Quite a few people around Vancouver use a converted Kubota alternator, called a McDougalator on their Vincent twins. It is a well engineered little unit that can give years of trouble free use. One of the local members mentioned to me that he had problems with the oil leaking out of his. Because of that I decided to check mine as part of my winter maintenance. It is a good thing I did. All the oil leaked out of mine in 8000 miles. I think the tiny amount of oil left was just enough to prevent the unit from seizing. They only contain 30 ml of oil. Has anyone else had this problem. I am thinking of adding a filler tube and a dip stick, so I don't have to remove the unit every 4000 miles to check it. Has anyone else done this?
PR: Proprietary Items McDougalator, no oil
- Thread starter Nigel Spaxman
- Start date
Hi Nigel. After Guy mentioned his McDougalator ran dry and cooked the gears I checked mine. It was down to 10ml. Now I check it every winter. This time it was down to about 5ml. Last winter I completely took the McDougalator apart and replaced all the bearings. I messed up getting the silicone sealant correct hence the leak. Pulled it apart again and paid more attention to the silicon this time. I will still take it off once a year and check the oil.
This is where mine has leaked oil. You can see where I did not get a good seal with the silicone. It is a bit tricky to put together and keep the silicone intact.
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And this is why I took the McDougalator apart in the first place. Output wires shorted out on the battery bracket.
I am in the process of adding a filler neck, dipstick and breather to mine. I will post some pictures when I have it complete
Nigel
Nigel
Any chance of bringing your McDougalator,with modifications, to the Gillnetter lunch?
I am going to re install it tomorrow so I won't have it at the Gillnetter, but I have already taken a few pictures. Once I have the pictures of the unit installed as well I will post them all here. My alternators wires hadn't shorted out yet, but it was getting close so I fixed it while it was all appart.
Here are some pictures of how I added a filler neck and dipstick to my MacDougalator. I drilled a 3/8" hole at an angle. I made a tube from 3/8" stainless hydraulic tubing, .035 wall .062" wall might have been better. I drilled some holes in the side of the tube that would be inside the housing above the oil level. I threaded the top of the tube 3/8 NF. I welded on a little bracket to screw the tube onto the housing. I installed the tube using epoxy (JB Weld) and two 10-32 screws. I made a little knurled cap with a dipstick. The cap has a 1/16" hole as a breather. The dipstick is 1/4" aluminum. I had to mill a relief into the adapter used with the B case, and also in the dynamo clamp. I haven't ridden with this set up yet, but I think that the addition of the breather hole will reduce the leaks. Being able to check the level will provide peace of mind and also will enable me to avoid annual removal of the unit to check the oil level. It would have been easier to have enough clearance on a machine with a front and rear head instead of the two front heads my machine has. I filled the unit through the filler neck with a syringe 30ml as recommended by John MacDougal, then I marked the dipstick at that level by filing a notch. I don't think the level makes much difference as long as there is at least 10 ml. I think maybe John would have liked it.
Attachments
Do any instructions (such as a wiring diagram) come with the McDougalator alternator / regulator?
I've got a Rapide which came back from Vancouver with the McDougalator but no paperwork and I'm trying to get the hang of it all.
Mine has 2 pale blue wires out of the alternator. These mate with the 2 yellows to the regulator. There is a black from the regulator to earth (are these all -ve earth units?). Finally a red from the regulator which appears to be DC power to battery etc. Have I got this right?
Search's have only thrown up Carl Hungness' article in MPH 674.
Is there a consensus on how we all spell 'McDougalator'
On a slightly different tack, the Rapide spent a good few years in Canada. Its the bike Barrie Howell rode around the world. He took the bike back to Canada and lived in Calgary before moving to Winfield BC. The bike then passed to his son-in-law Peter Conron in eg 1989. I think he lived in Surrey BC. The bike came back to the UK @ 1999. If any members have memories of the bike I'd be delighted to hear from you.
I've got a Rapide which came back from Vancouver with the McDougalator but no paperwork and I'm trying to get the hang of it all.
Mine has 2 pale blue wires out of the alternator. These mate with the 2 yellows to the regulator. There is a black from the regulator to earth (are these all -ve earth units?). Finally a red from the regulator which appears to be DC power to battery etc. Have I got this right?
Search's have only thrown up Carl Hungness' article in MPH 674.
Is there a consensus on how we all spell 'McDougalator'
On a slightly different tack, the Rapide spent a good few years in Canada. Its the bike Barrie Howell rode around the world. He took the bike back to Canada and lived in Calgary before moving to Winfield BC. The bike then passed to his son-in-law Peter Conron in eg 1989. I think he lived in Surrey BC. The bike came back to the UK @ 1999. If any members have memories of the bike I'd be delighted to hear from you.
Hope you can read this. Just a thought, The sprocket nut, He says do up to 35/40 lb/ft, Carl H told us this is a misprint, Should be lb/inches ????, I remember doing it up, And thinking, I can't do this !, And stopped well short of 35 lb. Good Luck, Bill.
