Oil now splashing on my cowboy boots. Takes a lot to open my Norton owner wallet but needs must....
Have a '69 Commando with the timed breather from the camshaft. I had oil seeping from the head area plus from the tacho drive and the timing cover where the wires exit to the coils. Obviously also coming from timing cover, primary cover and gearbox cover but that's for another day.
Added a breather to the rear rocker cover, fitted the tacho drive with the lip type oil seal (RGM). Still oil escaping from the cable attachment of the tacho drive. Head oil weeps less but still escaping from one rocker feed banjo.
Sump plug breather just rocked up this morning from JS Motorsports in the States. Arrived super quick from the States.
Reasoning:
1. Desperation
2. I thought of a reed valve added to the timing cover but discounted it as I was not sure it would cure it when the source is obviously sump pressure + unless I drilled additional holes through to the sump, it may not relieve the pressure a significant amount. So I went for the sump breather.
3. Timed breather may not be working correctly (some say it works fine for them) but no way to correct without splitting the cases and If I was doing that I would probably fit a reed valve to the rear of the sump as per Norton Works item.
4. This sump breather version from JS (two sources that I know of NYC and JS) fits the early Commando's, whereas the NYC guys confirm their version does not clear the cross member of the early bikes.
Sump reed valve breather - JS Motorsport
Ordered on 4th May, arrived on 9th so can't argue with the service.
Will keep you posted on ease of fitting and performance.
Cheers
Eddie Cross
The timed breather on the…
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Why on earth...
...have you put photos of your bank statement up on the Internet
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Bank Statements
Michael - good spot - I've spoken to Eddie and deleted his photo.
Regards - Paul.
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Great find
Hi Eddie. My bike has the crossmember too. I didn't know there was a sump plug breather that would fit it. What a great find! Very excited to hear how well it works as well as how well it fits. I've never found a tool that fits the magnetic sump plug I have well enought to tighten it fully.
I lost my timed breather when I replaced the cam many years ago and a timed breather version wasn't available. Now I have a reed valve set up in its place, paralleled with a second reed valve on the timing chest. I haven't had the sump drilled to accommodate the timing chest breather so it probably doesn't do much. If anyone knows anyone who has the skill and knowledge drill the sump safely in situ I would love to hear, otherwise it will have to wait until I've got the engine out. The system works well but probably no better than the timed breather did which, as Paul points out, is limited to granny riding. The sump plug breather could be the answer! I suppose the elephant in the room might be that you loose the ability of the pre-ride oil drain from the sump.
Looking forward to your update
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Update
Hi there Graham,
Only found this product by accident.
The blurb does suggest plugging the larger holes to the timing chest for best results but maybe applies more to the later bikes.
Fitting:
I'll add some images when I can. I ran a hose back from the sump behind the engine and up and across to the LH side panel and up to the tube on top of the oil tank.
They provided a plug for the timed breather so removed breather tube and plugged.
New sump plug cleared the cross member without any issues.
Detached the reed valve housing (2 allen screws) from the sump plug to fit the hose.
Tightened the sump plug. Couple of attempts as you need to tighten with screw thread holes in parallel with the engine front to back so the hose exits at the side.
There are ally spacers so you can vary where it nips up tight.
Nice touch is that the plug is drilled for lock wire- so did this to attache to the side stand. Be better to drill a small 1/8" hole in the frame.
Worse job was fitting the reed valve case over the sump plug as the hose made alignment tricky
All done in under an hour.
Down side is that undoing and draining sump will be a faff.... Undo reed valve holder (2 allen screws), Move to one side (tricky), break lock wire, undo plug- the thread is bigger then the large original sump plug so in the realm of adjustable wrenches. So not really suited if you don't have a anti drain valve from the oil tank and rely frequently on the sump plug.
Results- 1st runs disappointing. Oil in usual places including tacho drive. Cleaned off. I think most is from rocker oil feed dripping down.
2nd run this morning. Rag around top rocker feed. Wiped tacho drive area and timing cover where wires exit.
Took her up to 4k. Couple of miles run.
Result. Tach drive area clean. Timing wire exit point clean. Rag stopped drips from rocker oil feed. Looking good.
I need to give it a proper blast but pretty pleased so far, it is a well engineered piece of kit and logically has to be the best way to cure pressure in the sump.
Also, it idles when 1st started at 500 or less revs- maybe less back pressure helping here too. I also have a breather on the rocker cover but plugged that in case it negates the partial vacuum.
Have not really blasted the bike around but a very promising start.
Regards
Eddie
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I'm very interested in this…
I'm very interested in this product so please do post more on your results please. From what I've read this is a very good solution to a persistent Norton problem. Looking forward to reading your posts!
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Update
Hi,
Another spin round the block and up to 4k on the tacho.
No leaks from tacho drive or timing cover wire exit which is good.
I have a leak from the points cover but I think I damaged the oil seal when I fitted it over the end of the camshaft.
Bike not running great. Bit off tune but can't think the breather is a factor. Need to pull a plug and check mixture and balance.
Images attached.
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The timed breather on the end of the camshaft is too small. It works if you are riding like a granny, but using more of the bikes potential shows up in oil leaks. To use a breather/reed valve out of the timing side you might have to drill the case as per the diagram outlined in the commando service notes (to the 850 breather pattern)
Rocker oil banjo leaks are not breather related.