Hitchcocks Forum

Hi guys------------ I know I've asked this before, but have lost the details..Didn't somebody once offer a conversion service to fit a gear-type oil pump/s onto an Iron-Barrelled Classic 500 ??--- I've just been reading BW's thread about the poor life on the pump spindle and, as I want my No.2 bike to have the full steel conrod/roller big end conversion then a reliable, gearwheel-type pump is a must for me... Those specs. are standard on my BSA, Ex-WD B40 and that's putting up tremendous reliability and mileages......Any help ??------------

Hi Alan, some engine builder in the UK, I forget who it was,Andy or something I think it was,did a conversion some years ago but the cost was prohibitive. I had gearpumps on my crossbred because I started with Electra cases but I would not recommend you go that path unless you are a glutton for punishment.

Hi Alan R.why not just fit our hosts,oil pumpspindle and high capacity oil pumps.Well worth the expence.

Have you considered that the pump is likely to have less load due to the roller bearing being more free-flowing than the bush?

The standard oil pump does the job fine as long as it's working properly. You really don't need more oil at the big end unless you've done some serious tweaking. As for the top end, it gets more than enough.
It's tempting to think that more oil is better but surely enough is enough. Too high an oil pressure when the engine is cold can be counter-productive.
Other opinions are available

Hi and thanks for the contributions so far------------For roller bearings I'd be looking for an increase in the FLOW RATE as opposed to higher pressure...so the rocker oil hole mod is a must as well. Anything that reduces flow restriction, basically.............Don't forget that oil COOLS as well as lubricates.........Guys, have a look the layout of an equivalent Norton or BSA big singles...it's constant flow gear pumps in a sump at the bottom of the engine...From what I remember it was an Electra casing grafted on to the Classic 500 cases with the same spindle drive and a gear pump at each end of the casing instead of those piston pumps...........

Hi Alan, this is what you have to consider, Electra has no quill bolt so you would have to make a new worm nut with an extension on it so it can enter the oil seal in the timing cover. Also the feed pickup hole in the timing cover is 20mm out of position so that needs to be altered somehow. All things are able to be done, just depends on the money you want to throw at it. I believe that by building it up with weld you should be able to redrill the oilway but it would take a lot of careful measuring to get it right

Hi NORM------------ thanks for that info............Engineering skills and machinery not a problem,( eg}--Mig/Tig welding...turning...milling, etc ) just needing the detailed knowledge to do the job---------- Has anyone an Electra timing cover for sale ?? ( Long Shot I know but if you don't ask etc----)