Timing Chest Oil Level

[Howard]

This winter someone posted a mod to increase the oil level in the timing chest. It was in a thread for some other topic, so I can't find it now. It sounded good at the time, and I decided to try it while my timing cover's being restored to former beauty following a petrol leak disaster.

It sounded like all that was needed was a "blob of silicon" to block off a small return (to crankcase) hole to keep the oil level higher. The only hole I can find (without disturbing the technical bits that go round and make all that noise) is left and below the large idler, but it's 10mm diameter. No problems making a plug, but it doesn't seem to raise the oil level a great deal.

Any comments on this mod ie is this the right hole, and is it worthwhile?

H

 

[clevtrev]

This winter someone posted a mod to increase the oil level in the timing chest. It was in a thread for some other topic, so I can't find it now. It sounded good at the time, and I decided to try it while my timing cover's being restored to former beauty following a petrol leak disaster.

It sounded like all that was needed was a "blob of silicon" to block off a small return (to crankcase) hole to keep the oil level higher. The only hole I can find (without disturbing the technical bits that go round and make all that noise) is left and below the large idler, but it's 10mm diameter. No problems making a plug, but it doesn't seem to raise the oil level a great deal.

Any comments on this mod ie is this the right hole, and is it worthwhile?

H

How can it be possible to raise the oil level above the bottom of the bearing on the mainshaft ?

 

[davidd]

Howard,

I did not see the original thread, but it is difficult for me to understand why anyone would want more oil in the timing chest. When I was riding out to North Dakota, my Rapide developed a small void in the gasket goo near the front top of the timing chest. It was pumping out oil at ten times the rate of the oil pump. I could not believe how much oil came out of that tiny void. It was obviously flinging off the gears, but the quantity and force left me no worries about the timing chest itself.

Several years ago Stuart Hooper was decribing the changes he needed to make to his Velo to go faster. One of them was additional drainage from the timing chest so oil would flow faster back to the sump. So, sometimes it is not good to have more oil in the timng chest!

David

 

[passenger0_0]

Well I'll admit to doing this to but only to offer an alternative perspective. Twin crancases have a oil drain behind the main bearing while singles don't so I thought it might be worth a try so I slid in a turned aluminium plug that block off the hole and was held in place by the timing cover. clevtrev is correct in so much as the oil will drain through the main bearing but when it is spinning I think the flow would be reduced compared to when stationary. Anyway, no abnormal cam or follower wear occurred but then again there wasn't any in the first place. Strangely I wouldn't do this to my original bike but was happy to try out something on a racer - why I do not know?
I think I fixed a problem that didn't exist..... Opps.

 

[vibrac]

I think I fixed a problem that didn't exist..... Opps.

Thats the Vincent way!

 

[Howard]

Thanks all. Messages recieved and understood. The extra oil on the pinions sounded good, but then I don't think I've had a problem there, so why fix it?

It just doesn't seem right to take covers off and not modify something.

H

 

[Jim Richardson]

When I was first working on my Vin, I made the mistake of running the engine with the mag pinion cover off, the amount of oil that sprayed up the wall in the short time before I noticed confirmed that the timing chest was well lubricated.

 

[Howard]

I think it's just fear generated by the percussion section of the Vincent engine band, coupled with rounding off a set of cams very quickly in the 70s (probably naff manufacture back then in the dark ages of Vincent spares). I already run a 2 start pump, and no metering wires so I'll stick at that.

H

 

[vince998]

Thats probably where my lump of goo came from then I´`ve never thought about the mainshaft bearing level (thanks trev!). i just saw the two holes above (where you can see the flywheels) and imagined the large idler being submerged by a third in oil. Still, my timing side is still very quiet!!

I think it's just fear generated by the percussion section of the Vincent engine band, coupled with rounding off a set of cams very quickly in the 70s (probably naff manufacture back then in the dark ages of Vincent spares). I already run a 2 start pump, and no metering wires so I'll stick at that.

H