Le Mans 11 cylinder replacement

[Huzo]

I'm doing a cosmetic restoration on a Le Mans Mk 2, it has a couple of broken fins on one barrel. Should I try to get a destroyed cylinder from a similar bike and have the piece replaced and dress it up or try to source another barrel piston set. Are there traps waiting for someone who mis matches cylinders in this manner ?

[pete roper]

Is it a cast iron bore or a Nicasil one? I actually have a matching Nicasil barrel and piston for an 850 in the workshop. If it isn't urgent I'm sure we can work something out.

Pete

[Huzo]

Sorry Pete but I don't know. If there is a way to tell without pulling the barrel I'll do what I can to see. Thanx for your support, I'm feeling my way a bit and don't want to foul something up due to lack of knowledge, ( ignorance).

[pete mcgee]

Pm Pete, change the barrels, pistons, rings and orings, ride for 100,000 km, realise how sore bum is , change seat.
Seriously.

[guzzisteve]

If you don't want to pull cyl then drop the pan. Put at TDC and check the skirt w/magnet.

[Huzo]

If you don't want to pull cyl then drop the pan. Put at TDC and check the skirt w/magnet.

That's a damn good method, will do that when engine out on bench

[pete roper]

Or just use magnet on stick through the plug 'ole with piston at BDC. Strong attraction to wall? Cast iron sleeve. No attraction to wall? Chrome plated bore, (Not relevant to LeMans.) very light attraction? Nicasil.

[Dukedesmo]

When did they switch from cast iron bores? Mine (manufactured in '79) are only lightly magnetic and don't appear to be inserted in any way so I'm assuming Nicasil?

[Huzo]

Again thanks to all. Engine will be up on the bench for complete scrub and replacement of anything perished or tatty etc...Not sure about vapour blasting or the like, I understand that to vapour blast without dismantling and just "plugging the holes", is silly bordering on negligent and I haven't been around these things long enough to wail into a complete pull down, also since it runs beautifully I'd hate to root up something that's going well. I've seen some restorations of Jap fours in a shop in Melbourne where they've brought engines back to as new with nothing but sheer hard work and scrubbing, so that's more my speed I think, and also they don't look artificially "too good ",as some vapour blasts can end up. I'd like the Mk 2 to look like I bought it new and always kept it clean but rode it, that's the plan anyway. Got all the new stuff like fairing screen, all new rubbers, side cover etc.from Corsa Italiana in London.

[lucky phil]

I'm doing a cosmetic restoration on a Le Mans Mk 2, it has a couple of broken fins on one barrel. Should I try to get a destroyed cylinder from a similar bike and have the piece replaced and dress it up or try to source another barrel piston set. Are there traps waiting for someone who mis matches cylinders in this manner ?

If you have an expert in welding and machining they can build up the broken fins with weld and re finish and profile so you wont be able to tell it from the original. I suggest Pete Smith from Epicycle. He can repair to this standard.

Ciao

[Huzo]

If you have an expert in welding and machining they can build up the broken fins with weld and re finish and profile so you wont be able to tell it from the original. I suggest Pete Smith from Epicycle. He can repair to this standard.

Ciao

Jeez that's interesting too, and the location ?

[tris]

In Classic Bike mag a month or two back they welded a chunk of Ally to a busted fin and then fettled it within an inch of it's life and the result was all but invisible

[lucky phil]

Jeez that's interesting too, and the location ?

Thora, NSW Australia. Check his internet site.

Ciao