Top End Locked Down

The 20p Woodruff key arrived on Friday, fitted with a light rub of the ol' wet 'n' dry paper. With the cam pinion fixed in place it was now all systems go on getting the top end nailed into place. The gudgeon (wrist) pins fitted beautifully into the new honed small end bushes, felt more like a hypodermic plunger going down as they went through with a dose of oil. After a bath in boiling water the pistons were fitted along with the new circlips followed by the barrels. This needed a deft bit of handiwork by Johnny with a couple of big hose clips as ring clamps to get the plot into place. Base nuts on and tightened, the crank was spun by hand, difficult to say how good it felt, and how good it felt cos it felt so good.

The head was whipped on and torqued down, the period BSA service sheets are a bit vague on this point, probably because shed mechanics back in the day weren't expected to have Torque Wrenches. What they do say is tighten it all down in a diagonal pattern until it's really tight and then go round it all again for an extra grunt on the spanner! We give 'em all 25 ft/lbs seemed plenty tight enough.
Waiting for the mag now, which is ready to pick up, and a breather cork and it can all be buttoned up ready to go back in the frame.