Oil level checks

I just got my 74 850 commando and also a Hyanes shop manual. I do not have an owners manual and it seems the shop manual does not mention some basic but need to know stuff, so here is my dumb Norton newbie question for the day. What is the proper way to check primary case and gearbox oil levels. The manual does say 7 ounces for the primary and .8 pints for the gear box. Is the hex head plug in the primary the level check? Also, how is the gearbox checked? Thanks in advance for you help. So far runs good, but one Amal 932 leaks when running - ordered float needles and bowl gaskets alomg with some other stuff from Old Brits.

Oakland850 said:

Is the hex head plug in the primary the level check? Also, how is the gearbox checked?

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Yes and the gearbox level is number 23 shown here at the back of the outer cover.
http://www.oldbritts.com/1972_g7.html

Thanks - Will check them in the morning. Really nice forum here - a lot of good guys.

http://britmoto.com/

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Owner ... nerMan.pdf

Leaky carbs is not always the float needle. The seat may be damaged and require honing. The gaskets will not hold the fuel in the bowl if it is too high. You will find out with the new needles. Other thing to check is float height. It can actually be done off the bike with just the float bowl, needle valves and floats and something to hold the float in position, and a tube to the intake to fill it. Amal has a good web site describing their carbs and setup. If you don't have the new stay up floats it's worth getting.

Let me know if you need to know how to adjust the floats off the bike. I have a thread on it as well as several others.

Dave
69S

Two ways to learn Norton oil level, put in what looks right or go by manual and then let it seek its true normals but be prepared for extra clean up till it does.

Oil tank, tops off about 1/2" below the dip stick reach, seriously or comes out everywhere, engine and tank. Must look in tank to see if enough oil to start and run a few seconds to pump sump back to tank, so can't tell level till ~30 sec later.
Primary oil should just touch the chain links with proper tension/sag.
MUST learn primary chain adjusting by manual and check hot or gets so tight bends shafts.
Gear box level should just cover the cogs ya can see looking down the inspection hole, excess will come out the clutch plates into primary.
Forks actually need more like 175 ml rather than 150 ml in manual.
Coils sometimes need topping off too just shy of the filler screw.