Anti dran valve

https://www.nortonownersclub.org/support/technical-support-common/wet-sumping-anti-drain-valves

I saw a newish product at Kempton last year, available via their ebay shop: a valve with electrical interconnection, so can’t start engine unless valve on. two versions : magneto or coil.

   from kingpincomponents. 

Enter 'oil tap with cut out switch' in eBay and you'll see the tap available from Kingpin Components - it was featured in Roadholder a few months ago.

It depends on whether you have a magneto. The mag for the singles has no earth cut out circuit so I don't see how you could fit a cut out.

They offer a points cover with a brush in contact with the points. That can then be connected to their oil tap with cut-out switch.

Definitely better than a tap with no interlock as I found when I forgot to turn the CS1 tap on. Ran fine for almost 15 miles! I was lucky, new rings and a hone got me away again although the piston is a pretty loose fit in the bore.

https://www.kingpincomponents.co.uk/metal-mo1-cutout-cap

Some time ago I saw a notice about an oil drain stop valve.

It worked by using your ignition switch key.  When you shut off the engine, you put your ignition key in the valve and turned it to the "off" position.  When in this position the key could not be withdrawn.               So in order to start the bike you had to turn the key/oil valve on then withdraw the key to put into the ignition switch..  The idea being that with the valve closed and the key held in you couldn't start the bike.  

I searched the internet and cannot now find it.  Maybe someone here can steer us to it.

Good luck 

Mike

What's that, please explain??!!

Kingpin seem to be the only supplier for a mag for a single. They have a modified end cap to allow the mag circuit to be earthed to kill it. Remember the KF mag has an earth killer circuit but Singles don't have that convenience. The Feked one should be OK if you have a KF mag but not for magdyno etc. Check Kingpin because the mag end cap modification is in addition to the valve with its switch.

 https://www.themagnetoguys.co.uk/points-caps-with-cut-outs

I believe he is speaking of an anti drain valve that is opened and closed with your ignition switch key - when in the closed position the key cannot be removed so that there is no chance of starting with the valve closed . Sounds like a very good idea .

....sell the valve as well though their supply seems to be disrupted by the lurgy.

A wet sump is better than no sump. A friend had an anti drain valve he fitted to his Commando between the oil tank and pump, after not usng the bike for a while he started it and checked oil return. He then got ready and rode it and it seized. I cost him a rebuild including a replacment on rod and crank regrind. He suspected that the oil below the valve had drained away while the bike was layed up, starting showed the oil returning from the sump but without waiting long enough how would he know oil was flowing from the tank. Unles you have a flow meter or indicator, pressure gauge, clear pipe lines or sme other way of knowing you have no oil flow by the time you know it is too late. The time spent draining the sump and refiling the oil tank is short compared to the time of a rebuild. The cost of oil is cheap compared to the cost of a rebuild.

"Waiting long enough" is what you need to do - after starting my Mk 3 850 with seat off , remove oil filler cap and check oil return for at least two minutes if bike is in regular use - longer if bike has been laid up for a while. Have the Mick Hemmings anti-drain unit fitted which is based on the Velo design valve.

fitted to my Commando and it was fine. As James suggests, Velos have always had them on the spring frame models and if you follow the instructions there should be no problems. The key is to make sure the oil pipe downstream of the valve is full of oil. Once it is there is no way air can get in unless there's a leak - and we never have them do we?

My ES2 has a tap (fitted by the previous owner) and I have a magnetic sign stuck to the advance / retard lever when it's parked up. There's no need to close the valve for anything less than a few days standing.

Been following this thread with interest as my 1936 Model 18 has incontinence problems with the oil tank emptying into the crank. Should there be a gasket on the oil pump? In one manual I have it says put a 'minimum of jointing compound and avoid the oilways' but I can't find any reference to a gasket. What would members recommend?

.. regardless of whether a gasket is fitted. All bikes with gear type oil pumps suffer to some extent as there can never be a complete seal unless a non return valve of some type is fitted.

I would use a thin smear of Wellseal applied with a small paintbrush but you'll still get wet sumping.

On the BSA unit singles, there is a one direction valve after the oil pump. As long as the springloaded  ball keeps tight, no wetsumping. Works well on 50% of mine.

l have been looking at fitting a shut off valve to my bike, some of them have a very small internal bore through the valve, they are advertised to fit 8/10mm pipe but the actual bore through the valve can be 5mm which can restrict the oil flow always check before you buy.

I am fitting a Kingpin  to my model 50 custom at present. They supply a relay so that the ignition connection to CDI or points can only work if that relay is switched by the tap being on, and therefore triggering the relay via an electrical wire connection. Foolproof. ( Magneto version also available.)