Dumb oil fill question

After 3 years of playing around with a rebuilt head, new pistons and rings I have my 70 S ready to start. The manual says put in 6 pints of oil. That would be 3 quarts. The cap on the oil tank has a dip stick that shows two marks H + L. When I poured in the 3 quarts the tank is full way past the H mark to the cap. Should I let it sit and let some oil drain down into the sump, it was drained when the head and barrels were off. Or remove oil from the tank to the H mark start and watch the oil level as the sump fills?

Well some of that oil needs to live in the lines so once it's been run you may not see such high a level. I pour some in the valve covers and prime the oil pump and lines too before you start it up. I don't know if you should pull the plugs & kick it through to prime it but I think I would.

Imperial or US pints?

When changing oil i put in two quarters start it up then add as required after the engine warms up. Use the lower line as your target after the oil has circulated.

Best thing is probably before you put timing cover on to fill the lines with oil with some sort of pump from there until you have oil coming back out the return in the tank or at least into the rockers. I cranked the drive side over with a Milwaukee drill until I got oil coming out of the return in the tank and the rockers (plugs out). Seems as I remember I put in enough to get the oil on the stick, then pumped it until it went down and I kept adding until 6 US pints were in and that was somewhere between the H and L. I had some people tell me cranking it slow like that was not a good idea on the cam, but as soon as I started it, I had return oil coming into the tank and I didn't have to worry about any blockage, I saw oil in the rockers and the return before it even started. If you haven't changed the breather on your 70, keep the oil on the low side and don't over fill it or it will come out that tube on the front of your oil tank and be all over your gearbox. It may do that anyhow.

Hope it starts right up, mine started 2nd kick after I hooked up a battery.

Dave
69S

you can also take out the plugs, put the bike in gear and push it - or have someone push you until it is all primed .

maximini said:

you can also take out the plugs, put the bike in gear and push it - or have someone push you until it is all primed .

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That is a bad idea with a new cam unless you like scratches on the lobes. Better to fill the crank through the fitting on the rear of the timing cover where the overhead line connects and let it set overnight with oil in the tank to fill the pump and hoses. Then start the motor with the least amount of cranking necessary. Watch for oil return to the tank within about 30 seconds after it starts. Jim

Oh sorry - I did not see from his description that he had installed a new cam. I thought it was just head work, new pistons and rings. Also, it goes without saying that you always prime the oil pump (isn't that in the manual or Haynes book somewhere???)

I'm thinking though that if the bike has been sitting for three years, new cam or not, Jim probably has the best advice - as per usual.

Thanks Jim!!