Side cover over oil tank

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olympus

olympus

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The bike came minus oil tank cover, which I have now acquired
I can see the two 1/4 bolts at the top & a rubber grommet towards the bottom, but I cant seem of find what actually secures it at the bottom??, I cant believe its just held by the two bolts at the top?
Thanks
 
The rubber grommet at the bottom is sandwiched between the Z plate and th frame.
 
olympus said:
Would someone have a photo of this bracket please??
Click to expand...

The Z plate is what the foot pegs and muffler mounting brackets are attached to on both sides of the bike. It's really big and shiny.
I'd be surprised if it were missing. Yes, the oil tank cover IS only attached by the two bolts at the top and kept from rattling
around at the bottom by the very small rubber grommet which is wedged between the Z plate and the frame.
 
olympus said:
I can see the two 1/4 bolts at the top & a rubber grommet towards the bottom, but I cant seem of find what actually secures it at the bottom??, I cant believe its just held by the two bolts at the top?

I'm missing that as well then..... AN here I come :)
Click to expand...

Do you actually mean the lug (and grommet) is missing from the panel? As the lug is part of the panel.

You said previously there is a rubber grommet towards the bottom? So where exactly?
Side cover over oil tank
 
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One of Commando initiation rites is refittng that little rattle stopping gromlet and highly recommend rubber washers under the top mount screws dampening too. The gromlet put a good bind pressure on my two Combats to make full seating an issue so sliced off the gromlet tab for successful relief on IS panel Peel but retained its useless hassle on factory Roadster panel Trixie. May have to slice the pad a bit to get non rattle clearances which risks it slipping out hole, so thinking man's art to get lasting fitment w/o cracking wallowing out the cover mounts over time. Never forget Commandos were rescue stop gap scab together affairs not meant to fit well to last till next generation developed.

Some cut air slots in front lip and one famous designer placed alu block in cover so inside against oil tank with fins on outside of cover for extra unNorton coolness.
 
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When is was mentioned a Z plate, I started looking for a bolted on small steel bracket, not the alloy foot rest/ control lever hangers..
The cover I have purchased doesn't have the lug at the bottom & the rubber stopper is affixed to the inner face towards the bottom.
It still keeps the cover away from the tank.... but its not right... so back it will be going.
Thanks for clarifying the matter.
 
hobot said:
Some cut air slots in front lip and one famous designer placed alu block in cover so inside against oil tank with fins on outside of cover for extra unNorton coolness.
Click to expand...
hmmm come to think about it I guess the cover does restrict air to the tank. My BSA does not have a cover so I suspect the oil may be a tad cooler. hmmm hmmmm
 
The issue I ran into on 2 Combats was the oil tank mount tabs distortion did not allow the side cover to tuck its thick lower Z plate bumper pad to slip in behind w/o putting distortion loads on the thin cover making upper 2 mounts tend to wallow out. If I shifted/forced tank mounting to align the cover better tank fouled the frame to rub rattle. Also found tank bottom center mounts were too tall so cover tab did not slip down behind Z plate enough to stay put so cover bottom would pop out at angle, ugh. Stuff to keep in mind, hardly any short cuts to avoid miserable fettering beyond the obvious.

I cut a couple 1/4" wide 5" long vertical slots in mine, Wesley cut 3, 3/4" holes he plugged/finished with round screen caps. Easy to reverse by JBW and elbow grease. Wind does blast cover front collecting oil mist and bugs.
 
How 'bout just leave the cover off, put a "minimum oil level" sticker on the tank and call it done.
 
in the early 1970's it was considered prudent to cut a couple inch slots in the front and back of the right side cover to enhance cooling
no idea if it did any good but it looked cool and sort of made sense
 
P11's had exposed oil tank and chrome cap done with style to view, not crude item that needs a cover. Its pretty hard to over heat Commando oil if staying fairly legal=tame throttle operation but turnpike runs and track days can. Peel had oil sender 1/4 way off tank bottom at front to see at idle 20 min it never got oil or head temp even up to 50 mph easy cruise levels.
 
I cut two neat slots in the front of the cover on my 850 as on some production racers, I believe I got the idea from Norman Whites I believe. Completely eliminated overheating and looked cool!
Mind you it didn't overheat before but it made me feel better!
 
Not that I'm going to.... have any of the "goodies" suppliers manufactured an oil cooler kit, as this does look the business on the T160
 
peter12 said:
I cut two neat slots in the front of the cover on my 850 as on some production racers, I believe I got the idea from Norman Whites I believe. Completely eliminated overheating and looked cool!
Mind you it didn't overheat before but it made me feel better!
Click to expand...
Ha ha.... did you cut a slot in the rear of the cover.....
 
Now that's what you can call a drain plug, size of the entrance to Dartford tunnel....stick your finger in and have a good scrape around
 
The drain plug is also the screen filter as on the Norton oil tank. Easy to access but it makes a mess.
 
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