Good Thing I Have an Oil Pressure Gauge!

Shelby-Right said:
Are your rocker shafts oriented in the correct direction ? Correct crank end seal ? , sorry I'm not really up with the history on your motor , have you just fitted new bearings ? What clearance ? Too much clearance will lose pressure quicker as the viscosity thins , have you checked pressure just at timing chest only ? . Have you got the MK3 cover ? , isnt there a grub screw on the gallery , within the cover that must be there .Cheers.
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Rocker spindles are oriented correctly.

Bearing shells were replaced with new standard shells. Clearance remained the same as with the old shells, between . 001" and . 0015" suggesting that there was no wear on the original shells that have probably been in the engine for the last 49+ years with no issues.
 
Lineslinger said:
I am not in suspense but I do own the same model/year.
So your OP bottomed out (?) like near zero?
And, when you pull the cap to the oil tank are you seeing the obvious flow - pumping action, of is it just driveling out...
Same oil weight viscosity as previously used?
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I did see a lot of fine bubbles in the oil tank.
 
Dan1950 said:
I did see a lot of fine bubbles in the oil tank.
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If you are seeing air/bubbles/froth introduced from the return outlet in your oil tank your circulation system might be sucking air from a source somewhere upstream.

You didn't note as to whether your oil return outlet in the oil tank is sound or trickling and whether that outlet Is the source of the bubbling? Big bubbles? Frothy oil?
Frothing or bubbled oil isn't going to show as pressurized circulation on your gauge. Pressure read would be low...maybe really low depending.
Mexico Mike and lazyeye both had an interesting take on your pressure issue, post #25, #27.

Is your bike leaking oil anywhere after rebuild?
 
I assume that you are now ready for feedback, so...

IMHO:
1) Oil pressure switch, nice to have but not required. Start the bike, check for oil returning to the tank, tells you nearly the same thing.
2) Oil pressure gauge, like Alice, curiouser and curiouser. Tried one on a perfectly running Norton - 5 psi all the time - it scared me until I threw it away.
3) If oil is returning to the tank, there is oil in the rocker area, and your engine didn't explode, you're good. It's about flow, not pressure.
4) The OPRV, when stuck open can cause low flow to where it's needed - rare for one to stick open but can happen with dirty oil.
5) I use dino oil 20W50, don't idle, don't lug. Overheated multi-weight oil becomes the lowest weight. Years ago, when you could get it, I used SAE 30 in the winter and SAE 50 in the summer. Synth oils not designed for old, air-cooled engines should not be used in old, air-cooled engines.
 
Lineslinger said:
If you are seeing air/bubbles/froth introduced from the return outlet in your oil tank your circulation system might be sucking air from a source somewhere upstream.

You didn't note as to whether your oil return outlet in the oil tank is sound or trickling and whether that outlet Is the source of the bubbling? Big bubbles? Frothy oil?
Frothing or bubbled oil isn't going to show as pressurized circulation on your gauge. Pressure read would be low...maybe really low depending.
Mexico Mike and lazyeye both had an interesting take on your pressure issue, post #25, #27.

Is your bike leaking oil anywhere after rebuild?
Click to expand...
Only leak is a slight seep from the kick start. Engine and primary are oil tight, narry a drop.
 
marshg246 said:
I assume that you are now ready for feedback, so...

IMHO:
1) Oil pressure switch, nice to have but not required. Start the bike, check for oil returning to the tank, tells you nearly the same thing.
2) Oil pressure gauge, like Alice, curiouser and curiouser. Tried one on a perfectly running Norton - 5 psi all the time - it scared me until I threw it away.
3) If oil is returning to the tank, there is oil in the rocker area, and your engine didn't explode, you're good. It's about flow, not pressure.
4) The OPRV, when stuck open can cause low flow to where it's needed - rare for one to stick open but can happen with dirty oil.
5) I use dino oil 20W50, don't idle, don't lug. Overheated multi-weight oil becomes the lowest weight. Years ago, when you could get it, I used SAE 30 in the winter and SAE 50 in the summer. Synth oils not designed for old, air-cooled engines should not be used in old, air-cooled engines.
Click to expand...


Agree with Greg on the oil. I run Valvoline 20/50 VR1 Race Dino oil in my Norton, as well as all of the BMW race cars I build and my personal built M3's. I had an OP gauge on the bike after the completed restoration, and even though I'm big on gauges, especially the race cars, I went to just a warning light with a LED bulb.
I fully appreciate everyone having an oil opinion, and I am not trying to start a pissing match and know this forum has debated this issue to death.....
Greg built my motor and when I picked it up I told him what oil I wanted to run, and he gave me the thumbs up....I am considering running Vavoline straight 40W VR1 Dino Race Oil now with the hot summers here in NC......
 
"If you are seeing air/bubbles/froth introduced from the return outlet in your oil tank your circulation system might be sucking air from a source somewhere upstream."


By design, a dry sump engine does this, the scavenge stage having greater volume, sucks air intentionally.
 
concours said:
"Synth oils not designed for old, air-cooled engines should not be used in old, air-cooled engines."

The searing heat of an air-cooled engine is where synthetic oils enjoy the biggest advantage over dino oils.
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If you, like most, trust Jim Comstock's oil study... Let's just say Jim disagrees with you. There are a few high-rated synth oils but they are designed for the purpose. On of Norton's recommended oils is Castrol GTX 20W50 - was and is conventional and is suitable for phase 2 performance according to his study.
 
And to think I had 2 oil gauges hooked up today, on my Combat so I could do some gauge calibrations and a few new "priming" tests I came up with. That makes me twice as stupid or as I look at it twice as smart as the average bear. But with 45 PSI , doing the math 9X smarter or more aware of what to beware of at 5 PSI.
I know about flow , OEM specs on my Supra are 5 PSI at idle, hot but that's a whole other kettle of fish or worms as the case may be. But I did have a super time today. Just ask the Axis.
 
Hi Carl , did you want to compare the gauges or did you have one at the head and one at the timing cover port , there must be a pressure loss at the rockers . Cheers
 
MikeG said:
Mine did too until it didn't. Very erratic now. And it's not the engine itself or it would have blown long ago
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If I hadn't had the gauge to warm me, the only indication of insufficient lubrication would have been engine noise after the damage was done.
 
Shelby-Right said:
Hi Carl , did you want to compare the gauges or did you have one at the head and one at the timing cover port , there must be a pressure loss at the rockers . Cheers
Click to expand...
Not enough to make a difference the gauges move in unison. up and down and all around. This not NASA or Military spec work. It's what works and why. One gauge before the rockers and one after the rockers , gauge at the triple tree area.
 

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