Oil Line Replacement

[Tornado]

Found this Prestone branded 3/8" ID hose locally (Canadian Tire) to replace the feed/return lines on my 850.
Not a bad alternative for the stock herringbone surface pattern (shown alongside for comparison):

 

[Torontonian]

Whatever works for you Tornado , from a Crappy tire perspective. The original herringbone lines seem to last forever . Did you know C.T. is actually a bank ? C.T. money is cool. I try to refuse points in lieu of paper notes. Enjoy.

 

[Tornado]

I'm fitting a anti wet sump manual in line valve and didn't want to cut up the still intact original herringbone. And, my in line valve now has an ignition circuit defeat switch in case the "loose nut on the kickstarter" fails....if you catch my drift.

 

[marshg246]

Found this Prestone branded 3/8" ID hose locally (Canadian Tire) to replace the feed/return lines on my 850.

Have you verified that the hose is suitable for hot oil? Fuel line may or my not be. The hose should have a number every few inches that you can use to lookup the specifications if they are not printed on the package.

A friend used fuel line on his Norton for oil lines and fortunately it burst in his driveway on returning home instead of while out riding.

 

[Niagara850]

I discovered a CTC PCV hose on my oil filter to tank line. Hard, stiff and leaking. Bought some of the fuel line but saw the temp rating was low. Ended up getting hydraulic hose from a local heavy equipment supplier. Much higher temp rating, half the cost but no herring bone

 

[htown16]

Fuel line doesn't have enough reinforcement to go around sharp bends without collapsing on itself. I used some on my 74 build. First startup and I'm getting no oil flow back to the tank. Where the hose went from vertical to horizontal to go into the tank it had kinked. Fortunately it was the return and not the feed. Use 3/8 inch transmission oil cooler hose. Most autoparts stores carry it. You can see the additional reinforcement if you look at cross sections of each. It is also stiffer to bend.

 

[Tornado]

The line picture above is quite stiff
In fact I tried pinching it closed with a big hand clamp...could not make it seal off unlike original hose.. It is imprinted as J30 R6 spec low pressure range (not for injection systems) and -40 to 250 F.

 

[batrider]

Posted before but NAPA transmission oil cooler line works well and has the herringbone look. Not expensive either.

 

[alan hodge]

well...….on my other britbikes and the 72 commando I am using 3/8" rubber/string reinforced fuel injector rubber line for oil lines so far so good.

 

[marshg246]

The line picture above is quite stiff
In fact I tried pinching it closed with a big hand clamp...could not make it seal off unlike original hose.. It is imprinted as J30 R6 spec low pressure range (not for injection systems) and -40 to 250 F.

Please check the hose again after you get the engine up to full temperature on a hot day sitting in a traffic jam. The oil tank on my old Triumph 500 would get to 225F in those conditions so the oil entering the tank was probably at least 250F. I haven't checked my Commando.

Like others have said I use transmission oil cooler hose because it's available at most auto stores. Engine oil cooler hose makes more sense, but I' haven't found it separately.

I checked with my friend. His hose was also J30 R6 and he was riding two up but not fast on a 95F day. He has a long driveway. Fortunately his hose broke about 100 feet from his garage and even more fortunately, he had shut off his petcock just before turning into his driveway. The engine quit before damage was done. It split in the outside of a bend in the hose - feed side.

 

[Tornado]

All good advice. I've so far only had the J30 R6 line on the feed side from tank to engine. Does not seem to be suffering from cracking/softening while out and about. I can touch the line with bare fingers after shutting down and it is not too hot to touch. Mind you it has been cool weather (10-15 Celcius) since putting in on a week or two ago. I'll have a look locally for a better higher temp range line regardless. Easy to swap it out.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Lots of potential horror stories shared here about using the wrong type of hose (que The Two Ronnies: “garden hose”? ... “no, garden hoes”!).

I’d just like to point out the obvious here, your local / favourite Norton parts seller will sell the right stuff. AN even list the herring bone stuff. Of course it’s expensive if you want 10 metres, but it’s not so bad if you buy it in 15” lengths.

 

[Onder]

By necessity we so often change from genuine. In our callow youth we changed by inpecunity. Sometimes we forget that going with original spec
parts is better and cheaper in the long run.

 

[850commando]

I'm fitting a anti wet sump manual in line valve and didn't want to cut up the still intact original herringbone. And, my in line valve now has an ignition circuit defeat switch in case the "loose nut on the kickstarter" fails....if you catch my drift.

there are 2 things verboten in my realm/shop/garage; 1; inline antisump valves, 2; speedbleeders.

if you do some digging you will find a lot of reports here on destroyed engines because of item #1.
and again in bmw circle there many reports of hamhanded owners using speedbleeders and breaking them off, require major effort to rehabilitate a damaged caliper....

 

[Tornado]

By necessity we so often change from genuine. In our callow youth we changed by inpecunity. Sometimes we forget that going with original spec
parts is better and cheaper in the long run.

Priced out stock herringbone some time ago...something like $25 per foot. So for 2-3 ft to replace all (oil filter fitted), I'd be looking at $75 plus another $10-20 to have it shipped. That's crazy money for a bit of hose.

 

[Tornado]

there are 2 things verboten in my realm/shop/garage; 1; inline antisump valves, 2; speedbleeders.

if you do some digging you will find a lot of reports here on destroyed engines because of item #1.
and again in bmw circle there many reports of hamhanded owners using speedbleeders and breaking them off, require major effort to rehabilitate a damaged caliper....

And I've read just as many reports of problems from wet sumped engines. I was sitting on fence, undecided until my engine blew out the crank seal in the primary case and filled up the case until it started blowing out the tranny drive sprocket opening.
My setup is not the notorious spring loaded ASV...it is manually operated and will have an ignition defeat switch to prevent me from myself ;-)

 

[CanukNortonNut]

I use the Comstock reed valve system on my bike with no anti sump valve. The Reed valve device will clear any oil in my crank in about 30 seconds back up to the oil tank. But the benefit is when it starts up. The oil flings from the crank and connection rods directly onto my cam which sits high above and give it the oil it needs. especially when I leave the bike to sit for some time. Never had a seal blow out with this setup. There is a lot of talk about cam wear lately.
Just saying.
Cheers,
Thomas

 

[850commando]

i understand the cost of parts, from your comments you probable have as much $ into your norton that i have into my 73 basketcase. so i understand the need to control the expense... how ever there is even case where someone here lost and engine which is suspected due to oil flow interruption resulting from a stop and restart with a antisump valve breaking the oil flow..... maybe speculation. the risks are not worth it. and i too have added the comstock reed breather, i consider it the best solution to sumping.

 

[Fast Eddie]

I use the Comstock reed valve system on my bike with no anti sump valve. The Reed valve device will clear any oil in my crank in about 30 seconds back up to the oil tank. But the benefit is when it starts up. The oil flings from the crank and connection rods directly onto my cam which sits high above and give it the oil it needs. especially when I leave the bike to sit for some time. Never had a seal blow out with this setup. There is a lot of talk about cam wear lately.
Just saying.
Cheers,
Thomas

Yes, that’s how I see the world too. A wet sump protects the cam on start up... a reed valve clears the cases in seconds... and a reed valve helps reduce minor pressure related leaks.

3 big upsides and zero downsides.

With 3 common ‘worry areas’ solved you’re then free to worry about the next things...

 

[Peter R]

My Commando is still on its original oil lines, they seem to last eternally.