Hello all,
When, in the next few days, I summon up the will to leave my armchair (cold, isn't it?), I'm going to fit a tap to my oil feed pipe (1965 B40F.) When I then put oil in the bike, I'll need to put, I think, about 1/4 pint into the sump (recently drained.) Could someone remind me, please, how I should do that. I think I was told to put it in via one of the circular inspection caps on the rocker cover? Is that right?
Phil.
if i was you i wouldn't put any in the sump, after you fit the valve to oil feed line start the bike and check its returning to tank.
;)
derek
If you prime the sump then the rockers should get oil quite quickly after starting. If you dont prime the sump the rockers wait a bit.
The other way is to kick the bike over with plug out and ignition off until you see it returning to the tank. Then you know both feed and return side of the pump is working.
I put 1/2 pint in my A65 worked a treat.
Thanks everyone. I think I'll probably kick it over a few times with the plug out and watch for oil coming back into the tank. But, out of interest, if I did want to pour some oil into the sump, would one of the circular inspection caps on the rocker cover be a suitable place to put it in? Phil
PS Trying to decide whether to go to the show at Shepton Mallett. Probably won't, but tempted. Why is it always so cold on the Shepton Mallett weekend?
Pour it straight in the rocker = gravity will do it.
Shepton Mallet cancelled due to weather rescheduled for 23rd and 24th Feb.
A10JWO, excuse my stupidity, but when you say pour it straight in the rocker, do you mean through the circular inspection cap hole? Is that okay? Phil.
Thanks for letting me know about the show, Julian. Phil.
yes you can put some through the rocker cover.
If you decide to kick the bike over with the plug out, you may be surprised how long it takes for oil to get to the top of the pipe feed to the rockers. I was told by an engine rebuilder to take the plug out, put the bike in top gear and "run" up and down the road with it to get the oil to the rockers!
Hello everyone, Dragged myself clear of the armchair just now and fitted a tap to the oil feed on my 1965 B40F (8mm ball valve tap as recommended by Bernie.) Please see attached photo, for interest. Quite a neat little tap, I thought? Thanks again Bernie. Anyway, I put the full quota of oil (4 pints) into the oil tank, and, with the plug out, turned the engine over repeatedly with the kickstart, watching for oil to come squirting back into the tank. The oil did appear, but squirting might not be the right word. It just kind of kind of dribbled out of a hole in the the vertical pipe in the tank. In the past, when I've peeped into the oil tank, with the engine running, the oil has been pulsing vigorously back into the tank, much more lively than this lazy dribble. I'm guessing it's okay though, and that the reason it's only dribbling is because I'm just turning the engine over by hand and the the oil will be cold? Would you say that's right?
Also, by the way, the hole through the centre of the valve is quite narrow - will that be okay?
Phil.
Beware of any constriction in the feed line which will reduce the oil flow to your engine. It is a risk.
Don't come on here crying when you forget to turn the tap on and wreck your engine.
There is usually a ball and spring in the front of the timing cover to prevent wet sumping
That's hard to get at, isn't it?
Items 33 to 36
https://www.draganfly.co.uk/index.php/bsa/bsa/b40/category/1186-gear-selector
Is that part of the oil feed system? I thought that was some kind of pressure relief valve! I thought the ball and spring to prevent wet sumping were at entrance to the oil pump. As you can tell my knowledge is pretty sparse!
Anyway, about the dia of the hole in the tap I've fitted - how small is okay? I can't think Bernie would have recommended it if he didn't know it was fine.
Phil.
I've had these taps fitted to A50, A65 and M21 for several years and never had a problem. Return flow to the tank has always been as expected.
Phil, remember that you will only get a steady flow of oil from the return pipe when the sump has more oil in it than is usual during riding - due to wet sumping or priming. Once a steady state is achieved with the engine running the scavenge pump will be slurping at the surface of the oil in the sump and returning a bubbly mixture in spurts. That's usual and a sign that the scavenge flow is healthy.
Cheers,
Bernie
Hi Bernie, Thanks for the assurance that these taps are okay.
Two questions:
1.Just checking I've definitely got the right tap (see photo on recent post), the hole in the middle is quite small, yes?
2. The oil I see returning into the tank, when I turn the engine over with the kickstart, appears to be bubbly, so that's okay, but rather than a spurt it's a slow dribble. Is that to be expected, given that I'm just turning the engine over by hand, with the kickstart, rather than starting the engine? (I haven't started it yet since I fitted the tap.)
Phil.
Bubbles on return normal because the scavenge side of the pump has larger gears than the feed side so draws aerated oil.
It looks exactly the same as those that I use. I would suspect that the hole through the valve ball is no smaller than those through the oil feed union and crankcase oilways leading to the pump inlet....
Cheers,
Bernie
Thanks Bernie.
Any thoughts, anyone, regarding my question (above) about a dribble rather than a spurt?
Phil.
I have no reason to doubt Bernie, and I am very grateful for his help again, but I am still a little bit nervous about the size of the hole that goes through the middle of the tap, especially as Julian says that any constriction is a risk. So I might check the diameter of the hole tomorrow and ask for comments.
A further thought: there must be lots of people using taps on the oil feed, in order to prevent wet-sumping. What kind of taps are in use, and what diameter hole goes through the middle?
Phil.
Oil return on kickstarter will be lower than you would see with engine running due to rpm difference.
Hello everyone, A bit concerned about the size of the hole in the tap I've fitted on my oil feed, I've just been checking hole diameters.
The inside diameter of the tube which fits up to the oil tank (with the union nut on it) is about 0.242" (6.1mm.) That's the same as the i/d of the bit of copper tube I put in the downward side of the tap, over which the rubber pipe fits.
The hole in the middle of the 8mm ball valve tap I've fitted is about 0.187" (4.8mm.)
So, roughly speaking, it's 1/4" and 3/16".
Would that degree of constriction be an issue? I'm inclined to think it would be okay, but then I know next to nothing, so would be grateful for opinions. Bernie has used these taps with no problem, but Julian says any constriction is a risk. Now we know the degree of constriction, and thoughts please?
Phil.
FWIW I'm stripping my B40 at the moment and here's a pic of the oil union.
I can just get a 4.5mm drill bit in the holes, a 5mm won't go. The bores of the copper pipe are larger and those of the flexible pipes larger still.
Thanks Bernie. So, if I am understanding this correctly, and assuming my bike is like yours, the hole through the middle of my new tap will not be the narrowest part of the oil feed. In which case (provided I remember to turn the tap on each time before I start the bike) it should be safe to use the tap. Does anybody disagree? Phil.