WAY Too much oil in primary cover problem

[Jim]

My '36 VLH will pour oil out of the primary cover and leave those annoying stripes up & down my driveway and even a couple in the garage. I just removed the washers out from under the chain oiler adjustment screw except for one very thin washer. Will that take care of chain over-oiling? WHY so much oil? I find it hard to believe that the chain would have needed THAT much oiling on a dusty road back in the '30s.... Is it the fact that I only ride it occasionally around the block and it just "builds up" inside the primary? OR is it because sometimes I only ride it just around the yard on occasion? (1 acre) Will short runs produce a "build up" of oil in the primary cover? The engine isn't leaking oil into the primary or the transmission. I am tired of the "ZEBRA" striped driveway! I know that the throttle "twist" will pump oil into the engine, so does the throttle have anything to do with the chain oiler?

Is it possible for OIL to "leak" into the primary cover VIA the oil pump (chain oiler) when the bike sits over time? Like a few weeks, not years.

Would the easiest solution be that I just "PLUG UP" the chain oiler pipe? That seems to me of cheating the problem and not fixing it. But, if that is the last/easiest solution...

Maybe I should remove the primary cover, clean all the OIL out of the primary, Drain the oil from the crankcase and pump in 3.5 pumps. Then take it for a small 15-20 mile ride on the weekend. Return home and remove the cover and see how much oil build up I would have in the primary cover after a ride now that I have removed the chain oiler screw washers. I will also see how much oil is in the engine too to see if that is over oiling as well.

I know that it is normal for oil to drain out while riding but I HATE it all over my driveway.

Perhaps this was residual oil from the last time when there were several washers under the chain oiler adjustment screw.

OH... the small bearing inside that bronze plunger is NOT stuck or missing. (for those of you that know what I am talking about) ;^)

Just wondering what you guys think...

[bselph]

Be sure and look to see if the check valve in the oil plunger in the left tank is leaking. I found that mine was and when it sat for a while oil would leak into the crank case and make its way to the primary. I took off the oil line from the fitting under the tank and I was able to see it drip. The ball was in good shape but the seat looked rough. I epoxied a ball the same size to a piece of copper pipe and lapped the seat with tooth paste. I am now leaving drips instead of stripes.

[Jim]

Thanks for that idea Bob! I will pull that oil pipe with the check valve off today and see what happens. I had read that before but... like a lot of other things, I JUST FORGOT about it HAHA! Do you think that if it gets too much oil in the crankcase it will lead to over oiling to the chain?

[bselph]

Not sure about the answer to your question. All I know is mine stopped leaking so much when I fixed the check valve.

[Steve Slocombe]

With these newfangled paved roads you probably don't need the chain oiler, so turn the appropriate screw on your oil pump right in. You'll still get oil on the chains from the engine breather. As Bob says, the most common cause of oil filling the cases is a leak through the hand oil pump and this should always be checked. You also need more like 2 hand pumps of oil in the cases rather than 3.5, after draining them first. Then go for a ride, drain oil into a container and measure 5 or 6 ounces. If much more then start trimming down the oil pump low and high speed controls until you come back from a ride with as much as oil in the crankcases as you started with, or a tad more.

[Jim]

Thanks Steve, I just came in from removing the Oil Pump pipe and for 5 minutes, no leak. But I will check it later. I put a small can under it to catch any oil.

The reason I was giving it 3.5 pumps of oil is because that is what the riders handbook said. But, I will give the 2 pumps a try.

So, in you opinion... would TOO MUCH oil in the crankcase cause over oiling in the chain oiler? Thus allowing the oil build up in the primary cover.

UPDATE on the oiler screw... I read in the Riders book that you should leave the "thick" washer under the screw, so I exchanged the thin one for the original thick one. "just in case..."

Thanks!

[downunder vl]

Jim, I would first ascertain how much your 3 1/2 pumps is putting in. Drain the sump, then put in 3 1/2 pumps and then drain again and measure. My VD puts in 150 to 160 mls with 3 1/2 pumps and that is what you need.

