Hitchcocks Forum

After building up my 1950 motor I seemed to have little or no flow back to tank. Pulling tappet cover revealed large amounts of oil (compared to my Bullet)pouring down from topend to tappet area. Found I had put the wrong pipe union at head as it is has a slightly smaller orfice. Now I have a very small amount returning to tank. I'm thinking putting a thin washer under head of return screw in tank to reduce pressure to top end.Ball and seat look good in tank and sump has only an eggcup of oil at anytime.Any thoughts?

Hi Tom, I don't know if this might help, or be of interest, but I was battling with the lubrication system on a similar machine and made this video a few days ago ... https://youtu.be/ZTW-EC1kmCk

Bullet Whisperer, I had watched your video with interest.Had exact problem sometime in the past with mismatched pump parts. What I seem to have going on here is oil returning to tank is ending up in head and I'm not sure if I should have more restriction in flow to top end or less spring pressure/restriction at tank orfice.Over oiling of valve area, if thats possible, is what concerns me.

As far as I can make out with the one I am working on, all the scavenge oil seems to go to the rockers, then drain down through the pushrod tunnels and into the timing chest. It is returned to the tank from there by the two idler gears forcing it through a small hole, back into the oil tank.

Hi, same poser with a model C . The oil is returned to the rear tank by the timing gears. The oil appearing at the filler cap is the pressure relief valve venting. My problem was no oil to the timing gears all out the relief valve. Turned out to be a damaged ball valve seat. Vince

Vince, the rear tank and front tank sections are linked by a small passageway beneath the crankcase, inside the casting, so it is just one tank, unless the passageway gets blocked - which could well happen.

Thanks guys,I had totally ignored the timing gears role in oiling.