AMC Gearbox level

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Jul 19, 2013
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Can anyone tell me wheather the 62 AMC gearbox cover (where the clutch cable goes in) is supposed to hold oil or not? Or is the oil contained behind that in the gearbox itself? If so where is the oil filler?
What level is the oil supposed to be filled to? Thanks
 
The kick starter, shift lever, and gear indicator all have O ring seals on their respective shafts...one would expect oil to be in that cover. I have a 63, but frankly have never closely looked if the oil level rises to the fill level.

There is a plug, mid-way between the plates, about 3/4 up from the bottom. I fill to that level.

on second thought, if there is any hole between the inner and outer chambers, oil must rise to a common level.
 
So Slick, when you say there is a plug half way between the plates, what plates are you talking about here?
Should the main shaft with clutch rod be immersed or above the level?
Are you saying that you fill it through the hole in the cover and it seeps into the gearbox and finds its own level?

LAB I have that manual but I can't find anywhere in it that has this information, only that it takes 1 pint to fill it.
 
TBolt said:
LAB I have that manual but I can't find anywhere in it that has this information, only that it takes 1 pint to fill it.

OK, well, the small inspection hole is also the oil filler.

If you look inside the inspection hole using a lamp then you should be able to see the level of the oil (presuming there is actually some in there)?

There is a level hole/screw [87] at the rear of the outer cover on the Norton AMC box, but it's just as easy to leave the level screw in position and look in through the inspection hole and slowly fill with gearbox oil until level with the screw, or simply fill with 1 (Imperial) pint.

AMC Gearbox level


This is from the Commando manual, but it's basically the same as the Atlas gearbox.
AMC Gearbox level
 
Glad you pointed out that it is one Imperial pint, LAB.

In many bars in the US, if you ask for a pint, they give you a beer in a 16 ounce glass, which gives you 13 or 14 ounces of beer. There are a few bars, fashioned after English pubs, where the 16 ounce level is marked on the side of the glass, where the bottom of the head should be. If you're lucky, you may find an English-style pub where the glasses are marked in Imperial pints (20 ounces).

My Speed Triple has an on-board computer that tells things like ambient temperature, average speed, and fuel consumption. When I first had the bike, I noticed that it was showing very impressive fuel economy of over 50MPG. I found out that the computer could be set to kilometers per liter, miles per gallon, or miles per imperial gallon, and the shop had set it to Imperial measure. When I reset the computer to US measurement, MPG went down to about 41 MPG

One Imperial pint is 1-1/4 US pints, or 20 ounces
 
Reference L.A.B.'s post:

There you are! Proof once more that one picture is worth a thousand words!
 
BillT said:
Glad you pointed out that it is one Imperial pint, LAB.

"One Imperial pint" does sound like too much.

The Commando manual lists gearbox oil capacity as: "0.75 Imp./0.9 US pints/0.42 litres".

I think it should be the same for the Atlas gearbox.
 
The handbook for the P11 lists the gearbox capacity as 1.2 US Pints.
 
Here's another couple of questions about it;
Does the gearbox have problems leaking into the clutch? Or would the primary oil leak into the gearbox? Which is higher?

The clutch is supposed to run in primary oil, is it not?

I use the same straight 50 grade oil in the motor, primary and gearbox, is this right?
 
TBolt said:
Does the gearbox have problems leaking into the clutch? Or would the primary oil leak into the gearbox? Which is higher?

It's more common for a small quantity of oil to leak from the gearbox to the primary (through the clutch pushrod tunnel) rather than it leaking in the opposite direction, however if, as you say, you use the same oil in both compartments then a small amount of leakage either way isn't going to matter very much.

TBolt said:
The clutch is supposed to run in primary oil, is it not?

The oil is really there for the benefit of the primary chain, not the clutch.

TBolt said:
I use the same straight 50 grade oil in the motor, primary and gearbox, is this right?

