Oil pouring through exhaust outlet

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Thanks to all for taking the time to reply and I take on suggestions that cause might not be so obvious.
My plan is to reassemble, fire up and take pics/vid of issue, strip down again more pics, and try to establish just where the oil is coming from.
can you post video clips on this site?
 
if the oil is a result of wet sumping / piston rings remove the spark plugs and look for the tell tale signs of oil deposit this will confirm if the oil is actually coming up the bore
if the plugs are not wet with oil then it will most likely be the cylinder head / guides which are the issue

a simple check for wet sumping is remove the sump plug and let the crank cases drain down overnight re fit the pug and run the motor allow time for any built up oil to burn off
if it clears it will save a whole lot of trauma stripping the motor , i have even run some BSA Triumph motors for a very short period with the sump plug out and a catch pan underneath
to clear oil build up in the crank cases , dry sump engines when stood for long periods can be a pain in the ass

it is always best to check for the simple fix before digging in to a motor strip
 
Could you let us know what engine work was carried out ? IE were the valve guides touched? Rocker spindles removed? Etc
Cheers
 
Check the rocker feed line. Oil can seep, then follows the finning down to the exhaust pipe.
 
MichaelB said:
Check the rocker feed line. Oil can seep, then follows the finning down to the exhaust pipe.
Click to expand...
That's what happened to me. Thought it was the stainless head bolts and wasted a lot of time replacing them. Problem persisted so washed and wiped down clean the whole head . It was the rocker feed line junction bolt. Half a turn on it to tighten up and the issue disappeared. Duh.
 
Burnt some midnight oil and believe I have found the issue. I put the bike back together and had someone else look closely with me to see what was happening.

Sure enough, the oil started weeping out (after about 30 seconds with the bike running) but from around the centre bolt area. it was running alongside the cooling fin and coming out behind the exhaust locking ring. Took the head off again to look for any obvious damage and noticed a spring washer is firmly lodged at the centre bolt position???. apart from that all generally fine. I recall when I first took the head off it had a liberal amount of sealant so am guessing this may not be the first time this has happened to the bike.
I have spoken to Andover Norton about this and they have suggested that once I removed the offending spring washer is to make sure the head gasket has sealant all around and especially around the studs and bolt holes. I have ordered some parts so once they arrive I will put it back together again and see what happens. The good news is I am getting much quicker at taking the head off; pushrods a bit of faff though.
 
Well that is good that you had found the problem and hopeful will be a easy fix for you, fingers cross for you, its so hard sometimes following the trail of a oil leak to where it starts and with any luck you will clock up some happy miles, I have owned my Norton since new and was a everyday rider for 38 years with the last 8 years enjoying semi retirement after buying a new Triumph Thruxton , but I still get a big smile on my dial every time I take it out for the day.

Ashley
 
I’m still not sure where you are saying the oil was coming from...?
Are you saying it was coming from the centre bolt...?
There shouldn’t be any oil there that can make its way out of that bolt...?

Strange advice from AN IMHO. Their composite gasket work perfectly without any sealer in my experience IF both surfaces are properly flat and clean.

Might be worth checking those two front studs that screw into the barrel. As discussed in another thread recently, those studs can break through into the pushrod tunnel and that can be a source of oil egress. Oil working its way up those studs will show itself in the same fin area as the centre bolt. Sealant or Loctite on the threads will protect against this.
 
Fast Eddie said:
I’m still not sure where you are saying the oil was coming from...?
Are you saying it was coming from the centre bolt...?
There shouldn’t be any oil there that can make its way out of that bolt...?

Strange advice from AN IMHO. Their composite gasket work perfectly without any sealer in my experience IF both surfaces are properly flat and clean.

Might be worth checking those two front studs that screw into the barrel. As discussed in another thread recently, those studs can break through into the pushrod tunnel and that can be a source of oil egress. Oil working its way up those studs will show itself in the same fin area as the centre bolt. Sealant or Loctite on the threads will protect against this.
Click to expand...
Yes as said , strange advice , except if it is a copper gasket (and even) hope it works for you , keep us informed ...............
 
