Nearly all Nortons do wet sump over time. My '74 850 Commando has all the oil from the tank fully drained into sump in about 10-14 days of standing. Trying to kick it over in this condition is very difficult and somewhat ill advised as there is no oil left in tank to flow into oil pump at startup. I've also had the crank seal inside the primary cover blown out due to the high crankcase pressure from starting in this condition....primary then quickly fills up with oil and sprays out the clutch shaft opening over the rear tire etc. Solution is to either drain the sump prior to starting if the oil tank level is well down (do not add more oil here as it will over fill upon starting once scavenger pump transfers sump excess back to tank) or fit an anti wet sump valve. I use a common manually turned ball valve from a local hardware store, in the pump feed line from the tank. To prevent accidental starts with oil shut off, I also fitted a micro switch to the ball valve which interrupts the ignition power if the oil valve is not open. There is a commercially available option for this setup from Feked in the UK. Stay away from the automatic/spring loaded type of anti wet sump valves as these can stick closed without warning. Other sources of oil smoke on my Norton...the valve seals (usually just on intake valves) can be old/brittle and need renewal. The valve guides can be worn. In both these cases, you would see puffs of smoke when blipping throttle....as that's when suction is greatest in the rocker box. Also, check that the oil drain hole in the intake rocker box floor is flowing well. On my Commando, this is a tiny hole sitting partly under the right side valve spring seat...hard to see. Mine was slow at draining oil until I ran a length of wire down it a few times. Slow draining leads to over filling in the rocker box and more chance for oil to get past the valve guides/seals.
6:17 "...accidentally bought..." Sums up my entire garage and workshop, thanks for being so down to earth. Hope for all of us non machinists or engineers.
Wet sumping from a worn oil pump is my guess, my A10 used to do it! Problem is we don't ride these old bikes on a regular basis anymore. Its a lovely bike though.
Is that a loud motor? Or just me not knowing bikes. Sounds...clickey or rattley. Likely I’m used to car engines sitting on rubber engine mounts and surrounded by...well, the car. But any engine fascinates me.
Don't think it's particularly loud, may be the way the microphone picked it up, stood beside it seemed ok. But then, it's old! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
why it sounds off beat is it timed up wrong all Nortons are timed up from the left-hand side the drive side and the points are looking downwards for that cylinder the left-hand one and rocker covers removed so you can see if the rocker's arms are in the closed position to find top dead remove the timing cover and look for the two punch marks on the main timing gear and the intermediate gear the intermediate would be mated with the main gear so the two marks meet up and the cam chain as two punch marks these should at 11 o clock then you can start your set up on the ignition timing this Norton above should have coil ignition and not magneto ignition but the same applies in any case with the ignition lead nearest to the battery box is the left-hand ignition lead the models 99 /650 and atlas are all timed ar 32% before top dead centre fully advanced static
well guys your Norton is not a 1963 650ss but it is and September 1961 built Norton dominator Delux model 99 as the model number stamp marked on the left side crankcase do notes 14 for model 99, where has my Norton was built some 10 months before this one and my one is a Norton 650 Manxman export only built December 0f 1960 the 650 is stamp marked 18 on the side of the crankcase and this Norton of your will of been in two-tone paint colours like blue and dove grey with a two-tone seat cover dark grey and light grey top with white piping So you have a 600 model 99 and Not a 650SS and at the back of the crankcase there should be the stamp mark of 99D and a shop number all 650s were stamped 65 or 65c then later in 1961 650 or 650ss or somewhere stamped 650D for deluxe
Have to agree with Anna Jeannette, it’s not a 650, but a 99 ie 600. Except that it looks like a 99SS with the downdraught head and two carbs, only they should be monoblocs and not concentrics mk 2s. Anyway, leaving the pistons on compression (tdc) is supposed to stop the wet sumping. Anyway, never argue with Anna, she will have you for breakfast 🤣
@@stevef9530 Its a gear type oil pump and oil can drain by gravity into the sump if there is a bit of wear. Leaving the pistons on TDC is rubbish and only one cylinder will be on compression the other on exhaust. The SS had the seat secured with a DZUS fastener from the back of the seat to the mudguard and the seat located at the front on two steel pins projecting rearwards from a cross member between the top frame tubes. I had a 1961 Dommi 99 and the seat was fixed by lugs to the top rear suspension bolts. Guys used to fit the downdraught head and carbs onto the ordinary Dommi's also the SS camshaft and followers would give bit more performance but the SS was a stronger engine ie bottom end. rods etc.
