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By Rasp
#88113
I can'tell see how a leak between the oil tank and crankcase could completely empty the oil tank. Once the level in the crankcase was the same as in the tank the flow through the leak would stop. I would suspect a blockage or pump problem preventing the pump emptying the crankcase.
Rasp
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By Allanfox
#88118
Yes agree but think the sump is lower than the tank? Anyway all academic as put 1.5 ltrs of Paraffin in the oil tank this afternoon and the sump is now awash with it, so can only be an internal leak methinks!!!!! 😭😭😭

So now have the opportunity to check everything while I strip it all down!!
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By Allanfox
#88119
Yes agree but think the sump is lower than the tank? Anyway all academic as put 1.5 ltrs of Paraffin in the oil tank this afternoon and the sump is now awash with it, so can only be an internal leak methinks!!!!! 😭😭😭

So now have the opportunity to check everything while I strip it all down!!
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By Allanfox
#88125
Actually you are of course right Rasp, the sump paraffin is now 100mm which is the same level that the oil was at, I had drained the oil in the tank via the middle drain plug so when I took the tank drain out it was empty, D’oh!! But not good and full strip down ahead!
By Daiwiskers
#88132
Middle drain plug I thought that was for draining timing case not the oil tank
This one's above my pay grade

Pull it apart you know you want to
Cheers Dai
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By Allanfox
#88145
Think I had it wrong on which plug does what on the AVI engine, the front plug is the timing case and slow sump drain, the gauze protecting the return side of the pump , the middle one is the plug to drain the feed circuit with the gauze protecting the feed side of the pump and when I did it it seemed to empty the oil tank and sump at the same time (aka a lot of oil came out) and the third one is the tank plug (no gauze), when I took this one out nothing other than sludge (but there was oil on the dipstick before I started) . Does make sense if I have a leak between the oil tank and sump, I think???? Will find out more when my timing pinion extractor arrives and I can split the casings, summit ain't right!

I am thinking there is clearly a leak and has been for a while, but does follow that it has been getting progressively worse to the point the oil tank and sump are almost one!
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By Allanfox
#89591
Quick update, project has been stalled for a while!

When I split the crankcases there was no gasket just some silver silicon goo, looking at the photo I guess it is no wonder the oil tank was leaking into the sump! Spoke to our hosts about it and apparently they do turn up every so often where the factory didn't fit a gasket, no idea why, maybe when gaskets were not available on production? But as in the photo almost metal to metal and silicon squeezed out both inside and outside the engine!
Attachments
crankcase.jpg
By Daiwiskers
#89593
Well done Alan
Good find I wonder how many gaskets got missed on the assembly line
I also remember the factory running out of locking washers for the clutch center's and using normal washers !

Wonder what else they missed over the years

I remember stripping Japanese engines over the years and they used a oil soluble silver sealer on the crank cases, perhaps our Indian friends tried this but didn't have the fine tolerance of the Japanese engines

Problem found well done Sir
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By Allanfox
#89597
Thanks, pleased to have found it but did mean a complete strip down! :-) Good lesson in RE ownership though! Does make me wonder how many have a similar problem with impossible to diagnose wet sumping as the result of an internal leak? Just need to order my new piston and start putting it all back together!
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By Wheaters
#89599
I just looked again Adrian's post from 28th Feb showing the inner timing side of the Electra.

My 350 looks similar inside there i.e. no idler pinions or shafts as it has no distributor (mine doesn't have provision for a starter motor) but I did notice what appears to be a duck bill breather in the upper end of the case, allowing venting inwards only. Am I correct?

Mine doesn't have this breather (nor the one on the left side "neck" of the crankcase) but I had considered drilling through and fitting one there. However, I can now see that there could be a possible issue with an open breather - oil could be pushed out if the level goes above the surprisingly small "drain hole" to the oil reservoir.

Does the engine have the crankcase breather? I'm trying to work out the logic of the ongoing changes to the breather systems on these Indian engines; there seems to little rhyme nor reason to them.

Edit: I also noticed that the scavenge feed pipe to the rockers is fitted below the oil gallery - the one on my bike is at the top end. How come?
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