Hitchcocks Forum

Hello folks, I am finding wear on my 2008 Electra X oil pump spindle and I am hoping someone can advise me how to sort it out? The oil pump gears seem to rotate freely in their housing by just using my fingers. Having said that a while ago I discovered that when the pump caps were tightened the gears did become tight, after puzzling over this I found renewing the O rings sorted this problem and freed the gears but even so the wear on the spindle continues! I have tried buying online from India a new spindle and that seemed to show signs of wear after a few miles! I haven't changed the worm nut yet but am wondering if trying another new spindle and new worm but may help? Are the Hitchcock's spindles made of better grade metal I wonder and less prone to wear? I also think I've read somewhere on this forum about the need for a thick timing cover gasket to help the spindle and worm but alignment. But I can't seem to find that info now.
Anyway any advice much appreciated.

This may help. http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/pi ... -08-17.pdf

AFAIK H dont make a spindle for the electra X???


You need to check the gears/cover/end plates for scoring, and insufficient end-float. Excessive scoring to the timing cover or the end plates allows the pumps to internally bypass and markedly reduces oil flow! Correctly set up the gears should be 'firm' to turn by hand.


DONT!!! fit a thick cover gasket!!! Stupidest idea I have ever heard!!! Gear pumps SHOULD NOT HAVE end float! Just a small degree of end-float or scoring has a greatly detrimental effect on the oil flow!!!

Thanks for the replies so far.
Papasmurf I did read that Hitchcock's advice sheet which has some useful info (though it describes a pump different to the Electra X one). In particular I made sure my timing cover gasket did not obscure the oil ways after reading it.
To reply to Tim's points, in view of Hitchcock's oil pump spindle being considerably more expensive that the spindle's that I've seen from India online I have ASSUMED that Hitchcock's have had a batch manufactured? In an old catalogue I have of theirs I see that they do manufacture spindle's for the standard bullet. Anyway easily solved I shall give them a ring and ask.
The return and feed oil pump covers don't seem to have much in the way of scoring on them, if they were scored wouldn't that cause excessive end float rather than insufficient float? Also can you measure the end float? Excuse my ignorance about the end float but if the gears have the oil pump covers on them how do you know how much end float there is? In view of your comment Tim maybe I should just replace the oil pump covers.
Regarding the gasket I am not talking about a thick gasket on the return and feed oil pump covers ( just the O ring on them) but I have read alignment problems can contribute to spindle wear (see the technical sheet Papasmurf referred to) and thought some where I had seen something about a thick timing cover gasket helping alignment? I may be mistaken though.