AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Hi, I am new to the site and new to classic motorcycles so please excuse me if theses questions seem silly.
I have just become an owner of a model 30 CSR and was wondering what oil is recommended for this engine? Also is the advance and retard used only when starting the bike or does it also need to be used whilst riding? Is one of the two fuel taps used as a reserve? Can I get a riders handbook from the club for this model?
Thanks in advance, Geoff

Hi Geoff, there are many views on oil, do you know what it is currently using?
Generally the A/R will only need to be used on your bike to start and achieve a slow steady tickover, I have locked the A/R lever on my M30 to keep the ignition where I want it and it still starts okay.
The drive side fuel tap is reserve but you can use either, the tunnel/cut-outs in the bottom of the tank mean there is more fuel left on this side.
You need to find the Archive for all sorts of information, try these links for a starter (the may not be correct for your bike but there are many files for different years there):
http://archives.jampot.dk/
http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Owners_m ... models.pdf
http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Owners_m ... models.pdf
http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Spares_l ... s_List.pdf
http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Workshop ... models.pdf

Hello Geoff,

Take a look in our "Frequent Questions" area at viewforum.php?f=8

We have tried to put together the most common questions and (hopefully) answers relating to the AMC bikes. I would recommend using the Search facility within this category to find relevant entries - it could take a while to read through everything!

Hi Geoff I will answer one of your questions for a twin I have always used Morris’s 20/50.

G15 Roy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 5:53 pm Hi Geoff I will answer one of your questions for a twin I have always used Morris’s 20/50.

Don't you mean you've always used used 20/50 that's been drained from another project!
That's probably why they leak so much

I use straight 50 in everything and simply let them warm up a bit before riding off.

I used to put 20/50 in the twins but the clatter from the worn timing gears drove me nuts so swapped to 50 and much happier.

G15 Roy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 5:53 pm Hi Geoff I will answer one of your questions for a twin I have always used Morris’s 20/50.

Not quite true Roy. I realised that i had used rather a lot of oil at the midway stop at the Jampot in Wales last year. I filled the oil tank with a litre of straight 50 I managed to buy locally and rode back to the stop. Realised i had overfilled and it was blowing oil from the tank breather. So with the assistance of a senior club member i drained some oil into a used coffee cup. But how to dispose of the oil before throwing the cup in the overflowing rubbish bin? Then we spied your bike and thought you would be sure to need some more oil.

clive wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:35 pm

G15 Roy wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 5:53 pm Hi Geoff I will answer one of your questions for a twin I have always used Morris’s 20/50.

Not quite true Roy. I realised that i had used rather a lot of oil at the midway stop at the Jampot in Wales last year. I filled the oil tank with a litre of straight 50 I managed to buy locally and rode back to the stop. Realised i had overfilled and it was blowing oil from the tank breather. So with the assistance of a senior club member i drained some oil into a used coffee cup. But how to dispose of the oil before throwing the cup in the overflowing rubbish bin? Then we spied your bike and thought you would be sure to need some more oil.

You weren't supposed to tell him!!!!!!!

Mind you Clive, we did use a posh used coffee cup!

ajscomboman wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16, 2023 7:40 pm Mind you Clive, we did use a posh used coffee cup!

Indeed we did Rob, only the best for Roy's bikes.

Now Now boys play nice
Would that be the Midway café at Whitchurch? I go there quite regular and have never seen a posh coffee cup but then I do use the Raven Cafe.
Thank you all for the replies I am finding the FAQ's most useful. Roy, is the 20/50 you use Morris vee twin oil or the golden one?
Thanks again Geoff