More 1931 Harley VL over oiling questions

[Buster]

First Question: Fresh motor with modern pistons and oil rings. With oil pump at center factory marked position oil in crankcase is increasing by 1 3/4 oz per 10 miles. I adjusted oil pump back 1/8" at a time finally ending with pump adjusted to minimum volume adjust and now crankcase oil is increasing barely over 1 oz per 10 miles. Starting out I put 4oz of oil in crankcase. This would only allow me to ride approx. 45 miles before draining crankcase. Would there be a danger in moving the wire stop on the control cable back 1/8" from oil pump lever, so throttle cable would move 1/8" prior to moving oil pump control lever. I want to be sure this would not starve the crankshaft of oil at idle and low speeds. Has anyone done this?

Second Question: My chain oiler is way over oiling and I have not adjusted it. If I cut oiling at chain oiler or stop oiling there, will this oil be rerouted back into the crankshaft and make my crankcase oil volume problem worse.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Buster, the chain oiler was a great feature for 1930s dirt roads and no oil rings were fitted on the VL pistons originally, so the bikes overoil today at the factory pump settings. You can shut off the chain oiler with a little ball bearing or solder plug in that copper pigtail, and still get plenty of chain oil through the breather pipe. First check the hand oil pump is not passing round the check valve at the bottom of the left tank. On the mechanical pump, first check you have it set up correctly - just wide open with the throttle wide open. You can see the factory marks on the pump body and the cam adjuster. I don't like turning it more than about a quarter inch or so in the 'less' direction. If still too oily, a slightly longer screw at the rear of the pump will hold the hinged control plate more vertical and reduce the stroke of the three little pistons inside. Some Cannonball Run riders disabled one of the little pistons by removing the spring behind it. Keep doing what you're doing - draining the cases into a measuring cup each time you're back from a ride - and you'll get there. I would say 6 ounces of oil is average for the VL, and it doesn't start coming out of the valve covers until 8 or 10 ounces.