First road test!

Got the bike around the neighborhood a few times. Idles well. Transmission good Leaks like crazy and blows some white smoke once warmed up. Looks like I’ve got a little engine work ahead of me.

Question: all of my fluids are new. Still getting black oil all over. Looks like it’s coming from the head gasket. Seems really black for just exhaust carbon and new oil. Any thoughts?

It'd take one hell of a salesman to convince you that: 'They all do that, Sir'....
Oil looks 'normal' to me.... just in the wrong place!

Looks a little dark to me! verify it's a head gasket not a valve cover gasket it could be a return clogged. In the front like that there are post with the head bolt breaking into the pushrod area of the cast cylinders. Don't worry everything has a fix. Sorry for your oil leaks, now you can enjoy fixing it!!

Yeah I thought about a clogged return. I was planning a rebuild when I bought it anyway. Not sure I want to grease my entire shop hunting for a fix.

Frame needs paint anyway.

Your new oil has probably just cleaned out internally whatever was left over from prior use...
(Before it made a bid for freedom!)

These bikes wet sump did you drain the engine oil from the engine or start the engine before oil change. There may have been a few liters in the sump that gets pumped back into the oil tank when started causing your black oil leaks. The engine will be over filled now.

In Commando engines it is important that the cam followers are installed with the V notch facing forward/down because of the sloping cylinders . If installed wrong way round the draining of the cylinder head through the pushrod tunnels is impeded.

ozcruiser said:

These bikes wet sump did you drain the engine oil from the engine or start the engine before oil change. There may have been a few liters in the sump that gets pumped back into the oil tank when started causing your black oil leaks. The engine will be over filled now.

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It was started, checked flow and everything was drained.

flat side of the rocker shafts facing in the correct direction?

Odd how oil seems to have spattered down to the casing, not like it ran down from somewhere above. Could a rocker feed oil line be split and oil is being squirted out, some landing on casing?

Tornado said:

Odd how oil seems to have spattered down to the casing, not like it ran down from somewhere above. Could a rocker feed oil line be split and oil is being squirted out, some landing on casing?

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It’s spattered everywhere from speed. The black stuff didn’t really leak when at idle.

so after rereading your post if i understand correctly, you haven't actually been into the engine yet, if this is correct, then yest you have some work ahead of you. you got a ssssserious oil leak. figure out where its coming from then get going, the fun is in the wrenching...

That much oil and the way its coming out I think its more oil line problem if its only on the one side, the head oil lines get a bit brittle and hard over time I be degreasing the motor and use the talcom powder trick to find where the oil is coming from, might be a easy fit without pulling the motor down, just find where its all coming out from first.

When I was trying to find an oil leak on my Commando I eventually used some ultraviolet dye in the oil and found the issue in seconds. I would highly recommend using this method to locate the oil leak, even on a dirty engine it will show you where the dyed oil is coming from.
I also had leaking rocker spindle covers that covered my engine in oil like yours, even after replacing the gaskets. After that i read the recommendation to put RTV on the cover gasket bolts to stop oil going down the threads past the gaskets. Hope this helps.

When I first took custody of mine, the bike always smelt of hot oil, had some visible leaks and generally dripped. I don't know if you have any of the issues I found, but here's my list, in case it helps: The two worst leaks were: 1. all three rocker covers; and 2. Poor fitting oil tank cap.

1. Was dealt with using neoprene-like gaskets. I think I found them on Amazon. 2,000 miles, no leaks so far.
2. This was the worst leak and difficult to identify, as oil was turning up everywhere, RH silencer, exhaust and cylinder barrels. I found it was not the cork washer/gasket inside the cap, even though it was very compressed. It turned out to be the turned down exterior lip of the tank's filler hole, which had worn. As the cap was tightened, it would stop prematurely. The lip no longer had a ramp to draw the cap down to seal, it had worn to a step. I filed a ramp into this. It's not great because it's difficult to get to, but has just allowed the cap to tighten another couple of degrees and no longer leak.

Sorting these two leaks allowed me to then work through the lesser leaks
- cylinder head. Seems solved by re-torquing the head and a reed valve in the breather line. I'm particularly relieved about this. I was dreading having to replace the gasket. I got the valve from Holland Norton Wofks. The bike sounds and feels much happier after that mod;
- primary chain case. New gasket applied with a light coat of grease
- new washers on all drain plugs. I think the gearbox plug may still have a tiny drip, or it is coming from the gearbox to primary seal. But it is almost nothing, so I'll live with it;
- a new oil feed line from the tank to engine case, with new jubilee clips.

The bike had done 3,000 miles since a rebuild 10yrs ago. So possibly these are typical shakedown issues after work, or storage, possibly poor aftermarket parts, or maybe original workmanship.