NEWSFLASH - 961 OIL IN AIRBOX FIX

Your low line is about equal to the high line on the new stick. order a new stick cap and oring. separate parts . Hopefully helps .
 
I don’t know is answer bout o ring seal, fortunately I have Zero leaks from anywhere, trans vent is the 107 job that Richard 7 & his dad fitted to my bike at 2,300 miles, now I’m just under 15k & touch wood all systems are go , can’t imagine that Assad had major probs, if it 2016 is there any of the 2 year warranty left, & re a dealer near u ? May be a problem I not sure , but somethings are updated/ modified as gestures, treat as u find, had mine service by factory,norton Canada & MCC Chicago & all been fair & excellent
 
High Chance Norton put in a Dry environment Starter (without a seal ) without knowing it. By 2016 that issue should not have happened like the older bikes as its a known issue. Assemblers simply have to pull back the gear and see it has the seal before installing. But could have been missed. Unfortunately you would need to pull the starter to know for sure. Many bikes we see have the wrong starter. Its an easy mistake. I think....
 
FWIW, my 2015 Sport dumped a fair amount of oil into the airbox at first, but now that it's at almost 1,000 miles, that appears to have stopped. The last few rides produced no oil in the airbox. Maybe it's just more broken in now, but also probably too much oil in the tank to start with. It seemed to stop somewhere between 800 and 900 miles. The oil level when I changed it at 600 miles was at the top mark, and is now about midway between the marks on the original (short) dip stick. I don't have the breather fix, just original hoses.

Ken
 
1. Tightened the spark plugs
2. Tightened the header bolts...only one on each side was slightly loose
3. I put my fingers under the starter and there is oil there.
4. How difficult is it to pull the starter and plac an o-ring if it’s not present?
5. I don’t have a dealer near me, but I did purchase an extended 4year unlimited miles warranty that specifically covers everything from major issues to minor leaks. And per this warranty I can get the work done by any mechanic and it is covered with zero deductible. I bought this bike to commute to work and put a ton of miles on it so I wanted to play it safe.
 
So I have the OLD dipstick and it is currently filled to the midway between the two lines. I should keep it at the lower line?

Affirmative.
Midway on the old dipstick is too much oil and will result in oil blown to the air/oil separator and possibly into the airbox.
The separator will catch small amounts of oil before it gets to the airbox.
If the breather passes a larger quantity, then you are likely to get oil in the airbox.
 
1. Tightened the spark plugs
2. Tightened the header bolts...only one on each side was slightly loose
3. I put my fingers under the starter and there is oil there.
4. How difficult is it to pull the starter and plac an o-ring if it’s not present?
5. I don’t have a dealer near me, but I did purchase an extended 4year unlimited miles warranty that specifically covers everything from major issues to minor leaks. And per this warranty I can get the work done by any mechanic and it is covered with zero deductible. I bought this bike to commute to work and put a ton of miles on it so I wanted to play it safe.
Down load the factory manuals on here & make up a workshop manual, laminate the pages, do the same with Richard 7 Manual s , pm him for details & u are almost soughted , find a reputable go to guy in your area , order any parts in first I guess b4 u start opening things up,no reason your bike should not be a daily commuter , skim some out out for now b4 u go work tomorrow.
 
Asad, how do you check oil level?
You should check when engine is really hot, that’s after 10 to 20 miles of driving. Then stop engine and immediately unscrew the dipstick, wipe it clean and measure the oil level. If you wait 20 seconds, oil level will already have dropped. You may also use a flashlight to observe oil level rising when you started the engine and thus oil pump is working...
 
Down load the factory manuals on here & make up a workshop manual, laminate the pages, do the same with Richard 7 Manual s , pm him for details & u are almost soughted , find a reputable go to guy in your area , order any parts in first I guess b4 u start opening things up,no reason your bike should not be a daily commuter , skim some out out for now b4 u go work tomorrow.

Thanks.
Do you mean to say I can just take a little oil out for now to lower the level with hopes that this will decrease the amount of leaking in any of the areas discussed and it would be safe to keep riding the bike? As long there is low risk of oil spilling out from under the starter and causing a dangerous situation I would be fine with that. Should I stuff a shop rag under the starter for now to soak up any ongoing leaking oil so it just stays absorbed and not spraying back towards the wheel and brakes, etc?

Before removing oil I will check the level properly as described by Raphi.

Thanks for the help. This is a great forum!
 
Last edited:
The oil on top of the crankcase usually does not migrate lower. Don't put in a rag. Just wipe it clean when you get home after work daily. The engine oil will find its level after you discharged enough into the air box. Just keep the air box drained and check the oil stick when you get home . Do not overfill the transmission oil. The starter is leaking tranny/primary oil. 1.2 L only needed in tranny.

Great warranty by the way. You should be able to use this bike daily and take long trips if you want to.
 
