Hitchcocks Forum

For you new members and those who remember my thread on the oil circulation sight glass mod here is an update.
I have now covered over 2500 miles on the bike since i fitted the sight glass and there seems to be no trouble with it so to recap on how I make these.


You can buy the basic sight glass off of EBAY, there are two types. The first is for those of you that are not so technically minded and can just simply be fitted with two hoses and clips. The second one is threaded both ends and come with adapters, alas the adapters are only made of plastic but can be replaced with a brass air connector that can also be purchased on Ebay, the total cost being less than a tenner.
The part of the adapter that is for the hosepipe is cut of and the return oil pipe is cut and soldered into the adapter. If you have a none electric start bike you will need to buy an electric start return oil pipe and banjo. The pipe can then be fitted, bent down and then up
to allow fitment of the sight glass, being careful not to kink the tube. The best way to do this is to use a wooden dowel in a vice to bend the tube round.
I did make a video on youtube showing the sight glass in operation.
Copy and past the link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0QGZ6_wFEw

Hope the photo comes out this time.

Excellent mod, many thanks for posting, I know what my next little project will be...

Always partial to some western swing as well!

Hello JS, excellent idea, like the look of it but have question, is there anything in the bulb that might restrict the flow of oil ?

In practical terms it doesn't tell you anything, it tells you that the pump is operating, but in real terms if the pump isn't working it is most likely that the pump has stripped and this is because white metal is stuck in the rocker blocks which has stalled the pump and this means a big end rebuild anyway so the sight glass is really just a feel good gadget but if you think it helps go ahead and fit it.

Looks like a filter in the bulb,which is a restriction and if it blocks with no "by-pass" then no oil flow, why put possible problems in an already delicate oil system

Quite some time ago now one of the board contributors came up with a system of fitting an oil pressure switch and warning light to the oil filter centre mounting which would be far more use as you can see immediately any loss in oil pressure, I think at the time he used the name daniel, he still comes on from time to time under another name now, if people want the info perhaps he will post it again?. Over to you danial, C, A, and others.

The filter in no way restricts the flow of oil but can just as easily be left out if you so desire. I make no claims that this is a miracle device. The oil warning light is also a good idear too. It gives me pease of mind when I start my bike up.

Hi Johnny, Sorry if my post gave the wrong impression I think you sight glass is a good idea but the filter should be removed to prevent any risk of blockage as the oil passing the glass is the dirty oil straight from the engine I just feel that the oil pressure light would be more useful as it can be seen whist riding, it is also very simple to do, if the OP does not come back to give details I will post them instead.

On the other hand Dennis, anything that the filter catches shouldn't be there anyway so a regular check of the filter may just limit an engine problem. I have a simpler "circulation checker" on the 350 which is just an inch of clear tube in the rocker feed pipe. A glance at this upon starting the engine tells me that at least the return pump is working. If I check it after a couple of minutes, usually the first T junction after leaving home, it tells me the feed is working too as any wet sumping will be cleared by then. In practice I usually don't of course except after an oil change.

I think JS has a good idea here, just think for a moment, the first time you find you have white metal in the rockers is when something goes wrong.

Example the pump worm strips due to blockage… Would you perhaps see those telltale shiny bits in the glass filter if you left it in…?

Might just give you a heads up to impending bearing failure before the big knock tells everybody…

Filter could be cleaned on a service/oil change..