AJS & Matchless Owners Club

After restoration, I cannot get engine to fire up. The bob weights for the auto advance & retard seem floppy. I have put new springs in. No change. I have tried attaching the springs to the outer of the two little holes but the weights are then too firmly held. If this makes sense I would appreciate advices
Bob

If you have spark and petrol, its probably timing wrong?

Have you checked that there is fresh fuel in the carb and that the jets are clean?
When a machine has been stood for a period of time modern fuels "go off" and traditional fuels turn to treacle.
I assume that you have checked that you are getting a spark at the plug?

The springs should go in the inner two holes as shown in the manual. Have you set the A/R mechanism correctly on its taper? At TDC the peak of the cam should be at approx. 12 o'clock and the gap between the two bob weights should align with the two tapped holes in the circular points plate housing.
If the "pips" on the back of the bob weights are very worn the mechanism can over advance - new bob weights are available from Martin Jay the distributor doctor.
If the cam is correctly positioned you can time the ignition either fully advanced or retarded for a 350 longstroke the F Neill book says 1/2 inch advanced or 1/8 inch retarded the figures for the short stroke 350 (after engine no. 41575) are 11/32 inch or 3/16 inch respectively. Points gap should be .014 -.016 inch.
If the A/R seems sloppy I would expect it to advance too quickly and this would usually show as a kick back.
From experience I would also change the points and condenser if they are not new.