Nearly all Nortons do wet sump over time. My '74 850 Commando has all the oil from the tank fully drained into sump in about 10-14 days of standing. Trying to kick it over in this condition is very difficult and somewhat ill advised as there is no oil left in tank to flow into oil pump at startup. I've also had the crank seal inside the primary cover blown out due to the high crankcase pressure from starting in this condition....primary then quickly fills up with oil and sprays out the clutch shaft opening over the rear tire etc.
Solution is to either drain the sump prior to starting if the oil tank level is well down (do not add more oil here as it will over fill upon starting once scavenger pump transfers sump excess back to tank) or fit an anti wet sump valve. I use a common manually turned ball valve from a local hardware store, in the pump feed line from the tank. To prevent accidental starts with oil shut off, I also fitted a micro switch to the ball valve which interrupts the ignition power if the oil valve is not open. There is a commercially available option for this setup from Feked in the UK. Stay away from the automatic/spring loaded type of anti wet sump valves as these can stick closed without warning.
Other sources of oil smoke on my Norton...the valve seals (usually just on intake valves) can be old/brittle and need renewal. The valve guides can be worn. In both these cases, you would see puffs of smoke when blipping throttle....as that's when suction is greatest in the rocker box. Also, check that the oil drain hole in the intake rocker box floor is flowing well. On my Commando, this is a tiny hole sitting partly under the right side valve spring seat...hard to see. Mine was slow at draining oil until I ran a length of wire down it a few times. Slow draining leads to over filling in the rocker box and more chance for oil to get past the valve guides/seals.
6:17 "...accidentally bought..." Sums up my entire garage and workshop, thanks for being so down to earth. Hope for all of us non machinists or engineers.
Thank you for watching, glad you enjoyed the video, we always have hope! 😎👍
My two current projects are a 1956 Morris Minor Panel Van ans a 1966 Norton Atlas :) same same :)
Wet sumping from a worn oil pump is my guess, my A10 used to do it! Problem is we don't ride these old bikes on a regular basis anymore. Its a lovely bike though.
I have qa 69 Commando and have the same problem.
Seat looks Short on these does it carry 2 persons ok.?
Never ridden with a pillion on the Norton. Should carry two.
Is that a loud motor? Or just me not knowing bikes. Sounds...clickey or rattley. Likely I’m used to car engines sitting on rubber engine mounts and surrounded by...well, the car.
But any engine fascinates me.
Don't think it's particularly loud, may be the way the microphone picked it up, stood beside it seemed ok. But then, it's old! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
why it sounds off beat is it timed up wrong all Nortons are timed up from the left-hand side the drive side and the points are looking downwards for that cylinder the left-hand one and rocker covers removed so you can see if the rocker's arms are in the closed position to find top dead remove the timing cover and look for the two punch marks on the main timing gear and the intermediate gear the intermediate would be mated with the main gear so the two marks meet up and the cam chain as two punch marks these should at 11 o clock then you can start your set up on the ignition timing this Norton above should have coil ignition and not magneto ignition but the same applies in any case with the ignition lead nearest to the battery box is the left-hand ignition lead the models 99 /650 and atlas are all timed ar 32% before top dead centre fully advanced static
Valve Guides . . not Sump.!
well guys your Norton is not a 1963 650ss but it is and September 1961 built Norton dominator Delux model 99 as the model number stamp marked on the left side crankcase do notes 14 for model 99, where has my Norton was built some 10 months before this one and my one is a Norton 650 Manxman export only built December 0f 1960 the 650 is stamp marked 18 on the side of the crankcase and this Norton of your will of been in two-tone paint colours like blue and dove grey with a two-tone seat cover dark grey and light grey top with white piping So you have a 600
model 99 and Not a 650SS and at the back of the crankcase there should be the stamp mark of 99D and a shop number all 650s were stamped 65 or 65c then later in 1961 650 or 650ss or somewhere stamped 650D for deluxe
Have to agree with Anna Jeannette, it’s not a 650, but a 99 ie 600. Except that it looks like a 99SS with the downdraught head and two carbs, only they should be monoblocs and not concentrics mk 2s. Anyway, leaving the pistons on compression (tdc) is supposed to stop the wet sumping.
Anyway, never argue with Anna, she will have you for breakfast 🤣
@@stevef9530 Its a gear type oil pump and oil can drain by gravity into the sump if there is a bit of wear. Leaving the pistons on TDC is rubbish and only one cylinder will be on compression the other on exhaust.
The SS had the seat secured with a DZUS fastener from the back of the seat to the mudguard and the seat located at the front on two steel pins projecting rearwards from a cross member between the top frame tubes. I had a 1961 Dommi 99 and the seat was fixed by lugs to the top rear suspension bolts.
Guys used to fit the downdraught head and carbs onto the ordinary Dommi's also the SS camshaft and followers would give bit more performance but the SS was a stronger engine ie bottom end. rods etc.