Oil return

[PaulCDF]

Nice weather is here and I had the time so I decided to fire my Chief up for the first time in 2020. Over the winter I had replaced my oil pump as it was wet sumping.

Pump was advertised as
"Restored Oil Pump Assembly - with Hard chrome Piston, new pump return gears, feed & return oil linefittings, complete, very good condition. Ready to install !"

After installing pump and night before starting; poured 2-3 ounces of 50wt into crankcase by way of the timing hole. Next day filled oil tank with ~ 2.5 quarts 50 wt. Bike started right up but, after a good 10 minutes at idle I had NO oil returning to tank and shut it down.

After shut down I let it cool a couple of hours:

1. I did find a leak at the fitting at the elbow at bottom of the pump where the sump tube line fits so I tightened this.

2.My crankcases had filled with oil and I drained this.

Any suggestions for oil return?

[tfburke3]

Try squirting some oil down the return tube and also check the return screen on the sump elbow.
Tom

[PaulCDF]

Okay Thanks. I will try "priming" the oil return tube first.
Very close quarters working on sump.
Thanks.

[kitabel]

I suspect you have an air leak between the return tube opening and the pump inlet, which breaks suction. When the case fills up, the leak is above the new (too high) oil level.

[D.A.Bagin]

Okay Thanks. I will try "priming" the oil return tube first.
Very close quarters working on sump.
Thanks.

When this happened to me I took a squeeze bottle like the soft ones in restaurants for mustard and CAREFULLY moved the return pipe more towards the fill hole and forced oil down, Worked for me.

[PaulCDF]

Update:
Thanks to all.
Checked and tightened oil line fittings with particular attention to those between sump and oil pump.
Primed via oil return tube in tank using 50 wt in oil can with flexible nozzle GREAT pump return.

Many Thanks have a Safe and Good Memorial Day Weekend.