/5 oil flow issue

[Craig Barnhart]

Thank you sir!

That's exactly what I wanted, a direction to go.

Maybe I'll take a video to determine what "A LOT" means.

On Wed, Jun 16, 2021 at 11:45 AM Tom Cutter <rubberchickenracing at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Craig-
>
> I use a system called Divide and Conquer. In this case this means look at
> the system in parts. To do this first remove the oil filter cover (bike
> laid partly over to left) and see if it is full of oil. A tap on the
> starter (plugs out/grounded) will tell you if the oil pump is working. If
> you don't get a LOT of oil coming out of the pump cavity very fast, (this
> will be messy) then the pump is the problem. On a /5 that means the
> woodruff key slipped, so you know where you have to go to fix that. VERY
> common fault with the /5 which uses that tiny key.
>
> Check that, report back.
>
> --
> Tom Cutter
> Yardley, PA
> www.RubberChickenRacingGarage.com
>
> "Normalize telling your friends that you love them. Tell them a lot. Make
> it weird." --unk
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jun 16, 2021 at 11:35 AM Craig Barnhart <barney12231963 at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Greetings Airheads,
>>
>> I have an oil flow issue on my newly assembled 1972 R50/5 project bike,
>> and I'm scratching my head trying to determine the next steps.
>>
>> This is the first time I ever attempted to start the bike, and I am not
>> getting oil from the sump to the cylinder heads, and only a residual amount
>> to the oil sensor (oil pressure light stays on).
>>
>> *Background:*
>>
>> As part of this three-year (part time) project, I replaced all seals
>> including the fuel pump's o-ring and cover, the woodruff key, and visually
>> inspected (no measurements) the fuel pump. I also replaced the pickup
>> gasket.
>>
>> *What I've done since the issue, not necessarily in this order:*
>>
>>    1. Read thru this thread:
>>    https://advrider.com/f/threads/airhead-oil-priming-problem-ha.746898/.
>>    The *Bill Harris, Dec 5, 2011 *entry is the best summary on the page.
>>    2. Studied Snowbum's diagram and notes:
>>    https://bmwmotorcycletech.info/oilsketch.htm
>>    3. Tested the oil sensor switch.
>>    4. Filled the oil filter cavity with oil to prime it (laid the bike
>>    on its side to fill--learned this trick from Tom Cutter).
>>    5. Hand pumped (as best I could) oil into the oil sensor hole to
>>    prime it.
>>    6. Visually checked the pickup, bolts, and gasket
>>    7. Blew air (with an air compressor) into the pickup and felt air
>>    coming out of the right cylinder.
>>    8. Blew air into the oil sensor hole.
>>    9. Blew air into oil filter cavity holes.
>>
>> *Outcomes after turning over the engine (spark plugs out; green coil wire
>> off) for 90 seconds at a time:*
>>
>>    1. I got a tiny bit of oil into the left head (right side of the left
>>    head) at one point of the process.
>>    2. Oil is coming into the oil filter cavity.
>>    3. There is residual oil in the oil sensor hole (seeps out when
>>    sensor is removed), but it doesn't flow out when turning over.
>>
>> *AFAIK this is what is left to check:*
>>
>>    1. Oil pump - Visually inspect again and take measurements this time
>>    (remove flywheel, etc.)
>>    2. Oil pressure relief valve - Make sure it's not stuck open (remove
>>    timing cover)
>>    3. Ensure front main bearing cap oil passage hole lines up with
>>    engine block hole - Not sure if I can do this visually without removing the
>>    main bearing or cap  (remove timing cover)
>>    4. Something clogged in the system - I don't know how to check this
>>    other than blowing air through it.
>>
>> *Questions:*
>>
>>    1. Can I narrow it down to one area before disassembling the rear
>>    and/or front end?
>>    2. Is there any way to test the system after disassembling besides a
>>    visual inspection and measurements?
>>    3. I can tow the bike to Chris' tech day if anyone thinks it would
>>    help to see it in person. Does anyone think it would be helpful to bring it?
>>
>> Thank you!
>> Craig
>>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.dudley.nu/pipermail/mdairheads/attachments/20210616/c499d104/attachment.htm>