Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all. I've just completed the rebuild of an Electra X engine, I hope. New main bearings, oil pump worm and shaft and new barrel and piston. Special thanks to Norm and Les H for their tips on getting the inner bearing races on the crankshaft. At the moment I've got semi-synthetic oil in the engine, and was wondering if I should change it to a mono grade for running in or not.
I also have an oil leak. The barrel has a tiny 1mm hole through which a lot of oil comes out. Is it possible to plug this with something? Many thanks for all advice.

I`m old hat and would use 20/50 mineral multigrade,as far as the hole i`ll pass on that.

Unless a Bullet engines has been gholdified 20/50 is the stuff, no synthetic or semi synthetic which was developed for modern engines with miniscule clearances. Monograde is expensive and unnecessary, so is semi synth..... as for the oil leak i have dificulty envisaging whereabouts your leak is...is it at a joint (head or base) or is it a blow hole in the cylinder casting? If so then I'd be tempted to bung it up with black snot - black silicone sealant.

Why not use the same oil that would be in the bike from new? This would be 10W-40. A semi-synthetic type is recommended by our hosts in thier catalogue.

Hi Guys. I'm looking specifically for an oil which will speed up the process of wearing in the new parts I have installed. If 20/50 multigrade is the stuff, then I'll use that.
It doesn't leak from between a gasket, but from a 'blowhole' as you call it Beeza. In the cylinder barrel at the height of the pushrod cavity. Will try and see if filling with silicone solves the leak. Thanks for your replies!

Hi Robin. If you've just shelled out good money for a new cylinder barrel it shouldn't be leaking at all. Having to bung up 'blow holes' with 'garage glob' I would suggest is just not good enough. I'd complain to our hosts (if that's where you bought it from), and ask for a proper resolution of the problem to your satisfaction.

Always mineral oil for running in.

If this is an Electra X with the AVL engine then the recommended oil is 10w-40. This is what the bike would have been delivered with from new and for running in. There is absolutely no way that I would ever consider putting a non-recommended grade of oil into a bike.
I fear that some of the replies to your question Robin are more in line with the the old iron engined bikes.
Using a non-recommended oil is more likely to speed up the wearing out of your new parts - rather than the wearing in!
All the best.