Royal Enfield Bullet 500 (Indian) 14 - Preparing to take the timing cover off & retard inlet cam.

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:01]I fitted the new front brake light switch to the uh Norton Commando. So, I've got the Commando off the bike lift, ready to go for a short ride. Actually, uh weather and road conditions permitting. So, it's down off the bike lift and I've got the um 500 bullet, the latest of its kind to visit here, up on the bike lift now. And if we go around this side, I'm getting ready to take the timing cover off and the inlet cam timing by one tooth and fit the new um oil pump worm nut with a bonded in seal because uh the owner said that this one apparently is faulty. So, we'll get that out. I thought it'd be a good opportunity to give it a full oil change as well and filter and everything. So, I'm going to do that. Uh the oil that came out uh although it's quite dark in color when it was actually running out the engine, it was still uh sort of slightly translucent and this dark brown color rather than a stinking black. But anyway, we put new oil in and then we know where we're going with that. the um I took the the front uh plug out, the crank case underside, the scavenge line, and I was pleased to find that uh nothing nasty came out of there, and there wasn't a speck of dirt or uh any metal filings of any sort on the filter goes. It was all spotlessly clean. So, that's good news. The um this crank case is one of the late ones. has actually got a dedicated drain plug as well as the suction filter for the feed pump, which is where they used to be drained by. But when I took the drain plug out, it wasn't actually a drain plug. It was the suction filter for the feed pump.

[00:01:45]Someone had mixed them up and got them the wrong way round. Not really a biggie, but obviously I'll put them back in the right way round. All the bits out there from the filter chamber. So, I'll change the filter. And as usual, while the timing covers off, I'll prime the filter chamber with oil. Turn it 90° that way so that the opening faces upwards with the new filter in and pour oil in. And I'm also going to check the condition of the feed pump. Although, I really don't think we've got a lubrication problem with this one. Um, but seeing as how so many uh comments have been made relating to lubrication problems, I'd be foolish not to have a look. So, I'm going to anyway, but I don't expect to find anything untoward in there. I've ordered uh let's see if I can remember this now. Uh a 125 main jet for this. The owner sent me some details of what he's got in there. I think he's got a 117 or 117.5 or something in there. Anyway, we're having a 125 main jet, a P2 needle, and a number number two and a half cutaway throttle slide in place of the number three, which I strongly suspect has even been filed to weaken it beyond three. New in inlet manifold rubber coming as well. They should all be here tomorrow, but I've got plenty to get on with in the meantime doing this slot. And um we'll have a look when I've got the timing cover off and see uh what's to be seen in there and what sort of condition things are in. But I'm almost ready to undo the screws and prize it off and take a look.