58 Panhead accumulates oil in primary

[NickR]

Does anyone know what causes oil accumulates in primary on 58 Panhead to the point where it comes out of drain in a stream.

[kitabel]

What was the last thing you did before this happened?

[NickR]

It has been happening for a while and I cant seem to repair it . Changed breather gear, plate and screen, oil pump check valve no luck.

[T. Cotten]

Does anyone know what causes oil accumulates in primary on 58 Panhead to the point where it comes out of drain in a stream.

Gravity, Nick!

If the machine sits idle long enough, oil from the tank slowly seeps past the ball check in the pump, filling up the cases until it overflows past the sprocket shaft 'slinger' into the primary.

When you stand the machine upright, the puddle drools out.

The best way to avoid the mess is to drain the oil into a jug if the machine won't see duty for many weeks, and pour it back in when it does.

.....Cotten

[Lyle Manheimer]

I hope when you changed the check valve ball, you replaced the spring as well. I had the same problem with my '64 and a ball and spring made a drastic difference.

[otis71]

Often the seat needs to be cleaned up a little. It can be polished with fine abrasive lapped with a spare check ball welded to a rod.

[Chris Haynes]

Check ball seats need to be burnished. There are several sources for burnishing tools. They are often on eBay. Lapping with valve grinding compound does more damage than good.

[T. Cotten]

Check ball seats need to be burnished. There are several sources for burnishing tools. They are often on eBay. Lapping with valve grinding compound does more damage than good.

Here we go again, Folks!

I pioneered the check seat burnisher idea, and disavowed the technique soon after.

Please type burnisher into the search function, and please heed my warnings.

Using bubbles to actually observe seepage past the ball, only a flat-cut to remove the worn seat produced the best seal; Any further treatment, such as an angle grind, lapping, burnishing, or abuse with a drift then only increased leakage.

Bubbles don't lie.

.....Cotten

[Chris Haynes]

Here we go again, Folks!

I pioneered the check seat burnisher idea, and disavowed the technique soon after.

Please type burnisher into the search function, and please heed my warnings.

Using bubbles to actually observe seepage past the ball, only a flat-cut to remove the worn seat produced the best seal; Any further treatment, such as an angle grind, lapping, burnishing, or abuse with a drift then only increased leakage.

Bubbles don't lie.

.....Cotten

Does this mean I get a refund on the burnishing tools that you sold me? :-)

[T. Cotten]

Does this mean I get a refund on the burnishing tools that you sold me? :-)

Were you so suddenly dissatisfied, Chris?

I disavowed them not because they didn't occasionally improve things, often they did; It was because occasionally they broke things.'

A simple flat-grind is safer, more effective, and probably cheaper too.

....Cotten