Douglasmotorcycles.net
General => General Douglas Discussion => Topic started by: Louie on 21 Jan 2006 at 01:40
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I am trying to get a 1929 B29 to run after sitting for many years. What type and how much engine oil should I use? Also transmission?? Thanks for any help I can get.
Louie
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Engine:
Capacity is simple, you just top up the sump.
The owner’s manual for the B29 state they were using Wakefield Castrol XL, Mobile TT, or Shell Triple. Other handbooks for the Douglas big twins of the same era mention in addition Wakefield Castrol XXL summer use. This equates to 30W and 40W respectively. You can run it on something lighter, or a multi-grade, in a pinch. It will not harm anything other than smoking a bit more and sooting up the plugs and combustion chamber.
Any engine oil you get today, even the mono-grades, is likely to be detergent oil. This could be a concern as the B29, unlike other Douglases up to that point, is NOT a total loss system, but re-circluatory. Were it total loss, the engine would only ever have seen clean oil, but in a re-circulatory system you can get sludge build up. There may be sludge deposits in the engine that could be loosened and distributed about by the detergent in the modern oil. Do the first oil change after running the engine an hour.
A cup of oil poured into the timing chest would be a good idea, till the oil pump has a chance to circulate enough oil to build up the level in the timing chest on its own.
Gearbox:
The makers recommended Wakefeild's Casroleum or British Oil and Turpentine Co.'s Crimsangere, or Shell grease.
I use standard wheel bearing grease, thinned a slight bit with 90W gear oil to make 'groil'. At 70F deg it should self-level in about five minutes after dragging your finger through it. Straight grease will stay in the box better, but the sleeve gear lubrication is a bit marginal so I would rather have something a little thinner that has a better chance of getting in there and doing some good.
As for how much, that is a very good question. Douglas never did state a capacity in any of their prewar handbooks. They just say it is best to add a little every 400-500 miles. On straight grease you pretty near pack the box, and the gears cut trough through it. On 'groil' you should only need to submerge the lay shaft. You will not hurt it by over filling, and the excess will quickly find its way out! It sort of seeks its own level. If it is not leaking out the sleeve gear, you probably need to top it up! If I recall correctly the B29 type box should have a filler plug/fitting on the front side of the box. Take this out, and fill to the level of the hole.
-Doug
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Doug, Wow what a fast reply.. Thanks very much for your reply. What came out of the engine looked like 90 wt. gear oil.
Thanks again,
Louie
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What came out of the engine looked like 90 wt. gear oil.
I have heard of 50 to 70W being used in some early total loss oiling systems. But 90W would be a bit extreame, perhaps they were trying to curb a very worn engine.
You can unthread the oilpump from the bottom of the sump. I am not sure you can pull it all the way out, the drive gear in the end may not pass through the hole in the bottom of the timing chest. But you should be able to drop it far enough (2" or so) to clean the mesh screen surrounding the pump body. Also there is a large hex head cap in the bottom of the sump, above this is also a mesh filter that should be removed and rinsed.
-Doug
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The spec for the B29 states 1/2 Gallon of oil in the sump, but as Doug says, just top up the sump.
Personally, I would not run it at the moment, I would have the engine out and inspect it. It is not a big job on these bikes and the crank shafts can be fragile at best and the rebuild cost is high.
If you are going to run it, maybe warm the oil in the sump with a heater to soften any sludge and then drain. You could then fill with flushing oil and run for ten min's or so, then drain.
Then try mono oil and as Doug says, run for an hour and drain again.
How long has it been stood?
Good luck.
Tom