The Enfield Bullet Manual
- by Pete Snidal (C)2002

TROUBLESHOOTING

Symptom Possible Causes Correction Links

Poor to Nonexistent Engine Starting No Spark
No Fuel
No Compression
Check Ignition
Check Fuel Delivery
Check For Tight Valve Adjustment
Check Decompressor Valve for dirt or poor sealing
Checking Ignition
Checking Fuel Delivery
Checking Valve Adjustment
The Decompressor Valve

Throttle sticking in whole or partially open position
Faulty Throttle Operation
Poor Cable Routing, Faulty Inner Cable (snarled, tangled broken strands in inner cable) Re-route and/or replace cableReplacing Cables

Sudden onset of "kick-back" on starting,
Spitting Back through Carburetor Deteriorated or cracked rubber induction pipe Replace induction pipe See end of Chapter 3

Total Electrical System Failure - No lights, horn, or ignition Blown Fuse
Dead Battery
Bad Battery Grounding
Dirty or Corroded "Pop" Connector
Check/Replace Fuse
Check/Charge Battery
Check/Clean Battery Chassis Ground Connection
Locate and Correct Bad Connector
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Diagnosing Electrical Faults

Specific Electrical Failure - A Light, The Horn, Or Ignition Replace Bulb in Light, Test Horn by "jumping" hot wire from battery to hot connector and button connector to ground Faulty Component - Burnt bulb or failed horn Diagnosing Electrical Faults

Poor Battery "Staying Power," defective or thirsty battery Add DISTILLED water if necessary, slow-charge overnight, test and replace if situation persists href="4electrx.htm#bat">Battery Maintenance

Ammeter Never Showing Charging Charging System Fault - Faulty Wiring, Poor Connection(s), Defective Regulator/Rectifier, (Alternator) Troubleshoot Charging System, replace/repair as necessary

Exhaust Smoke: Blue Oil Getting Into Combustion Chamber Replace gasket, guides, or rings

Faulty Cylinder Head Gasket
Loose Valve Guides
Excessively Worn Piston Rings

Excessive Blue Smoke On Start-Up; goes away after running a few minutes "Wet-Sumping: - Oil is accumulating in sump during standstill Leave machine standing at TDC
Check Oil Seal Cork Gland, replace if necessary
Controlling Wet-Sumping
The Oilfeed Bush

Exhaust Smoke: Black Dirty Air Filter
Excessively Rich Fuel Mixture: Carburetion
Clean or Replace Air Filter Element
Tune Carburetor
Air Cleaner Servicing
Carburetor Adjustment

Excessive "Bluing" of exhaust pipe - more than 10-12"/25-30cm of pipe discoloration Retarded Ignition Timing Advance Ignition Timing Adjusting The Ignition Timing

"Banging" in Silencer/Muffler Excessively Lean Mixture: Carburetion
Water In Fuel
Air Leak in Exhaust Pipe
Tune Carburetor
Drain Tank and Floatbowl, Dry, Replace with fresh fuel
Seal pipe at head with hi-temp Silicone, check muffler-pipe connection
Carburetor Adjustment

Grinding into 1st Gear after starting Poor Clutch Linkage Adjustment - Cable or Bellcrank Adjust Clutch Linkage

Clutch Slipping - engine over-revs when pulling hard, re-synchronies when throttle is rolled back Poor Clutch Adjustment, Dirty or oily plates, partially-collapsed clutch springs, worn friction disks Inspect and Repair as Required Clutch Adjustment
Remove and Inspect Clutch

Poor Gear Changing - "popping" or "firing" out of gear, going into a neutral instead of the next gear Gearbox Shifter Mechanism Needs Adjusting Adjust Shifter Mechanism Adjusting The Gearchange Mechanism

Engine Detonation - "Ping," or "Spark Knock" - occurs only under heavier loads and slower engine speeds Excessive Ignition Advance
Mixture too lean
Excessive Carbon ("coke" buildup in combustion chamber
IMMEDIATELY back off on throttle, change to lower gear if necessary, correct poor ignition timing and/or carburetion ASAP - DO NOT RUN
with Detonation!
Remove Cylinder Head and Decoke
Adjusting The Ignition Timing
Adjusting The Carburetor
Re & Re Cylinder Head

Excessive Engine Noise Clatter at all throttle settings and rpm
"Pounding/Banging" at low settings under load; settles down with increased throttle
Slap/Clatter when cold, improves as engine warms up
Noisy Valve Train
Possible Big End Failure
Piston "Slap" due to excessive piston clearance, cracked piston
Adjust Valve Clearances
Seek expert opinion/dismantle top end and check big end clearance
Dismantle top end, check piston clearance

Brake Noise on Application Chattering Due to
- Grease On Linings
- Sharp leading edge on lining
Linings worn down to rivet heads (rivetted linings only)
Remove and Clean Linings and Drum
- Remove and Chamfer Lining Leading Edges
Replace Linings
>Brake Work

Poor Steering/Tracking - Machine wants to go to right or left instead of tracking neutrally. Poor Rear Wheel Alignment
Bent Frame or Front Fork
Check and Adjust Wheel Alignment and Rear Chain
Check Front Main Tubes For Straightness
Adjusting Chain And Rear Wheel
Main Fork Tube Examination

Poor Brake Performance Poor Brake Adjustment
Excessively Worn Linings
Linings not "bedded in" to arc of drums
Rear brake cam shaft not centered in backing plate
Adjust Brakes
Arc Shoes
Check Centering of Shaft
Adjust Brake Linkages
Arc Brake Shoes To Drums
Re-Center`Rear Brake Cam Shaft

