Engine oil line block

sidreilley · Nov 12, 2009

I plan to install a Commando oil filter on my 69 when I re-assemble it but have run into a slight problem. The filter head has 5/16" (8mm) in and out lines and while the lines from the engine block are also 5/16 OD, they have huge barbed ends (1/2" OD). Needless to say, a 5/16 ID hose can't be stretched over a 1/2" barb end. I suppose I could simply saw off the barbed ends, but I'm wondering if others have solved this problem in other ways.

Jeandr · Nov 12, 2009

There is more than one way to skin a cat :lol: Here is my first block with both lines going down which is the opposite of the way Norton does it.

Here is the one I made so that the oil feed comes from the bottom and the return is going up.

The block is aluminum and the fittings are regular plumbing supplies.

Jean

Seeley920 · Nov 12, 2009

Or you could just use the later standard oil junction block!!

bchessell · Nov 12, 2009

You can heat the ends and the barb fittings come right off. They are silver soldered on over the smaller line.I did it on one of mine.
Bruce

Jeandr · Nov 12, 2009

And if you want, you can modify the stock oil block so that the return exits out the bottom, so you would have feed from the top and return towards the bottom (I wanted the opposite that is why I made my own block), this could simplify oil line routing by going under the transmission to the oil filter rather than snaking up and down to the filter.

Jean

PS The lines are not silver soldered, just regular led solder like house copper pipes, very easy to take appart with a propane torch.

Flo · Nov 12, 2009

Now that is interesting, I really enjoy seeing unique made items on a bike.
Made a lot for mine.

sidreilley · Nov 13, 2009

Thanks guys, I was confident that I'd get some workable answers! As I'd rather not just buy new parts (doing enough of that already) and or ruin the old ones, so the idea of heating the barbs and pulling them off sounds best. I had thought they were brazed or welded on.
Jean, really appreciated seeing your work though, as it offers a lot of possibilities. I'm not sure I'm a good enough machinist to get the holes in the right place,(nor do I have a Bridgeport in the garage) but I may take a look at the option of a new block when I do the final assembly.

Jeandr · Nov 13, 2009

sidreilley said:
Thanks guys, I was confident that I'd get some workable answers! As I'd rather not just buy new parts (doing enough of that already) and or ruin the old ones, so the idea of heating the barbs and pulling them off sounds best. I had thought they were brazed or welded on.
Jean, really appreciated seeing your work though, as it offers a lot of possibilities. I'm not sure I'm a good enough machinist to get the holes in the right place,(nor do I have a Bridgeport in the garage) but I may take a look at the option of a new block when I do the final assembly.

I do my milling on my lathe so it's pretty well limited to small parts. After I had made the first block with the two lines going down, I was looking at pictures of different bikes and lo and behold, Kenny Dreer had done the same thing on his VR880. As mentionned, the easiest mod appart from taking the barbs off is to modify the oil line routing to have the return line going down rather than up.

Jean

sidreilley · Nov 13, 2009

With a custom block, I could also solve another problem. It appears that the only way to drain the oil tank now is to take out the big banjo bolt (at the tank) on the oil feed line. Very messy to say the least! With a custom block, I could put a drain port in the block and drain the tank from there. Hmmmmmmmmm, this idea sounds better all the time!

DogT · Nov 13, 2009

Now that is a real good idea. Takes a team effort sometimes.

Dave

Jeandr · Nov 13, 2009

DogT said:
Now that is a real good idea. Takes a team effort sometimes.

Dave

Agreed, Jim (Comstock) time to get to work :wink:

Jean

cash · Nov 14, 2009

For years I've pondered over why Norton ran the Commando oil lines over the gearbox. They're a real pain when polishing the gearbox cover etc. The neater and obvious way is clearly as Jean has done. Did they do it to prevent air locking or what ? :?

DogT · Nov 14, 2009

Probably because they started out that way without all the extra tubes of the later models.

Dave

Jeandr · Nov 14, 2009

DogT said:
Probably because they started out that way without all the extra tubes of the later models.

