Enfield Bullet 350 mods/improvements

[von1papen]

So I've been busy fiddling with the Enfield getting it ready for its MOT (on its VIN).

In terms of modifications I've scrapped the K&N filter and fitted a bellmouth because it looks cool . I will invest in a tea caddy old style air filter for the winter. The carb has been supposedly upjetted but I haven't had it apart yet to confirm.

This also free'd up the toolbox as this is where the original air filter was.

Does any of the bullet owners have any experience of the Short 50's style exhaust as sold by Hitchcocks? I'd like to add this to complete the look.

It had a test run and I noticed the speedo was abit all over the place once you went above 30, I assume this is normal?

I like the idea of fitting a high comp piston and a 0.5mm headgasket, but I think I'll ride it for a season (or wait till I seize it) before I go stripping the engine.

What have the other bullet owners on here done?
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Honda CG125<Honda CM200< Kwak GT750 (SOLD) < BMW R65

[Rogerborg]

I'm back to the stock filter (with an Amal carb and unrestricted exhaust) because I find it runs better than a cone.

[stinkwheel]

Where to start?

What year is yours? Some of the later ones (like mine) has a serious crankcase breather design flaw that'll need addressing.

In terms of upgrades, some seem more or less worthwhile than others.

I'm running a cone filter and shorty (cheap Indian) exhaust on mine. It ran fine on the mikcarb with Hitchcocks suggested slide and jet changes.

I fitted the high(er) compression piston, made little to no real world difference.

I eventually knackered the head on it (due in part to the afore-mentioned breather problem) and fitted as tuned head so it would have been rude not to fit a big Amal at the same time...

I fitted a pair of high flow oil pumps shortly after I got it, lapped them in and and relieved the casting to allow them to move freely both ways. I also fitted a weaker spring to the scasvenge pump to allow it to bleed oil past if it over-pressurises.

The balanced samrat rockers are definately a worthwhile upgrade. When you see them next to the standard enfield ones you'll see why. Bike can rev noticeably higher and more quickly.

Because I have high flow pumps, I've fitted a pressure relief valve on the oil feed to the head and left the rockers with the o-rings in place as pressure fed.

If you have no pressure relief (some earlier ones had them as standard), it is more usual to miss out the o-ring and drill out the hole in the top of the rocker block a bit bigger so they are volume rather than pressure fed to keep strain on the pumps down.

I now have an alloy barrel because I broke the fins on the standard one trying to get the head off.

If you take the head off, fit the hardened washers under the head nuts. Consider fitting the studs with the square ends that can be undone and removed with the head in place. This makes removing the head for a de-coke MUCH easier.

I also have a lucas alternator stator and have retro-fitted a Kawasaki reg/rec because the standard regulator failed and took out the alternator.

I also fitted valve stem oil seals recently. Hitchcocks supply them for the standard head but not the tuned one. Mini 1100 valve stem oil seals fit the tuned head. Worth doing if you have the head off.

One thing definately worth doing is to replace all the copper crush washers on the oilways and drain plugs with dowty washers. Keeps it all oiltight.

I've fitted a slightyl modified gear selector mechanism and pawl (filed the notches out a bit better to match the pawl and filed the re-hardened the pawl to fit the notches better) after it started jumping out of first and took out a gear cluster.

I tried changing the gearing by adding a tooth on the engine sprocket but frankly, this was a bad idea and made it slower in the real world by making the gap between third and fourth a bit higher up meaning you have to stay in third up hills. I changed it back again.

I fitted the mainstand stop height adjuster to help prevent grounding.

Cosmetically, mine is now a rusty mess but it runs well. But I've fitted a sprung saddle, touring tank, rear luggage rack and some shorty mirrors.

Mine still burns an inordinate quantity of oil even with all the mods and despite drilling a breather hole in the crankcase. I'm pretty sure that's just down to the last-gasp and ill conceived breather design modifications they made to get the later models through emissions regulations.

https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/dragon2014/CIMG1496_zps06af63b4.jpg

EDIT: I'm on my third speedo. The damper spring broke in one which made it oscillate wildly. The needle broke off the second one due to vibration. They are a little usteady but mine doesn't waver much more than a 10mph arc at its worst. Try oiling the cable.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[The Shaggy D.A.]

