Fluids

I am seriously considering buying a dip stick type oil heater and placing it my tank between rides. I often ride in 50 degree weather and the 7 miles to work gets the bike warm, but can hardly be considered an extended ride. If the oil were at 125 or so at start up, it would warm rapidly for most of that ride. Not only do I think it would help with cam wear and general lubrication but I also think it would help keep condensation out of the oil. I realize this is a peculiarity of where I live, but still something to think about.

I have to agree that the oil lubricating the cam surface is most likely above 176 even if the tank is at 150 (which I have measured), paricularly considering the route it takes getting there, but there is that start up thing.

Russ

Russ,

I definitely agree with what you said. There is a range of temperatures which oil works best at. My porridge is too hot! My porridge is too cold!

I had one of those dip stick heaters for my JD2020 diesel tractor and I always smelled burned oil when I used it. A better option would be to put some removable heat pads on the tank. You can get them in 120VAC and probably magnetically attach them. I thought about doing that on my Miata for the winter and also an old diesel Mercedes I had a long time ago. It's amazing how much easier the engines start when they are the least bit warm. I now have a coolant heater for the JD and that works great. It heats up in just an hour or so.

Dave
69S

I seem to recall those dipstick heaters used years ago in Minnesota during the winter months had the same compliant. Burnt oil. I haven't seen a dipstick heater for years. Of course, I've lived in California and Florida for the past twenty years.

I spent some time looking at NAPA online. Instead of the dipstick I am thinking a 50 watt pad attached on the inward side of the oil tank, I can bob off the cord and rig it to come up just below the seat so that it is easy to plug in. Heck my gearbox would probably like one too, it is amazing how much condensation I get in there.

Russ

Chester said:

74 MKII Commando


I know...I know....this has probably been a hotly discussed topic ever since the beginning of the forum.

I searched previous threads, the best I know how.....it gets very high tech and beyond my needs for more power, racing etc.

I have my original charts in the original owners manual, but this is 38 years later, and options sure have changed.

For an average rider doing average riding, in average Canadian conditions (yawner eh!) I was just wondering if Mobil fully synthetic 20-50 is OK to use for engine?

I know it's all about personal preference, but I just want to know if this alright to do. I didn't do a rebuild on the egine, just took it all apart to check it all out.

Thanks for your thoughts

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I use the Mobil 1 20-50 V-Twin in my bike.
Formulated for air cooled motorcycle engines and includes the zinc that earlier oils had that provides added wear protection for cam and lifters.
I've had no obvious wear problems although it's been only about 6,000 miles.
Don't use synthetic oil during break-in of new rings.

Bob

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Smiths-Oil-P ... 500wt_1357

One of these suckers gives you a combined oil pressure / temperature guage thatll fit in place of your ammeter in the headlamp .
no electrickery required other than lighting , being a capillary tube ( to oil tank ) and pressure lead ( to oil gallery ) .

Tecnically 30 Wt oil , snow conditions , 40 Wt. normal , and 50 Wt for hot conditions . Castrol did a C.R.I. 40 monograde .
petrol / diesel / turbo oil .
The SF / SG rateing ( or SH ) is higer than a low second number ( say SD ) this denotes the toughness of the oil .
Mil. spec is often for big hoary components like ours , rather than nancey little multi wotsit light ones .
The DIESEL suitability gives high load capeability and shear strength , and the TURBO denotes high temperature resistance before ' cokeing ' .( Burning / flashpoint )

So oil suitable for a raceing V8 should have compaRABLE ' fLING ' Characteristics for our advaced oiling system ( :wink: )

Momograde oil requires restraint untill the temperature is adequate, or overpressureiseation may occur . Big hairey apes could use it and still start the sucker ( oil drag - cold )
though this is likely overstated . THOUGH the apropriate Weight ( 30 / 40 / 50 ) for the ambiant temperature suits the motorcycles requirements aS WELL AS THE OPERATORS ,.

Torontonian said:

Chester ,you are a Canuck like moi ,so good luck trying to get the Valvoline VR1. I plan to drive to the National and pick it up on the way back and huge amounts of discount booze for my own lubrication and leave the taxman behind in Canada. I've used Mobil 1 Synthetic and found it leaks out of gaskets/seals quicker. But once I fitted the Mikes XS reed valve most leakages vanished. It's all good. Try to find some V. in Toronto. I have money. Whew.

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following the thread here as I will hopfully be starting my machine for the first time after 20 years, fully rebuilt.
I called valvoline ontarion today, and they said VR1 synthetic and non synthetic are available here at NAPA and UAP.
By the sounds of it, Non syth is the way to go.

Cam lube in commando engines,? the first few moments on starting the can get's bugger all! Then the crank flings some around the crankcase internals..it's a very hit/mis affair! I have beat on the forum door before about the "MUCK SPREDDED" oil thrower engine these Nortons have.

JimC said:

I had a cam wear issue with a Web camshaft I was running in my Combat. I called Web and spoke to the owner. She asked what oil I'd been using. When I told her Mobil 1 she got very agitated. While she was a proponent of synthetics, she had nothing good to say about Mobil 1. BTW, she did replace my five year old cam for $100.

The other thing I would say about oil and Nortons, they benefit greatly from the addition of an oil cooler. The oil that passes through the rocker boxes in the head takes a real beating from heat. IIRC, some who have done testing reported temps in the 450º F range. Those kind of temperatures render any oil less effective if not cooled quickly. According to an engineer I spoke to at Spectro Oils, the oil temperature in the tank should not be higher than 220º F. He thought a 180º-200º temp in the tank would be ideal. He also warned about too cool temperature, as well. Need to boil off moisture. Hence, the need for a thermostat.

An oil pressure gauge and a meat thermometer in the oil tank will tell you a lot about what's happening to the oil in your Norton.

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following the thread here as I will hopefully be starting my machine for the first time after 20 years, fully rebuilt.

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I've never done it before, but the next engine I build I will preheat the oil before I start it for the first time. I don't know how much good it actually does, but it sure can't hurt. I know the CART series engine oil were preheated on every cold startup. Probably common in other racing series, too.