Symptom	Possible Causes	Correction	Links
Poor to Nonexistent Engine Starting	No Spark No Fuel No Compression	Check Ignition Check Fuel Delivery Check For Tight Valve Adjustment Check Decompressor Valve for dirt or poor sealing	Checking Ignition Checking Fuel Delivery Checking Valve Adjustment The Decompressor Valve
Throttle sticking in whole or partially open position Faulty Throttle Operation	Poor Cable Routing, Faulty Inner Cable (snarled, tangled broken strands in inner cable)	Re-route and/or replace cableReplacing Cables
Sudden onset of "kick-back" on starting, Spitting Back through Carburetor	Deteriorated or cracked rubber induction pipe	Replace induction pipe	See end of Chapter 3
Total Electrical System Failure - No lights, horn, or ignition	Blown Fuse Dead Battery Bad Battery Grounding Dirty or Corroded "Pop" Connector	Check/Replace Fuse Check/Charge Battery Check/Clean Battery Chassis Ground Connection Locate and Correct Bad Connector	- - - Diagnosing Electrical Faults
Specific Electrical Failure - A Light, The Horn, Or Ignition	Replace Bulb in Light, Test Horn by "jumping" hot wire from battery to hot connector and button connector to ground	Faulty Component - Burnt bulb or failed horn	Diagnosing Electrical Faults
Poor Battery "Staying Power,"	defective or thirsty battery	Add DISTILLED water if necessary, slow-charge overnight, test and replace if situation persists	href="4electrx.htm#bat">Battery Maintenance
Ammeter Never Showing Charging	Charging System Fault - Faulty Wiring, Poor Connection(s), Defective Regulator/Rectifier, (Alternator)	Troubleshoot Charging System, replace/repair as necessary
Exhaust Smoke: Blue	Oil Getting Into Combustion Chamber	Replace gasket, guides, or rings	Faulty Cylinder Head Gasket Loose Valve Guides Excessively Worn Piston Rings
Excessive Blue Smoke On Start-Up; goes away after running a few minutes	"Wet-Sumping: - Oil is accumulating in sump during standstill	Leave machine standing at TDC Check Oil Seal Cork Gland, replace if necessary	Controlling Wet-Sumping The Oilfeed Bush
Exhaust Smoke: Black	Dirty Air Filter Excessively Rich Fuel Mixture: Carburetion	Clean or Replace Air Filter Element Tune Carburetor	Air Cleaner Servicing Carburetor Adjustment
Excessive "Bluing" of exhaust pipe - more than 10-12"/25-30cm of pipe discoloration	Retarded Ignition Timing	Advance Ignition Timing	Adjusting The Ignition Timing
"Banging" in Silencer/Muffler	Excessively Lean Mixture: Carburetion Water In Fuel Air Leak in Exhaust Pipe	Tune Carburetor Drain Tank and Floatbowl, Dry, Replace with fresh fuel Seal pipe at head with hi-temp Silicone, check muffler-pipe connection	Carburetor Adjustment
Grinding into 1st Gear after starting	Poor Clutch Linkage Adjustment - Cable or Bellcrank	Adjust Clutch Linkage
Clutch Slipping - engine over-revs when pulling hard, re-synchronies when throttle is rolled back	Poor Clutch Adjustment, Dirty or oily plates, partially-collapsed clutch springs, worn friction disks	Inspect and Repair as Required	Clutch Adjustment Remove and Inspect Clutch
Poor Gear Changing - "popping" or "firing" out of gear, going into a neutral instead of the next gear	Gearbox Shifter Mechanism Needs Adjusting	Adjust Shifter Mechanism	Adjusting The Gearchange Mechanism
Engine Detonation - "Ping," or "Spark Knock" - occurs only under heavier loads and slower engine speeds	Excessive Ignition Advance Mixture too lean Excessive Carbon ("coke" buildup in combustion chamber	IMMEDIATELY back off on throttle, change to lower gear if necessary, correct poor ignition timing and/or carburetion ASAP - DO NOT RUN with Detonation! Remove Cylinder Head and Decoke	Adjusting The Ignition Timing Adjusting The Carburetor Re & Re Cylinder Head
Excessive Engine Noise	Clatter at all throttle settings and rpm "Pounding/Banging" at low settings under load; settles down with increased throttle Slap/Clatter when cold, improves as engine warms up	Noisy Valve Train Possible Big End Failure Piston "Slap" due to excessive piston clearance, cracked piston	Adjust Valve Clearances Seek expert opinion/dismantle top end and check big end clearance Dismantle top end, check piston clearance
Brake Noise on Application	Chattering Due to - Grease On Linings - Sharp leading edge on lining Linings worn down to rivet heads (rivetted linings only)	Remove and Clean Linings and Drum - Remove and Chamfer Lining Leading Edges Replace Linings	>Brake Work
Poor Steering/Tracking - Machine wants to go to right or left instead of tracking neutrally.	Poor Rear Wheel Alignment Bent Frame or Front Fork	Check and Adjust Wheel Alignment and Rear Chain Check Front Main Tubes For Straightness	Adjusting Chain And Rear Wheel Main Fork Tube Examination
Poor Brake Performance	Poor Brake Adjustment Excessively Worn Linings Linings not "bedded in" to arc of drums Rear brake cam shaft not centered in backing plate	Adjust Brakes Arc Shoes Check Centering of Shaft	Adjust Brake Linkages Arc Brake Shoes To Drums Re-Center`Rear Brake Cam Shaft