New owner, white '71 roadster. Few Q's On first start up...

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nidyanazo

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Hello everyone, I'm excited to be getting my Commando in a week or so.
Being picked up in NJ tomorrow and heading out to me here in CA.
The bike has been in my family for the last 8 years, and my uncle has been taking care of it.
I finally got around to paying him, and now it's mine.
I did want to ask a few questions to the guru's on here:

It hasn't been started for about a year and a half. Tank was drained.
I'm looking for a 'checklist' of sorts to get it going.
From my automotive knowledge I'm thinking of doing the following before start up:

Change oil/filter
Spark plugs (care to recommend a good type/brand?)
Inspect tank for rust
New fuel line(s)/filter
Clean carbs (spray)
New air filter
Transmission fluid change
New battery
Lube zerk fittings

Once running:
Set the timing/idle/mixture (any links on tuning-how to articles?)

Now I know I'm missing some things, but this should be a good starting point? How about the ignition? Any other "must do's?"

Looking forward to getting to know my fellow Norton owners,
and by the way, I'm in Santa Barbara, CA if there are any local members.

Thanks fellows!
Happy 2009
 
Hi, congrats on the new machine and welcome to the forum.

If you have a manual you should go over the Routine Maintenance Section and follow all service points you see. Somewhere on this site is a link to a downloadable manual if you don't have one, maybe someone can point it out.

If your uncle was riding it and if it was stored in a climate controlled area it may not need much but if it hasn't been run for 1 1/2 years you should change all fluids (front forks and primary too) plus lube swing arm, wheel bearings, rear chain, cables, points felt, and brake shoe cams. Tires deteriorate from sitting also so keep a keen eye on them or just replace em if they are worn too. If you have a disc brake you should bleed the system and replace the fluid. The master cylinders tend to corrode from sitting and condensation forms where ever there is air in the system.
The Routine Maintenance section will cover all the bases pretty well.
 
Hello Rennie,
Thanks for the tips.
He has ridden it a bit, and replaced some parts on it as well.
He's not quite in the shape anymore to ride, plus has had some surgeries over the last year. It was not in a climate controlled garage, just another regular one. Any ideas how that might affect things?
It does not have disk brakes-

Oh and I found the online manual you mentioned :D

Thanks.
PS I'll be sure to get some photos and videos documenting the process of cleaning her up- I run a media production company, and plan to make some nice film of her running.
 
Hi
I have recently gathered up 2 nortons I've owned for 30 some years. One was in a built on garage in a warm climate (for Canada). It was in running condition then but I wonder what happens to the piston rings after sitting for so long without the constant change of oil and hot pressurized gases moving through and the expanding and contracting etc. I envision the oil rings as solid conglomerates of hepolite, carbon and petrified oil no longer able to function as a triad of separate rings. What about the main bearings etc.

Since I've been out of the groove for 20 years and am just starting to get up to speed with all the innovations of this modern era you should await advice from some of the regular contributers on this site. Your bike should be in much better shape. I think you'll be fine just changing fluids and adjusting chains etc. though, specially if "ole unc" turned it over periodically.
 
nidyanazo,

Welcome to the forum.

Change oil/filter
Click to expand...
No spin-on filter on a '71 unless one has been retro-fitted (good idea). Clean the sump screen.

Spark plugs (care to recommend a good type/brand?)
Click to expand...
Originals were Champion N7YC, equivalent heat range in Bosch or ND or Autolite AP63.

Inspect tank for rust
Click to expand...
'71 should have a fiberglass tank unless later model has been fitted. Check fiberglass tank for bubbling or weak spots as modern fuels can attack them. Suggest cleaning and lining with Caswell epoxy liner to protect against reformulated fuels.

Lube zerk fittings
Click to expand...
Do NOT use grease in zerk fitting on swingarm spindle. This takes 140Wt oil. Most greasable parts on Nortons require disassembly and greasing.
 
Re: New owner, white '71 roadster. Few Q's On first start up

Change oil/filter
Click to expand...

Empty the oil out of the crankcase as well as the oil pump. It is quite possible that some (or most) of your oil will be in the cranckase due to wet-sumping (Nortons are famous for this!). You might want to remove and clean out the oil tank while you are at it unless uncle assures you it has been cleaned out recently. Bikes without an oil filter (unless yours has been retrofitted as Ron suggests) will often accumulate a lot of crud in the bottoms of oil tanks. Better to get that out before you get it circulating throughout the engine. Put new oil in the tank and kick the bike over several times to get oil moving into the big ends. Remove the rocker boxes and squirt oil on the rockers and down the pushrod tubes onto the cam followers and cam. This way, you will know you have oil on the camshaft lobes, followers and valve train prior to startup. You want to minimize wear as best you can.

