Oiled up plugs

[patrickhowell]

If my 1928 EW does not start first or second kick, the spark plugs oil up. My suspicions are that it is blowing past the piston rings. Before I strip the engine, can anybody with more detailed knowledge of type suggest another cause?

[Doug]

Patrick,

Probably the rings are stuck in the bottom of the piston grooves if the engine has sat for a while and the oil turned to goo. If so a little running and heat should free them up. If not, then it is probably carbon buildup and it needs a de-coke. Depends on how well maintained or neglected it looks.

Since it is a total loss oiling system, you do not set the drip sight rate as high as you would on a later re-circulatory system. Every drop of oil you put in the engine had to be burned or leak out. The good aspect is the engine only ever gets fresh oil (assuming you put new oil in the tank!)

Cylinder oiling is only provided by the one way valve at the skirt of the front cylinder. The rear cylinder just relies on mist. There is no enclosed valve chest in the normal sense, so you do not need to worry about sucking lube oil past the inlet valve guides.

Also, oil may have drained down from the oil tank compartment and filled the crankcase chamber. There should be standing oil in the timing chest chamber (up to the level if the weir pipe) but the crankcase chamber proper should only have a residual amount. When the engine is running the pumping action will push most of the oil vapor over to the timing chest where it coalesces. So before starting, drain off most of the collected oil from the crankcase chamber (not the timing chest).

Sometimes you will find the weir (overflow) pipe has been blocked off by owners because it is seems as a source of an oil leak. It is supposed to have a pipe leading under the engine and over to the primary chain to provide chain oiling. If blocked this will make the oil level very high in the timing chest, but that should only (!) cause it to sprout leaks in numerous places.

-Doug

[patrickhowell]

Thanks, Doug, much appreciated. Patrick

[graeme]

Hi Patrick

If you still suspect that the rings may have gummed up in the pistons, they can be freed up by running the bike with a bit of brake fluid mixed in the petrol - say about a cupful to a full tank. It works!

Cheers, Graeme