How much more should I do? (2015)

The 70 Commando I acquired about a year ago is running pretty well after intitally suffering from fouled plugs partially caused by rocker spindles installed the wrong way around with the flat sides facing in and likely contributing to the flooding of the head with oil. Work done includes:
Total rebuild of cylinder head with new valves, springs and guides
Bored +0.020 over with new pistons and hasting rings
New RGM high friction front and rear brake pads with front brake stiffening kit
Norvil belt drive kit
New surflex clutch plates
Podtronic 240 w rectifer to match 3 phase alternator
New ammeter and sparkbright.co.uk volt meter LED
New wiring harness
New exhaust header pipes
Under bar end mirrors - loving these for quality and adjustability

Despite instaling a tach drive oil seal, I still have a slight oil leak from the tach drive and the rocker cover nuts, as the cam driven breather is not functioning. I dont really want to split the cases - too much work to solve a slightly annoying but not terminal problem.

It's running well, usually takes 2-3 kicks to start. Joy to ride, with a light clutch and brakes as good as you get with drums.

Cost of the bike was $7k, with $3k parts not including my labour to get it to this point.

A few pics:

A Norton with an oil leak?! :lol:
Its a nice bike, make it safe, wipe off the oil and ride it.
Nice find!

Perhaps the timing case reed valve breather shown elsewhere here would help. And it could be done without too much work and hassle

Did you do anything to the iso's. The rubber gets pretty hard after 40 years.

Dennis

Looks great ,Congrats!

... great bike , great job ... you are only person who can answer your question , after all it's your ride ... I manage to find a little something to do each year even if ...
Craig

You might be able to stop the rocker cover nut leaks. I put flats on everything and silicone top and bottom on the flats and nuts, plus I siliconed on the cover gasket to the cover with a thin silicone coat on the engine side and let it dry. The tach drive needs the o-ring conversion if you haven't done it.

One thing you could do if you want it to look like a 70 is get the halo headlamp assy.

Nice looker.

Dave
69S

well, how about making those fork dust seals fit better.
Dereck
ps noticed this for the first time on the other thread. Maybe you have fixed it.

now go ride it and enjoy it.

Gearbox layshaft bearing? And anything else in there that looks worn while you're in there (and maybe the kickstart pawl just because)?

Stop working on it and you will die.

It's the Winchester effect.

Danno said:

Perhaps the timing case reed valve breather shown elsewhere here would help. And it could be done without too much work and hassle

Click to expand...

If it fits the sump plug breather would be the way to go.

Looks to me like he's got the early center stand, which means the frame brace is in the way of putting on the comnoz sump breather.

Ya nice bike but I also saw that your missing the dust covers on the top of your fork sliders. I personally like the short ones & they are easy to get on just by warming them with a hair dryer to soften them so they pop on. I think they work fine and look better then the long ones but you do need one or the other.

swooshdave said:

If it fits the sump plug breather would be the way to go.

Click to expand...

According to Jim it fouls the frame cross member on the 68-70 frames.


Tim

Hi.
Did you get the footpeg assemblies with the bike?
Ta.

Yes, sump breather would have been good, but the cross brace is in the way on this bike. Finding an early centre stand was a bit of a challenge, as it didnt originally come with one. AN produced one for the bike that works well.

Polish aluminum, note places where oil escapes, and ride the bike - ideas on "what's next" will come.
:mrgreen:

Nice. Ride it. Fix problems as they arise. Make improvements as deemed necessary. Ride some more.

Greg

Rearsets were with the bike when I bought it. By Madass140 member on here as far as I know from the receipts that the PO provided with the sale.

What is the source of the mirrors?