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I have a '51 Pan-Shovel, with a stock oil pump. I went to start the bike this morning, and when I kicked it, there was a wet gulping or burping sound. I looked down, and a huge pool of oil had barfed out of the 1/2" breather pipe. It then proceeded to continue running out in copious amounts into the doggy dish I keep under the pipe. Ordinarily, it just drips a few drops out of this pipe.
I checked the oil tank (which I usually do before every ride), and the level was not registering on the dipstick (or just barely touching its tip).
The oil pump's primary chain oiler screw is turned all the way into its seat--that is, assuming the bottom of its bore is intact. I cleaned and resealed the pump when I bought the bike, and things did not look excessively worn. Does anyone know what, on earth, could cause the bike to dump all of its oil out through the breather pipe--and what I can do to rectify the situation?
P.S. - thank heaven the bike didn't start on the first kick, which it often does!
Last edited by NM Pan-shovel; May 31, 2022 at 10:05 AM.
Your oil sumped into the crank case, it happens. Start the bike and you should see oil returning into the tank, refilling it to the previous level.
Do not add oil to a cold bike, that will result in overfilling and cause more of a mess.
I like to check after a ride and top off as needed, then I know the next time that I can ignore a low reading on a cold motor. Then check again 20 minutes after your ride, just to be sure.
Your oil sumped into the crank case, it happens. Start the bike and you should see oil returning into the tank, refilling it to the previous level.
Do not add oil to a cold bike, that will result in overfilling and cause more of a mess.
I like to check after a ride and top off as needed, then I know the next time that I can ignore a low reading on a cold motor. Then check again 20 minutes after your ride, just to be sure.
Oh, whew... that's a great relief. Okay, I'll start it up and let it run for a few minutes, then recheck before I head out onto the road down to the post office.
Thank you very much for the speedy reply--and for the revision to my oil check routine.
New data: the total oil expelled was 1.5 quarts (see pics 1 & 2), and this doesn't include what I mopped up from the floor. That's just far too much for me to tolerate because it means carrying 2 quarts with me anytime I go anywhere--and I plan on riding this bike a lot. Plus, there's leaving a pool (rather than a few drops) in someone's drive or parking lot, and the potential that I'd get it on my tire and go down. No good.
Permanent solution: I wracked my brain, thinking about catch cans, fiddling with the rotary valve, etc... and then it hit me. All I have to do is insert a full-flow ball valve (3rd pic) into the line from the bottom of the oil tank into the pump's feed nipple... and voila. This will never happen again. Problem solved, permanently, for a couple of dollars. Just amend my startup procedure slightly: 1) open fuel petcock; 2) open oil feed ball valve; 3) choke (or not); 4) turn on key and kick her.
I've installed a new spring and ball. What problem do you anticipate occurring with the check valve?
The seat should be cleaned and/or lapped so the new ball has a new surface to seal against. It is odd that this just happened after a long time of not being a problem. It may just be a piece of crud under the ball?
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Stunning oil dump - help please
