First post what a dipstick

Hi,

First post here, I have owned my Norton 1971 Commando S type for over a year now and have completed 4 oil changes without issues.

I have always drained the bike completely then just added 2L of fresh oil, ran it for a few minutes let it stand for 20 minutes then added another 800ml. The dipstick has always been way out but I have always ignored it.

I noticed that the mark on my dipstick is right near the bottom, there is only a single notch with no letters and the overall dipstick is 5" long.

I decided to research on here about the dipstick and take it from reading through a few pages on here that it looks like my dipstick is and has always been the wrong length and that it should be about 3 1/2" long with a High and low mark.

It looks like mine is a Norton dipstick from the markings inside the cap etc.. just not for my bike, good job I have always used the quantity as the measure.

Chris

FOUR oil changes in a year!!
How often do you adjust valves?
WOW!

Id say it depends on where you live and how much you ride and how much oil the engine uses.
Oil used to be cheap but perhaps less so now. In my youth oil came out of the boss's 55 gallon drum
so changes were often!

If you have the central oil tank this is the proper stick.



I always keep the oil level near the bottom mark, otherwise it tends to pump oil out holes I don't want it out from. Change your oil to your liking, you may not have an oil filter on that bike too.

Well the first change was when I bought it just to make sure all was well. The second was befroe being laid up for the winter, The last 2 have been in the last month as I started to suspect the oil level was odd given the dipstick mark>

Anayway thanks for that piture it makes it simple for me, I will just make sure that I mark it as in that picture.

Cheers

Chris

Farmboy said:

Anayway thanks for that piture it makes it simple for me, I will just make sure that I mark it as in that picture.

Click to expand...

Drain the tank and the sump thoroughly. Add 3 quarts of oil. Run the engine until oil is circulating back into the tank. Stop the engine and wait a few minutes. Check the oil level with your dipstick and mark it with an awl or chisel. If you like, you can then drain a half quart and make a low level mark on the stick as well.

Thats about what I did thanks for the help.

Chris

on my new build commando i added 2,8 liter oil. The oil level was just about the low mark after my first test ride.

i am not an expert here, and dont know if they-->
are right, but i guess.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NORTON-COMMANDO ... 3397439cb4

http://www.norvilmotorcycle.co.uk/techtalk14.htm

(taken from a german britbike forum)

For a central oil tank, you may be correct. I have a side tank with a filter, when I do an oil change w/filter and a drained sump I add 3 quarts, it brings the oil level to the center between high and low after a short run-in.