Norton Dominator 88 1960

Is it the difference in displacement ? It does have 1/6 less volume than the 99 ...

Hi Colin, Is it misfiring? Does it fluff under load? If the ignition circuit is fine then everything points otherwise to fuel delivery and carburation, are there tank problems, fuel taps? But from your description it does sound like a carburation problem,  what are the settings you have used? Is the bike twin carb's?

See settings table, posted up previously, by Phil Hannam.

John

With my 1954 88 Colin. It started, ran smoothly and attained good speed, but was always looking for a shorter gear when presented with a hill.  Usual checks on compression, carburation, timing did nothing to improve it.  It was only when a Vincent Comet steamed past with a full size rider on board that I was convinced it was not right.    

My missing link was MAGNETO.  There were no obvious symptoms or adverse reactions to tests but rebuilt and refitted it transformed the power output of the machine and was one of my favourite rides.

I have seen this serious lack of 'grunt' power before and it was due to compression and worn bores/rings. So a real pain to strip and put right. You say you bought the bike as a non runner, so I wonder if the pistons/bores are an unknown issue?

That does look eceptional, As Al says something not quite right. I had one in the same trim, not as beefy as a 99 but actually faster with usable revs to 7000 and would do an indicated 90 in third.A compression test would be a good start.

A lovely looking machine Colin, almost a pity to tear it apart!

Robert and Alan have a good point.

A test Norton 88 at the official  place in the Midlands near Leicester, MIRA, was recorded as pulling 111 mph probably an alloy head, twin carb SS model, but pretty good figures and a good 88  should reach the 7,000 rpm mark, for your sake I hope it isn't poor compression, but if it is once stripped the problem can be sorted.

Ref, 111 mph, Mick Walkers book "Dominator" , but I can't find the page this morning, duh! I bought the book, as new on from Ebay for £12 and was surprised when I opened it it was signed by the author. Plenty information and a good read! Even though he includes different models!

John

We had two 88's   mine was a flier ,my brothers was a dog  with poor power and a very bent frame. My brother still outran the local police with their Triumphs and said it was the best bike he ever had!.  

If it is hill climbing, that's probably the only time you ever use full throttle in this dystopian world of speed cameras. Which suggests a partly blocked main jet, or even a main jet that has come unscrew. Unless slide does not open fully.

My experience of something very similar was with my T120R Bonnie. Tried everything but on hills was a nightmare and had to change down but on the flat or downhill no problem. New carbs as they were getting on valves and tappets adjusted etc. Eventually changed the electronic ignition from Boyer which was 15 years old by then and just fitted to bike when I bought it in 2004 although no obvious signs as it started and ran OK as described on flat.. Anyway now new system last year and no issues. Starts first time while used to struggle a bit with the old Boyer to start although here was intermittent. Anyway not sure if helps but as I say very similar issue. Hugh

I fitted new STD shells to a well worn crank and found the crank stiff to turn. The rods had gone a bit oval! . A friend rebuilt his Triumph 500GP  with exactly the same result ,He could not even kick the bike over, I managed to stop him trying to tow start it with a car. Learnt a lot in those early years ,I was only 14 when he trusted me to re-build the Triumph. Up to then I had only worked on cars. I'm still learning 60 years on .

As almost everything else have been suggested, have you checked that valves opens and closes when they should? Could be worth checking. The only other thing I can think of is too restrictive silencers. Back then I found a big improvement fitting straight pipes on my 99. When chased twice a day by police, replaced with Dunstall silencers which gave only a neglectable loss of power.

hello  well this model 88 has fitted a magneto when it should have coil ignition  as it does have the PRS8 lighting and ignition switch Witch, therefore, should have a distributor, Not a Magneto,   and have you tried Champion N9BYC These Have the Same Heat rate As N5 But These Are For Ehernol fuel  And are Self-shielding Plugs  and Have you PLug caps with resistors in them As Magnetos Do not like Resistors in line  and I think your compression is blowing out the Spark and your magneto may be having a hard time keeping a good spark at speed  So then something to investigate  and Most of the Model 88s in 1960 came out In two-tone colour of Dove Grey And Red And the 88SS was in Dove grey and Green  but this model 88 looks as it's ended up model 50 single cylinder colours of dove grey and black   And Black is not the easy colour to look after As most think it is  My 1954  model 88 wideline,  runs a pulls like a train  and She dose  have the International Gearbox cluster fitted semi-close ratio and is on the high side in the gearbox  but the Semi-tuned Engine makes up for this This bike is as fast as my 650 The Engine was rebuilt buy me some time ago with many go faster bits like a Daytona Cam and Flat Followers the Pistons are 8.9.1 Compession ratio  BHB  the Valves are racing specifiaction  along with high rate valve springs and Stainless steel pushrods  and Superblend main bearings  She has stronger rods fitted too  And the Magneto was Carefully rebuilt by me and remagantized  buy Dunns magnetos  So she run like a Manx  engine with a echo  she also has twin amal 276 pre mono block carbs fitted but she all in standard trim  ,Yours  Anna J

Was driven mad by a friend's AJS with similar symptoms. It turned out to be the throttle cable. The throttle wouldn't open beyond half. A new cable meant performance restored - it would climb hills two up that previously had it struggling with solo.

Anna, Y'know my views on colour and modifications, many motorcyclists wanted their bike s to be personal to them, not everybody wants factory replica clones, there are enough Factory replicas out there not to warrant any more museum pieces! If all the 88's in a year were blue, then Mine would be in red!

And if anyone spotted this and criticised it, I would ask, is it your bike, and when the answer came NO! Depending on their manner I would say, then you have your answer! Or if the were the clever smarmy type I would said "sod off then"! Or if they were genuinely curious, I would tell them what details had changed and why I had done so!

I hate black frames...but that is another story!

John

Back when I first worked on my 1959 '99' (In 1965!) I corresponded with the factory (John Hudson I think) and he reckoned that it performed better with twin carbs, Siamese pipes and an "SS Silencer".  I don't know what t he difference in the silencers was.  Never found one and couldn't afford it anyway!  He reckoned the "QR" Daytona camshaft (standard on my bike) was fine but you could get a slightly better performance with an SS cam and flat-based followers.

My Brother had the same year and model, but Cafe-Racer" style with alloy guards and twin carbs.  Flat down on the tank on a level dual-carriageway (no motorways near us in Hampshire!) we got the dials round the clock with an indicated 120mph, but his had the edge on mine!  No "National" speed limits then.