Afternoon All,
Well, after 230 miles in the hot sunshine the other day on my Series C Rapide I got an awful clutch slip just 3 miles from home. I couldn't get above 40 miles an hour but it did pull that up hill seemingly OK,it just started to slip when trying to pull above that so that may well be a clue about which of the two clutch's is failing and why?
When cold the following day - no problem.
I've been "brave" enough to take off the cover and have a peek inside - no visible signs of oil or anything else untoward but of course you can't see a whole lot from here - probing with a cotton bud didn't locate any oil.
Primary chain case oil level doesn't appear to have changed dramatically either.
However, having spoken to my engineering Vincent mentor, his recommendation is to strip the clutch for examination on the basis that clearly something is not right to cause that problem on a hot engine, things may well get worse and I don't want it to fail in the wrong way at the wrong time in the wrong place and leave me stranded.
So, having been tutored on it being a straightforward job I am "going in" this weekend to strip the clutch for examination. Yes, me, myself, I.
I'll spend the evenings this week reading up on the books and articles, plus planning the job. This'll cause many readers of this Forum to have a great laugh (go on, get it over with) but maybe one or two of you can recall the trepidation when you attempted this kind of thing for the first time.
I've done one or two mechanical jobs on the bike before (dynamo strip and replacement was one) and I did a lot of the strip down last year when the cams and followers ate each other, but that time with John Coates sitting watching over me.
I'm assured it's pretty straightforward common sense kind of thing with the right tools, with which I am blessed.
So, wish me luck, think of me and if anyone has any special tips that they'd like to give me in advance of the job (other than getting someone else to do it), then they'd be most welcome and gratefully received.
The bike has an original Vincent Clutch and has operated pretty much flawlessly over 5500 miles, I like the feel and operation of it and intend to keep it as standard.
Thanks all.
Stuart Metcalfe
Well, after 230 miles in the hot sunshine the other day on my Series C Rapide I got an awful clutch slip just 3 miles from home. I couldn't get above 40 miles an hour but it did pull that up hill seemingly OK,it just started to slip when trying to pull above that so that may well be a clue about which of the two clutch's is failing and why?
When cold the following day - no problem.
I've been "brave" enough to take off the cover and have a peek inside - no visible signs of oil or anything else untoward but of course you can't see a whole lot from here - probing with a cotton bud didn't locate any oil.
Primary chain case oil level doesn't appear to have changed dramatically either.
However, having spoken to my engineering Vincent mentor, his recommendation is to strip the clutch for examination on the basis that clearly something is not right to cause that problem on a hot engine, things may well get worse and I don't want it to fail in the wrong way at the wrong time in the wrong place and leave me stranded.
So, having been tutored on it being a straightforward job I am "going in" this weekend to strip the clutch for examination. Yes, me, myself, I.
I'll spend the evenings this week reading up on the books and articles, plus planning the job. This'll cause many readers of this Forum to have a great laugh (go on, get it over with) but maybe one or two of you can recall the trepidation when you attempted this kind of thing for the first time.
I've done one or two mechanical jobs on the bike before (dynamo strip and replacement was one) and I did a lot of the strip down last year when the cams and followers ate each other, but that time with John Coates sitting watching over me.
I'm assured it's pretty straightforward common sense kind of thing with the right tools, with which I am blessed.
So, wish me luck, think of me and if anyone has any special tips that they'd like to give me in advance of the job (other than getting someone else to do it), then they'd be most welcome and gratefully received.
The bike has an original Vincent Clutch and has operated pretty much flawlessly over 5500 miles, I like the feel and operation of it and intend to keep it as standard.
Thanks all.
Stuart Metcalfe