Oily and hard to start

Knewbnorton · Sep 24, 2020

Hi, Been for the first proper ride on my Norton Inter special. Have found it very hard to start on kick over. Managed it once. Maybe its just that I am getting old and weak ?

Are there any tips, where would you set Retard / advance maybe ? Have a BTH TT mag on it. Did push start but it had to turn over at least 10 times in 2nd to fire up. Did this a few times to check if fuel was through but about the same amount every time. Would of thought less than this ? After my 10 mile ride noticed quite a bit of oil leakage from hair springs area, also had a really bad leak but that was my fault as when I was sitting back on back mudguard seeing what a rear bum pad would be like I dislodged the quick release filler cap on oil tank and every time I came to a hill and gave it some beans it sloshed out. Only noticed this when I got home so will add a bit of wire to keep it locked shut. Also noticed as it was getting hotter and more used changing from first to second got stiffer ? Would go in with a nice click but was quite stiff. When cooled a lot easier ? It does though pull like a train and seems much faster than my 1960 Triumph Speed Twin it replaced and it sounds fantastic. Think may have Avon tyres a bit hard as some bounce. what pressure would you think ? Any help and advice greatly received Thanks.

Triton Thrasher · Sep 24, 2020

Try retarding it from full advance, a little bit at a time, until it stops kicking back.

Retarding it a lot makes the spark weak or non-existent.

texasSlick · Sep 24, 2020

Knewbnorton said:
Hi, Been for the first proper ride on my Norton Inter special. Have found it very hard to start on kick over. Managed it once. Maybe its just that I am getting old and weak ? Are there any tips, where would you set Retard / advance maybe ? Have a BTH TT mag on it.

I am not familiar with a BTH mag, but my experience with a Lucas K2F may help. It is worth a try at least.

The usual school of thought on kicking over a MC is to slowly kick over the engine until the pistons pass TDC, then give it your best kick. This thinking says the inertia of the rotating mass will assist in reaching the ignition point on the subsequent compression stroke with enough speed to deliver a good spark.

I never found that method to work on my Atlas, or the one before it for that matter. I usually got one kick starts thusly:
I slowly kicked over the engine until I estimated the engine was midway up the compression stroke, then paused 5 - 10 seconds to allow the compression to leak off thru the ring gaps, then reset the kick arm and gave it my best kick.

Recently, I got one of those in-line spark testers, those devices that go in-line between the plug and the high tension lead, with a window to view a spark discharge. The size and glow intensity in the window is an indicator of spark quality. The spark quality was, without a doubt, greater using the second method.

A magneto requires a certain rotational speed to deliver sufficient high tension voltage. The greater the compression, the greater the required voltage, and it follows, the greater the minimum rotational speed. IMO, allowing the compression to bleed off lowers the minimum required spark voltage, and while the rotational speed may? or may not? be greater with the second method, the overall effect is to deliver a better spark.

Try the second method. HTH.

Slick

Triton Thrasher · Sep 24, 2020

texasSlick said:
The usual school of thought on kicking over a MC is to slowly kick over the engine until the pistons pass TDC, then give it your best kick. This thinking says the inertia of the rotating mass will assist in reaching the ignition point on the subsequent compression stroke with enough speed to deliver a good spark.

I find that’s the best way to start a big single (please spare us your Velocette stories everyone). Find compression, get it past compression with the compression release, then give it a big swing.

On twins, I just find compression and force it through.

Knewbnorton · Sep 24, 2020

Triton Thrasher said:
Try retarding it from full advance, a little bit at a time, until it stops kicking back.

Retarding it a lot makes the spark weak or non-existent.

Must admit I did have a lot of kicking back from it. Did retard slightly but as you said as it had little effect thought I was killing the spark. Do have many old bikes so know my way around but just wondering if Norton Singles had a knack to them as some old bikes do. I have a feeling it is more of a fuel starvation problem, had around 1/4 throttle open and tried cold start open and closed on carb even though it was a hot day.

Knewbnorton · Sep 24, 2020

texasSlick said:
I am not familiar with a BTH mag, but my experience with a Lucas K2F may help. It is worth a try at least.

The usual school of thought on kicking over a MC is to slowly kick over the engine until the pistons pass TDC, then give it your best kick. This thinking says the inertia of the rotating mass will assist in reaching the ignition point on the subsequent compression stroke with enough speed to deliver a good spark.

I never found that method to work on my Atlas, or the one before it for that matter. I usually got one kick starts thusly:
I slowly kicked over the engine until I estimated the engine was midway up the compression stroke, then paused 5 - 10 seconds to allow the compression to leak off thru the ring gaps, then reset the kick arm and gave it my best kick.

Recently, I got one of those in-line spark testers, those devices that go in-line between the plug and the high tension lead, with a window to view a spark discharge. The size and glow intensity in the window is an indicator of spark quality. The spark quality was, without a doubt, greater using the second method.

A magneto requires a certain rotational speed to deliver sufficient high tension voltage. The greater the compression, the greater the required voltage, and it follows, the greater the minimum rotational speed. IMO, allowing the compression to bleed off lowers the minimum required spark voltage, and while the rotational speed may? or may not? be greater with the second method, the overall effect is to deliver a better spark.

Try the second method. HTH.

Slick

I will give that method ago. Have done similar on a single AJS in the past. Did find though that sometimes it would fire and kick back badly almost as soon as I kicked down as would have spark and fuel but not enough rotation. Did not like that and I was younger then

Will give it a few go's though and fingers crossed will keep my ankles intact

.

Oily and hard to start

Knewbnorton

Triton Thrasher

texasSlick

Triton Thrasher

Knewbnorton

Knewbnorton

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