Rotary Owners' Club

Hi, I've been busy with all things except the Norton for months and so have not been here for as long. Did you get a response to this? I fitted Startrights electronic ignition system and new coils about seven years ago. It's never failed to start, never missed a beat and I'm very pleased with it. It...

Hi Graham,Due to life getting in the way of things rotary related this is my first visit to the Forum in months. I too am way overdue on subs because I'm rubbish at remembering to send them! I would welcome being able to pay on-line when I remember, so I can catch up (and maybe even stay ahead!). Th...

Hello Paulo,Welcome, and good idea - I'll join you in wishing everyone well for 2011.Johnny

I knew a chap who ran a lawnmower shop near me. He loved Vincents. He had a Rapide and a Black Shadow in his shop which I was admiring whilst buying some starter rope. "You ought to see what I have out the back - a White Shadow". I never heard of such a machine so show me he did. Absolutel...

I wonder what happened to the proposal of a hydraulic conversion using an expanding bag? Sounded brilliantly simple.

Oooo, back on the clutch comments again - can't resist it!!I'll float this idea again as It didn't generate any feedback last time (that I remember). I agree that clutch lift on the manual clutch is the main cause of drag.Clutch lift on the manual clutch is determined by the distance that the balls ...

1) Fit a hotter thermostat for winter running2) Fit a manual switch in series (I think, might be parallel depending on how it wired) with the auto switch - if the auto is slow flick the manual switch to achieve the same effect. Switch it back after the engine had go hot enough to change over the auo...

Why do my bikes never stay as clean as these? Nice collection Johnny

And me.

I came across this on an AJS 650 primary drive. Thought I'd check it all over after I found a few bodges soon after buying it. One of the links didn't look right so I took the chain off and found a second link on the chain with the spring link on the inside, and with the spring facing the wrong way....

Hope I never find myself on the same roller coaster as you then Gripper!

A 200 mile round trip for me and very well worth it. Much better than the local shows around my way - the knebworth show has gone from mediocre to rubbish in 4 swift years.I second the thanks to Roy for the organistion and for splitting my ears with the grass tracker! Nice to put some faces to names...

Since you've asked for ANY ideas, it sounds like the aluminium might be expanding, a cool disc then closes and is gripped by the aluminium as it cools and contracts. Why this one though and not others - has the disc worn the beginnings of a ridge in the intake tract? Is there a slight flaw / bimple ...

I've been smoked out whilst riding. Check the exhaust manifold for leaks. Smoke tends to get pulled up and lingers in the depression caused by the screen. A small leak is enough, especially on Rotella. Flies also get caught in the depression I've noticed, quite entertaining watching one hover about ...

I've mentioned this elsewhere and so won't repeat too much, but I'm now on brand new (!) plates and replaced the rotor oil seal as I believed the oil seal was letting by. I ran it on ATF thinking that would do a reasonable job of carrying away particulates from the clutch plate surfaces whilst beddi...

Hi John,Is this with ignition on or off? My temp gauge was reading higher than usual. It would fluctuate when hot and the bike was moving and I noticed that switching the lights on increased the temperature by 10 degrees! I traced the fault to a poor instrument cluster earth.By the way, Graham sells...

Since the great oil debate has been off the radar for a few months I'd like to report that I've tried Mobil 1 5W30 in the chaincase with noticeable improvement over ATF. My opinion so far is that I've had a better result with Mobil 1 than straight mineral oil SAE 20, 30 or 40, multigrade 10W40 and A...

Well Done! Hope I'm as lucky next week.Johnny

Hi Howell,I have a Norton box in a Commander engined IP2. 3rd is noisy as hell, 4th isn't much better. 5th is quiet though. A Schuberth crash helmet cured the noise :-)No problem with gears jumping out but gear changes right now are occasionally good but mostly stiff and clunky. That's disappointing...

I'll be pleased to turn up for it. First time to get to meet you all too! I'll be on a water cooled IP2 in respectable but used condition.E-mail address is johnnyshowlett@gmail.comJohnny

Hi Keith,For a plug spanner I use a Britool 9RBM1617 double ended ring spanner which just fits between the rad and the plug. Touching the outside of the ring on a grindstone helps it fit well into the plug recess and get a good grip. I also use Copperease on the threads to keep the plug threads free...

Brilliant - many thanks Graham.Johnny

Thanks for the offer but I already have the seals from Graham.Johnny

That's what I thought Gripper until I read it a couple of times. For the RHS it says the seal garter should be towards the axial bearing, not the main bearing. I assume the gas pressure on the main bearing side of the seal must be lower than the atmospheric pressure in the chaincase side and the oil...

Hello Wayne,If it is the same chain tensioner as used on the IP2 and Commander there is a good exploded diagram in the IP2B section of the workshop manual downloads available on Graham's website.Johnny

To date I drilled the oil feed bolt heads off which allowed them to turn out with pliers and removed the plate. Big question - which way round is the seal supposed to be? I assume it would be to prevent engine oil entering the chaincase and thus have the sprung side towards the engine, writing side ...

Yup, no denying it's upside down. I believe though that it's the Ensign flown upside down for distress as it would not be easy to spot an upside down Union flag at a distance.I don't think flying the Union flag upside down is regarded as an act of treason these days, but it might take a bit of expla...

Thanks Dave. It is definitely leaking. I was running on Rotella and the chaincase oil would become blackened after about 1,000 miles. It isn't the clutch hub rubbers as I recently changed those and had cleaned absolutely everything in the chaincase enclosure. I figured the only thing left was engine...

Help please. Commander engine oil seal to the primary chaincase lets by contaminating the clutch plates. I have a new one.Clutch and drive sprocket are off. I have removed the hexagon head bolts under the drive sprocket. The two countersunk bolts holding the oil feed pipe are solid, I expect to have...

I'll watch this with interest too as my water cooled IP2 was horrible. Balancing the carbs helped a lot.The clutch hub rubbers were shot. I could tell this because they fell out when I removed the hub cover! Replacing them also improved things but the problem still occasionally appears.I think the p...