Was ; DVNR February Update: Now Compression test

[ducdude]

Hi Russ,

Does not smoke until warmed up..  Then smokes more when rev’ed not so much at idle.  As to the smoke color it does seem  more white then bluish gray but  it is hard to tell for sure.  I have only had the bike a few months and 600-800 miles.  At this point now that the compression is known good I will keep my attention focused on the carburation (for now) as the plugs say she is rich but not Super rich and then drop the needles just a tad and see how that effects the smoking and rich running.  As the smoke is only one side I doubt it is fuel related and this is really just a distraction as is the few thousand miles I have planned for this season to see if the smoking stops.  I doubt it will stop, but then next season she will only need reg service and the head work done next winter.  

Who is recommended in the US for Norton head work?  I am in Abington PA not that it maters much, but local is better.

Cheers and thanks ,
Eric

From: Russ Hunt WQ3X 
Sent: Sunday, February 21, 2021 9:34
To: list at dvnr.org ; davidebehnken at gmail.com ; dvnr at casano.com ; ducdude 
Subject: Re: Was ; DVNR February Update: Now Compression test

Eric... When does it smoke? Is it black or white smoke? My bike (combat) smoked only at idle and on the overrun and it was white smoke that had a distinctive bad smell. It turned out to be a very loose valve guide. It was going up and down with the valve. The bike ran great though! Some bikes have had a number of valve jobs by now and if they were done by the Norton unknowing, not removing carbon from the guides before driving them out can cause scoring of the head where the valve guide goes. Oil can then be sucked down the outside of the guide. There are only a few people in the country that I would trust with doing a valve job on a Norton head right. (If it comes to that.) 
I've had mine since new and now it seems to be coming around back more and more to stock. I've found the thing it really needed the most is a link rod headsteady. After that, Tri-spark.

Russ


On Saturday, February 20, 2021, 07:03:33 PM EST, ducdude via List <list at dvnr.org> wrote: 


Well the Commando is back in the spotlight again! 
New fork tube seals and stations, progressive springs and NYC Norton seals and bushes, going in this week end.  Lots of fun stuff to find hidden in tem thar forks.

While I had the bike out I checked the compression in both cylinders to see if I could figure out why she was smoking out of the LH side ex pipe.  The good side without smoke was 122 ish psi and the bad smoking side was 125psi!  So, it seems the compression is good.  

Next we will do a leak down test to see if the valves or rings could be leaking a bit.  So far at 122-125psi that sounds pretty good to me what say the group?

Cheers,
Eric

From: ducdude via List 
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2021 21:18
To: Revere Robertson ; list at dvnr.org ; davidebehnken at gmail.com ; dvnr at casano.com 
Subject: Re: DVNR February Update

Damn!

Add Compression and leak down test to the list ..LOL  Actually should have done that weeks ago but she starts and run so well all I wanted to was ride.,  

Ok will report back in a few days ..

Thanks a lot..

LOL

Eric

From: Revere Robertson via List 
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2021 21:10
To: list at dvnr.org ; davidebehnken at gmail.com ; dvnr at casano.com 
Subject: Re: DVNR February Update

Hi Eric, Did you do a compression check on the head yet
  Todd...


-----Original Message-----
From: ducdude via List <list at dvnr.org>
To: David Behnken <davidebehnken at gmail.com>; DVNR email list <dvnr at casano.com>
Sent: Mon, Feb 15, 2021 8:19 am
Subject: Re: DVNR February Update


Greetings all,

As a group FNG having only bought my new to me 850 interstate a few months ago I would like to say thank you for the warm welcome and let you know I am in favor of postponing the Gathering to later in the summer in the hope that the restrictions will ease as the inoculations take hold.  I would also support a get together someplace were we could chat about the planning with out the emails flying.  

Please do forgive my enthusiasm as this is my first Norton and will be my first Gathering so I am getting ready .  The work on my 850  has been going on in earnest for weeks:
  a.. Premiere 932  Carbs 
  b.. Pazon ignition timing adjusted 
  c.. Sealed up Ex leaks  to quell backfiring 
  d.. NYC Norton engine Breather 
  e.. Turn signals re-attached 
  f.. New brake Master cylinder - AN with smaller bore 
  g.. New Seat 
  h.. New Kicker 
  i.. Oil –Engine, Primary gearbox, filter and seals 
  j.. Drive and primary chains  adjusted 
  k.. Valves adjusted 
  l.. LED Tail and Head light 
  m.. Fog/Driving lights 
  n.. Charging system monitor 
  o.. Fuel Tank Clean and de rust (thinking about caswell resealing) Work in progress 
  p.. Forks fork tubes using NYC bushes and seals - Work in progress 
At some point the head will probably have to come off as she smokes a bit on the LH side and it look like oil (thinking valve seals) for now I just plan to ride her a 1000-1500 miles to see if it gets worse or better as it could be the rings seating after her long slumber.  Time will tell.