An oil grade/type question! :shock: :) Be prepared for some differences of opinion. :wink:
 
The problem with gear box oil getting into the primary case I find is most poeple over fill the gear box, I use a messure cup and put in the right amount that the manual says, in 37 years of hard riding I have never had any gear box oil getting in to the primary, another little trick I do is when ever I have my clutch apart for any maintenance I smear a bit of grease on my clutch rod, weather that helps to stop oil getting in the primary, who knows but it works for me.

Ashley
 
There's a school of thought that recommends using ATF in the primary, rather than 40 weight. The purpose of the oil is to lubricate the primary chain - the clutch is fine running dry. The level of the oil in the primary is just high enough for the chain to catch a bit of splash as it travels from the crank sprocket to the clutch drum. ATF is intended for use with the clutches inside the heart of an automatic transmission, and Type 'F' is preferred for Commandos because this formula is engineered for the bronze clutches inside older Ford automatics.

I personally like ATF in the primary because it helps locate the source of any oil leaks - just in case your English bike likes to 'mark' its spot. If it's brown/black and smelly - gearbox; if it's brown/black and not smelly - engine; if it's red - primary.
 
BillT said:
There's a school of thought that recommends using ATF in the primary, rather than 40 weight. The purpose of the oil is to lubricate the primary chain - the clutch is fine running dry. The level of the oil in the primary is just high enough for the chain to catch a bit of splash as it travels from the crank sprocket to the clutch drum. ATF is intended for use with the clutches inside the heart of an automatic transmission, and Type 'F' is preferred for Commandos because this formula is engineered for the bronze clutches inside older Ford automatics.

I personally like ATF in the primary because it helps locate the source of any oil leaks - just in case your English bike likes to 'mark' its spot. If it's brown/black and smelly - gearbox; if it's brown/black and not smelly - engine; if it's red - primary.

Moreover, ATF does not reduce the "gription" on the clutch plates as much as oil, and more importantly, it does not degrade the cushion rubbers as oil does, leading to failure of the spyder. These rubbers are not rubber, but neoprene which is supposed to be impervious to oil, but after blowing 3 spyders and finding the rubbers gummy, I am now using ATF Type F.

Riddle:

What will break out faster?
A) a $100 bill in a woman's purse

B) a wild cat in a bag

C) a new spyder in an Atlas clutch
 
Thank you to everyone, I like the idea of the type F ATF, I think I'll give that a try.
 
BillT said:
There's a school of thought that recommends using ATF in the primary, rather than 40 weight. The purpose of the oil is to lubricate the primary chain - the clutch is fine running dry.

Really? Last time I looked a few days ago my clutch had roller bearings between the outer basket and drum/hub. When someone is working city traffic, especially sitting at a traffic light with the clutch disengaged instead of putting it in neutral these roller bearings are getting a workout. With the price of AMC clutch parts these days I would hope no one would run those bearings dry.

Yes, the Manx ran the clutch dry, but the riders were experts who only used the clutch for quick shifts, and they were very limited use machines that could take a slight trace of grease on the bearing race.
 
I have wondered, with many Norton owners ( Commando & Dominators) running a dry primary with a belt drive, how are the bearings lubricated ?

As to the lubricant passing throught the clutch push rod, Dyno Dave sells a seal just for this issue. One is for commandos, on is for pre commandos. I see that Norvil buys them from him for their website also.

Pre-Commando model: http://atlanticgreen.com/ddacrs.htm
 
Skip, for the Commando replacement sealed bearings are available which should theoretically not require additional lubtication, however Beng is correct that on the pre Commando bikes the larger cage type bearing would require some kind of lubrication to ensure longevity.
 
Hi Dave,
I see that Norvil's kit for the pre commando bikes includes the commando style clutch basket & a sealed bearing.

this is the kit for the dynamo equipped Dominators: http://www.norvilmotorcycle.co.uk/069533DD.htm at 464 GBP.

I have heard of guys running a dry primary & just lubricating the chain with chain lube, seems to me that like the bearings wouldn't last very long.
 
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