AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hello all. How much grease do I pack into the magneto drive case? I have scoured the site but am unable to find the answer. Can it be over-filled to the extent that it could interfere with the operation of the auto advance/retard unit?

I usually coat the chain and leave it at that , it never gets hot enough to come off the chain . I can't remember ever seeing a magneto chain that was bone dry . every couple of thousand miles inject a small amount into the chain case

I have just had my mag chain case off in order to clean and adjust the chain tension, I too wondered about how much grease to use and settled for,
a) packing the space between the chain and the inside edge of the case,(to avoid fling), and b) packing grease around the lower sprocket up to about 1/4 full, does that make sense.
What I did tallies with the sort of quantity of nasty old muck that had been in there for goodness knows how long when I took it apart.
I do not have to worry about an ATD, my mag is manual.

Hope that helps a bit.
Robin.

I use the "sticky" type spray on rear chain lube - if its good enough for and exposed chain that gets a heavy workload it must be good enough for an enclosed mag chain?

Confession time.

The last time I undid the cover was a very long time ago and I just about filled the space with grease.

It's the same chain that was on when I bought the Matchless in the mid 70's.

I have been promising to look at the mag over the winter as I've also never cleaned and re-packed the bearings.

I had thought of buying a spare mag, fitting it and having the "original" SR1 refurbished. But it's working fine. Might just fit new auto advance/retard bob weight springs that are in my tin of new parts not fitted.

I'm a horror.

Johnny B

Stuoyb wrote:I use the "sticky" type spray on rear chain lube - if its good enough for and exposed chain that gets a heavy workload it must be good enough for an enclosed mag chain?

Thanks all for your suggestions. I will go with yours Stuoyb and keep an eye on things, especially the automatic advance/retard unit. It might not like being without a bit of grease. Thanks again.

.... 5 years later. This is a useful thread, thanks. I've been gazing at my magneto chain, pondering how it should be lubricated. Rear drive chain lubrication spray it is then.

The prewar mag chain cases had a grease nipple situated so grease fell on the bottom run of the chain. The AJS cover had one, At some time, it got blanked off showing a flat, just like a late Jampot suspension unit had, when that had the grease nipple done away with. Later still the AJS outer cover had the blanking flat removed continuing in use until 1954. Grease soon gets thrown out buy the chain. I guess with a load off grease inside, the chain manages to get a lick of grease it needs.