G: Gearbox (Single - Burman) Burman lube questions...

CoreyL

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
The Burman gearbox on my B Meteor has some old semi-solid grease in it. I added a bit of 90 wt gear oil in the hopes of getting the lube to better cover the gears. The result was that much of the now less-viscous lube leaked out when the bike was running.

I've bought some of the Penrite Burman-specific semi-fluid grease but have two neophyte questions:

1) is there a preferred way of removing the old lube from the gearbox that doesn't require the gearbox to be partially dismantled?
2) what is the correct amount of Penrite grease to add? I think the Burman manual says 1/3 full but how much is that in volume/weight?

Any tips/advice is welcome...
 

Martyn Goodwin

Well Known and Active Forum User
Non-VOC Member
1. There is no effective way of removing old semi solid grease without partial dismantle and then a hot air gun to melt the stuff!

2. The modern grease, specifically designed for use in Burman gear boxes is Penrite Semi-Fluid grease, use 700 grams. The addition of a very small amount of molybdenum disulphide is considered advantageous.

3. See MPH numbers 749, 750 and 751 for detailed Burman information compiled by Bill Parr
 

davidd

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Corey,

Welcome! I heard you were contemplating a Vincent. I was hoping that someone like Martyn would answer. Martyn knows more than I do about riding a Comet on the street.

If you need any of the Comet info Martyn mentioned just ask or PM me. I can get it to you.

David
 

nkt267

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Typing 'burman' and 'Penrite' in the search box should bring up most of the older posts that martynG and others have posted, it's well worth reading these older posts..John
 

vibrac

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Somewhere in the archives perhaps in main site technicalities is an article by Ron Kemp on fitting incontinent pads and o rings to a burman box (it may be under using ancient agricultural implements :) )
 

Matty

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Hi
I have put a lot of information on the site about The Burman box on my Comet which I| have rebuilt several times - mainly to fix leaks. This has involved replacing the seals (with a new spacer from Draganfly) and bearing on the drive side, replacing the layshaft bushes and modifying the gearchange spindle to include an oilseal.
Getting the old grease out has unfortunately always involved stripping the gearbox. It still remains a problem after a while on how to find out how much grease is still in the gearbox !!
If I dip through the filler hole down to the bottom, around 1 inch seems to be OK.
I will try to find where all this Burman information is on the forum.
Matty
 

CoreyL

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Thanks, Matty! Any info you can point me towards would be appreciated. A previous responder mentioned info in back issues of MPH but, as far as I know, those issues are not available, right?

Hi
I have put a lot of information on the site about The Burman box on my Comet which I| have rebuilt several times - mainly to fix leaks. This has involved replacing the seals (with a new spacer from Draganfly) and bearing on the drive side, replacing the layshaft bushes and modifying the gearchange spindle to include an oilseal.
Getting the old grease out has unfortunately always involved stripping the gearbox. It still remains a problem after a while on how to find out how much grease is still in the gearbox !!
If I dip through the filler hole down to the bottom, around 1 inch seems to be OK.
I will try to find where all this Burman information is on the forum.
Matty
 

Matty

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
Have looked and most of my information is around 2012 under Burman 4th gear selector meltdown - there is loads of boring but useful information there including what I had to do to optimise the various bearing clearances to avoid putting too much strain on the bronze selectors.
 
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