I have '99 Heritage classic with a v-twin 80 with a real bad wet sumping problem. Been neglecting the bike for quite sometime but just got a cortisone shot in my hip, the sun's out and I'm thinking it would be fun to ride it again. There is no oil in the oil bag and there is no oil on the ground so I don't really want to try to start it with the crankcase full of oil. Is there a way to siphon it out?

A couple years ago tried reseating the check valve and replaced the spring but obviously it didn't work. Once I get it going again I'd really like to have this wet-sump problem fixed... anyone have a suggestion?

Thanks for the help!

 

Leave the petcock closed and bump the starter without starting it until the oil returns to the bag.
Or
Pull the plugs and in 5th gear push it around your yard until the oil returns, it's in there.

 

I wonder if pulling the oil filter would drain any of the surplus oil in the case, just have a new one handy.

 

Do a quick and dirty oil drain, as though you were doing a change. When the cold oil draining slows enough, reinstall the plug and pour the drained oil back into the bag. This should relieve the problem long enough for you to start the engine.

 

I pull the timing plug (outdoors!) then run the engine for a few seconds to blow out the sump. Wipe off, done. Anti-seize on the timing plug threads is always a good idea since the plug is steel and the case is aluminum.

Oil and paper towels are trivially cheap. There's no downside. Cranking the starter against a crankcase full of oil can draw many amps which isn't kind to the solenoid contacts, motor or anything else involved.

Don't overthink it. I've done it this way on many HDs since the 1970s. It's pretty much a standard practice. Too bad my Nortons don't make it as convenient.

As for the check valve, how you tried reseating it matters. I use a brass punch. Best to pluck out the ball with a magnet first to inspect it and ensure the seat is not damaged and has no debris on it which tapping the ball would drive into the seat. If no joy you can lap the pump seat but most people just replace the pump. I only use a brass punch to avoid nicking the check ball.

 

Don't want to get into semantics, but technically "sumping" is when the scavenge side of the oil pump, can't keep up with the oil collecting in the sump. This happens with the engine running. It will cause loss of power, and eventually overheating and damage... sumping in a twin cam is indicative of a problem... either with a damaged oil pump, missing/bad o-ring, etc

When a twin cam sits for a long while, the oil from the tank can seep past the oil pump, and collect in the sump. This happens when the engine is off. While not designed to do this, it's not necessarily the sign of a damaged motor.... when running, the oil pump will return the oil to the oil tank. Many softails experience this. The engine still runs properly, just something allows oil to seep past the pump during extended storage.

If your motor actually has a true "sumping" problem better not to ride it until the sumping is fixed.

In my opinion........ If it is just the oil seeping past the oil pump due to storage, you could start it, let it idle for a few minutes, shut it off, and see if the oil has returned to the tank... if so, you're good to go...

If your bike is a quick, cold starter, you shouldn't hurt the starter. If you just keep it at idle, it should not cause any issues before the oil is pumped back into the oil tank. Many softails owners do this, without even knowing they had some/most of their oil seep into the sump.

Just don't start it & rev it up, or jump on and ride away.... Let it idle until you see the oil back in the tank. If the oil doesn't return to the tank after a couple times of; start- idle 2 minutes -shut down & check oil tank for oil...It's time to check it out, you have a bigger problem than seeping oil...

Some people will put a pinch clamp on the oil supply line from the tank to the cam chest, to avoid the tank seeping into the sump during extended storage....

I had this problem on my '03 Heritage... it would take over a month to get the tank almost empty. Luckily here in SoCal it was rare I went that long without riding it. Twice I have done as I mentioned above, and never had an issue. When I upgraded my tensioners/camplate to the '07+ parts, it no longer seeps past the oil pump when not ridden for awhile. Obviously I had some wear/loose tolerances in my old pump that led to this issue...

Good luck with what you decide to do.... enjoy the ride!

 

Exactly this.

 

Obviously you do...oil leaking past the check valve was called sumping before twin cams existed...so IMO the twin cam definition is incorrect, and they should have used another term for that problem...

 

When oil leaked past the check valves, I used to call it sumping else........

 

Hey guys thanks for all the help! I'm going to do a little bit of everything that was mentioned this weekend to get this thing back on the road. I will let you know how it goes. Come winter I will start searching whether an oil pump replacement or rebuild is needed. Has under 20,000 miles. Years ago before I realized it was draining back into the crankcase I took a long ride with probably a quart over.... just thankful it didn't blow the cap and shoot hot oil all over me and my girlfriend. Don't know if this may of damaged the oil pump cuz it does take long for the oil exit the oil bag.