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Fast Eddie said:
Might be worth checking those two front studs that screw into the barrel. As discussed in another thread recently, those studs can break through into the pushrod tunnel and that can be a source of oil egress. Oil working its way up those studs will show itself in the same fin area as the centre bolt. Sealant or Loctite on the threads will protect against this
Click to expand...
will do
 
Fast Eddie said:
Might be worth checking those two front studs that screw into the barrel. As discussed in another thread recently, those studs can break through into the pushrod tunnel and that can be a source of oil egress. Oil working its way up those studs will show itself in the same fin area as the centre bolt. Sealant or Loctite on the threads will protect against this.
Click to expand...
the studs were only finger tight but the tapped threads do not break through into the pushrod tunnel. Added some sealant and nipped them up.
 
Fast Eddie said:
’m still not sure where you are saying the oil was coming from...?
Are you saying it was coming from the centre bolt...?
There shouldn’t be any oil there that can make its way out of that bolt...?
Click to expand...
The oil definitely came out about the central bolt. I can now only assume oil from the pushrod tunnel was migrating to the stud then up and out past the incorrect spring washer. I eventually proved the spring washer using a small bearing remover. See the photo of the offending item.
I take your point about the front two studs being more prone to leaks and oil be have been leaking there as well but held back by the washers.
Anyway, waiting on some parts before reassembling the head. Will let know what happens then.
 

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Graeme Mitchell said:
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I take your point about the front two studs being more prone to leaks and oil be have been leaking there as well but held back by the washers.
snipped
Click to expand...
Graeme, steel flat washers will not, can not stop an oil leak. Copper washers can be used to stop an oil leak, as they "crush" when you tighten the nut. However, they won't stop an oil leak when using standard nuts. The copper washers will seal between the aluminum of the cylinder head and the under side of the nut. However, the oil will then work it's way up between the threads of the stud and the threads of the nut. You would need to use "acorn" [dome] nuts, which in conjunction with copper washers, would stop the leak. Triumph uses this method to seal the over head oil line to their rocker boxes like this. See items #30 thru #32 linked below.

Triumph Overhead oil system

You might try replacing the steel flat washer on the center bolt with a copper one. That will stop the leak, at least temporarily, if that is really the source of the leak. Best practice is to fix leaks at the source [head gasket]
 
chaztuna said:
Graeme, steel flat washers will not, can not stop an oil leak. Copper washers can be used to stop an oil leak, as they "crush" when you tighten the nut. However, they won't stop an oil leak when using standard nuts. The copper washers will seal between the aluminum of the cylinder head and the under side of the nut. However, the oil will then work it's way up between the threads of the stud and the threads of the nut. You would need to use "acorn" [dome] nuts, which in conjunction with copper washers, would stop the leak. Triumph uses this method to seal the over head oil line to their rocker boxes like this. See items #30 thru #32 linked below.

Triumph Overhead oil system

You might try replacing the steel flat washer on the center bolt with a copper one. That will stop the leak, at least temporarily, if that is really the source of the leak. Best practice is to fix leaks at the source [head gasket]
Click to expand...
That bolt should not be getting oil, thus the washer does not need to ‘seal’.
And copper washers should not be used on critical torqued fasteners.
 
Graeme Mitchell said:
The oil definitely came out about the central bolt. I can now only assume oil from the pushrod tunnel was migrating to the stud then up and out past the incorrect spring washer. I eventually proved the spring washer using a small bearing remover. See the photo of the offending item.
I take your point about the front two studs being more prone to leaks and oil be have been leaking there as well but held back by the washers.
Anyway, waiting on some parts before reassembling the head. Will let know what happens then.
Click to expand...
Have you still got the old head gasket? Got any pics? That much oil migration shudda left witness marks...
 
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