The nose cone on my engine has seen better days. I made up a nylon sleeve & built up the missing bits of cone with epoxy "metal" , but the handle does not hang right & there is a definite dribble of oil when the engine has been running for a bout 10 minutes.
Engine number is M163594 with AC pump, so could be late 1931 (RN ) or early 1932 & from an RP I think (Thanks Mr Wyatt!)....just about the time the nose cone changed from long to short! I will have to measure it!
I have read the Cornwall Sevens pieces on nose cones I it is not for the faint hearted (or those without "facilities")
Any words of wisdom here? I have a radiator (advice on repairers in the Midlands??)that needs to come out & a head to come off, so I will have access shortly.
David
With the nose cone off the car it should not be difficult for someone with a TiG welder to build up the inside of the starter tube at each end, and then for it to be machined back to the diameter of the starter handle shaft. I had this done a bit back when the nose cone was damaged. I also machined a groove in the starter shaft for an 'O' ring as belt & braces. You may also need a spot of weld to replace the worn stop so the handle sits level when not in use.
I intend someday to rebuild the nose cone on my RK but in the meantime I fitted a small brass angle under the radiator (using the radiator mounting bolt). You can swing it back to use the starting handle.
It doesn't stop the leak although if the starter shaft has the correct felt washer it should! (mine doesn't have the washer but doesn't leak too much).
I improved mine on a short nose cone by using a Ruby starter handle spring and an O ring on the handle (no grove it just closes the gap). From memory the spring may need cutting slightly. The bigger spring also helps stop the handle falling down.
Another nose cone was fixed by using aluminium brazing rods with the handle in place to act as a former, just need to be careful not to melt the nose cone.
The early coil nose as fitted to an RK and the later RM/N/P ones are quite different,in shaft size ,drive dog (or pin),location of handle in the casting.Spring dia and starting handle.
Usually the bore in the case is worn and shaft location in the housing damaged.This is why the handle won't stay horizontal.
They shouldn't leak out the front as both types have a drain hole in the bottom back into the case, but can block with muck.
It's hard to weld up the bore due to location.It is easier to bore out and fit a replaceable insert in them but it is time consuming.
