shovelhead oil pressure

[Cuddles]

sort of. The shop that built the engine is pretty much closed until after Sturgis, so I haven't had a chance to discouss it with them.

Last weekend, I tinkered with it again and pulled the cam cover. I thought maybe the oil pump key(s) had been left out/broken/whatever. I took some photos and posted them on another forum. One of the more seasoned dudes spotted something I never would have.

The pinion shaft used in my 78 engine is a side oiler from 70-72. I'm hoping the shop will make it right. I'm not sure if there's anything anyone could do short of complete disassembly. I paid $7500 for it about a year ago.

[JBinNC]

Some of the pinion shafts, and S&S is one example, have the hole for side oiling as well as being drilled through for end oiling. For the side oiling application, the end hole is plugged with a solid plug. For the end oiling motors, the end plug is left out, or a plug with a metering hole is installed. For the end oilers, the fact that the side oiler hole is in the pinion shaft journal is of no consequence.

If the shop is competent, I think you will find the pinion shaft set up correctly, since all of the above is common knowledge.

Jim

[confab]

The pinion shaft feeds the crank, right?

Wouldn't the top end still get oil?

[JBinNC]

The pinion shaft feeds the crank, right?

Wouldn't the top end still get oil?

Yes to both

Jim

[Cuddles]

I hope you’re right.

I got this engine with a bike I bought a while back. I took it to this shop, because I don’t know that sort of stuff. I brought it in a milk crate as cases, rotating assembly, a broken cam cover and rocker covers. They reused the crank. I’m going to wait until they get back from Sturgis to ask about it.

Some of the pinion shafts, and S&S is one example, have the hole for side oiling as well as being drilled through for end oiling. For the side oiling application, the end hole is plugged with a solid plug. For the end oiling motors, the end plug is left out, or a plug with a metering hole is installed. For the end oilers, the fact that the side oiler hole is in the pinion shaft journal is of no consequence.

If the shop is competent, I think you will find the pinion shaft set up correctly, since all of the above is common knowledge.

Jim

[confab]

If you still have the cam cover off, you can tell by looking at the end of the pinion shaft.

There should be a hole there.

[Cuddles]

If you still have the cam cover off, you can tell by looking at the end of the pinion shaft.

There should be a hole there.

So what if it has both? I’m learning here so this may sound dumb. It has a hole in the end and a hole in the side. If I blow air in the hole in the end, it comes out the hole in the side. Is that how it should be?

[JBinNC]

So what if it has both? I’m learning here so this may sound dumb. It has a hole in the end and a hole in the side. If I blow air in the hole in the end, it comes out the hole in the side. Is that how it should be?

Answered in my post #17. Aren't you reading your own thread?

Jim

[confab]

Is your shop/builder/seller helping you out any?

The end oiler should have a hole down the shaft to lube the crank.

But like Jim says, that won't keep oil from your top end, regardless. It will just starve the crank.

I'm the noob, but I really think you need to verify everything with your pump. Provided the shop isn't helping, anyway.

Post what you find. It is interesting.

[Cuddles]

Answered in my post #17. Aren't you reading your own thread?

Jim

I had to reread that. I suppose that part is ok. Thank you. In that case, I’ll continue removing the oil pump.

[Cuddles]

Is there a trick to getting the circlip off the oil pump gear on the outside of the engine?

[confab]

I only did it once.. lol.

A teenie pair of snap ring pliers if you have them.

You can just rip it off and replace it.

You can probably carefully work it off of there with a pick, also.

A pick set is a pretty handy thing to have around. Harbor Freight has them for like 4 bucks.

Amazing all the jobs you find for them when you have a set.

[Cuddles]

I got the pump apart - no issues. I reassembled everything back as it was and have the same problem. I can't get oil to the top end. When I first got it back together, I filled the oil tank, primed the pump by removing the plugs on the pump, check ball and the pressure relief plug, and started kicking. I oil got as far as the threaded port in the case.. It will not go farther. I have oil returning to the tank. The vent line is making a burping sound, and I have plenty of air coming from the breather. I've tried priming the pump several times, but no luck. I'm using 20w50. The oil just trickles from the feed line if I disconnect it. That should be enough, correct? I don't get it.

is it possible I'm not getting enough oil flow to the pump? I would have thought the primed pump would pull oil into the suction when it discharged from the other end.


For the sake of my sanity - should I be able to get oil from that spot by kicking?

[confab]

Does popping the cap off the oil tank change anything?

[JBinNC]

You should be getting oil to the fitting you pictured pretty easy by kicking. When you had the pump off, did you verify that the passage is clear from the pump to that fitting? Are you getting oil to the top end oil screen? Any chance the oil screen cavity is blocked?

You have a really unusual issue here, cone shovels are pretty foolproof when it comes to oiling.

Jim