Last edited:
We all seem to vary on this. Yes...too much oil will find its way out. However, with my older style dip stick, my level was dead center between the marks and with the newer stick, closer to the top of the knurling. The only time I've had oil in the airbox is when the dealership filled it to above the high line on the old stick, and sure as shyte, it found its way out. Also, I've had MKII valve covers installed as well as that ugly plastic separator. It all seems to work well.
 
Thanks.
Do you mean to say I can just take a little oil out for now to lower the level with hopes that this will decrease the amount of leaking in any of the areas discussed and it would be safe to keep riding the bike? As long there is low risk of oil spilling out from under the starter and causing a dangerous situation I would be fine with that. Should I stuff a shop rag under the starter for now to soak up any ongoing leaking oil so it just stays absorbed and not spraying back towards the wheel and brakes, etc?

Before removing oil I will check the level properly as described by Raphi.

Thanks for the help. This is a great forum!
I wouldn’t bother draining from the bottom of engine via the drain plug,just take small amount from dipstick area, make a tiny scoop toning up, keep checking level till u got it lower, & when checking level the bike should be upright & not leaning over on side stand, how long is your commute Assad ?
 
Commute is 18miles each way all highway at 60-80mph speeds with barely any traffic. Temperature is always 60-75'F mostly dry with the exception of morning fog. Typical coastal southern California climate. Found a nice way to suck the oil out.

When I checked the oil level right after a 40mile ride today I could see the oil at just below the upper line with bike standing upright. After just 5minutes the level was significantly lower (right at the level of the lower line). Does the temperature drop off that quickly to affect the level? I find this dipstick difficult to read the oil level. I will use the syringe and suck out some oil from the main oil tank and recheck the level after another ride.

NEWSFLASH -  961 OIL IN AIRBOX FIX
 
Last edited:
At the risk of all round laughter and ridicule I have solved the oil issue!!!. I only get a Thimble full in the air box after a run, but the Norton insists on marking its' territory every time I stop, even with the plug in. I'm going to put a knurled nut on the "P" clip with the correct length hex head to make it QD, and I think I may have to swap the can for a JD or Gordons or Old Grouse etc on a daily basis. There is plenty of clearance between the Swing Arm/Hugger but not enough to fit a can of Newky Brown !!
NEWSFLASH -  961 OIL IN AIRBOX FIX
NEWSFLASH -  961 OIL IN AIRBOX FIX
 
Last edited:
... and I think I may have to swap the can for a JD or Gordons or Old Grouse etc on a daily basis. There is plenty of clearance between the Swing Arm/Hugger but not enough to fit a can of Newky Brown !!

Ha ha ha! I have recently done something similar for my '75 Mk3 which has sprung an annoying leak from the vent at the top of the oil tank. Except I used an empty tall, narrow bottle that originally contained carburetor cleaner. Looks more official at least. ;)
 
Last edited:
Hi guys,

I am awaiting the oil in air box fix under warranty. Should be done over the next couple of weeks. I have taken a more relaxed approach to this issue in the 12 months waiting for the fix to occur and have just incorpertated draining the residue from my airbox as part of every ride.

I follow the owners manual procedure when topping up the oil, less the level on the original dipstick; I top up until oil just shows on the very bottom of the stick. I agree that following the manuals procedure does not allow the engine to warm up sufficiently and as a result I am still slightly overfilling. This will result in oil in my airbox following every ride. I figure this ensures that sufficient oil is always present and that I can see no real penalty in draining excess off from the airbox; we all like doing a bit of ‘fettling’ after all!

That said, I look forward to having the fix fitted and checking out the results. Can anybody confirm that the Trans Vent and Oil in Airbox fix includes the new pattern dipstick?

Thanks.

Steve
0401527947
 
Does not include . Unless of course they changed the kit . You would do well to also put in a feed side in-line oil filter screen. This will stop particulates before they can damage the one way valve. It would be nice if Norton included this in their kit. Even if they charge for it , you should have this.
 
Thanks for that information Tony. I will speak to my dealer about receiving (or ordering) a new dipstick.

I am interested in the in-line filter screen. Could you possibly show me via image where you would place this filter? Have you done this on your bike?

Thank you for your help.

Best regards.

Steve
 
Please see attached pdf from the Norton Service manual (Euro 4). Notice the small black canister in the feed oil line. This can be separated and has a screen filter which can be cleaned and reused. The importance of this filer is greatest for those who have a check valve oil pump. The debris from the oil tank can jam the check valve . This is not the end of the world because the oil filter later on will catch it BUT you will start to wet sump again . And yes I have this fitted as do all the NEW 961 bikes.
 

Attachments

  • IN Line Oil Filter.pdf
    464.6 KB · Views: 530
Last edited:
The debris from the oil tank can jam the check valve.

This is off-topic, but do you think this could be the reason my well pump takes 45 minutes or more to refill my water tank? I had to install a check valve on the inlet pipe when the built-in valve on the pump failed. It’s been in line for just 2 years, but maybe the spring is stuck. :confused:
 
Back
Top