Near fatal failure

swooshdave · Jun 17, 2011

Well, it could have been.

I road a bit today and noticed a few drops of oil when I parked. At one of my last stops the guy I was visiting noticed why, the oil level plug on the gearbox was gone. And then I saw the rear wheel...

I guess it doesn't show well but there was oil on the side of the tire and about an inch up the tread. Luckily it doesn't look like I lean that far but if I did I probably would have wiped out.

I took it really easy on the way home, making sure not to lean too much. I dug through my stuff and found a bolt that seems to work. I put a couple o-rings on it on either side of the washer. I think the o-rings will help it from rattling off. I'll keep an eye on it.

It doesn't look like much oil got out, when I looked in the gearbox it was about to the level hole.

I lucked out this time.

Hobot · Jun 17, 2011

Fate is the Hunter and you lucked out and cheated it ... again, we all do, even when we don't even know it, ugh. I test traction reflexly before I go diving into steep leans, a bit of zig zaging prior to committing. Also I tend to glance at tires while rolling. Can't ever get too relaxed riding as Fate is lurking, aways lurking...

BTW do you know what a low leaking tire feels like on a Commando yet. Not something you ever want to creep up on you and mis understand what you are
feeling as the reflexes to handle it are reversed from normal.

gtsun · Jun 17, 2011

Wow, glad you found the problem before something bad happened. The Gods of Nortonhood must be happy with you. Not so sure about the O ring idea, never had a fiber washer shake loose but your bike, your gearbox etc etc. Happy motoring!

swooshdave · Jun 17, 2011

gtsun said:
Wow, glad you found the problem before something bad happened. The Gods of Nortonhood must be happy with you. Not so sure about the O ring idea, never had a fiber washer shake loose but your bike, your gearbox etc etc. Happy motoring!

The fiber washer (old and hard) was the only thing left.

aceaceca · Jun 17, 2011

Now I know why they make those lipped rims. Overflow oil reservoir.

AussieCombat · Jun 18, 2011

Alls well that ends well. A stroke of good luck Swoosh.

john robert bould · Jun 18, 2011

Yet another reason to warm to 270 degree cranks, 360's continue to shake bits off :!: I think this winter's rebuild will see a 90 in mine. bucks permitting :!:

Marathon Man · Jun 18, 2011

Yikes! I'm running out to the garage to check the tightness on my gearbox level plug. What an odd bolt to come loose.

CanukNortonNut · Jun 18, 2011

Dave
good job you caught it while working the bugs out.
It should be a red fiber washer.
Item 24 000203
CNN

swooshdave · Jun 18, 2011

CanukNortonNut said:
Dave
good job you caught it while working the bugs out.
It should be a red fiber washer.
Item 24 000203
CNN

That was stuck to the gearbox. I pulled it off prior to the picture. But it was old and hard. Like me. :mrgreen:

DogT · Jun 18, 2011

That's an oxymoron, old and hard, I know.

Dave
69S

mcvic750 · Jun 18, 2011

DogT said:
That's an oxymoron, old and hard, I know.

Dave
69S

Went on a road trip with my dad couple of years back to Germany to pick up a car. We met at my house ready to set off, as he was advancing in years I went through my check list. OK father have you packed your passport, euros, credit card, insurance documents etc ? OK set to go, Oh have you remembered to pack condoms? To which he replied “Condoms, only thing I need at my age Boy is starch” :lol: !!! The next 6 days were a blast!!

McVic

SteveMinning · Jun 19, 2011

I recommend drilling the drain plug and an adjacent nut and safety wire them. There's a reason that race tracks require all drain and filler plugs to be safety wired.

swooshdave · Jun 20, 2011

Found another drip, this one was completely my fault.

I knew I needed to put a hose clamp on it, and after a few rides it was loose enough to drip oil. Tightened it back up by hand and off to my favorite place, Tacoma Screw. Got some nice bolts to hold the license plate on and a stainless hose clamp.

That should do it.

DogT · Jun 20, 2011

Mine leaked from the filter too, but it was the lines, had to tighten them. Amazing how the rear looks the same except for the pipes.

Dave
69S

speirmoor · Jun 21, 2011

Scary ! Lucky all was spotted before anything really bad happened.

gtsun · Jun 21, 2011

I've been thinking about running saftey wire from my big sump filter plug bolt to the little drain plug in front of it. Two plugs one wire thing. Is that how you guys that race these motors do it?

crusadersports · Jun 21, 2011

Dave,

you've got to get into the habit of checking these things before you jump on board. All part of the post restoration fun and I'm sure Hobot will agree!

' Near fatal failure' makes me think something has gone horribly wrong with it out of the factory- whereas here you can't blame the manufacturer!

Don't assume it's right till you know it is!! If you're expecting the manufacturere to do it for you- well, that's why they invented Hondas.

I'vre arrived at work in central London with a rear tyre MANY times worse than that- and I've blamed myself for over filling the oil tank.

swooshdave · Jun 21, 2011

crusadersports said:
Dave,

you've got to get into the habit of checking these things before you jump on board. All part of the post restoration fun and I'm sure Hobot will agree!

' Near fatal failure' makes me think something has gone horribly wrong with it out of the factory- whereas here you can't blame the manufacturer!

Don't assume it's right till you know it is!! If you're expecting the manufacturere to do it for you- well, that's why they invented Hondas.

I'vre arrived at work in central London with a rear tyre MANY times worse than that- and I've blamed myself for over filling the oil tank.

It's a Combat, there was a fatal flaw from the beginning. :mrgreen:

crusadersports · Jun 22, 2011

Dave :mrgreen: :mrgreen: too true!

Near fatal failure

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