Oil circulation procedure

[Terry.C.]

Thanks for the replies Guy's
Thats interesting about the washer. I didn't know it was there so the answer is no I did not replace it. So it looks like another strip down. Oh well que sera que sera.
Many thanks once again.
T

[nevhunter]

You can check it before you go to the trouble of removing the cover and disturbing the timing. Take the Bottom Plate off and use a Plastic tube to Blow in the return Pipe and if it s sealed OK just run the Motor as is. The scavenge Pump is many times the Volume of the delivery one and the return oil is in spurts except just after starting the engine. Nev

[volker.halbach]

After removing the sump plate, you can also attach a piece of clear plastic tube to the copper pipe in the crankcase and put the other end in some oil. Then you will see quickly whether it sucks up oil when you rotate the engine. But if the small washer is missing, I would take off the timing case again. Even if you get some oil return, there is still a risk that some air is sucked in depending on the revs and the temperature of the engine and oil. Waller mentions the possibility of adding two such washers.

[nevhunter]

That should not be necessary. The washer can be quite thin Check how flat the surface is before you do anything. I don't use the Original gasket at all at that join. Just a good sealant and haven't had any Problems. Too thick a washer and you are straining things. Both surfaces are Just Flat originally. Nev

[Terry.C.]

HI Pete.
Thanks for the reply. I did not know there was a washer there. So the answer is no. So It looks like another strip down. Oh well que cera,que cera.

[volker.halbach]

Nev, Waller writes: " Any air leak between the timing cover and crankcase, at the point where the short copper oil-return pipe extends, must be prevented by fitting one or two 0.005-in. small circular paper washers [...]" I have never dared to question Waller's advice and I have never omitted the washer. I assume you have to be more careful when you fit the timing cover without gasket. With the big gasket fitted, it will just compress a little bit more where the washer is fitted when the surfaces are flat. BTW I found that different gaskets of the same uncompressed thickness compress differently, which can be felt through the axial play of the camshaft.

[nevhunter]

I don't trust the BIG gasket and omit it because if it's shrunk you can't be sure what is going to Happen. No gasket, No chance of failure. I don't deny what Waller says. It's important it doesn't leak there but it's not under much (negative) Pressure. Good sealant to both clean surfaces. Metal to Metal doesn't need retightening either, as a gasketed joint does. Nev

[Terry.C.]

Well Guy's I found the washer was missing and put one in.
I've done everything now as suggested but still no joy with oil returning back to the tank or to the rocker feed.
Could there be a problem with the sludge trap? That wasn't cleaned out as I had forgotten about it. I've not built an ariel engine for many years.
Any thoughts on this please.
I just want to ger the bike upand running but this is a big stumbling block.
Regards