Harley Davidson WL oil tap mistake question

[epazikas]

Hear colleagues, I did a mistake yesterday and I ride my WL to the nearest gas station to refill the petrol tank, but I just forgot to turn the oil tap ON (my motorcycle have a fitted oil tap under the oil tank); I noticed the red lamp ON of course but because the bike was not in use for some time I expected this to be normal for a few minutes. The nearest gas station is about 3 minutes ride from my home…on the way to the gas station my motorcycle started to fail and died.
Once in the gas station then I noticed my mistake and turned the tap ON and I started the motorcycle normally to ride back home. Even so on the way back the bike failed and died again, with the symptom like it didn’t have power for running. I waited a couple of minutes, then I started it normally as nothing ever happened and came back home.
This event puzzled me and more to the end of the day I went to the garage and started the bike, it started good, it sounds good and I went for a short ride around the quarter without a problem, but I am still puzzled.
Is it possible that this short ride with the oil tap OFF damaged my bike? Is it possible that the coil, spark plugs or the condenser caused the failure and it was just a coincidence to happed all together?
I am adding a video clip showing how is the engine working after this incident, I think everything sounds normal but would appreciate to get your say,
Can you share some experiences and advices? I am concerned if I should do anything before I ride it again. I want to be sure everything is ok. Thank you. Rgs, Ed

[duffeycycles]

Of the few people that I know had installed oil supply shut off,they all destroyed their motor from forgetting eventually.As for your case,I don't think anybody can answer what is wrong over the internet.

[epazikas]

Of the few people that I know had installed oil supply shut off,they all destroyed their motor from forgetting eventually.As for your case,I don't think anybody can answer what is wrong over the internet.

Thank you for your reply. I would guess nothing is wrong, but my concern is about the possibilities to get some damage on these 3 minutes with the oil shut off.
I will get my motorcycle to my mechanic for a quick check just for the sake of conciense.

[joe fxs fxr]

Roller bearings can run with surprisingly little oil, and three minutes isn't a long time. Rings or valves may have seized up slightly then freed themselves when they got oil. Good idea to have a mechanic pull the heads and look inside.

[T. Cotten]

If you take it apart, Ed,...

Its broken.

What do the plugs look like? Got a compression tester?
Does it squeak kicking through with no plugs?
Discolor the pipes? Burn the cylinder paint?

If sumping was the issue, draining it into a jug is a lot easier than a rebuild.

....Cotten

[epazikas]

Roller bearings can run with surprisingly little oil, and three minutes isn't a long time. Rings or valves may have seized up slightly then freed themselves when they got oil. Good idea to have a mechanic pull the heads and look inside.

Thank you very much for your suggestions! I will follow your recommendations and won’t do anything but take to my mechanic to have a look,but the motorcycle is running just well. I was concerned that this short ride with the oil tap off could cause some damaged, from the other hand I imagined that these machines are made to work on a war field, so they shouldn’t be so sensible.

[epazikas]

If you take it apart, Ed,...

Its broken.

What do the plugs look like? Got a compression tester?
Does it squeak kicking through with no plugs?
Discolor the pipes? Burn the cylinder paint?

If sumping was the issue, draining it into a jug is a lot easier than a rebuild.

....Cotten

Hi Cotten, thank you for your response, I really appreciate that. I haven’t worked on the bike since Saturdays event, so I will do these basic checks and revert back to you this afternoon Swedish time.

[epazikas]

If you take it apart, Ed,...

Its broken.

What do the plugs look like? Got a compression tester?
Does it squeak kicking through with no plugs?
Discolor the pipes? Burn the cylinder paint?

If sumping was the issue, draining it into a jug is a lot easier than a rebuild.

....Cotten

Hi Cotten,

Find below my answers to the questions you asked.
1) What do the plugs look like? I think they look good, see pictures below, but I replaced them with a brand new ones and no progress
2) I removed the spark plugs and uncovered the valves, please check the attached video clip. All seems to be good but please comment.
3) The pipes are not discolored cylinder paint is good as it was before, please check on the pictures.

