Bike is becoming a project rather then a pleasure!!

yooper trooper

yooper trooper

Joined
Feb 28, 2020
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Bike has always been a great runner....easy start, great ride. Last start up was early this year. It sat for at least 6 or 7 months...no riding during that time. NOW it seems to be one glitch after another. Had some fuel system issues which have since been corrected. Latest problem is wet sumping or more like flowing! Checked the oil level only to discover the tank was empty. Drained the crankcase and it was full. Poured the oil back into the tank and rechecked the level. Checked level the next day......EMPTY !!! Sounds like an oil pump problem but I'm not sure. Maybe me and the old bike are just showing our age, bike is 51 years old and I'm 79! I'm not ready to quit riding.

Help!
 
yooper trooper said:
Bike has always been a great runner....easy start, great ride. Last start up was early this year. It sat for at least 6 or 7 months...no riding during that time. NOW it seems to be one glitch after another. Had some fuel system issues which have since been corrected. Latest problem is wet sumping or more like flowing! Checked the oil level only to discover the tank was empty. Drained the crankcase and it was full. Poured the oil back into the tank and rechecked the level. Checked level the next day......EMPTY !!! Sounds like an oil pump problem but I'm not sure. Maybe me and the old bike are just showing our age, bike is 51 years old and I'm 79! I'm not ready to quit riding.

Help!
Click to expand...
Do not run that engine until the oil drain mystery is solved.
 
I bought my 1973 over a year ago and have learned a lot.

It came with a manual valve to cut the oil from wet sumping.
Some start their wet sumped engines with no probems and the oil pump then clears the oil
back to tank. Others can have the started wet sumped engine blow the crankshaft left seal out
due to hydraulic pressure.

I don't want the hassle of having to replace the left crank seal so I will continue to use a manual oil shutoff

Without the shutoff valve my bike wet sumps in a few days.
I lapped the pump and while it it takes longer to wet sump, I installed
a manual valve that electrically cuts the ignition.
I have a lanyard on my ignition key that clips clips close to the anti wet sump valve which reminds me to turn it on and off

Dennis
 
As @concours suggests this is not normal wet sumping for the oil to flow so much, the rubber washer/seal between the pump body and timing cover may have split plus the pump clearances too high. Result is wet sumping plus when running no build of oil pressure. So its off with the timing cover to investigate, the least you will need is a pump refurb.
 
My guess the problem is the oil pump. I've heard that there are companies/shops that do rebuilds...........true? If true where can I find one.
 
I'm looking at my options and now, all of a sudden the wetsumping is much better. Normal I'd say. Still have decided not to star the bike until I'm absolutely sure it's safe to do so.
 
If you did not start it 09/28/24 and let it sit overnight. Check the oil tank the next day 09/29/24. If you still think it is normal, start it. I'm sort of interested in hearing if you've fixed anything. Project and pleasure should be equally weighted, but I smell what you're stepping in.
 
Tornado said:
Old Brits had a tech tip to put crank at near TDC when parking bike for days or weeks to help reduce wet sumping through crank oil passages.
Click to expand...
Sorry for the delayed response, had a problem locating a new oil filter. Here is where things stand of right now. Drained the tank, crankcase and removed the oil filter and put everything back together, new filter and fresh oil (20w50). Oil level at full mark on dipstick. Bike hasn't been started yet....no evidence of wet sumping this morning. I HATE problems that apparently fix themselves!!!! I'll be starting up the bike later on today. Hoping for the best.
 
yooper trooper said:
Sorry for the delayed response, had a problem locating a new oil filter. Here is where things stand of right now. Drained the tank, crankcase and removed the oil filter and put everything back together, new filter and fresh oil (20w50). Oil level at full mark on dipstick. Bike hasn't been started yet....no evidence of wet sumping this morning. I HATE problems that apparently fix themselves!!!! I'll be starting up the bike later on today. Hoping for the best.
Click to expand...
Really bad idea to put the oil level at "H" anytime and really, really bad idea after sitting!

After running a while, put the oil level half-way between "L" and "H" and don't let it go below "L"
 
Tornado said:
Old Brits had a tech tip to put crank at near TDC when parking bike for days or weeks to help reduce wet sumping through crank oil passages.
Click to expand...
Yes, once the pistons are half-way up or down the crank can drain no more from itself so attempting get near TDC (compression) will stop the crank itself from draining half of what's in it's trap. Of course, it doesn't stop wet sumping but the level of the route to the sump is closer to the oil level in the tank so it does slow it and the closer to TDC the better for this reason. With the pistons at less than half-way from the bottom, the crank will slowly empty itself and the oil flowing through the pump is unimpeded to the sump.
 
2 of my “Nortons” are the infamous BSA Ariel 3, one of which got featured in Classic Bike after a surprised journalist saw me riding past him. They cost nothing to maintain but I have to keep them in a different room to my proper Nortons to avoid fights.
 
hybridracer said:
2 of my “Nortons” are the infamous BSA Ariel 3, one of which got featured in Classic Bike after a surprised journalist saw me riding past him. They cost nothing to maintain but I have to keep them in a different room to my proper Nortons to avoid fights.
Click to expand...
Had to look "BSA Ariel 3" up. An acquired taste I have yet to acquire. Paddock bikes for show only.
 
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