Six Cylinders Motoring Notes

[Six-cylinder]

34 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

What is/ was it?

Velosolex

[hairnet]

22 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Another year ahead for our ZX TD estate, yes a fresh MOT. It is lucky that they accept the old style 50s under the desk

 

 

[wuvvum]

1 hour ago, Six-cylinder said:

Velosolex

Excellent!

[richardmorris]

Does it run?

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Does it run?

Not yet! 

It ran badly 4 years ago, but still turns freely and has a spark. 

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Does it give you the runs?

fixt

[Zelandeth]

Where the heck did you find that?  Also, how many years since it last ran?

[Six-cylinder]

8 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Where the heck did you find that?  Also, how many years since it last ran?

It just popped up on FB 8 miles from me. The story is it was a barn find and the engine was rebuilt 4 years and 2 owners ago. When the seller I got it from bought it 4 years ago it coughed and sputtered and he lost interest.

I remember telling @hairnet I wanted one and he said that I would not catch him riding one and they were more dangerous than his big bike with all that weight over the front wheel!

[hairnet]

still wouldnt

scary AF

 

[chaseracer]

Wimp.  French nuns used to ride these!

[Mr Pastry]

[stendec]

French nuns aren't quite as I imagined they would be! 🤣

[wuvvum]

They certainly didn't look like that when I lived in France.

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, chaseracer said:

Wimp.  French nuns used to ride these!

Yes.

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

It just popped up on FB 8 miles from me. The story is it was a barn find and the engine was rebuilt 4 years and 2 owners ago. When the seller I got it from bought it 4 years ago it coughed and sputtered and he lost interest.

I remember telling @hairnet I wanted one and he said that I would not catch him riding one and they were more dangerous than his big bike with all that weight over the front wheel!

Very much appeals to my sense of ridiculousness and "how simple can you make something?"

Bet that wouldn't be at all difficult to get running if it's been going that recently then.

[Six-cylinder]

16 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Very much appeals to my sense of ridiculousness and "how simple can you make something?"

Bet that wouldn't be at all difficult to get running if it's been going that recently then.

Test pilot with his own crash helmet needed here!

[Six-cylinder]

My trip to Milton Keynes with the XM went well in spite of the grey damp weather.

I rather like this Kia Stinger 362bhp.

[grogee]

I like the 'Faster Than Light' Cavalier. Very Luton.

[hairnet]

nice calibre

roads in sussex were doing a rufford ford today

but it was far too far away to come up from here sadly

[stendec]

Much want for the Bond and Citroën

[hairnet]

3 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

Test pilot with his own crash helmet needed here!

no

evel knievel says no also

 

[Six-cylinder]

What have I bought?

I bought this as a 1969 Velosolex S3800, but now I look on line feel it might not be.

When I get it running how do you switch it off?

Also what is the plastic tube thing that was loose under the topcover?

[RayMK]

A fellow pupil at Queens School, Rheindahlen had one.  He just stalled it on the brake whereas my posh Peugeot BBCT had a decompression lever, as did a girl's Batavus. The Solex guy also had a lever which raised the engine and friction wheel off the front tyre.  He tried to use said lever as a clutch when in stop start conditions but the engine still required pedal assistance unless facing downhill.

[Six-cylinder]

10 minutes ago, RayMK said:

A fellow pupil at Queens School, Rheindahlen had one.  He just stalled it on the brake whereas my posh Peugeot BBCT had a decompression lever, as did a girl's Batavus. The Solex guy also had a lever which raised the engine and friction wheel off the front tyre.  He tried to use said lever as a clutch when in stop start conditions but the engine still required pedal assistance unless facing downhill.

Mine has a decompression lever so I guess that will work fine to stop the engine.

[Mr Pastry]

On 11/6/2022 at 9:19 PM, Six-cylinder said:

What have I bought?

I bought this as a 1969 Velosolex S3800, but now I look on line feel it might not be.

When I get it running how do you switch it off?

Also what is the plastic tube thing that was loose under the topcover?

It is definitely a 5000, so a bit later than 1969.  Same 49cc engine as the 3800, hence number on casting.  IIRC there is a stamped engine number which will date it - not sure they had frame numbers until later.  Possibly on the crank case at the base of the cylinder.

The loose bit is a fuel filter, but I can't remember how it fits!

The ignition is permanently live, and you stop the engine with the decompressor.

Note also choke/"start" lever at rear of carb.

There is an automatic clutch which will disengage the drive at idling speed. 

The fuel system is interesting.  The fuel is pumped up to the main jet by a diaphragm pump, which is operated by crankcase pressure.  There is no float chamber and surplus fuel flows back to the tank through the large plastic pipe.  Almost fuel injection! 

Dirt in fuel/fuel pipes or damaged pump diaphragm are likely problems.

I have a flywheel extractor, should you need to look at the points - the gap is quite critical as it controls the ignition timing.

 

[wuvvum]

Permanently live ignition and decompressor to stop the engine was pretty standard on French mopeds for a long time - my Mobylette had that arrangement originally, although since I fitted the engine from a later electronic ignition bike it now has a kill switch instead.

[Weird Car]

Definitely a decompression lever to cut the engine, I had a 3800 a few years ago, i had to get rid of it due to it being absolutely terrifying on the road, and that’s coming from someone whose owned 2 Invacars lol

[Mr Pastry]

The 3800, or some of them anyway, had another interesting* feature whereby the front brake lever also operated the throttle.   

[Weird Car]

6 minutes ago, Mr Pastry said:

The 3800, or some of them anyway, had another interesting* feature whereby the front brake lever also operated the throttle.   

Yes mine had that but i hand built a separate hand throttle for it operated via a small lever on the bars, it worked a bit like a choke lever on a Honda Express. 

[Mr Pastry]

I put a separate throttle trigger on mine, but I'm not sure it was a great improvement, and all the later ones had normal twist grips.

Thinking again about the fuel filter, I think it just drops into the top of the carburettor, and is retained by the air filter assembly.  There is another similar fuel filter in the bottom of the tank.