I had another try today but the symptoms are the same. It looks like there is no fuel….i think that might be the carburetor because when I removed the petrol filter I noticed that the filter net was damaged and there was dirt on the fuel (see picture).

The motorcycle starts easy and idle nice, no noises, all sounds normal, but after a short while it dies.
i haven’t yet checked the compression with a gadget but will do tomorrow, I suspect nothing is wrong with the compression either.

regards

Ed

[epazikas]

Hi Cotten, thank you for your response, I really appreciate that. I haven’t worked on the bike since Saturdays event, so I will do these basic checks and revert back to you this afternoon Swedish time.

Please check the picture of the petrol filter as it was found and worn out.
I am also attaching a picture with the spark plugs.

[T. Cotten]

The filter is an easy solder-fix, Ed,..

But does the motor seem 'stiff' even with the plugs out?

"Starving" can be a gascap venting issue (rubber gaskets can swell and block some designs),

But I never discount a vacuum leak!

.....Cotten

[epazikas]

The filter is an easy solder-fix, Ed,..

But does the motor seem 'stiff' even with the plugs out?

"Starving" can be a gascap venting issue (rubber gaskets can swell and block some designs),

But I never discount a vacuum leak!

.....Cotten

Hi Cotten,

The engine turns smooth without the spark plugs as it was before. When I have the spark,plugs on, I feel a good compression, just as before and the motorcycle starts at the very first kick as it has been staring for more than an year.
The issue is that it does after a 50-100 meters as it doesn’t have fuel (the symptoms are the same).
What I checked:
- Battery ok
- Spark plugs were ok but I swapped them with new ones
- Coil replacement but just in case, the one it was on the bike is good as well
- Circuit breaker ok
- No short circuits found

To be done:
- Disassemble the carburetor for cleaning… it should take me a half day or so (I found a lot of dirt on the petrol filter that was broken, see picture)
- Soldering the petrol filter
- Check valve gaps
- Measure compression on the cylinders even thou I don’t believe anything is wrong there

I am still puzzled because this happens after these 3 minutes with the oil tap OFF case, but it could be just a coincidence. Unfortunately this happens during the good weather, that frustrated me a bit..

regards,

Ed

[epazikas]

If you take it apart, Ed,...

Its broken.

What do the plugs look like? Got a compression tester?
Does it squeak kicking through with no plugs?
Discolor the pipes? Burn the cylinder paint?

If sumping was the issue, draining it into a jug is a lot easier than a rebuild.

....Cotten

The interesting part that I just can’t find a similar case anywhere, is…why my motorcycle starts easy, iddles nicely but it dies after every 50 meters? Then in have to prime again to be able to start. It seems to me that by priming I am forcing extra fuel to the cylinders and that is why it starts and run…Could it be that the high speed needle is dirty and not working!?

[T. Cotten]

The interesting part that I just can’t find a similar case anywhere, is…why my motorcycle starts easy, iddles nicely but it dies after every 50 meters?

I observed many, many over the decades, Ed!

The majority were vacuum leaks;
It is over-enrichened to start, but the extra air starves it out.

The highspeed needle is a large orifice, compared to the delicate idle bleeds, which are prone to capturing glass beads and the like:
image_42912.jpg
(Best cleaned with a needle or safety-pin, and a narrowed .009" feeler gauge for the slot.)

While you have the carb off for inspection, please re-test the manifold, even if you have tested it before.

....Cotten
PS: More than a few decades ago, returning the hundred miles from the Memorial Day Springfield Mile late at night, the gas pumps under the lights were shrouded with mayflies like 'Cousin It".

I shielded my bungs the best I could as I filled up, but a month later, the 'running out of gas' symptom appeared.
An exoskeleton had blocked my crossover line.

So I admit, its not always a manifold leak... .. .

[dukekleman]

Ed,
Can you describe your fuel delivery line (appearance , material, etc.) to the carburetor and photo the line from end to end.
I have an idea of what maybe causing your short term fuel delivery.
If I'm understanding you correctly, the motorcycle runs well and Normal for a short while and then stalls? After sitting for sometime it'll run again and then stalls again? Repeating this scenario...

[bernhardt]

A swollen float will do that...