Smokey

I had to fit an inline tap in both the feed and return on my inter because the internal pipe had a crack in it so it wetsumped through the return as well. Might be something to check incase it has wet sumped again...

Hi Darren,

if the smoke clears after running for a few minutes then I would suspect wet sumping. If it continues then I would suspect insufficient piston ring to bore sealing. A leak down test would establish the efficiency of the piston ring to bore sealing as well as valve sealing and head to barrel joint. I have the necessary tools to do this, get in touch if I can help,

Simon.

It sounds like your oil pump could do with lapping in to tighten it up again.

Warning! Warning! Warning!

Darren: If you forgot to turn the tap off it is highly likely that you will forget to turn it on when you go on a ride.

Remove the tap and replace it with one of the automatic types if you do not want to get into the pump problem.

After a long battle I eventually have got my bike to run and idle,one problem though,an excessive amount of smoke exiting the head/rockerbox and out the crankcase breather pipe,nowit did wet sump recently,I drained the crankcases an fitted a little inline tap in the feed from the oiltank,could this be excess oil burning off after wet sumping? The engine is a 1949 Model 18.

Hello I must of said is a hundred times now its a BAD Idea to FIT a TAP or any other wet sumping device in line of the intake oil pipe As all Norton Engines Rely ON Splash Feed for lubricating the engine main bearing and cam shaft and followers and under side of the bore and the small end and the timing gear the Only part that the Pump gives oil too are the BIG END Bearing and Rocker shafts for the rocker arms . The real problem its a worn oil pump . So that need your attention ASP, or you will end up will a blown engine , its Up to the owner as its your money

but its a lot cheaper fixing the oil pump than the hole engine , Yours Anna J

When setting up my international I fitted an oil pressure gauge in the cambox feed to set the pressure as suggested in the book. Starting from cold having not had the engine running in several days and having had the tap switched off, it took barely seconds for the oil pressure to rise and was up to the suggested pressure (about 12psi when cold if I remember correctly) in well under 5 seconds. This sort of rise in pressure was the same with the engine warm and having only been stopped for a few minutes. So I don't see the issue with fitting a tap AS LONG AS YOU REMEMBER TO TURN IT ON!! A friend of mine knackerred his Manx engine by forgetting to turn it on, he managed about 20 miles without the oil on then things went a bit wrong!

I have fitted a magneto cut out to the tap on mine so without the oil on I get no spark. And I have to admit I have tried to start it and when wondering why it won't go realised the oil is off! So that's something worth looking at if you fit a tap.

I spent a long time lapping in the gears on my inter and I am confident they are as good as they are going to get. I get good oil pressure and a constant return to the tank, but it still wet sumps incredibly quickly (fills up the cases and leaks past the main bearing, then drains the large Manx tank I have on it in less than a week). I'm not sure if the pump is the same on the prewar inters and postwar OHVs though. I have a '51 ES2 awaiting some attention, but I am anticipating the need for a tap on this as well, trouble is fitting a kill switch to a magdyno isn't going to work so may have to have a rethink for that one.

There is no mag cutout on a M01L mag, so you wont be able to do this. An oil tap is an accident waiting to happen. I've got a valve but I check the oils returning when started. All gear pumps will wetsump eventually.

When you complete a ride turn the tap off and put your glove on the kick start.That should remind you

Andys right Darren. No matter how much you lap a Norton gear pump in it will still pass oil over a few days if not used. I am glad you took my advice and fitted the cut out black wire to the tap so it kills the ignition in the off position.

I don't understand why you should need a tap on the return. Unless you fill the tank above the return hole just below the filler neck it's imposible to get oil down there.

Cheers Tony (ex BT-H)

Previously darren_logan wrote:

Previously dave_graham1 wrote:

There is no mag cutout on a M01L mag, so you wont be able to do this. An oil tap is an accident waiting to happen. I've got a valve but I check the oils returning when started. All gear pumps will wetsump eventually.

I'm using a B-TH mag/alt on my bike so I not only is it possible I have actually fitted it and it works!

Mike Pemberton told me that he fits a tap to all his bikes in the feed line.

I understand that it would wet sump eventually,but over a period of a couple of hours??

Hi Darren, That's fine if you're using a BTH mag, I know it's possible and works, you can even buy taps with a cutout switch built in. That is the only way I would use a tap. Whether Mr Pemberton uses one or not, it's still an accident waiting to happen without the cutout. I've said the same thing to people about disc locks, you will ride off with it on and break something. I told my missus not to, she said I wont forget, then dropped her bike the next week because she forgot. I didn't like to say "I told you so"

If your oil is draining in a few hours, your pump must be very worn.