Dave

Also, it was done that way on the Atlas, why change it?

Jean

NortonCommando850 · Apr 22, 2013

Hi guys
Just beginning my foray into Norton mindfullness. Know this is an old topic but just thought i'd ask. Is there any negative to running the oil line down from the engine and under the gearbox to the oil filter and then the oil tank and then back down again under the gearbox and up to the crancase again? Can the oil lines be taken round the back of the engine plates (ie between the two engine plates so it is not visible externally at all. Is it practical to mount the oil line engine feed rotated 180 degress and then just swap the hoses on the spigots ( maybe a little carful bending of the spigots would be required. ( will probably need 1 longer oil line hose from the oil tank to the engine as well , the old one could be used from the engine to the oil filter)?

Jeandr · Apr 22, 2013

NortonCommando850 said:
Hi guys
Just beginning my foray into Norton mindfullness. Know this is an old topic but just thought i'd ask. Is there any negative to running the oil line down from the engine and under the gearbox to the oil filter and then the oil tank and then back down again under the gearbox and up to the crancase again? Can the oil lines be taken round the back of the engine plates (ie between the two engine plates so it is not visible externally at all. Is it practical to mount the oil line engine feed rotated 180 degress and then just swap the hoses on the spigots ( maybe a little carful bending of the spigots would be required. ( will probably need 1 longer oil line hose from the oil tank to the engine as well , the old one could be used from the engine to the oil filter)?

On a bike I built years and years ago, I had the oil tank in the tail section of the seat, it was made out of fiberglass so I ran an oil cooler (from a Citroën 2CV) at the front of the engine. I had really long oil lines litteraly going front to back and the pump handled it beautifully, no problems at all. Even if the oil tank is below the engine, the pump will suck it up. As long as you don't have any restrictions in the lines, it should work fine.

Jean

Old Bloke · Apr 23, 2013

Jeandr said:
There is more than one way to skin a cat :lol: Here is my first block with both lines going down which is the opposite of the way Norton does it.

Here is the one I made so that the oil feed comes from the bottom and the return is going up.

The block is aluminum and the fittings are regular plumbing supplies.

Jean

Jeandr. I continue to be astounded by peoples ingenuity and resourcefullness on this forum. When you made the parts, did you keep drawings/dimensions etc, I'd love to have a go at making the part above, as I'm no fan of all the pipes over the Gbox?

Peter

Jeandr · Apr 23, 2013

Old Bloke said:
Jeandr. I continue to be astounded by peoples ingenuity and resourcefullness on this forum. When you made the parts, did you keep drawings/dimensions etc, I'd love to have a go at making the part above, as I'm no fan of all the pipes over the Gbox?

Peter

Nope, no drawings :cry: I usually start with the materials I have on hand and see if there is enough to carve the piece I want to make. On the block shown, you may notice there is a hole next to the bottom barbed fitting, that is there to drill the gallery up to where it meets the angled fitting. There is a 1/8" NPT plug to close it. The thing is retty simple, with the right tools it can be copied with ease. A drill press, a good vice and some files will work.

Jean

Old Bloke · Apr 23, 2013

JeanDR: No worries, what about the basic dimensions, how thick is the stock you used, is the chamfer 45deg, what are the fittings for the Hoses. I can work out the internals and positions of the crankcase holes. What stops the block from rotating? so many questions

I've got ulterior motive, recently bought a mini-mill and I'm looking for a project, but I'm short on experience, and something like your block looks ideal to start with!

Jeandr · Apr 23, 2013

You have the right tool for the job, a milling machine makes everything so easy, BTW, which one did you buy? I used the dimentions from the stock oil block and used metal thick enough for the barbed fittings I bought at the local building supply place. The barbed fittings are 5/16" and require a 5/16 NPT tap. The hole I drilled and capped is sized for a 1/8" NPT plug. I think I drilled the passaways 5/16" to match the fittings and the hoses. The block does not rotate because there is one bolt and one protruding spigot on the engine.

Pictures when done please :wink:

Jean

Engine oil line block

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