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ES2 = priming the oil system

Submitted by george_phillips on Tue, 04/04/2017
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Singles
Nearly all back together at last! before I finish and fire her up I thought I'd check for oil to the rocker box as it's been laid up, drained for a couple of months. Refilled the drained oil tank with new Classic Oil, disconnected the rocker box banjo connection l and proceeded to squeeze the exhaust lifter and kicker her over, and kick her over, and kick her over etc etc. How long does it take for oil to get to the rocker box? Could it be that despite it being an inveterate wet sumper, the oil is not draining into the pump so the pump is not self priming? Is there a procedure here? George

Submitted by paul_knapp on Tue, 04/04/2017

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I would imagine that it would need a bit more than just kicking over to provide enough oil return to feed the over head gear. Start it up and put your finger over the out let spout to stop the returnin theoil tank, this will see plenty of oil running up to the rockers.

Submitted by jonathan_newton on Tue, 04/04/2017

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George if its like the singles I work on you got to have some oil to scavenge before it sends back up the return, where your rocker feed is connected. Now if you have been considerate when rebuilding and oiled mating surfaces as you go then starting and running with the return to tankblocked off to induce a higher flow to the valve gear will not harm anything. As the name implies, the rockers "rock" so a film of oil will last a fair while. Remember the king of Norton's has no oil to the ends of the rockers that touch the valve.

The oil feed is a hap-hazard affair as the demand on wear surfaces is low. as long as you have oiledthe relevant surfaces, start it and monitor the flow to tank.

It is not unknown to distort the entry into the tank to increase back pressure to induce more oil to therockers. Blip the throttle and you will get a spurt of oil amongst the mist andvaporthat returns. If nothing is arriving the problem is bigger than a dry rocker box.

No "expert" George, just trying to help....

Cheers

Jon

Submitted by george_phillips on Tue, 04/04/2017

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You're all correct! I went back into the garage and checked the oil return as I kicked the engine over and noted the occasional spurt so stuck my finger over it and hey presto. I should have remembered from Mechanics of Fluids - fluids take the line of least resistance. Doh! The next problem comprises two hexagon bolts lying on the floor and I can't see where they go. Many thanks for your swift responses. George

Submitted by jonathan_newton on Tue, 04/04/2017

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Bloody hell.... I hope they are not out of the Mag!!!!! ;)

Thought you might be tinkering out there this beautiful afternoon.

Submitted by ian_macdougall on Tue, 04/04/2017

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Applying the "line of least resistance principle" it never fails to amaze me that oil gets to the rocker box at all! But it does.

Ian McD

Submitted by neil_wyatt on Tue, 04/04/2017

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Reminds me of when I started my 99 up for the first time, almost 18 months ago. It sounded wonderful (Still does) but after about a minute or so there was this awful chattering coming from the rockers. Off with the oil tank cap and finger over the return hole and a few seconds later normal noises resumed. Pure music.

Submitted by george_phillips on Wed, 05/04/2017

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That's just what I was trying to avoid, Neil. This is now off-topic but these two bolts are bugging me. I've been through all the exploded diagrams, looked all over the bike and cannot see where they go. I thought they might be the retaining bolts for the oil pump but the diagram shows it's held by nuts on two studs. I'm kicking against removing all the timing side again with the subsequent retiming of the ignition but if I can't see where they're missing externally, they must be internal. Bummer! George

Submitted by george_phillips on Wed, 05/04/2017

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Panic over. I removed the timing chain cover to find two holes looking at me! They were the timing cover countersunk "screws" that go through into the crank case. Sorted. But now I've found a largish nut and am having doubts that I fitted the inlet cam wheel retaining nut. I probaby did but there's only one way to check.......George

Submitted by george_phillips on Wed, 05/04/2017

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Ignore earlier rant. Panic over. I removed the timing chain cover to find two holes looking at me! They were the timing cover countersunk "screws" that go through into the crank case. Sorted. George

Submitted by george_phillips on Wed, 05/04/2017

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Going back to my original point about lubrication, I found when I removed the timing chest cover that a lot of oil ran out. All I've done is fill the tank with oil (20-50- Classic) and kick it over many times to get oil into the various parts. Should the timing chest (the section housing the timing gears) collect oil?

Submitted by barry_carson on Wed, 05/04/2017

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i suppose you wouldn't expect a lot of oil in there until it had run a while. unless you have put some oil down the push rod tubes through the inspection plate hole on the rocker box .

Barry

Submitted by george_phillips on Wed, 05/04/2017

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10 out of 10, Barry. With all the fuss about the oil line and the magneto (separate thread) I'd completely forgotten that I'd poured some oil down the p/rod tubes to lube the cams in readiness for a start-up. Well done. Anyone got any memory pills? George

Submitted by dan_field on Wed, 05/04/2017

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If you had them you prob forget where you'd put them! I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a few bits left over from time to time!

 


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