Oil Change questions

[Jim]

I am getting a '46 Chief running that has sat for a while (I'm not sure how long, but just a few years). This isn't about the different oils, this question is about an oil change and a simple question. The riders book says to drain the crankcase with the bottom screw (B), mine is actually a drain plug. OK, I did that and a lot of oil came out. I did not measure it. The oil in the tank was just about gone but I can't undo the tank drain plug as it is a bit "rounded". I am assuming it drained down into the engine while sitting for a long time. My VLs will do that too.

1. Now... when I add the NEW oil into the tank, is there anything I do to put any oil INTO the engine? OR does it just drain all by itself? My VLs use a pump to put oil into the engine before startup.

2. Do I have to wait after filling the tank before starting?

3. In the Riders Book; What is the screw (A) ABOVE the drain plug for?

Transmission Oil fill bolt question.

1. I loosened the "lock nut" on the top of the transmission, but I could not turn the BIG screw. Is there a "trick" to that? OR is the screw just really tight?

[Guest]

The upper plug is the oil level. It sounds like the lower end had plenty of lubrication but if you want more in there you could squirt some in the timing plug. I would be sure to squirt some down the oil return line in the tank to make sure the oil pump is primed.

[Guest]

On a stock machine the trans and primary share the same oil. You drain it by way of the plug on the bottom of the trans and you fill it by way of the fill plug on the side of the primary. Some guys separate the two cases with seals etc. Pour some oil into the primary, if it comes out of the trans drain plug your cases are not separated. I think the screw on the trans top you refer to is the shifter detent adjustment. If your cases share the same oil you don’t have to mess with it but it should thread in and out the same as any bolt.

[pisten-bully]

1. I loosened the "lock nut" on the top of the transmission, but I could not turn the BIG screw. Is there a "trick" to that? OR is the screw just really tight?

Jim, I bet it's galled a bit, so maybe an electric heat gun and/or more torque will get it turning, doesn't take much of a turn, maybe 1/4 +/-, to make a difference.

Dustydog has the oil sump topic covered! The only thing I could possibly add was that I purchased one of those marinade injectors (for grilling birds on the barbecue) ...a big metal syringe and I use it to squirt oil into the sump through the top hole after an oil change....usually two syringe fulls will fill the sump enough so that oil begins to drip out of that top hole

[Jim]

Thanks for that info guys! OK, so I will squirt oil down into the sump, and that sounds like a very good idea, but why doesn't the riders book tell you to do that? hmmm... I'm learning a whole new world with an Indian than I know about my H-D VLs.

OK, so "IF" I've drained all the oil OUT of the engine using the plug (B) then there should be NO oil in the transmission? Providing it is "stock". I'll look into that tomorrow.

Harry, I know exactly that syringe you're talking about!!

[Guest]

No no. You are confusing the engine oil with the primary/transmission oil. Engine oil is never shared with the primary or transmission.

[someozybloke]

Jim, the Indian oil system is gravity fed into the oil pump from there the plunger that is run off the rear cam pushes the oil into the crankpin.
From there the oil is flung all over the engine eventually ending up in the sump where the oil pump scavenge gears push the oil back up to the tank.
If the system is working as intended and there is oil in the tank there is nothing else you need to do. When you change and drop the oil from the tank there is always oil in the lines and the pump.
If you want to get rid of that oil after an oil change, put a length of clear tubing over the oil return line in the tank and start the engine.
The oil being returned from the sump will be black to start with and will run clear after a couple of minutes.
Remove the tubing and top up the tank needed.

Oil pump grahic.jpg

Start and ride your bike.

Primary and Transmission are separate from the engine oil and circulation. They have a shared oil that is measured through the drain plug and the inspection plug just under the clutch worm.
Primary and transmission oil is only 400ml to 600mls capacity. or 13-20 ounces of oil, filled through the top of the primary until it runs out the fluid checking

[Jim]

No no. You are confusing the engine oil with the primary/transmission oil. Engine oil is never shared with the primary or transmission.

Yeah... that is exactly what I did. I confused it. After I got done reading and I shut down the computer, I started to think, that can't be right! HAHA!!

Thanks!

[Jim]

Jim, the Indian oil system is gravity fed into the oil pump from there the plunger that is run off the rear cam pushes the oil into the crankpin.
From there the oil is flung all over the engine eventually ending up in the sump where the oil pump scavenge gears push the oil back up to the tank.
If the system is working as intended and there is oil in the tank there is nothing else you need to do. When you change and drop the oil from the tank there is always oil in the lines and the pump.
If you want to get rid of that oil after an oil change, put a length of clear tubing over the oil return line in the tank and start the engine.
The oil being returned from the sump will be black to start with and will run clear after a couple of minutes.
Remove the tubing and top up the tank needed.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30168[/ATTACH]

Start and ride your bike.

Primary and Transmission are separate from the engine oil and circulation. They have a shared oil that is measured through the drain plug and the inspection plug just under the clutch worm.
Primary and transmission oil is only 400ml to 600mls capacity. or 13-20 ounces of oil, filled through the top of the primary until it runs out the fluid checking

Thanks ozybloke! The picture helps understand how it works. NOW I remember I saw that pic in the riders book as well. I will sit down and read through more of it today. INCLUDING the transmission section! HAHA!!

[Jim]

I found a nice image in the printed "Repair and Overhaul" manual (for some reason it isn't in the Downloaded version) that shows the positions of the filler plug, chain inspection plug, oil level plug and drain plug on the primary case. Seeing this image, NOW it's all starting to make sense to me!
Primary Case points.jpg

[pisten-bully]

...kind of an old thread here, but sort of related to my latest broken part!

After changing the gearbox and primary oil in my Chief (with shared oil between the two), I was reinstalling the oil level plug on the primary cover and a piece of the cover fell to the floor! The threaded hole for level plug is now missing a chunk on the outside. I've JB welded it for a temporary fix, but if that fails then I'll likely have a fast leak because the plug only engages a few threads. Luckily outer primary covers are sold by Greer's.
IMG_0222.jpeg

You can see what looks like a casting flaw running away from the hole, and I've always had oil seepage below the clutch worm that I have blamed on oil escaping from the worm hole. Now....I'm not so sure it wasn't the small crack from the casting flaw!

I guess people replace knees and hips at 70+ years old, so I'm not too troubled by this latest part failure on my 1946 motorcycle

[Jim]

Knee and Hip replacements are probably less "stressful" than a broken oil drain plug on a '46 Chief! at least for me the cracked threads would be very stressful. As we've all read online and/or packages that JB Weld can be threaded and since there is no pressure on that drain plug... I'm not sure what I'm saying, but... just wanted to say maybe add a bit more JB Weld at that area so you would get more thread coverage?? I'm sure there are plenty of guys that could weld that up with no problems too. So, about that Knee replacement...

[Skirted]

You're good for another 70 years Harry! Ride on!
I quit removing that level-check plug and pour 16oz in.
Peace