VB build

[dave.owen]

I'll see if i have spare and bring it over to the BOM rally

[dave.owen]

Sorry only got the ohv type

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Hello Dave, I have the bits but I was just wondering if I should fit them. Thanks.

[garycullen]

Vincent,
Drags notes on this seem to indicate that the cap ball and spring were for 1952 and post models.
Previous models had nothing.
The VB cap has the small groove which allows some pressure to dissipate and return the oil gauge to zero.
My VB has no Oil Pressure Gauge.
Without the ball spring and cap fitted I guess the oil in oil tank will fill the sump for you!
I would fit it.

Gary

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Hi Gary, but surely the ball valve in the pump itself prevents that is it not?
Thats the 'main virtue' of a ball pump compared to a gear pump.

[garycullen]

Vincent, Yes supposed to but I have read here on AOMCC of a few situations where an owner finds his sump full in the morning after a ride the day or so before.
The balls do wear oval allowing by pass after a while and any debri on the pump ball seat will not help.
How many owners here actually clean out their oil tank regularly? Member Nev often comments on cleaning out your oil tank.
Putting the additional smaller ball spring and cap after the pump and into the main crank Quill is like insurance I suppose !

[david.anderson]

Vincent
There is no problem in fitting the parts that you have. I have fitted the exact same parts to my VB (no oil pressure gauge).
The ball and spring are there as a back up in case of the oil pump ball not seating properly, in which case the back up valve ensures the oil feed supply is maintained. That said as the oil tank is higher than the pump and as such gravity will still allow the oil to flow from the tank to the pump but oil supply would be reduced.
The return is however a different story. If the return oil pump ball fails to seat properly then suction of oil from the sump will cease and the sump will fill with oil. For this reason, Ariel in 1956 Ariel introduced a ball and spring fitted in the timing case behind the return oil pump hole. In this case the timing case has an enlarged hole behind the pump and the spring and ball are fitted there with the ball sitting directly against the oil pump. For this reason most ball and spring arrangements are lost when the oil pump is removed. There is a factory service note in the library which gives details on drilling the pre 56 timing case to fit the extra ball and spring.
In over 50 years of riding Ariels I have experienced 2 separate return oil failures. On the first occasion a mate was riding behind me. He alerted me to the oil being spewed out the crankcase breather. 10 minutes roadside and the problem was fixed. However on the second occasion I was slow to realize the return oil failure and the result was a seized exhaust valve in the guide. The later models supply the top end oiling from the return line. So I always fit the extra valves behind the oil pump for both delivery and return oil.
David

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Thanks David and Gary,
I will fit the parts.

[Vincent.vanGinneke]

Found that factory service note .
It is number 125 in the Document repository under Ariel bulletins.
and a drawing about it