On the road again.

[Ian Hand]

 It doesn't look a lot different from the day it arrived in Oz.  But it's entirely new under the skin.  Rides nicely after sorting the gear selector adjustment out and eliminating 13 neutrals.  A couple of minor oil leaks to attend to and the breather is blowing too much oil vapor on to the flywheel and clutch.   I think I need to run a breather pipe into a condensing can somewhere.  If anyone has any thoughts on that I would welcome suggestions.  Looking forward to taking it for a long run this weekend, weather permitting.

[cardan]

Looks great Ian. Will you refit the little sheet metal cover that protected the carb intake? It might go well with the 3d pieces on the petrol tap! Enjoy your ride - hope it runs well.

Leon

[Ian Hand]

Thanks Leon, Yes I will refit the Carby cover when I have sorted out the most suitable position for the needle.  I am also getting the seat repaired at some point in the future and I intend to re mount the speedo and reduce t he cable length. All little stuff to keep me busy during winter.

[eddie]

Ian,
       If the breathing system is the same as on the S6, You'll find that the gases are taken from the timing chest, via the timed breather, to a drilling across the back of the crankcase halves, to exit via a port in the inner primary chaincase. In the drive side crankcase, there is another angled drilling that is an oil drain. The gases (along with the oil mist) slow down on entering the cross drilling, and deposit the majority of the oil on the walls of the drilling - this oil then settles and drains back through the other drilling into the crankcases. If the smaller drilling is blocked, the oil has no option but to flood the primary chain.

  Regards,
               Eddie.

[Ian Hand]

Thanks for the reply Eddie.  You have confirmed my thoughts on the problem. When I disassembled the engine I found a small ball valve in the angled smaller hole. A photograph of the ball valve parts is posted here.  I put that ball valve back in place but I fail to see how it could work. Today I re routed the breather by drilling and tapping a hole in from the rear and machining a brass fitting to suit, attaching a flexible pipe to the fitting and tomorrow I will make the condensing can which will sit behind the battery.  Photo attached.  If it's only condensed oil vapour it should not need emptying very often.  I cleaned up the clutch and it now works as it should. Quite a light lever and no slipping and the first gear engages with a reassuring clunk. What are your thoughts about the timed breather,  It can be fitted 2 ways but both seem to give the same result, any little trick I might have missed with that part ?

[Ian Hand]

Thanks for editing the photo's Doug. I stuffed up the resize somehow..iguess I will figure it out one day.

[eddie]

Hi Ian,
            It doesn't matter which way round you fit the breather - it only does one half turn for every revolution of the crank, so it times up the same which ever way you fit it.

  Regards,
                  Eddie.

[Ian Hand]

Thanks Eddie,  I sort of figured that out but it's nice to have it confirmed.  I took the bike for a 20k run today and it's a joy to ride. Very smooth ,  the engine is a little tight, it's the start of winter here, quite cold, so I am not to concerned about overhearting.  A fairly serious oil leak from the bottom rear of the timing cover which I think is a crack opened up due to over tightening of the bolt at some time in the past.I will pull it off tomorrow and rectify that. Otherwise my little modification to the breather system works a treat. No oil on the clutch. 

[Ian]

Sounds like its all ready to go for the next Douglas Rally !

[Ian Hand]

I will probably be there with both of them. I took it for a 100k run on Wednesday and there were a few little adjustments to be made on my return.  The muffler fell off ???  It's quite fragile as it turns out so I need a better fixing system.  Relying on the cast aluminium as a support is not a good idea.  It also wet sumped by the time I got home. It appears as if the scavenging pump does not keep up with the supply pump on the current setting. Some on-road adjustments needed. Oil pressure is good but the volume needs to be reduced.  If anyone reading this has any idea of the settings, i would appreciate the information. I had the needle valve set at about halfway out using the thread length as a guage. On closer examination Halfaway out is actually fully open.  I am going to set it at 2 turns out from fully closed and see what happens.

[eddie]

Ian,
       Make sure the filler cap on the oil tank has a breather hole - otherwise the system could be getting pressurised, and preventing oil from returning to the tank.

    Eddie.

[Ian Hand]

Thanks Eddie
That one completely escaped my attention.....it might explain a lot of things.
Cheers.

[Ian Hand]

Hi again Eddie,
Can you tell me which way that little ball valve should be in the angled drilling. When it came out it just fell out and I did not see which way it was in. I put it back with the ball at the top and it occurs to me that it might be in back to front.  One if the pictures I posted in this thread shows it sitting on the casting near the angled drilling.  That might explain why the engine is blowing so much oil vapour out.