raleigh popular?

[DomP]

Today I've been helping clear out my great uncles old cottage which is a story in itself. They are 89 and 90 and due to ill health have had to move out leaving behind many vintage items including tractors and best of all motorbikes.

One of them is a Norton jubilee and one other is a 1920s Raleigh that I think is a popular. Will try and put up some pics if anyone can confirm.

Also I want to get it running to attend the Kington vintage rally but it's not at all conventional. It is fully complete but I'm not sure of the procedure to get it running. I imagine it will require a good flush through with fuel and carb cleaning, would it even have run on petrol?

[Craig380]

It will have used petrol but 1920s fuel wasn't high-octane or anything. I suspect the carb will be WELL gummed up but you never know ...

[carelesschucca]

Hmm, how long has it been sitting? You really don't want to even start it if things are tight in the engine.

[DomP]

Can't seem to upload from my phone? I will ask Ray my great uncle when he last ran it. He restored it so will know all about it but at 90 it may take a while to get ant sense out of him. What should I do to set about preparing it to run?

[Red Herring]

Take the plug out and check if the engine at least turns over. If it does that's great. Have a look in the fuel tank. Does the inside look nice and shiny clean or is it full of rust? If rusty you might have bit of a job on, hopefully it looks OK. If so put a little petrol in.

Take the hose off that goes from the fuel tap to the carb, put a bowl under it and turn on the tap. Does the fuel come out freely and does it look clean. If not possibly a blocked or dirty filter inside tank which will need cleaning. If the fuel looks dirty don't go any further. Letting dirty fuel into the carb will just create lots of work for you.

If all OK so far put the hose back on the carb and turn the fuel on. Wait a moment, has fuel started leaking out of the carb anywhere that might indicate a stuck float/valve. If it does then try just tapping the side of the carb.

Take the air cleaner off and remove the mouse nest, or anything similar living in there. Don't bother putting it back on yet.

Has it got any oil in it? There is a school of thought that says put some fresh oil in it now. I'm a bit of a cheapskate and I always want to know if it's at least going to run before spending good money on expensive oil suitable for such motors (even my 1960 Matchless doesn't run on Halfords rubbish).

Check it has air in the tyres. Has it got a battery, I suspect not. What you want to do now is spin the engine over a bit before even trying to start it. The easiest way to do this is to get your mate to kick it over repeatedly while you go and have a coffee, alternatively, and my preferred way because I haven't any mates, is to put it in a gear, not the lowest please, and push it around. This not only spins the engine but gets some oil moving around the gearbox etc as well. This is also a good time to find out if the engine has a de-compressor.

If you're not sure what switch does what with regard to ignition then before you put the plug in reattach the HT lead and kick the engine whilst fiddling with the switches until you get a spark. If you can't get a spark then you need to before going any further. Hopefully you will and you can put the plug in.

Now suss out how the choke works. Should be easy with the air filter off as you can see what slides where. Now try and start it....... If it won't fire after lots of effort then you can try spraying Easystart or similar into the carb to so if it's a fuel or ignition issue. If it turns out to be fuel then has been suggested you're going to have to strip the carb, but on something like this that isn't going to be hard.

One last tip. If you're going to try bump starting it make sure you know how to kill the engine, vintage brakes combined with a sticky clutch that won't release make an interesting combination...... as I once found out! Good luck, love to see some pictures.

You will probably need to use a lead additive to protect the valves.

[Red Herring]

Actually on something of 1920 vintage he may not as I think that was before lead was added to fuel. He certainly won't need it to start it initially. If it fires up, doesn't make any horrendous rattles or knocks and everything seems to work as it should then change all the fluids, fill it with fresh fuel and go ride it (perhaps get some insurance, doesn't need an MOT and Zero rate VEL).

[DomP]

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[DomP]

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[littleoldman2]

That's lovely. Like the front brake.