Normal running temperature for commando engine

Would anyone know the normal running temperature of a commando engine ?
It's the crankcase I'd like to know particularly
But anywhere on the motor would help
Cheers

Oil temps but has other temp info in there.

kommando said:

Oil temps but has other temp info in there.

https://nortonclub.com/docs/OilTemp.pdf

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Thank you

kommando said:

Oil temps but has other temp info in there.

https://nortonclub.com/docs/OilTemp.pdf

Click to expand...

That is an excellent article.

I switched to 25-60 in my plane due to high time engine so I had a couple of cases of Phillips 20-50 oil and am using that up. Flash is 455.
Sorry, don't want to start an oil thread but I was just curious about the specs after reading the above:

kommando said:

Oil temps but has other temp info in there.

https://nortonclub.com/docs/OilTemp.pdf

Click to expand...

Very good article, Interesting as i have been using Mobile 1 10w-60 for the last eight years and 30 thousand miles

In the Motorcycle World video on motorcycle engines, Kevin Cameron mentions the short combustion time in the Commando engine which is due to the flat-top piston, squish and the shape of the combustion chamber. The ignition advance in the Commando engine is much less than in many other similar engines, so less heat is lost from the combustion chamber. Heat build-up is a problem in many racing engines. It is the main reason I always use methanol fuel when racing.

When I got my new temp gun, I went around checking temps on all my bikes. Temps were in the 250 to 300 range.

Here is a question.
Would wrapping the exhaust manifolds result in a change in clinder head temperature relative to unwrapped
Dennis

DennisMo said:

Here is a question.
Would wrapping the exhaust manifolds result in a change in clinder head temperature relative to unwrapped
Dennis

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It shouldn’t have a massive effect.

The exhaust isn’t actually in contact with the head (those crushable washers will act as insulators to a degree) so can’t conduct heat away.

So wrapping them will result in hotter exhaust gasses.

Other things could impact though, ie the wrapped pipes would be fatter and may therefore reduce airflow to the engine, but on a Norton I can’t imagine that being a real factor.

Back-pressure in the exhaust system might cause higher head temperatures. Wrapping the exhaust might also cause higher temperatures on the portion of the exhaust just outside the port and what mixture bounces back through the valve into the combustion chamber because of resonance would be hotter.

The thing is all motors run hot and for running cooler we need that air flow for our air cooled bikes and the heat from the motor and exhaust dispels with that air flow, if your bike is running very hot it will let you know and stop and go traffic where that air flow is not very good your motor will run hotter, in my first few years of owning my new 850 Commando our summers get very hot and riding in traffic stopping and going my idle would increase way above the normal setting when it was hot, it got so bad but I was also using the recommended oil the dealership was using and what the factory recommended GTX of old, might have been good in a cold climate but not good here in Aus, but in 1978 I fitted a Lochead oil cooler and ran 50 grade Pennzoil and never had a hot running motor since, I run my oil cooler all year round even in our mild winters, my motor still gets up to working temp as normal but cooling the hot oil down a bit before going back to the oil tank then back into a hot motor has made a big difference and one of the reasons I have gotten long life out of my motor, my Norton runs sweet all year round even in slow traffic and haven't had high idle from over hot motor.

baz, Why the interest in the crankcase temp specifically?

Schwany said:

baz, Why the interest in the crankcase temp specifically?

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I have bought a Norton atlas engine that's fitted with flat top pistons so is effectively a commando engine
I'm planning to use one of my spare k2f magnetos
I've made a test rig for my lathe so I can do some long term testing before fitting to the bike
I'm going to heat them whilst testing
I tested one a few days ago,I ran it for an hour with good sparks but when I introduced heat the sparks started to fail and eventually stopped
Once cool it was fine
I assume the condenser was breaking down with heat (or maybe the shellac on the windings ?)
I've ordered an "easy cap" conversion for it and I'd like to test it and the other mags before fitting to the bike
I've had the misery in the past of waiting for the mag to cool down on my A10 before I bought a re con mag

baz said:

I have bought a Norton atlas engine that's fitted with flat top pistons so is effectively a commando engine
I'm planning to use one of my spare k2f magnetos
I've made a test rig for my lathe so I can do some long term testing before fitting to the bike
I'm going to heat them whilst testing
I tested one a few days ago,I ran it for an hour with good sparks but when I introduced heat the sparks started to fail and eventually stopped
Once cool it was fine
I assume the condenser was breaking down with heat (or maybe the shellac on the windings ?)
I've ordered an "easy cap" conversion for it and I'd like to test it and the other mags before fitting to the bike
I've had the misery in the past of waiting for the mag to cool down on my A10 before I bought a re con mag

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I had the same problems with 4 different Lucas mags. I finally broke down and bought a Joe Hunt mag with the high strength neodymium magnets and never had any of the problems I had with a Lucas. Now its generally a 1st kick starter and keeps going strong even when California temps go to 105F+ Its never once failed because of heat.

jseng1 said:

I had the same problems with 4 different Lucas mags. I finally broke down and bought a Joe Hunt mag with the high strength neodymium magnets and never had any of the problems I had with a Lucas. Now its generally a 1st kick starter and keeps going strong even when California temps go to 105F+ Its never once failed because of heat.

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Did you change to an "easy cap" or was it before they came out?
I'd rather have a Joe hunt mag they look a lot better than Lucas

In the 1970s I went to a few road race meetings, only to have the motor start missing. I had the K2F refurbished twice after losing my entry fees and travel expenses. Then I bought the Lucas SR magneto.

acotrel said:

In the 1970s I went to a few road race meetings, only to have the motor start missing. I had the K2F refurbished twice after losing my entry fees and travel expenses. Then I bought the Lucas SR magneto.

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What failed on the Lucas k2f ?

acotrel said:

In the 1970s I went to a few road race meetings, only to have the motor start missing. I had the K2F refurbished twice after losing my entry fees and travel expenses. Then I bought the Lucas SR magneto.

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So what failed on the k2f Al?
Was it the winding?
Was it the same thing twice?
Give us a clue
I want to know what to look out for

acotrel said:

In the 1970s I went to a few road race meetings, only to have the motor start missing. I had the K2F refurbished twice after losing my entry fees and travel expenses. Then I bought the Lucas SR magneto.

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So as per usual no answer
Just like when you stated you'd ridden a standard commando after years of saying you never had!
Then when I asked you which model you had ridden I got no reply
So did any of these things actually happen?
I'm genuinely curious?