Misc: Oil Fitting An Oil Supply Valve
- Thread starter rono1328
- Start date
No, in case you forget in the spring, just drain the sump before you ride it.
there is a mob in the UK called KINGPIN who do really nice stop valves (on/off tap) available in different bore sizes........the good thing about these taps is they have a built in micro switch that has three connections so yo can hook it up to either a coil ignition or magneto ignition, and thus it will isolate the ignition so the engine cannot be started without the valve turned on first........I've bought and installed several of these, mostly to Norton's........but could be adapted to fit most all old bikes........Work well and don't look too bad on the bikes.........Cheers.
Hi Greg-- that valve sounds interesting.
I googled the Kingpin outfit you mention but couldn't track them down.
Do you have any contact details/web site etc?
Many thanks in advance for any info.
I googled the Kingpin outfit you mention but couldn't track them down.
Do you have any contact details/web site etc?
Many thanks in advance for any info.
Many years ago I bought a valve with microswitch (not the one mentioned by Greg) for my Matchless G80, but the construction was so pathetically crude I never installed it. The seller offered to take it back but I kept it as a reminder why I shouldn't buy things I can make myself, because I'd never make such a piece of junk.
Two of my Gold Stars came to me from the estate of a plumber so, unsurprisingly, evidence of his trade was to be found. The next photograph shows the valve he put in the oil line of the BB Gold Star.
Although my BB Gold Star has a Magdyno, so a grounding it would be easy, my first instinct was to simply remove the valve to avoid ever forgetting to open it. But, I left in in place "temporarily," mostly out of laziness, and got used to it. When I ride it regularly, opening the valve in the morning is just part of the routine, and when it will sit unused for more than a few days, I put a sign on the throttle to remind me to open the valve.
I don't know if I actually need that sign to remember to open the valve after a long layup, but I don't feel like testing that hypothesis.
My Catalina, also from the plumber's estate, also came with a valve. However, while a microswitch can be installed using a grounding cap on a lesser magneto, like the one used on Vincents, my Catalina and Competition Gold Stars have Competition magnetos so grounding them isn't so straightforward. But, thus far, and touch wood, remembering to open the oil valve at the same time I remember to open the fuel valve has worked for me.
As an aside, forgetting to open a petrol tap could have fatal consequences, since the engine would stumble just as you pulled out in front of a truck, whereas forgetting to open an oil valve is much less likely to kill anything other than the engine. Not that you want to kill an engine but, the point is, paranoia about opening an oil valve, but total lack of concern about the fuel valve, is somewhat inconsistent given the potential consequences of each inaction. And, while on the subject of microswitches, clearly one needs to be added to the side stand as well. Or, just make opening the petcock, opening the oil valve, and flipping up the sidestand part of your routine prior to starting the bike.
Oil Tap with Cutout Switch
A combined oil tap and switch which can be connected to bikes with magneto or coil ignition. This ensures that, if the oil tap is 'off', the switch will stop any sparks and the engine cannot be started until the oil is switched on.We are able to offer these taps in either 1/4BSP or 3/8BSP and...
shop.kingpincomponents.co.uk
Yep thems the ones.......couldn't ask for a better fix.........total failsafe there.
Many thanks for the info.
Appreciate it.
Appreciate it.