Follow Steve's advice re trimming back and do it slowly so you don't finish up with too little oil in the motor. I have also blocked off the chain oiler from the pump for the same reason as you. I got sick of degreasing the driveway. The way I did it was by removing the oil pump and making a new gasket with no hole where the oil pump feeds into the chain oiler. I did this a few years ago and I do a lot of miles on my V and the chain gets ample from breather. (As Steve says)

I do an oil change after every ride and measure what comes out of the hot motor. Cheap insurance for the cost of 150 mls of oil. I leave and return with the same amount of oil in the sump, 150-160 mls so the pump is just replacing what the engine is using.

Good luck.
Phill

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Jim, I find a 0201 washer, about 50 thousandths thick, under the chain oiler screw just turns it off. This probably means rather more oil goes into the motor, and remember your engine has oil rings on the pistons so will probably burn less than the original setup. There is nowhere for oil to go except out the breather onto the front chain and into the primary cover (except if it comes out of the valve covers or generator). Follow Phill's advice and take time to trim the oiling for your particular bike. Oil is cheap compared to an engine rebuild, but nobody likes long trails down the driveway either.

[Jim]

THANKS Guys!! Here is what I found out when I measured my oil level. (why didn't I ever do this before??) I checked a few times to make sure that the "levels" would be the same each time and they were.

3 1/2 pumps = 5 1/2 oz or 162 ml Of course that "half" pump is subjective on a few ml ;^)

2 Pumps = 2 oz or 59 ml I think that would be a little low.

I ONLY have the "thick" washers (.050) under each; the Low Speed Oiler Screw and the Chain Oiler Screw. I have removed all the "thin" washers from both screws. When I get the chance, I will take it for a small ride of about 10-15 miles around town and then drain my oil and see what the level is. If it is less than my original "fill", then I will add a couple thin washers to the Low Speed Oiler Screw since I am only doing maybe, 35-40 mph. However, I will leave out all the thin washers from the Chain Oiler screw. I probably should remove the primary cover and inspect the bottom of that too after a ride. It's fairly easy to remove... 99% of my riding is in that 35-40 MPH range. I would assume that is... considered Low speed?

[downunder vl]

Hi Jim,

Stick to the 3 1/2 pumps and now look to pump adjustments.

Before your first test I would see how far the throttle lever adjustment that is connected to the top of the pump goes. Mine is fully to the left at idle and comes to about 1/8" from the right stop at full throttle. I have looked at this in the past on three other V models here and that is about the norm. Check the connection to this because if it is not secure it will default to the right, full on for safety. The butterfly adjustment on the left end of the pump on the three bikes that I looked at were all about the same also. This was right in the centre, halfway between ""more" and "less".

What you are doing is the way to go. Change one thing and check so that you know what works and what doesn't.

Regards
Phill

[downunder vl]

Jim,

I just noticed your profile picture. If this is the bike with an outfit you may be using more throttle more of the time due to the extra load so this would change things a bit with the throttle travel on the pump.

[Jim]

Jim,

I just noticed your profile picture. If this is the bike with an outfit you may be using more throttle more of the time due to the extra load so this would change things a bit with the throttle travel on the pump.

Oh, no, that is my '30 VL... and even though I still have that sidecar, it isn't connected now to the bike, but it makes for a nice photo. I am having the oiling issues with my '36 VLH.

...Before your first test I would see how far the throttle lever adjustment that is connected to the top of the pump goes. Mine is fully to the left at idle and comes to about 1/8" from the right stop at full throttle. I have looked at this in the past on three other V models here and that is about the norm. Check the connection to this because if it is not secure it will default to the right, full on for safety. The butterfly adjustment on the left end of the pump on the three bikes that I looked at were all about the same also. This was right in the centre, halfway between ""more" and "less".

As for the Control wire, I had just set that again as per the handbook of opening the throttle all the way and leaving just that little amount. The book said a 1/64th inch, but that seems almost "nil". Now I will have to double check to see just how much of a 'space' there is at full open. But if I remember right I don't think it was at the FULL LEFT at idle. Hmmm... Good, some new stuff for me to check out tomorrow! ;^)

Thanks!

Jim

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Jim, yes that was more good advice about the oil pump set up. The pump should be essentially wide open at full throttle, then the low speed looks after itself.

[Jim]

The oil pump cable is set correctly, so I will post again after a ride to see what happens.

[RPjr]

If all else fails with the pump, check crank case check valve. May be stuck.