Kickstart issue

I just finished rebuilding my top end of my 73 Commando. Had my bike out for one ride... Brought it home and re-tuned my carbs and checked my timing. When I went to kick it back over I noticed that the kick-start was slipping (Its been acting up for a while now). It was almost making a grinding noise. Now it will slip every time I try to kick it over and there for it once again is unridable. Not really sure what this could be. My frustration is at its peak. Every time I fix one thing something else breaks. I have put ten times more hours fixing crap on it then riding it. I need a little help (motivation) or I'm trowing in the towel with this Fing bike. Any help is much appreciated!

You need a new kickstart pawl. Simple fix.

Sierra, do ya know how refreshing it is to read of others similar Cdo life styles and mood swings for some of us, ugh. I'm now of opinion we have two philosophies on acquiring a Cdo, dictated by mood or forced conditions, take the random showstoppers at inopportune time/places - drawn out who knows how long and often, or go through soup to nuts 'all at once' then spend less and less time dialing in and redoing surprises till stabilized enough to ride off anywhere all the time. If kS pawl ratchet rounded off, suspect other lessor wear resistant component to be lurking too. So once outter cover accessed, not much more to get to it all. Reminds me to order another KS pawl as gave my spare away to Wes this spring, so leaves me prone to a longer show stopper w/o one on hand. Its been my routine to fix something only to create a mystery electrical fault or have a unthought of failure suddenly appear. Some times I call this my Blank Brit Iron Staring State, before the laughing or swearing phase hits.

I never ever wanted to understand anything in the manual but how to change plugs, oil and gas... a pipe dream thats gone up in smoke more than once.

Guess that's why you have 2 Cdo's. You can curse one of them while riding the other!? Your the man Hobot!

Well I will try to pull the inner cover off and check. This should be fun since the two top bolts on the inside are rusted as hell... Cross ur fingers for me and hope I don't light the whole dang this on fire... That was where I was at last night, standing there with a gas can and crazy in my eyes... Lol

They say its darkest just before the dawn .

don't forget those nut's are whitworth! the rusted one's might buy you a chance to go at it with a cooler head, soak em with some type of penetrating oil, wd40, pb blaster, etc then let em sit over night

Gosh, I had forgotten all about the love/hate relationship involved in actually attempting ride a Norton entails. Just begining restoration effort on my old war bird
cirrca 1975. Cases haven't been apart since roughly 1973 or there abouts.

... regarding rusty bolts ... this is known as Ed's Red Barrel Cleaner ... extreamlly effective as a penetrating oil.

1 part Dexron ATF, GM Spec. D-20265 or later
1 part Kerosene - deodorized, K1 (used in space heaters)
------ Mix first two ingediants 50/50 & use as everything lube/rust inhibitor.
1 part Aliphatic Mineral Spirits; CAS #64741-49-9, or substitute "Stoddard Solvent", CAS #8052-41-3, or equivalent (Varsol)
1 part Acetone, CAS #67-64-1
Optional: 1 lb. (0.5 Kg.) of Lanolin, Anhydrous, USP per gallon - better rust protection properties for long term storage, up to two years.
Easier on the skin, to. Melt very slowly.

MIXING INSTRUCTIONS:

Mix outdoors, in good ventilation. Use 1 Imp. Gallon, or 5 Litre chemical-resistant, heavy gage PET or PVC plastic container. NFPA approved plastic gasoline storage containers are OK. Do NOT use HDPE, which is permeable, because the acetone will slowly evaporate. Acetone will attack HDPE over time, causing the container to collapse, making a heck of a mess!

SierrasCafe530 said:

Well I will try to pull the inner cover off and check. This should be fun since the two top bolts on the inside are rusted as hell... Cross ur fingers for me and hope I don't light the whole dang this on fire... That was where I was at last night, standing there with a gas can and crazy in my eyes... Lol

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lol, Imagine how farging pissed you'd have been, back in the day, your daily rider, trying to have fun, and all you're riding buds throwing rotten tomatoes at you because your shit's always broke, AND YOU'RE MAKING PAYMENTS! Learn to EMBRACE the wrenches... or transition to rice http://www.rice-o-rama.com/

Snorton74 said:

Guess that's why you have 2 Cdo's. You can curse one of them while riding the other!?

Click to expand...

that was my theory in having multiple bikes. then everything breaks at the same time :roll:

Guess that's why you have 2 Cdo's. You can curse one of them while riding the other!? Your the man Hobot!

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Thank you Snorton as I try to remind myself of the strain to have it so good, but ya got the emotional reactions reversed, I swear at my factory road worthy Trixie continued decay seat to seals while I swear by my Ms Peel in living room. Life set backs caught up enough crash cage welding set up for next week.

Anything steel above the oil level will see condensation and rust, sometimes enough to compromise the remaining stud threads. What I've taken to doing is clean em dry then assemble and spray paint, usually clear coat but any color will do. The clothes pin spring is prone to rust fracture so not bad id to paint it too. Oh yeah I anti-sieze threads and nip up a bit over manual specs.

