Alton maintenance?

[Monkeypants]

I have an older (7 years) Podtronics reg with the Alton, so it did require isolating. The bike was already wired with a key switch, so this was no problem.
What was a bit of a problem was that I fed the Alton in such a way that even with the key off it the Alton was interconnected to the ignition feed wire of the converted Norton twin poin twin coil ignition. Turn off the ignition cutting off the battery supply to the points and the bike would sit and happily idle away or run along the road without problem. This was with the sped up version in place, I don't think the direct drive Alton provide enough or perhaps any current at idle. I had to isolate the Alton feed one more step, it now feeds/backfeeds thru the pilot light on/off switch, which in turn is isolated by the key switch.
It occurs that with the sped up Alton it would be easy to wire things up such that a bike with electronic ignition or even my high draw dual point dual col ignition could be switched to run batteryless in the event of a dead battery.
Glen

 

[Black Flash]

Hello Bob,
I hope it is the case of the Alton frying the regulator, hopefully NOT the regulator using the battery current to fry the Alton

 

[Black Flash]

hello Glen,
I have wired an extra switch in with a control light as my Comet also keeps idling nicely with the Alton producing enough juice for the electronic ignition. the control light is to remember me that the ignition is on before I exhaust myself kicking the bike madly and flooding it because the b****y ignition off (don't ask me for more details please)
in my toolbox I have a relais that cuts the battery via an key switch.

Problem was I stopped the engine with the on/off switch when somebody tapped my shoulder and asked me about this wonderful machine. I started talking like a priest about the merits of the design, hinge in the middle, Girdraulics, 4 drum brakes, fasted road machine for umpteen years.... you get the picture.
then I pushed the bike into the garage, looked proudly and satisfied at this beauty, turned the fuel tap off and left.... forgetting about the keyswitch.

if forgetting this once should have killed my Alton I hope my better half won't ask me something stupid ( darling what about "us" mowing the lawn) tomorrow

Bernd

 

[1660bob]

Hi All, took my N.O.S. (2007) Alton apart today to look at swapping grease for oil. It was well packed with grease, but even so once pushed out of the way of the gears,pretty redundant. I could not see any reason to "stone" the steel gears, they seem OK to me, but I noticed that the main input gear is not the same as the one in the picture of the failed unit in MPH/Whitakerpedia.That one has a deep recessed face, whereas mine is flat,pressed onto the shaft and stamped: M1 x 38, and 4654. Perhaps Alton changed the gears for better finished items.......Looking at the drive end casing from the outside, the drive passes through an alloy circular boss which seems to be pressed into the end casing? This boss prevents the complete removal of two of the three through bolts that hold the main casings together, there is enough room to undo them to seperate the cases, they just remain captive in their respective holes due to the edge of the said boss partially covering them. I would have liked to remove them to perhaps insert fibre washers under the heads to prevent oil seepage. Does anyone know how to remove the alloy boss? There must be a bearing behind it, or behind the input gear,accessed from inside the casing. I can only assume the input gear/shaft press out as one and are removed from inside the case? Anyone know how?? Any info appreciated, Thanks, Bob.

 

[Chrish]

Hi All, took my N.O.S. (2007) Alton apart today to look at swapping grease for oil. It was well packed with grease, but even so once pushed out of the way of the gears,pretty redundant. I could not see any reason to "stone" the steel gears, they seem OK to me, but I noticed that the main input gear is not the same as the one in the picture of the failed unit in MPH/Whitakerpedia.That one has a deep recessed face, whereas mine is flat,pressed onto the shaft and stamped: M1 x 38, and 4654. Perhaps Alton changed the gears for better finished items.......Looking at the drive end casing from the outside, the drive passes through an alloy circular boss which seems to be pressed into the end casing? This boss prevents the complete removal of two of the three through bolts that hold the main casings together, there is enough room to undo them to seperate the cases, they just remain captive in their respective holes due to the edge of the said boss partially covering them. I would have liked to remove them to perhaps insert fibre washers under the heads to prevent oil seepage. Does anyone know how to remove the alloy boss? There must be a bearing behind it, or behind the input gear,accessed from inside the casing. I can only assume the input gear/shaft press out as one and are removed from inside the case? Anyone know how?? Any info appreciated, Thanks, Bob.

Bob, the boss is glued on the face of the unit, i used a thin screwdriver to release it.

Chrish