Just got the WLA together, filled the motor with oil and started. After it sat a stream of oil ran out of therelief pipe and filled a coffee can 3/4 full. It's not leaking from the gasket but from the inside of the pipe. That pipe goes 3" up inside the cam cover so I do not know how it can leak. Any help would be appreciated before I tear into it again.

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Goodday, sounds like the same problem I experienced with my 42 45. It turned out to be the oil pump timing. if you have a manual it will show you how to time it. Basically you have to take off the side cover and line up the timing marks on the lifter cams. I know this because I put a new oil pump gasket on and didn't know about the timing and watched as it evacuated most of the oil after the first start up.
Hope this helps and if you need it I could take a photo of the manual page and email it to you.
Best of Luck and the bike looks great.
Bull57

 

Thanks for the reply. I did time the scavenger pump when I re-assembled the engine and then again when I had to pull it to repair stripped threads in the pump body. I have all the books and manuals available for this bike. Although it's not impossible to think that I may have screwed up!
I'm going to put it back on the lift this weekend and try to diagnose the problem and tear it apart.

Greg

 

I pulled the gear cover and oil pumpsand found the flutter valve in the gear cover to be pluggedallowing oil to build up in the gear cover and overflow the breather tube. If operating properly the valve will open on upstroke of the pistons sucking some oil out of the gearcase into the crankcase.
Also, One of the check valve springs in the oil pump was broke allowing oil to run out of the tank into the case. I will be putting it back together and firing it up again as soon as I get my new valve, springsand gaskets from 45 Parts Depot.

Those of you re-building a 45 check the flutter valve by blowing into the valve. If it passes air it needs to be cleaned or replaced. When you suck on it it should open.
Remove it, make a tool by grinding the tip of a 16 penny nail flat anf bending it at a 30 deg angle one inch from the tip. Insert the tipinto the hole behind the valve inside the breather tube cavity the bend allows it to clear the case. Give the end of the "tool"a light smack with a hammer and the valve will pop out. When you re-install the valve place the small hole toward the case and drive it in with a small socket or bearing driver tool slightly smaller than the OD of the valve until seated in the case then using a small punch, lightly stake the case around the valve in four places to hold it in place.

Greg

 

I know the pain,made the same mistake,forget to time the pump.And I thought I know everything about WLAs.Mat

 

I also found the ball check valve seats in the feed pump were wallowed out and allowing oil to seep from the tank into the crankcase ahile the bike sat for a few days. I used a 7/16 end mill and just kissed thebottom of the check valve pockets enough to clean up the seat. However in the process of clamping the body in the mill vise one of the mounting lugs broke off. This thing is kickin my $#%. The fix worked but I couldn't tighten the pump down tight enough to keep it from seeping oil out the around the broken tab even with lots of sealer.
Repro bodies are cataloged but unavailable and a new repro pump is $400.00. I bought a another used pump on ebay and lucked out by getting a real good one. Problem solved (for now).

 

This post should have gone under the "Dumped Some Oil" thread!

If you didn't have the gearcase cover off, I wouldn't worry about the 'pump timing' mentioned above. It wouldn't just magically get out of time.
I checked my 'flutter valve' and it seemed to be ok, so I didn't replace it. It was one of those "if it ain't broke" moments.
I replaced the ***** and springs in my pump with a kit from 45 Restoration. The springs seemed stronger than the original, but 45 said "not a problem".
There is a tool to refresh the seating surfaces for the check *****. Poor sealing can allow oil from the tank to drain into the case when the engine is not running.
It is possible that the scavenger pump is not working well. I am told the gaskets need to be very thin, or it doesn't scavenge well.

Anxious to hear what you find!

terry