may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
How long does it take for a BSA Airsporter or BSA Mercury buffer washer take to turn to cheese and jam the piston in the cylinder? Five year? Ten? Twenty?
Just replacing one so need to know the service interval... or best just to put at new one in at spring renewal?
Go ahead,,, String that bow
My Meteor and Airsporter went 20 years without jamming up. However I don't know how long they'd been cheese.Originally Posted by Hsing-ee
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If it is the modern polyurethane it should not deteriorate as it will contain a special additive in the mix which did not exist in the old type.
In all the many Meteors I have fixed I just fit a large rubber tap seal which is the correct diameter and just needs the hole opening to 10 mm.
Baz
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Totally agree with previous comment. I’ve rescued loads of BSA’s from the 60’s/70’s with jammed pistons. The replacement buffer washers sold these days are so much better. Just about anything you replace them with now , would be better than what BSA used back in those days!!
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Firstly I would ask as to why this washer needs replacement as it is different to most springers that have the piston seal affixed directly to the end of the piston and therefore may not be necessary.
Some years ago I removed the buffer washer off a Mercury, same system, and it made no difference to its functioning other than raising the amount of air as swept volume, it also increased energy slightly and reduced felt recoil.
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Personal choice really with respect to piston heads on these BSA’s. There’s quite a few alternatives eg bolt on parachute style heads etc. I’ve experimented with a few over the years and have a mixture of “original” heads & non - standard ones on some of my BSA’s.
It’s not the only factor of course, and it’s relatively easy to change them & judge the differences.
may also be employed in conjunction with a drawn reciprocation dingle arm, to reduce sinusoidal repleneration
I've no idea. The piston head on some Mercury's and Airsporters was nylon, and some aluminium as well as a heavy steel one. Perhaps it was to mitigate against dry-firing as young British boys are want to do. The Meteor has quite a sturdy piston head so not sure what that was about either. Maybe a USP; certainly using 'O'-rings and a rubber buffer was pretty radical for the time, most (except FWB Sport) still using leather washers. I remember the Mercury getting very consistent velocities when up against its contemporaries.
Go ahead,,, String that bow
It's common to remove the buffer washer on a Mercury/airsporter but then you have to drill a new hole for the retaining pin and probably shorten the spigot. I cannot see how you can remove the buffer washer on a key way head on the Meteor without making so much play that it rattles about on the piston.
Some aftermarket heads are fixed with a nut where you probably, can remove the washer, with the benefits above.
Last edited by Dornfelderliebe; 04-01-2024 at 02:16 PM.
The more I think I know, the more I realise the less I know.
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That's what I did to my challenger on my 635 magnum I shortened the rod end & drilled another hole for the retaining pin doing way with it altogether.
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