Currently having fuelling issues with my Amal carb setup, but should be sorting those relatively soon (I hope). Previous owner rode through Hitchocks with the tart magnet on full.

https://www.bikepics.com/pics/2015/04/25/bikepics-2738190-full.jpg
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Chances are quite high you are not in my Monkeysphere, and I don't care about you. Don't take it personally.
Currently : Royal Enfield 350 Meteor
Previously : CB100N > CB250RS > XJ900F > GT550 > GPZ750R/1000RX > AJS M16 > R100RT > Bullet 500 > CB500 > LS650P > Bullet Electra X & YBR125 > Bullet 350 "Superstar" & YBR125 Custom > Royal Enfield Classic 500 Despatch Limited Edition (28 of 200) & CB Two-Fifty Nighthawk > ER5

[Matt B]

Mine ended up looking like this.

https://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w462/MattB70/IMG_2005_zps27afba1b.jpg

That's the swept back Goldstar style exhaust from Hitchcock's. It was very loud with the baffle out and made some nice burbling popping sounds on the overrun. Smaller indicators look nice and the rack was useful for lugging stuff around.
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stinkwheel: He had an animated .gif of a cat performing fellatio. It's not socially acceptable. It can have real life adverse effects on other people.

[von1papen]

Mine is the 1999 model so it has the crank breather coming out the left hand side of the crank case just beneath where the barrel meets the cases, it goes into that little oil tank underneath the battery and the duckbill breather inside it.

I also bought some dowty washers and a new oil filter but have yet to fit them, I did change the oil and cleaned the filter when I first bought it.

It already has a sprung saddle seat fitted with the pillion pad on the back. somebody modified (and nicely welded) a different rear light on which looks abit modern, I do have the original light bracket/plate holder but I will need to cut that new fangled thing off to let it fit back on. I'd like one of those old 50's lucas jobbies.

I may not bother with the 18tooth sprocket and high comp piston then. I had considered the upgraded oil pump but had seen a lot of complaints about it causing increased oil consumption and not actually doing an awful lot, any thoughts?

I liked the idea of Hitchcock's pressure relief valve going into where the tappet cover is, and I will purchase those samrat rockers in the near future after your recommendation!

PS, what were the jet numbers / throttleslide type you used for the cone filter? I have seen 100 (Main), 27.5 (pilot) and the 2 slide being quoted on the hitchcocks forum. But I did wonder would it just balls the whole running up (I did that a lot on my old CG).
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Honda CG125<Honda CM200< Kwak GT750 (SOLD) < BMW R65

[stinkwheel]

You have the proper breather setup Just watch the catch-can for mayonaise build-up.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/distributor/DSCN0705.png

With the carb setup, it's all pretty rough and ready anyway and it's a piece of piss to get at to change stuff anyway. If you remember your starting point, you can always go back to it.

As I recall, I actually used mikuni componants (emulsion tubes, jets etc) when I re-jetted the mikcarb which seemed much better quality. I think I had a #2 slide, 100 jet and 27.5 pilot.

The replacement slide bound against a lip in the bore of my carb, I had to take a fine file and make a chamfer on it to stop it sticking. In fairness, the original one already had a chamfer. (original on right)
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/slides.png

One other simple but useful mod is on the mainstand pivot. They have a habit of the mainstand and pin pivoting in the frame lugs instead of the stand pivoting around the pin like it's suposed to. This gradually ovals the holes in the lugs, the stand moves further and further back and eventually both wheels are touching the ground with the stand down (and it's a sod to get up onto the stand, it shouldn't be).

The fix is easy. Where there is currently a split pin, put a longer piece of wire through and bend the end over the spring mounting pin. This will prevent the pivot from rotating in the lugs. I used a bicycle spoke. Worth greasing the pivot while you're here.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/distributor/Image001.jpg

If it's already too far gone, you can weld a bit of flatbar to the stand so it hits the bump-stop sooner.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/distributor/Image000.jpg
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[von1papen]

Update!

She had a hissy fit going to the MOT centre

Lights went loopy, I believe the charging system isn't working as the battery was new. The ammeter does show charging but only when you are revving quite abit.

Couldn't pass her due to the lights not working properly etc.

So I ordered one of Hitchcocks Boyer Powerboxs as a replacement, not much of a different in price between it and the original type.

