Electra wet sumping

Previously trevor_veale wrote:

This season my electra has started to wet sump. Approx 1/2pint per week so there has been over 2pints in the engine between runs.What are the views on just starting andleaving on tick over till the oil returns, as it seems impossible to install a tap as the side panels are in the way,currently I am draining the oil and replacing the sump about a week before that there is at least 1/2pint in the bottom end before I start the engine. Is there any way to stop the stumping other than fitting a tap

There has been a tide of reasons and remades for wet sumping mostly it would seem it is down to the oil pump. A revamp of the pump is said to help? I have a 72 Commando that has a new pump and only wet sumps over 4-5 weeks but my MK111 dumps most of the tank in just a couple of weeks. It did have an anti wet dump valve fitted but having read all the nightmare reports i removed it. I now start both bikes once a week to clear the sump and to annoy the neighbors.

Mark

My Jubilee has a tap (from a washing machine, I understand) fitted directly to the oil tank outlet. It also activates an electrickery cut-off switch so there's no risk of starting the bike without any oil supply. Works just fine.

Hi,

The Electra is fairly short stroke so a bit of oil in the sump should not be a problem. Just keep the revs down as much as possible until the oil is pumped out.

Having said that 1/2 pint per week is a bit much so a bit of oil pump fettling is called for.

Tony

With regard to 'starting the bike each week' to keep the sump clear I have heard some folks discouraging this practice as the oil doesn't warm up enough to boil off water that has built up in the standing oil and thus can do more harm than good - I'm unqualified to comment but I simply added this to the debate.

Previously trevor_veale wrote:

This season my electra has started to wet sump. Approx 1/2pint per week so there has been over 2pints in the engine between runs.What are the views on just starting andleaving on tick over till the oil returns, as it seems impossible to install a tap as the side panels are in the way,currently I am draining the oil and replacing the sump about a week before that there is at least 1/2pint in the bottom end before I start the engine. Is there any way to stop the stumping other than fitting a tap

Hello Trevor,

We all know that the Norton oil pump leaks oil back into the sump and the flow rate depends on the state of the pump and thickness of the oil. I would say that 0.5 pint a week is not too bad and about the same as my Jubilee which uses 20W/50 oil and the pump has been reconditioned about 1500 miles ago.

Now on my Jubilee and it should be the same for your Electra, all the 3.5 pints in the oil tank can run down into the crankcase and the bike will start and run without pumping any oil out or creating any smoke.

To ensure there is a little oil left in the tank for start up, I leave the bike leaning to the left with the footrest on a cast iron 56 lb weight (a block of wood would do as well). The bike is a Deluxe model so the oil tank is narrow across the bike compared to yours and there is probably 0.5 of a pint left in for starting and 3.0 pints in the crankcase.

During the months it is in use it rarely empties and the last time I left it for a month there was 1.5 pints in the tank according to my home made dipstick - more than enough for a start up. In Winter I drain the tank for the duration.

I have a tap fitted on my 1961 Model 50 but then its crankcase certainly would not accomodate 4.5 pints of 20W/50 as was demonstrated once when I went to view an ES2 I had hoped to purchase.

Regards,

John W Preston

Previously trevor_veale wrote:

This season my electra has started to wet sump. Approx 1/2pint per week so there has been over 2pints in the engine between runs.What are the views on just starting andleaving on tick over till the oil returns, as it seems impossible to install a tap as the side panels are in the way,currently I am draining the oil and replacing the sump about a week before that there is at least 1/2pint in the bottom end before I start the engine. Is there any way to stop the stumping other than fitting a tap

Now if you wish to fit a anti wet sumping valve then fit A None return REED valve type, Royal Enfield do them and so do Velocette , But get the oil pump serviced first, have fun yours Anna J

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously trevor_veale wrote:

This season my electra has started to wet sump. Approx 1/2pint per week so there has been over 2pints in the engine between runs.What are the views on just starting andleaving on tick over till the oil returns, as it seems impossible to install a tap as the side panels are in the way,currently I am draining the oil and replacing the sump about a week before that there is at least 1/2pint in the bottom end before I start the engine. Is there any way to stop the stumping other than fitting a tap

Now if you wish to fit a anti wet sumping valve then fit A None return REED valve type, Royal Enfield do them and so do Velocette , But get the oil pump serviced first, have fun yours Anna J

Hi Trevor, It is possibe to fit a stop tap to a Jubilee and Electra I have one on each of my bikes. I bought them at the local hardware store they are red and might notappeal to everyone., I have no record of their size I think they were a 1/4 but not 100% sure they are a snug fit in the oil line and small jub clips used. With the hose off it is easy to check for size. It is a bit tricky getting the correct length of hose from the tank so start with it on the long side and cut down leaving a slight bend in the hose, Make it that the styling panel just grips the hose and tap end this allows the tap to be turned on and off with ease and away from the ex pipe. I use a plastic bottle pushed on to the kickstart rubber for a reminder. I have started with oil in the sump sometmes by mistake this causes smoke and after replacind engineoil seals which were leaking into the oil case and then on to the clutch plateson both bikes also the camshaft seals have been changed more than once to stop oil seaping down the back side of the points case. Not sure if wet sumpping was the the cause of any of this but being tired of draining oil I decided to fit the taps Bryon.

Previously howard_thompson wrote:

My Jubilee has a tap (from a washing machine, I understand) fitted directly to the oil tank outlet. It also activates an electrickery cut-off switch so there's no risk of starting the bike without any oil supply. Works just fine.

Hi Howard- if you are still reading these posts, I was just wondering how you have wored this tap into the ignition. Any chance of a diagram and maybe a few pictures?

Thanks

MIke

Hello Mike. The gizmo was already fitted when I acquired the bike and the switch is in the cable from the battery negative side (positive earth). Here are three photos, showing 'oil and power switched on', 'oil and power switched off' and view from the offside of the bike showing where/how it's installed.

Thanks for all the comments and advice I have over the last two weeks been restarting and running for about 5mins and all seems ok . I will look at sourcing ang fitting a tap during the winter months. Trevor

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Previously trevor_veale wrote:

Thanks for all the comments and advice I have over the last two weeks been restarting and running for about 5mins and all seems ok . I will look at sourcing ang fitting a tap during the winter months. Trevor

sound like some one is heading for a engine blow up with a tap fitted a anti drain valve from velocette or royal enfield would be better I would leave well alone my bike wet sumps after a month stud in my back corridor but she start ok smokes a bit then it clears it ok after that oil running round ok you do need oil in the sump to prime the oil pump half pint not bad thing has you oil to splash feed the bearing and camshaft and tappets and other moving parts are all splash feed the only parts under pressure are the large ends and top end rock feed the rest it splash feed and there is more of them too , so I would have A rethink Yours anna J

Not that any of above is of much use. never mind the English.

So what is wrong with a bit of wet sumping? The Electra has done this for years, just run it up for 5 mins before usage to check oil level in the tank, then go for it.

AO

Now how about fitting a nice tap and go forget to turn it on one day a then you see your engine go with a small thump, and stop, and then its the AA home , yours Anna J

Previously anna jeannette Dixon wrote:

Now how about fitting a nice tap and go forget to turn it on one day a then you see your engine go with a small thump, and stop, and then its the AA home , yours Anna J

More useless information, I thought we here on here to help one another-above helps now one.

AO