In case you didn't see the first instalment the story is that I'd fitted an electric start to my Camel special. A standard 500W set up that I fitted new bearings, brushes and worm drive to. I fitted the bike with a small lithium battery to power it and for a while all seemed fine. Then the starter gradually became more sluggish and would only work for a few starts after a night on it's optimate. Eventually it stopped performing altogether and I borrowed a battery from Tom Farrow that would do the job. Only it didn't improve things at all. I suspected the starter clutch next so looked at that. It was no worse than when I assembled it so I bench tested the starter and it was running slowly, that was the real trouble. I don't know why yet as I used the remaining time to test and fit another starter motor I just happened to have lying around-It works fine again!
So the lithium battery experiment isn't over yet
and as soon as possible I'll carry on riding it, falling off it and using the electric starter more than even a London courier would. I'm doing all this for the greater good you see and before long we'll know if it's worth the hassle and expense of a lithium battery.
You can all thank me with a pint or a dram whenever you get the chance.
Thanks for the battery Tom, it speeded up the diagnosis no end and also proved that it would be possible to fit one in the Camel.