Rotary Owners' Club

Thanks Ian, a good idea but it's a vacuum tap on the Classic. Perhaps the earliest air-cooled rotaries had a manual on/off tap, but not sure it is worth looking for one to swap. I'll be putting an additive in the fuel which I hope will help avoid future problems. It started fine again today, but I n...

Well, following the steps in my last post, today it started and ran normally - after a bit of hesitation on the left hand side. Perhaps it was just a sticking float needle? A pity we have had a lot of localised flooding and the nearest roads are covered in mud and gravel, but I'll try a brief road t...

After a bit of a delay, today I tried Ian's advice to open up the carb by removing the four screws at the bottom, but one is completely inaccessible while the carb is in situ. So I removed the union and pumped a bit of carb cleaner in and will see in a while if that helps. Should the float needles b...

Thanks Ian. I guessed it was probably just heat transference, but was clutching at straws. Busy for a few days now, but then I'll follow your suggestion about the carb and report back.

Thanks for this Ian, which I will try next. Some progress today though. Changed left hand plug and she started up easily, responded to the choke, but clearly right hand chamber not working properly - hot, strong pulses from other exhaust but cold and then at best lukewarm on the right. No backfires ...

The Owners Manual fault finding chart under 'Engine turns but does not start' lists 'Side stand down' as a possible cause, though I haven't tested this.

Thanks John, and others who have contributed. I put a new (NGK iridium) plug in the non-running side and it started up on both. Running is a bit lumpy and the choke doesn't seem to be doing much, so I needed the throttle to keep it at 3,000 rpm to warm up. Would not idle, but maybe needs a bit more ...

Thanks Anthony. In fact I've had some success today - firing on one side though not very happily and I doubt it will stay alive very long with the choke off. Tomorrow I will fit new plugs and see if it will fire on both, and keep running. No real fault found yet, though one battery terminal was slig...

Thanks for taking trouble over this Joe. At the weekend I removed the fuel unions on both carbs and fuel flowed at each when cranking. I do wonder if ethanol has affected components in the carbs, like the O rings at each union? But strange if all fuel was blocked and not even a cough or splutter. Bi...

Thanks Joe. I've removed the unions in turn and fuel flows to both sides when cranking. I don't see a fuel filter in the parts book, and there's no mention in the manual. Do all Classics have them? When I next get out to the shed I'll whip out the plugs and check for fuel there, Mike

Should read retaining plates part no. 50-0617 !

Had a few minutes today and checked that the petrol tap appears to be working correctly - fuel flows when engine cranked. So next to check the carb end. Is that possible without removing the panel mentioned above, which at the moment I haven't been able to shift? Can I just undo the unions at each s...

I'll take a closer look!

The vacuum pipe from the petrol tap disappears behind a cover which I can't yet see how to remove, so at the moment I can't check for fuel in the carbs. What's the best method to see if the tap itself is faulty, to eliminate that before going further? Mike

Thanks Anthony. I'll check this out tomorrow and report back, Mike

Hello all, Was out on my Classic a few days ago, seemed pretty normal though perhaps not quite as smooth and even as usual. At next start attempt (full choke at first), it started and revved to about 3,000, but when the choke was pushed in a bit slowed down and faltered before stopping. Same at next...

Any decent locksmith can copy your original - I had no trouble getting one made, but you may need to look beyond places like Timpsons

Nice run out yesterday to check getting neutral. Getting easier with a bit of practice, but still tricky, and I wouldn't like to experiment in heavy traffic. It was sunny, so seeing the neutral light was difficult too. Must find a way to improve that. Switching to my BMW K75 showed how much more ple...

I'll be interested to know how you get on with the conversion. For me it might be too expensive a fix unless I really can't perfect my technique to find neutral more easily.

That's a useful idea - how easy to fit? Anyone else vouch for it?

Thanks all. Clearly I need to practice my 'snicking' into neutral technique and adopt Anthony's stop and re-start procedure when it fails, Mike

Thanks John. That's what I aim for, but difficult in some traffic conditions. Partly why it would be handy to more easily see the neutral light for reassurance! Mike

Learning the little ways of my Classic, where neutral is not easy to find. So I often have the clutch in at junctions for a time; the Owners Manual says to do this only for 'a few seconds' - will I blow the engine up? The difficulty of seeing the neutral light in bright sunshine compounds the proble...

A couple more:

i have LE086 and the one currently for sale on the NOC website is LE041 (in Shropshire)

Still many more out there I think.

Why hasn't it gone yet? Unless the ad has not been updated.

You can read the advert without logging in, but contact details are hidden. I thought the owner was a member here too, but have seen no posts, Mike Norton Rotary Classic No. 041. For Sale - (Shropshire ) - October 11, 2023 One of the true Norton Classic’s in excellent condition and runs very well. E...

Classic for sale in Norton Owners Club classifieds. Looks a good one, and fair price. Mike

Now sold

PM sent

No interest? Looking for somewhere between 3K and 4K and willing to haggle. Must go before house move, and I'd like to find it a good home! Mike