Wet Sump Oil Stop

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Cjay59_LAPSED
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Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by Cjay59_LAPSED »

My 500 has an oil switch to stop it wet sumping, could you tell me if this is up for off/ down for on, or vice versa.

Its the knurled brass lever,
Oil Switch.jpg
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clive
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by clive »

Its not a standard fitment and the photo does not really help, so no I cannot tell you. :twisted:
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by Rob Harknett »

It would not take much to take the pipe off and try it. So you are sure it actually works and which way it turns off. Apart from starting the engine. If started off it may be confusing, as it may make a return from sumped oil. You thinking you have the tap on.
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Assuming it's a 500 single (your Profile shows only your Stormer two-smoke).
You could remove the rocker cover plate to observe the oil flow (or not).
You can safely run the engine gently for a minute (or two) without any oil flow which should be long enough to determine which way is 'On'.
Do have some indicator to tie on the 'bars or other way of remembering that the oil is turned off. I have always pulled a plug lead/cap off.
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Cjay59_LAPSED
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by Cjay59_LAPSED »

Thank you all for your comments, I've been away from the club for a couple of years, as I relocated to Cork, I'll update my profile Spriddler, I forgot to do that!

I have bought an AJS 18S, a few weeks ago, I have started it for a few minutes to check how it runs and sounds. Unfortunately the previous owner has died, I bought it as a sale of his estate, it would of been nice to have been able to share its future with him, and share his knowledge of the bike, it was clearly the love of his life.

I have always wanted one of these since I was a boy in the sixties, and my alternative was to buy the Stormer when I was seventeen, as it was a 250 on a provisional licence, I loved it and still have it, and I've spent my time finishing my website about the Stormers development history, something I started many years ago under the "Two Stroke" category of this forum.

The 18S is laid up for the moment, I have started to take it apart, the clutch cable skipped out on my first test run, the forks aren't aligned, not sure the back wheel is, I've found several nuts are loose (including the front wheel nut) so I've got to check the bike over.

But I didn't check the oil flow when I ran it, and then discovered the sump switch. I know its an addition people have made to stop 'wet sumping', but as I say, unfortunately I can't contact the previous owner.

It's a lever that goes up and down, its not a stop, you pull up towards you, or push down like a plunger, it rotates under the gear box as you slide it down towards the ground, its two dimensional, you put your finger on top of the knurled knob and like a footbrake, you push it down.

I will have the bike back together again in a couple of weeks and will run the engine and check if the oil is running straight off, but in the mean time I wondered if anyone had a similar 'stop' and could advise if it was on or off, its in the up position at the moment.

Here's a pic of the bike; again many thanks for your help,
Cliff Stevens 18s 003.jpg
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Rob Harknett
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by Rob Harknett »

I believe the taps with a lever are horizontal for off and vertical, pointing down for on. I have plumbed a similar tap on the water pipe mains for my wife's washing machine. So if it does leak she can easily turn the water supply to it off. I would guess your tap in the up position could be in the off position. As this does mimic the lever type, up its off down its on.
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Cjay59_LAPSED
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by Cjay59_LAPSED »

Thanks Roy, I'll run with that for now, it's in that position at the moment so should be correct, I have no idea how long between running that 'wet sumping' may occur?
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Cjay59 wrote:.......so should be correct,
'Should' really isn't good enough, Clifford :shock:
I have no idea how long between running that 'wet sumping' may occur?
It depends upon the wear of the pump, oil viscosity and some will say (although I don't subscribe to it) that it also depends upon at which point in the engine/pump rotation you stop the engine. It could be after a week or ten days or up to a couple of months. If you really want to find out then drain the crankcase after bike has stood for varying periods with the tap left 'On'. There will always be residual oil in the crankcase (maybe a cupful?) when the engine is stopped because the oil 'return' gallery is not right at the bottom of the crankcase and in addition oil will continue to drain from the rocker box, cam chest etc. when the engine stops.

As Clive has mentioned, that push/pull tap operating arrangement is not a standard fitting.

P.S. Gorgeous bike!
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clive
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by clive »

Was there oil in the tank or in the sump when you got the bike? If there was oil in the tank logic would argue the tap was off when you got it. If there was no oil in the tank but lots and i mean more than a pint in the sump then it may have been on.
Those I know with oil taps would normally turn them off when putting the bike away but leave them on if out and about, at a rally etc as the wetsumping on a single is normally quite slow.
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Cjay59_LAPSED
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Re: Wet Sump Oil Stop

Post by Cjay59_LAPSED »

Thanks Clive, yes there was oil in the tank, and yes I have found a use for the old baking tray from the kitchen again. In the position it's in the drips seem to have stopped!

Spriddler, thanks for the insight and knowledge, I was excited as a schoolboy when I was buying it and realised later, that I should of slowed down and taken more in. No bother, I'll take my time now, the engine looks immaculate, so hopefully the pump is in good knick, it has 59 miles on the clock, but as I said the bike is not balanced up, I find it hard to believe anyone could have ridden it in a straight line, the previous owner was wheelchair bound by the end, so I think it was something admired in the shed.

One question, and I know its been covered a few times, what oil do you use in the tank?

When I've sorted the clutch, I think it has the wrong cable for a Burman box, I'll warm the engine and give it an oil change.
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