Ok guys 1971 shovel for those that don't know.

I went out for a little rip this evening maybe 15 miles still trying to put some miles on a fresh rebuild. I am on my second oil change.

About 3/4 of the way through my ride, On and off throttle stupid traffic along the shoreline. I got behind some cars and was just hardly moving for a little while until it opened up to two lanes. Boom I take off and the stupid oil light comes on.

Now i have been fighting or learning about oil issues for awhile. I pulled into the gas station at the intersection shut it down and my oil was warm so it must be circulating. I let it sit a minute or two fired it up expecting the light to go out and nope it was still on. So i ran it home about a mile. Pulled into the garage tore the seat off opened up the tank and started it. It shot oil everywhere but tapered off before I shut it down. So oil is returning to some extent.

I then while the engine was warm thought Ok I will pull all the caps on the oil pump and case screen. I have oil at every one of them within fractions of a second from releasing pressure on the springs.

The sending unit is new. Is there a certain way to test them or is it just a normally open closed circuit. How do i go about testing it.

I think my front rocker cover is "seeping" a little oil not enough to make it to the exhaust and burn off.

Only other oil leak would be my drive side case the race is a starting to loosen up unfortunately but not to any significance that I would think it would affect oil pressure on this motor being that it is based on oil volume not pressure my Machinist experienced with Shovelheads and Harleys known on this forum was ok with me assembling the bike. I am just very picky and worry about everything. I used to work on aircraft so everything matters to me.

Any other Ideas as to what the issue could be. Or Things I should check. As always Thanks for the advice and experience guys.

 

Explain the idea behind the case race loosening up - how do you know that can you see it walking around ????????

forgwt the oil pressure switch its a china piece of ****

 

I have no clue how to test the sending unit, but it functions as you describe it.

If you are using the stock oil bag, taking off the cap should not mean oil is going to go everywhere. With the filter out you should be able to fire the bike up and watch oil return to the tank.

Have you check your feed line to ensure it is not kinked? From your description it seems as tho return is not an issue but getting it into the motor is and causing the tank to back up.

Are you sure your breather gear is timed properly and has the correct thickness thrust washer on the end. Wondering if maybe it is binding a bit?

 

John it had the slightest wiggle left to right not even enough to be concerned with by what I read about and have been told. The next time I have it apart if I ever do I am going to do the upgrade to the Timken style bearings and race insert. Didn't have the money last time anyways.

 

Well Pans I did not take the oil filter out so that could explain why the oil puked every where when it hit that filter lol. I will remove the filter and fire it up again to see what happens.
I assume the flow will vary with engine RPM ?

Supply line shows no signs of being kinked. With the oil being warm when I removed the taller cap on the pump, the one with the plunger not the check ball, It was fractions of a second and it raised the plunger I didn't have to remove it.

I think it is timed properly your making me second guess myself now. I also remember measuring the Thrust washer or shim to some on the end and it was within specs according to my FSM I cant recall what it was but it was within tolerance.

 

If hot oil is returning to the tank, the system is working. The pressure sender is either not working or something from a car that is the wrong pressure setting. You can install a gauge here to really know:

 

dont listen the idiot who told you - you can convert an engine that already has timkins in it

and if its moving it needs attention or you could loose the block -0 that’s a lot more money then fixing it now

maybe ask some one else close to you have him see what’s its doing

 

John I will send you a PM on this as to not muddy the waters with this concern in this thread. I appreciate your insight and advice.

 

OK I removed the oil filter and I Blead down to the oil pump removed all three "caps", The spring and check ball, the plunger, and the tappet screen.

I had oil in all the holes so I then Fired the bike back up with the oil filter removed. I am not getting very much oil returning not like i believe it should under good throttle.

The oil returning has a lot of air bubbles in it.

At this point I am assuming i need to tear my pump down and pull the cone? to check for a sheared Key?

Maybe there is still air in the whole system somewhere and it will clear out if i continue to Prime the pump. Don't want to tear into it farther than I have to at this point. Thanks.

If it matters the entire time it was running, (not long) the dummy light did not turn back on.

 

Ok this is what you should have done to confirm no air in the system

first re connect everything then pull the feed hose dont have a picture of your pump so usually its the one all the way to the right on the outer cover -

then wait for oil to flow a small stream will start to happen wait 20 seconds as long as its steady and not starting and stopping - re connect clamp all should have been done -

oil filter have no idea what you have and its location - so oil tank shovel early has a top cap late does not - still no ida\ea what you have - help me a bit