5. Ariel Golden Arrow - 2nd Engine Strip

Once the primary drive cover had been removed, another sign of previous damage appeared.

The lug that the chain tensioner fixes to appears to have been welded on. As I've never stripped an Ariel Arrow before, I can not be certain that this isn't part of the original manufacture. But it is done so badly that I very much doubt it and anyway, why would Ariel not cast the lug onto the crankcase end cap during the casting process?. Despite the rather overdone welding, it does seem to be on well and I decided that as this was on the inside and serviceable, I'd leave it.

I removed the four nuts, one bolt and one Philips headed screw from behind the chain tensioner lug ready for the removal of the left side crankcase end cap. This is where the new extractor too that I bought came in useful.

There are two threaded bosses on the end plate into which the long bolts of the extractor screw. An end cap is then placed over the end of the crank shaft and the centre bolt on the extractor is tightened. This slowly pulls the end cap off. I can assure you that this cap is so tight that without this tool you will not remove the end cap without damaging it.

That done, I proceeded to the magneto side of the engine (the right side).

Removing the magneto coils is easy, just undo the fixing nuts and pull it off.








Removing the centre magnet wheel is not too difficult either, although you do need to stop the crank shaft turning while you undo the centre bolt. I found the best way to do this was to pass a bar through both of the little end bushes. As you turn the bolt the bar bottoms on the crank case and stops it turning with no damage. Once removed, a small woodruff key is revealed, which I put away for safe keeping.

Now it's a case of using the same extractor tool  for the right side crank case end plate. The same applies it is in very tight and would not have come out without the tool.


The crankshaft is now revealed and I had to refer to the workshop manual to find out how to remove it. Surprise, surprise, it's in two pieces, held together by a large Alan Key bolt down the middle of the right hand  crank shaft.
I rang Draganfly as the manual did not specify what the size of this Alan Key was and none of mine seemed to fit. To my surprise they told me that it was the same key that I had already bought to remove the cylinder head nuts.

I had already tried that one and it did not seem to fit. But armed with the information that it was the correct key, I tried again and with a sharp tap of a hammer, the key located in the bolt head. The same bar in the little end bushes held  the shaft while I undid the bolt. This bolt is captive in the right hand shaft and once undone, acts as an extractor pushing the two shafts apart. Once separated, it was necessary to rotate the crankshafts until the con rods were at the bottom of their travel. I then had to hit the right hand shaft with a soft faced hammer to knock the left hand shaft out of the centre main bearing. As you can see from the picture, the bearing came with it and the left hand half of the crankshaft could then be twisted at an angle and pulled out of the crank case. Once the left hand shaft was out. The right hand shaft also became free to remove and out it came.

Bad news! The big end roller bearings are shot!. Replacing them does not look like an easy job as it will mean knocking the pins (big end journals) out in order to gain access to the bearings. Finally, with the crank case empty, I could remove the centre double oil seal. This is much easier said than done as it knocks out to the right, but you can't get a drift on it from the left. In the end I had to destroy it and pulled it out in pieces.

Well that's the engine, next blog is gearbox time!

Copyright K. Hopcroft  15.02.14 All rights reserved
 You can contact me on: hopcroftscoot@gmail.com

My other Blogs:

1961 BSA A10 Super Rocket Motorcycle:
 https://60sclassicmotorbikes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/before.html


Miniature Land Rover Defender:
http://miniaturelandrover.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/1-miniature-land-rover-defender-idea.html

1971 VW Karmann Ghia Convertible Car: 
http://karmannghiarestoration.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/1-karmann-ghia-retoration-project.html 

Motorcycle Trailers / Caravans:
http://motorcycletrailersandcaravans.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/1-motorcycle-trailers-problem.html