Come on spring !

Cheers,
Eric


From: David Behnken 
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2021 0:07
To: DVNR email list 
Subject: DVNR February Update

Hello DVNR members, 

I hope this finds everyone healthy and well.  After the last few months we've had, I'm sure most of us are tired of either the cold, the snow or probably both. As we're now half way through February, hopefully warmer temperatures aren't too far off and the snow may begin to recede.  Maybe we'll get lucky and it'll even stop snowing at some point too.  

I wanted to drop a note to update everyone about current events and near future activities.  I spoke with our contact at the State Park in mid-January.  He said to check back with him at the end of February to confirm, but it was almost guaranteed that the park will NOT be available to us in April if we wanted to try to hold a Gathering of the Nortons event.  I'm sure no one is surprised. 

As such, we have a few options for the 2021 Gathering of the Nortons event: 1) cancel the event for the year 2) postpone it until later in 2021. I don't think it's a good idea or even a viable option to try to hold the event in April at another location for several reasons -- we'll never get anyone's permission, liability, who's comfortable attending and the list goes on.  

I've spoken with Todd Robertson who, along with me, has been hosting spring meetings and neither of us think it's a great idea to hold a March meeting in our houses.  As an alternative, I thought I'd throw out Dan Sellers' idea of seeing if the club was interested in finding a restaurant or diner that would give us a room for a meeting.  I know the Spinning Wheel Diner by us in the Somerset & Hunterdon County area of Jersey has a room that can probably be requested, but I'm sure there are more central locations around the majority of the members.  I'll let you guys make suggestions if you know of options.  Hopefully we'll be able to arrange something for those who wish to get together in a group setting.

I picked up a few brackets from Dave at Classic Cycle in Baptistown last Friday.  He asked what the club was doing for the Gathering and I told him basically what I said above.  He's not able to offer his shop for a Gathering of the Nortons size event, but said we were welcome to have a club get together at his shop on the third Sunday of April if we wanted.  Due to limited space, he said no cars, bikes only.  The deli across the street has good food too.  He also mentioned that it would work out great for him as he was planning on bringing his Model 18(?) to the Gathering if it had worked out.  This way he didn't even have to move it to display it.  It's a beautiful bike for those who haven't seen it.  

So, if we aren't able to plan something for March, we have something on the books for April whereby we can get together and have a discussion regarding what we want to do for the 2021 Gathering of the Nortons.  What I'd like to do is have a discussion in a group setting in March and/or April to hash out the ideas members have and then probably put out a poll to choose a plan. If we do a poll, those who aren't able to attend or would prefer not to meet up in a group setting still have a voice.  I'm trying to avoid a prolonged chain of back and forth emails where everybody throws out their ideas at once and it usually ends up feeling like being in a room where everyone talks at once and nobody hears anything.  Fingers crossed.  In short, we'll figure out what the members want to do with the Gathering in either March or April. 

As it's cold, snowy, nasty out and the roads are an icy/salty mess, now's the time to do the bike preparation and maintenance that you always say you're not going to put off and do before it's a scramble in April before the Gathering.  The oil's almost guaranteed to be in the sump, is it due for a change? New oil filter?  That's pretty easy.  How about the gearbox and primary?  When was the last time you changed it?  If your memory is as bad as mine, it's probably twice as long as you're guestimating it is.  That's the low hanging fruit - when's the last time you changed your fork oil?  I've never bought a used bike and not found the forks to have about an inch of peanut butter thick sludge in the bottom.  Not the best for bushings or ride quality.  Brake fluid?  Couldn't hurt, right?  If you get on a roll there's always the swing arm - 140 weight oil or grease (depending on your school of thought).  Fuel and carbs ready?  That's just the fluids.  How's the battery?  If it's not on a tender or won't hold a charge, now's the time to get a new one. Any fixes you've been putting off?  How's the wiring harness?  And then there's everyone's favorite topic: Tires.   When's the last time you took a GOOD look at them for cracked sidewalls, wear and age?  They're the only thing between you and the road and the ability to stop and turn sure is nice..... Now's the time to get some new ones if needed!  

Speaking of tires, I've attached a few pics of the tires I recently took off a new-to-me bike.  As you can see, the tread looks good and they are only about 5 years old.  I didn't see any significant cracking of the sidewalls and they were still relatively soft.  However, I decided to play it safe and replace them.  The tiny round pellets of rubber and silica(?) that you see in the pics were inside the tires; that's exactly how they looked when they came off the rims. I'd never seen that before.  From what I learned from my bike shop guy who was a MSF instructor for many years, it's the inside of the tire coming apart from being ridden at too low of pressure.  The tire was failing from the inside out. My guy said he used to keep a small glass jar of the pellets to show the people in his class what could happen to their tires if they didn't check the air pressure.  Crazy stuff.  Glad I bought the new tires.

Stay warm and be well!

David B   
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