Watch that oil gauge !

[Tom Lovejoy]

I was out on my Henderson today, just cruising along. I ride along the Palos Verdes coast line, beaches and cliff's running along the ocean here in the L.A. area. Some of the sections of the road git pretty rough, a constant issue with some of the roads and or cliff's falling off into the water. After a piticular rough spot, I take a look down at my oil gauge and instead of the usual 18 to 22 pounds of pressure. I am shocked to see the needle bounching between 0 and 5 lbs! I am off the gas and look down again, 0 lbs! Hit the kill button and cost over to the side of the road. Start looking for loose fittings, what do I find? My copper tube had severd off right at the connection!
I was very lucky, just happend to check my gauge often. After about 30 min altering my tubing, got it back connected and was back on the road. 60 miles later, back at home safe and sound - but that was a real scare for me. Never had that happen before, bikes been running about 18 years. Think I will renew all my oil lines just to play it safe. Any helpful hints on preventing such a thing in the future? maybe run some rubber hose? so it well have more give/ or flex ? just curious what you guys have done. Anyways my oil gauge saved the day, if ya got one keep an eye on it :-)

[c.o.]

Glad to hear it wasn't a tale of catastrophe Tom! You saved yourself a headache that's for sure.

[fillibuster]

Glad to hear it wasn't a tale of catastrophe Tom! You saved yourself a headache that's for sure.

Good catch, Tom!
I had installed a copper gas line direct to my carb from the tanks on my 47 Chief. It broke, ran out of gas, and all the experienced riders got on my case for rigging it that way. 3" of rubber hose fixed it, and I've not had a break like that in the 22 yrs since. ... with a Henderson or any four I think I'd mount a head-light-sized guage on top of the handlebars!

I had a "senior-moment" failure last fall, lost all my oil on the interstate. Had a slight "power loss", pulled over, saw no oil in the tank! Shut down. Inspected. Saw my scraper plate had come loose, (decided it was never tight). Called the sweeper. Hauled home, did the autopsy. Front piston had burned, rear had not.
One must err on the caution side with this old equipment. ... and watch out for them old-timer's gotcha's.

[RichO]

Tom, I see all these kids now with customs using copper line for oil and fuel because it's easy to form and shines up nicely. Word to the wise. Especially with compression fittings make sure to put in some vibration absorbing coiled wraps or better yet use steel lines. Vibration will cause the sharp cut of the ferrel ball to fracture at some point. Starting down the grade into Lake Tahoe on an early road run on Super X. Felt damp pant leg by carb. Had loops and the fuel line still fratured at petcock. Removed broken piece. Pushed line futher up ( hard to get ferrel ball off). Resumed ride. Lucky the plugs were on the other side. Just sayin'. Rich

[Will]

had good luck with a copper nickle allow tubing called cupro and a mastercool tubing flaring tool
W

[exeric]

Tom, perhaps you could make up an emergency repair kit that you can put in the toolbox. Like a length of rubber hose, some clamps, and some tubing with soldered flarred ends in case the tubing breaks at the flare. And don't forget a wrench

[sirhrmechanic]

Coiled wraps as mentioned above are important.

So is annealing as part of bending. You get 1... maybe 2 bends out of copper before it work hardens. Re-soften by heating w. propane torch and letting cool. You can quench copper as well in water. You don't want your lines to be brittle!

Also, lines that have been in service for decades are going to be brittle. All that vibration (and tweaking, etc.) over the years will embrittle the old copper. If you have never put new lines on the engine... consider it.

We've seen lines crack on cars and there are certain places on the Ghosts where you don't see your pressure drop until it's all gone... badness!

The idea of carrying a repair kit is good. A good set of new lines can also obviate the need to repair, however. Most importantly... watch that gauge (or idiot light) and it can be worth putting a gauge on instead of a light... And make sure the light is working! New senders are cheap. Motors are not...

Glad to hear the Henderson didn't get damaged. Good catch!

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Tom Lovejoy]

Thanks guy's, I still got allot to learn - I am changing to steel lines and I think I well put a piece of rubber tube in the tool box also. I did not know that about cooper tube, its out of here. Thanks again! Tom.