Ugh, I need to weld on side car lugs too but Peel sits so tall need to know where chain will strike so must put the guts in Qualfe box to get sprocket and chain run done pretty darn soon. Then take apart to figure out bearing bore slop, likely set screws as a machinist job. I tend to flip a cog in wrong first time through.

Hey, I spent all day dicking around with the clutch rod seal to no effect, finally went without it. Still didn't get satisfaction, the S exhaust is a real treat to try to set up so nothing beats itself to death. Well it didn't happen today, even a short 20 mile ride resulted in the silencers banging on each other. So it all came apart to re-adjust it all, and finally at 10pm this evening I've got it all back together with the pipes hopefully more stable and farther apart and not to bang on the primary or the left iso nut. Uhg, I don't know why I put up with this S exhaust, but I do. I guess it's a trial by fire. Good thing is the MK3 spring really helps the vibs below 3K.

Hope is in the future. Don't be an Exi.

Dave
69S

I don't know why I put up with this S exhaust, but I do.

We know , but were not telling .

Enjoyed your rebuild thread Dave, seems like you just about got it sorted. I get super frustrated sometimes cause my mechanical abilities are no where close to my timber frame and finish carpentry abilities. So I come on here to adjust my attitude and perception of my own Cdo learning curve. Luv to see some up to date pics of the bike sometime. The Cdo blue is finally starting to grow on me. Peace

Not trying to hijack this thread, but yes, the S can be a bear. I've finally gotten into the final stages of getting this thing set up like I want it. It's been a haul, but I don't mind the learning and it's given me some good riding in the meantime. Hopefully it'll be better for my desire to make it right. Most things are right on, it's just the last few things.

Sierra, just think how much you'll love your bike once it's sorted and you know what to do when it happens. They're really not that hard to work on, all in all. I need to change my pawl too.

Dave
69S

SierrasCafe530 said:

I just finished rebuilding my top end of my 73 Commando. Had my bike out for one ride... Brought it home and re-tuned my carbs and checked my timing. When I went to kick it back over I noticed that the kick-start was slipping (Its been acting up for a while now). It was almost making a grinding noise. Now it will slip every time I try to kick it over and there for it once again is unridable. Not really sure what this could be. My frustration is at its peak. Every time I fix one thing something else breaks. I have put ten times more hours fixing crap on it then riding it. I need a little help (motivation) or I'm trowing in the towel with this Fing bike. Any help is much appreciated!

Click to expand...

No throwing in the towel! This too shall pass. I'm buyin an RD 350 to tear around on during moments of frustration. I suggest u do the same. Capiche?

We had a DT tank for that . Some bloke got quite concerned , said you couldnt get a strauight one for under 150 bucks , about 78 .
Had been straight, previously . No football was handy .

Better throw this on seeing we're here , Steve kindly purloined for us .

Don't give up SierrasCafe530 . There's always lsomething to be done with these I've learned. I for one enjoy it as I get to come here and learn how to fix it or at least understand what happened. That's the cost of admiration from the non Norton owners.

Ya don't let it get you all bent up. We've all had times of frustration. I bought my first Norton when I was around 18, about 30 odd years ago & the Pawl went bad a week after & tho weeks later the main down tube broke in 1/2 below the seat!! The PO had broken it by thrashing around with a side car on it & had done a really bad weld. So three weeks into owning my 1st bike/Norton I had to completely strip it and rebuild it in another frame.. If not for the help of a very good friend who had grown up working in his fathers Triumph/BSA/Norton shop I would never have gotton it back togeather.

Other than grinding the crank, there is little I haven’t done or have gotten intimate with on my machine. 2 to 3 years of tweaking and diddling with every imaginable aspect and then it happens. It’s perfect! It runs just the way I like. Handles just the way I desire. Solid and dependable.

I become stumped as to what else I can or should do. And in that lies my dysfunction. I love to work on it. For so long it consumed much of my time and was/is the source of much pride. Yes, my mind says “just wait, something will happen”. I try to figure out what I can improve for winter projects. I mourn for the activity. Oh, I suppose I could pull the head and lap the valves this Sunday. This winter I may rebuild the gear box, easy enough. But in the mean time all I can do is ride it and look at it with gleam in my eye.

Don’t get me wrong here. I am grateful for what I have and in no way wish to minimize your issues. I am not alone here. Many others will admit the same feelings that I have if they can be honest with themselves.

Snorton74, in some sick way, I envy you and many others. Your bike begs for your attention and mine…….well …….it doesn’t seem to need me anymore, at least not today.
But I remain hopeful.

I guess what I am saying is that it is so hard to compare the feeling of riding down the road on a 40 year old motorcycle, Norton to be specific, a feeling of which that is unattainable with any other motorcycle IMHO. But there is a price, monetarily, physically and emotionally. Kickstart pawl? Shit man, that’s a 30 minute walk in a beautiful park. Someday that feeling of “damn, it’s always something” will dissipate and be gone and you too will feel empty in that dysfunctional way or maybe not.

JimC says,
“If you smile every time you flip on the garage light, you own the right motorcycle.”
This may be the only thing I choose to agree with him on.

Just a perspective.