E: Engine Decompression Mechanism

Generic Beardy

Generic Beardy

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VOC Member
Afternoon chaps, my Comet doesn't have either a mag kill switch or the valve lifter fitted. Which seems a tad odd as it would be nice to be able to stop the engine gracefully. I still have the valve lifter mechanism in the timing chest and rummaging through the boxes of spares I have found a slightly shorter Bowden lever so I am thinking that all I require is a cable to join the two. My question is, where does the cable mount at the engine end? I can't see anything likely so should there be a bracket on the engine plates or something?
 
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chankly bore

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The Comet suffered from being developed from the post-war Twin in that the gearbox was very close to the entry of the valve lifter cable. Thus the clutch cable could not have an adjuster fitted where it entered the gearbox inner case. Therefore give the valve lifter cable as broad an arc as you dare short of snagging passing lamp posts.
 
Generic Beardy

Generic Beardy

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I see what you mean. There's not a lot of space...... Oh well, I've ordered the bits now so in for a penny in for a pound
 
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lee_812d

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It is fiddly that's for sure, the owner's handbook says you can use the valve lifter cable for the clutch in an emergency roadside repair but I wouldn't want to have to do that. I'm sure I ended up taking off, or loosening, a few more bits in the vicinity to get access.
 
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lee_812d

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It's worth doing as you say, it's a more graceful way to stop the engine. Also, once you've got the technique sorted, I think it is a nicer way to start the bike as well by using the valve lifter with a long sweeping kick (I think those are the two words I was told for the kick).
 
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