How much is too much and what is acceptable.

good-hifi · Post by **good-hifi** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:46 pm

OK, this is a length of string question I know and I know that Janet and ITMA will have some great comments to make so I have already got my tin hat on and my sand bag filled with sand.

Got the bike back together (thanks for all the help Folks) and engine is running, gears seem to work, when it is on the stand, and all it needs now is it's first MOT in 21 years.

I've read everywhere about oil leaks and I do expect them BUT how much oil might one 'normally' expect to see under one's (T)rusty steed in the morning. I will admit I did overfill the gearbox, by about 1/4 pint, so there is some coming from the kick start shaft but I expect that might stop.

So Guys & Gals, what do you consider to be a normal loss?.

Cheers

deshollier · Post by **deshollier** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:01 pm

On my 57 G9 which I bought in November 2005, I have been keeping a couple of drip containers underneath the engine and gearbox and although there is oil in them, it is less than a quarter pint after nine months. I reckon that is fine and I would not bother to try to cure that unless I was stripping the offending part for some other reason.

itma · Post by **itma** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:18 pm

The answer is none.
I park my bike on the same piece of beige carpet all year round. there are no oil stains on it.
Lesser mortals should rest content with the odd drip,
Oil stains around shafts etc are to be expected and not bothered about; if you need to keep a drip tray under the bike something needs attending to.
A bit of a spot out of the breather after a run is likely, let it drip on the driveway and ignore it etc [better still if your neighbour has a Jap bike, park it there when he and bike are absent, it`ll make him nervous]

That is the view from my part of Mount Olympus

Lassenc · Post by **Lassenc** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 10:07 pm

Hmm, I have alot of oil coming out of the breather I guess, coming from a small pipe on the crankcase, behind the chaincase.

How do I cure this?

lawrence · Post by **lawrence** » Tue Jul 25, 2006 11:38 pm

quote:
there is some coming from the kick start shaft but I expect that might stop.

I love his sense of humour

paul knapp · Post by **paul knapp** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:44 am

Hey Mick, ..a 1/4 pint of g/box oil is going to make one hell of a mess on the bike over time, besides leaving "signatures" everywhere it is parked. When it is on it's side stand, you will probably find oil also dripping from around the drive sprocket seal/spline area!..Drain oil and replace with correct quantity......(like ITMA's, Mine don't leak)
Cheers, Paul

good-hifi · Post by **good-hifi** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 9:04 am

Side stand!, what a luxury. I have to cart an orange box around on my back.

I did get most of the excess oil out but as my drip tray is already full form the original drain of engine and gearbox 'I ain't got nowehere else to put the oil wot is in it' (Mark Blundel for those that watch F1).

It is below the level of the filler hole so there is only a very minor seepage from the kickstart. Less than half a teaspoon in a day.

I believe the normal oil level is higher than the drive sprocket on the model 14. I think, my guess is, from what I have read elsewhere, it appears etc.etc.

Cheers

good-hifi · Post by **good-hifi** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:21 pm

STOP PRESS

I was adjusting the tickover this morning, which is rather erratic with quite a long time of fast and then quite a long time of slow tickover. Can't work that one out but maybe I will one day. Have to bear in mind this has not run for 25 years.

ANYWAY, while I was doing this the amount of blue smoke from the exhaust was also erratic and at times was rather more than an MOT tester might appreciate.

I carried out some investigations and noticed that the oil return to the tank was also rather erratic and decided to check the oil filter.

WHAT I FOUND was that the 'restorer' had fitted the wrong oil filter. The later Model 14 engines have a longer filter than the earlier ones and also have a spring which, I guess, helps it to seat against the oil return feed.

The 'restorer' had fitted the shorter version and it was in it's component parts sliding around in the housing and probably, at times, stopping the oil return and cuasing pressurisation the crankcase.

Removing the offending oil filter and associated parts cleared up most of the smoke but the tickover is still erratic.

The exploded diagram the 'restorer' was using shows the old style filter and does not show the spring. The moral is, don't always trust the exploded diagram and don't expect your machine to have the right components.....

I wonder what will be next.....

Cheers

jim501 · Post by **jim501** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 2:21 pm

How much oil should it leak ? In an ideal world, Itma is right. None. This isn't an ideal world though and since the bike probably came out of the factory with a leak you really ought to preserve it in the interests of originality

What's acceptable is up to you. It's a trade off between how much mess it makes and the cost/trouble involved in rectifying it. Gearbox oil leaks don't usually suddenly get worse and provided you check/top it up regularly the box won't mind. Let it get too low and it'll wear out.

Perhaps you are viewing this all wrong. Leaks can be good, particularly engine oil leaks. Consider ....

Leaks are a design feature and part of the character of all Britbikes. This is our heritage we are talking about here. Remember walking round new Britbike showrooms ? They had drip trays under them !!! If you bought a bike which didn't leak you thought it had been put together wrong and took it back.

Leaks keep the rear chain lubricated and improve rear tyre life.

They lubricate the road and stop it wearing out or going rusty.

They keep your riding boots shiny and supple. Why do you think all leathers were black in the 60s ?

You can mark your territory like animals do.

Regular loss equals regular top ups. A continuous supply of fresh lubricant and don't forget, it's not just oil, you're also losing all those nasty black carbon bits. Banish blocked sludge traps. Get yerself a leak.

Leaks are a talking point. Makes good conversation. You can compare notes with other owners. Nobody likes to feel left out. Imagine what a Jap bike meet is like ? After everybody has asked each other how their's is going and they've all said ... OK ... they all have to go home.

Leaks are 'green' Oil has to be dragged up out of the ground. You're simply recycling it back where it came from.

Leaks produce lovely blue/rainbow patterns on hot chrome exhausts.

Footrest rubbers are easy to remove and no need to worry about oiling the stand or siezed nuts and bolts in awkward places.

You can leave interesting patterns with your boots on light coloured carpets.

If we go back to the 60s when life was cheap, skirts were short and Castrol Grand Prix was 4d a gallon, provided oil consumption didn't exceed fuel consumption you'd got a good 'un. If your bike lost all its oil while parked for, say, an hour, that was excessive.

Want to produce a genuine realistic 60s leak ? Removing any crankase breathers, pipes and fittings and just leaving a hole is pretty good or you might try removing the timing cover and vigorously bruising the mating face with a ball pein hammer before refitting it. For a total all over black glossy finish to the engine try slackening off the rocker box bolts. Don't overdo this one as it's easy to confuse normal tappet noise with the rocker box bouncing up and down.

cheers
jim

good-hifi · Post by **good-hifi** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:08 pm

After reading that....

I reckon itma must be having a right old boring time with that unmarked beige carpet.

Oh come on...beige....you can do better than that. My bike is on a red carpet with black fleks.....