More Commander water pump woes.

[Ian]

I've had yet another Oldham coupling fail on my Commander. This one managed about 1000 miles.You can see the coupling in the attached pictures. Now, I'm sure there has been much bad language, inculding mine, directed at this small insignificant part that spoils an otherwise reliable and excellent motorcycle. Now, these bikes were used by the police, paramilitaries, the BBC, ambulances services and so on. Did they have coupling failures, and if so, how did they solve them? I can't imagine any of these ptting up with such short service life.Turning to my bike, I can of course simply put a new coupling in but given the twenty five years since these bikes were introduced I'm struggling to believe that someone, somewhere, hasn't got the fix. If so, please share!It seems to me that the three choices are a) a new coupling, b) a new coupling made out of some very hard steel, or c) some major machining work to fit a proper water pump and have a once and for all fix. I'm reluctant to follow this last option in fairness.What a terrible piece of design...All suggestions and comiserations welcome.Ian

[Richard Negus]

And just where did you but this piece of junk - a car boot sale? It looks like soft stainless steel and a totally unsuitable material for this application.I suggest you buy the correct, quality-assured, item from Andover Norton, part number 50-0676, listed price £6.76 + post + VAT, manufactured in accordance with the original Norton drawing in carbon steel and case hardened.Do I remember athread not so long ago where someone was going to make a batch of these stainless couplings and offering to sell the surplus?And whilst I'm in ranty mode, the Classic that I'm working on at the moment shows signs of long-term neglect, suggesting to me that the owner has no pride in his machine. Dented tank, what looks very much like old engine oil in the oil tank, broken footrest plate, ancient brake fluid, stripped oil drain screws held in with ptfe tape, the list goes on.These Nortons were built with pride by people who had names, not faceless automatons stood at the side of a moving assembly track. Their reward now on seeing a well-kept Norton rotary is to be able to say "I helped build that one".

[Ian]

Well Richard, that's me well and truly put back in my box!It was indeed me who had a batch made. I sold three or four through this site so I would say to those who bought them - don't use them! They are substandard are unsuitable. If you were one of those who bought, throw it away and PM me. I'll refund monies paid.Actually, I had Andover Norton parts on order when I posted this; I wanted to see if anybody had a better solution and it seems not. Well, without major work anyway.In mitigation, though, I only looked elsewhere for the coupling because I had had two failures in short order with ANIL parts... Hopefully these new parts will have a longer life.And the people that made these bikes should be proud. They are good bikes indeed. I've had mine 20 years and SWMBO reckons she'll go before it does! Still unconvinced about that coupling though, sorry. Just how did the commercial users cope?

[Richard Negus]

Hi Ian,Working on un-loved rotaries and 750 Nortons with so much compression that I can't kick start them does nothing for my sense of humour! Sorry!As most pump couplings last for thousands of miles with regular maintenance, just one or two humble queries:.the pump housing/end plate location dowels are in place? Without those the coupling may be asked to accommodate excessive misalignment.early machines didn't have a way of keeping grease around the coupling - yours has the lip seal in the pump housing and matching metal sleeve around the drive dog on the eccentric shaft?.when fitting a new coupling, or even a complete overhauled pump, you check/adjust the coupling clearance? 1/4 turn backwards of the impeller, etc.? .the pump bearings are in good condition? .as the pump operates at temperatures in excess of 100C, you're using a high-temperature grease in the coupling?Removing the pump to re-grease the coupling at every 6000 service, whilst being a real pain, is probably a good idea.The F1 has a similar-sized coupling for its water pump but, mounted on the primary cover, it's lubricated by the primary drive oil and never shows any signs of wear.My last Commander had some major mods in the cooling/generating department after I discarded the original pump housing; belt-driven automotive 40A alternator and electric water pump with microprocessor control.The water-cooled faux-Classic I'm building now ( a Classerpolander?) will probably have a similar alternator and a water pump like the F1, driven from the primary side.R.

[Dell Boy]

Currently working on a possible solution. i have got through at least 20 waterpumps in my four Commanders if not more. It truly is a dreadfull design.Derek F.

[Charles Wilson]

http://www.nortonmotors.co.uk/Prototypes%205.htmAhhh, Progress.CW