Starting the shadow after few months - Oil problem

timetraveller

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Back to Pete4000's query. It sounds as though your oil pump is badly worn for it to leak as much as that. Secondly, most of us have a cork in the hole where a left handed kick starter would fit to stop oil going through. This is not just for the kind of problem you have but to stop oil splash from the primary drive going through there to the kick start cover and causing an oil leak which is difficult to track down.
 

pete4000

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Well, many thanks for those good advices ! Thank you John and Timetraveller. I began to take off all the oil (primary cover - engine), and will probably pull out the oil pump for check, as it appears that if the oil go in the crankcase cover, it should come from a worn oil pump. I also look out the clutch and it seems not be contaminated by oil. I remenber that I've changed the oil seals.
After those operations done, I will put fresh oil and start the bike.
By the way, is Classic Castrol 20W50 is a good recommanded oil for the Vincent ?
 

John Appleton

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By the way, is Classic Castrol 20W50 is a good recommanded oil for the Vincent ?[/QUOTE]

Hello Pete 4000, Yes castrol 20/50 is satisfactory and I covered many miles on 20/50 of another make until I switched to 10w 40. which is performing well. The reasons for my changing are first, you can buy 10w 40 at any filling station in europe, second, oil technology has moved on since the introduction of 20/50 and as the vincent design makes it very slow to heat up the oil to working temperature I prefer a lube which flows better when cold, and the final consideration is that we buy 10w 40 in bulk and always have around 500 litres in the workshop!!!
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John
 
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Hugo Myatt

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Wet sumping never seemed to be a problem when my Rapide was everyday transport. Now that it is for leisure use only it will gradually wet sump over a few weeks or so despite a rebuilt motor. The Conways anti-wetsumping valve seems to be the complete answer. I have three in use, on Rapide and two Comets. All have been very satisfactory as long as you remember to prime the oil lines after oil changes.
 

John Appleton

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I quite agree with all of that Hogo. The design of our oil system dictates that there will always be some seeping back, its just a matter of time / quantity. I dont loose any sleep over the matter, and would not reccomend spending huge sums of money trying to rectify modest amounts of leak back. If, as you say, it becomes tedious draining off the excess, the fitting of an anti-sumping valve is usually the complete answer. None of our own Vincents have the need for such a valve, but I have fitted a conway item to a square four, and one of our own manufacture to Petes triton. Both of these are completely successful and have caused no other lubrication concerns. I hope all of this helps Pete 4000 come to terms with something that is probably not a serious issue, but as I have said before, a wise man will keep an eye on the situation to ensure it does not become a problem.
John
 
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clevtrev

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By the way, is Classic Castrol 20W50 is a good recommanded oil for the Vincent ?

Hello Pete 4000, Yes castrol 20/50 is satisfactory and I covered many miles on 20/50 of another make until I switched to 10w 40. which is performing well. The reasons for my changing are first, you can buy 10w 40 at any filling station in europe, second, oil technology has moved on since the introduction of 20/50 and as the vincent design makes it very slow to heat up the oil to working temperature I prefer a lube which flows better when cold, and the final consideration is that we buy 10w 40 in bulk and always have around 500 litres in the workshop!!!
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John[/QUOTE]

When was the last time your oil got to working temperature ?
 

John Appleton

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When was the last time your oil got to working temperature ?[/QUOTE]

Probably never. When MOT testing diesels for smoke we have to aim for an oil temperature of 80 degrees cels. and the minimum we can test at is 60 degrees. If we wanted to get a vincent up to that we would very likely need an ambient air temp of 40 degrees + cels. so I use thin oil and change it often.
John
 
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