Anyone else have one? I know stinkwheel mod'd another bikes reg/rec as he also had issues with the originals.
____________________
Honda CG125<Honda CM200< Kwak GT750 (SOLD) < BMW R65

[stinkwheel]

You do know some of them have direct (AC) lighting yeah? So the head and tail light only work with the engine running.

The "flash" button will work with the engine off and the tail light will come on with the sidelights with the engine off but not with the headlight.

The ammeter needle should only be just the green side of zero under normal running. Big movements either way indicate a problem.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[von1papen]

Aye its the same as my CG, only works when she is running.

It wasn't me that took it there so I'm going by what my mechanic mate said. It sounded like the battery was flat so the lights barely worked, though I would have thought it he could have just revv'd her alittle higher to compensate.

I'll find out the full story tonight when I go and pick her up but in fairness the seller did say the charging was iffy, but it seemed ok to me going by the Ammeter.

When revv'ed the ammeter does swing quite a bit into the green but I assumed this was normal.
____________________
Honda CG125<Honda CM200< Kwak GT750 (SOLD) < BMW R65

[Rogerborg]

[stinkwheel]

It can also indicate a short in the alternator windings. That was the problem when my ammeter started showing way into the green. It's unclear if this was the cause or effect of the regulator failure.

It may also be that the MOT tester didn't understand how direct lighting works. If the headlights were faulty, it means either the AC regulator has let go, there is a wiring fault or the alternator has failed.

Here's my howto on regulator rectifier replacement as featured on instructables:
https://www.instructables.com/id/Fit-a-Japanese-Regulator-Rectifier-unit-to-a-12v-A/
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[von1papen]

Everything had been working spot on until today in terms of charging, lights, indicators etc, I got the bike back home now.

She wildly misfires when you turn the lights on, have to keep her high revs or she dies, when you turn the indicators on it makes the back light go on and off and it nearly dies when you put the main light on.

Seems like there is no power in the battery and the ammeter was showing nothing. Bearing in mind that the battery was full of charge and working fine previously.

All from when the bike died this morning, before that all lights etc worked fine. My thoughts are reg/rec not charging the battery? The powerbox is on its way anyway (and was something I wanted to replace).

Hopefully it isn't the alternator, is this difficult to get off (I've used a 3 leg puller to get one off before, same thing?)
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Honda CG125<Honda CM200< Kwak GT750 (SOLD) < BMW R65

[stinkwheel]

The headlight shouldn't affect the running of the engine in any way. At all. It's direct lighting and has its own circuit and regulator which has absolutely nothig to do with the ignition circuit. Running the headlight does not use any power from the battery or ignition.

Check your battery connections. Check your earths. Check the lighting switch.

Alternator is a piece of piss to remove if it's faulty. Three bolts for the stator. A big bolt screwed down the middle of the rotor to pop it off. It takes a fair bit more fiddling to get the stator back on and square with an even gap all the way round.

If you remove the alternator, order a new woodroffe key for the rotor because I've fucked mine every time I removed it and the hitchcocks alternator spacing tool (a bit of laminated papaer the right size to wrap round the rotor).
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Lone-Wolf]

Wotcha.

Read it and weep . . . . funnily enough, I've been out on mine today.
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Cheers.
^..^
L.W. - www.moonshiners.org.uk

[von1papen]

I'd read through your page before! I await the day my oil pump kills itself

I'll get a proper look at the bike over the weekend and see what the matter is.
____________________
Honda CG125<Honda CM200< Kwak GT750 (SOLD) < BMW R65

[von1papen]

Ok, so I fitted the new powerbox, she bike will start and run however there seems to be a fault with the DC circuit.

Normally when you turn the ignition on, the pilot lights and rear light would go on without the bike running right?

Nothing, no lights, no horn, nothing works.

When running everything seems ok until you hit the indicators, whereabout the rear light will flash on and off (same if the brake light is on).

I noticed that the two wires leading to the ammeter were melted/fused together.

My theory is that when the bike conked out, the original regulator was doing sod all, so when my friend revved the bike, too much power flowed through the ignition and into the ammeter, frying it and possibly other things?

I have no idea what other damage this may have done, although I can't see anything obvious. (Pilot lights and rear light work when bike is running, so bulbs are ok).

I checked the main earth and the earth at the rear mudguard and these seemed ok.

I will have to try and work through more of it tonight with the multimeter.
____________________
Honda CG125<Honda CM200< Kwak GT750 (SOLD) < BMW R65