen the risk of it drying out.
On a two stroke, oil in the bore and shut points and seal the carb and exhaust and treat the fuel tank etc.
If the shed is damp and the machine precious make a poly igloo around it and stick either an electrical or chemical dehumidifier in with it .
Not sure about the hessian sack suggestion as unless the shed is bone dry they will attract moisture .

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Progress, the machine is up and running courtesy of a donor fuel tank as cleaning 20 year’s worth of gunge from the original tank revealed more perforations than a certain brand of tea bag.
The only thing outstanding is leaking rotor shaft seals but for the amount of work that it is going to do, rather than get in deep trying to extract the failed seals, I will probably settle for semi – fluid grease in the chain case rather than oil.
Does anyone know the belt size as the existing one does not inspire confidence!

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You must remove the bad stuff before adding more. Is it lifting enough that you can hook it out? Once you’ve got rid of the old material I’d solder up the holes from the outside before adding the new internal sealant.

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Presume that being twin cylinder it has some form of conventional distributor . Does it by any chance have a centrifugal advance and retard mechanism that may be seized up?

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Did the 2-CV ever have disc brakes, can only ever remember seeing them with drums?

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Same questions and more or less the same answers as on another forum!

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If you are just turning the engine over by hand there’s a fair chance that your “pressure” is just the air in the crankcase being displaced by the descending piston.
For a head gasket try Paul at Meetens

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Is the machine the Motor Triple with the centrifugal clutch and expanding / contracting variable speed drive?
Just a couple of thoughts re your overheating but difficult to reconcile with it having worked ok with the previous owner – do you believe what you’ve been told?!
1/ is it possible that the cooling system is air locking?
2/ Is it the correct type thermostat? Some systems use a shielded thermostat that directs the water around the block for a quick warm up but then shuts of the short cut and directs it through the rad once working temp is reached .

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Good weather and good company, a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours chatting.
Not forgetting the tea and biscuits!
Thanks to all.

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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.

I don’t rate WD as a penetrating fluid. Plus Gas or even plain old diesel are far more effective. If you do end up removing the engine it can still fight a bit as either the top shaft has to pull out of the spigot bearing in the clutch back plate or the bearing itself has to pull out.
Once you’ve sorted the shoes spend time freeing the drum as having it slid back makes it easier to enter the shaft into the spigot bearing which, being self aligning, has a tendency to tip and frustrate the operation. Filing a slight chamfer on the end of the shaft and giving it a good polish up with emery cloth plus a drop of oil will help it to enter the bearing but you may still need to apply hand pressure to the starter housing while carefully tapping the top drive sprocket with a soft hammer to get the shaft fully into the spigot bearing.

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If your machine has the telescoping shaft guard it may be easier to remove the engine but some access may be gained by sliding the drum away from the engine.
If you look at the shaft there is a circlip which limits how far from the engine the drum may be slid. Clean off any old paint etc from the shaft and open the circlip enough to slide it and the drum along the shaft. In the drum boss there’s a small grub screw, undo it a couple of turns and you should then be able to slide the drum away from the back plate and expose the shoes. Carefully lever them away from their pivots and when free you can unhook one spring and remove the shoes from around the shaft. Clean up the pivots and put just a smear of oil on them before refitting the shoes. The pivot ( anchored) end of the shoes should lead. If assembled with the free end leading the clutch will snatch.
Personally I would just unbolt the engine and pull it and the clutch back plate away from the drum but sometimes separating the shaft from the spigot bearing can be a bit of a fight.

Looks like the forum software is cropping the scan of the clutch but clicking on it seems to bring up the full page!

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As has been suggested, all that may be needed is a thorough clean of the carburettor.
However it should be noted that the BSA/Villiers Sloper engine fitted to the machine is “ungoverned”. That is to say,there is no automatic compensation for changes in load – its all down to a sensitive finger on the throttle lever.
In the interest of reliability it may be worth considering replacing the contact breaker points and condenser with a a solid state electronic module such as a Meco or Nova unit. Once fitted these remove the need for regular magneto maintenance and give a degree of automatic ignition timing not present with the standard system.
There is also just a possibility that at some time the centrifugal clutch shoes have been refitted incorrectly: this results in a snatchy take up of the drive rather that the correct smooth take up which allows a Marquis to be driven “on the throttle” and the landroll clutch reserved for emergencies and parking.

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