Spark plugs (care to recommend a good type/brand?)
Click to expand...

I use NGK BP7ES

Inspect tank for rust
Click to expand...

Before starting up, take the tank off and clean it out well. It's possible gas was left in the tank which will now be degraded.

Clean carbs (spray)
Click to expand...

I would be inclined to disassemble the carbs for cleaning after that length of sitting around but you can try running the bike first. If you can get it to idle, your idle circuits are probably reasonably clean.

Once running:
Set the timing/idle/mixture (any links on tuning-how to articles?)
Click to expand...

Does the bike have twin Amal carbs? Do a search on this forum and you will come up with some good resources. One that I know of that is excellent is by Jim Bush in British Columbia. I think his page is called "The Bushman's Carb Tuning Secrets" or something like that. Good descriptions and nice diagrams and photos.

Now I know I'm missing some things, but this should be a good starting point? How about the ignition? Any other "must do's?"
Click to expand...

Does the bike have points or electronic? If the latter, nothing should be required other than a good battery. If the former, you might want to check the condition of the contacts before you start up but if it was running 1.5 yrs ago, it should be good to go ignition-wise.
 
Two things not covered yet. Do them. Pull the oil tank and clean the scum out of the bottom. If it's 3/8 thick and full of metal than break the engine for a sludge trap cleaning.
Second buy a .016 drill bit and glue it in the end if a brake clean plastic tube. Keep the tool for life, use it on the idle jets way back in the body behind the air screw.
Sorry you must do this but it is the only way to know that you will run well.
 
**update**
Bike is being loaded on the transport truck as I type this.
Should arrive here in a week. Will post pics then....

Thanks for all the great tips guys!
I'm off to the parts store to get some things now....


-norbsa, can you elaborate on what you mean when you said: "break the engine for a sludge trap cleaning."
I read the link that Rennie left, about carb cleaning, and see how I must clean the idle jets, thanks for making it clear this is a VERY important operation.

-tpveer, I'm almost positive it has the stock ignition system.
I'm not sure what carbs are OEM, that's most likely what's on it now.
My uncle was very persistent to keep it "99% all original"

-Ron, thanks for the welcome, and the ideas. I was under the impression it had a metal tank (my old yamaha's did, so that's probably just a association in my head) But I will look in to sealing with the caswell epoxy, thanks.


Will do all these suggestions, thanks everyone.
 
PS, can you recommend a good oil? 20W-50? I know there was something about certain brands containing additives that are vital for this older motor, but cant find the link anymore.
Valvoline racing oil has it in it's formula if I remember correctly....

Thanks.
 
The stuff found in the oil tank will determine if this step is needed. The oil tank has some cooling effect so crud likes to stay there. You can read it like tea leaves if what you find Scares you that the other place to check is the large hollow in the crank called the sludge trap or the centrifugal trap. A lot of stuff in the oil tank may make it necessary take apart the motor to clean this trap. A skilled Norton mechanic can do this job in a day but it may take you more time being your first time and all. Don't be scared just check it out.
 
nidyanazo said:
PS, can you recommend a good oil? 20W-50? I know there was something about certain brands containing additives that are vital for this older motor, but cant find the link anymore.
Valvoline racing oil has it in it's formula if I remember correctly....
Click to expand...

Oil is a VERY controversial subject in the British bike community!! Some folks swear by synthetic oils and it appears that there is real data to indicate that some synthetics may not break down as quickly as petroleum ones, particularly under high temp conditions. Engines with flat cam followers are supposed to require more zinc and some modern motor oils may not have enough zinc for these older bikes. However, this seems to be controversial as well. I use Castrol GTX 20W50 and try to change it every 1000 miles.
 
I did some reading and seem to have found that Redline 20W-50 is a great one. I'm going to use it. :)
 
I use Valvoline VR-1 straight weight oil. It has the higher zddp (zinc compound) content which is critical for engines with flat tappets. I go 2000 miles or so on a change, but I use the bike a lot, so the miles add up fast.

I think its a waste of money to put synthetic oil in an engine that should not go more than 2500 miles on a change of oil. The main advantage of synthetic oil is the longer change intervals allowed by having a more uniform compound in the oil. Since modern conventional oil can go 5000 miles, I see no point in spending more for synthetic.

My modern Triumph uses synthetic, and goes 6000 miles on a change.
 
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