Remote oil filter A50

[AdrianS]

Fitted a remote oil filter on the A50 at the back of the swinging arm below the lower engine mount.
Only just got the tank back from having it derusted and lined so not yet started the bike.
Is it worth filling the oil filter with oil before fitting. Was concerned about any air lock from the engine to the filter unit preventing flow back or does this not happen. It I let it fill and prime itself then there may be quite a delay for oil to get to the top of the engine. By the way, it is an SRM pump.

[bikerbob]

Ihave always filled the remote filter with oil before fitting on both my bikes A7 and A65 and never had any problems, been doing it now for atleast 10 years.

[Bess]

Hi,
    As bikerbob, I always prefill the filter before fitting. Don't worry about the return air locking it never will, as its on the discharge not the suction side.

Best wishes...

[chaz]

same thing on modern canister filtered bikes. fill before fitting with Jap bikes you loose a lot trying to get in there between the down pipes, as long as access is good on the A50 should be ok

[spaceman]

As long as the bike was running previously and the engine has not been rebuilt, the inside of the engine will already be coated in oil and so any delay in the new oil filter needing to fill up with oil should not be a problem. That said, it does no harm in filling the filter before fitting but it is not something I've ever done on my modern bikes or cars!

[AdrianS]

The reason I asked was that I had problems with the oil supply when first starting the rebuilt engine. I couldnt get the feed side to suck with the srm pump even after releasing the pressure release valve and kicking over numerous times. I had to resort to sticking my air line into the feed pipe when full of oil to prime the pump. Just didnt want another air lock on the return side by filling the filter leaving a big bubble of air in the return pipe!
With regard to the comment not to worry about starting the engine and waiting for oil to flow as everything is covered in oil, if I remember, Top Gear many years ago drained all the oil from an old car and it ran for about 50 miles before the engine seized!

[DAVE BRADY]

Hi Adrian,

I always fill the filter as it shortens the time for oil to get back to the tank so I do not have to wait too long.
Is your A50 fitted with an oil pressure light?  If so and you are concerned about oil not getting through, turn the ignition on and the light should be on.  Turn the engine a few times without starting it and the light should go off.  This tells you that the pump is making pressure and oil must be getting to it. Then start it as normal.

Dave.