Forum

[NicoV]

Hmmm, Beezabryan, that remark about filling up to the maximum level could be true. I often do that, but then, the level often goes back to below minimum....
I regularly check the level of the tank with oil from the breather. The quantities there are negligible. What does amaze me is the pressure that is coming from the breather. I removed the rubber pipe when the engine was running, and put my finger on the hole to feel the pressure. It was much larger than I had expected. It could be used to pump up the Bullet's tyres. Could the piston rings have worn out ? Or could there be an issues with the piston ? I just read what Pete Snidal wrote about OEM pistons already being worn at 5000 km. My Bullet has 5900 km. I bought it at 1540 km, but it had been standing unused in a garage for more than 10 years.

[NicoV]

Mark, the engine does not produce any smoke, but the breather does produce a lot of "wind".

[scotty]

I ca, nt see what difference it would make filling up to hi mark on dipstick, I change oil fill up tp hi mark run bike for 10 mins then top oil up to hi, only way oil gets out of oil tank is through the feed pump to big end dropping to crankcase btm, picked up by the larger scavage pump which feeds rocker assy then running down pushrod tunnels to timing case.that fills up then runs out into oil tank via a hole and round we go again.would think this is another enfield myth as on hi still room in oil tank.does this mean on low you use less oil.

[Chris Tindal]

Scotty I don't think this one is a myth ( unlike floating bushes being a bad design). If I topped mine up to the full mark it would always blow it out the breather until it settled at just under halfway, then it would stay there, don't know why but it did.

[Gwilly]

Some feed pumps are not perfectly lapped and can let by some oil into the sump giving rise to a bit of wet sumping on start up..

As with most liquids the oil tries to find its own level when left overnight, so half a tank will not wet sump as much as a full tank..

Those with perfect oil pump discs and rings will not use any oil for miles...

NICO, check the oil filler cap and if it is the TWO click variety make sure it is closed only on the first click..

If its closed right down tight then the motor cannot breath through the oil tank and will puff through the crankcase breather all the more...

[Mark M]

Scotty, it's not a myth but in my experience some engines are worse than others. There are good reasons why this happens, I won't go in to all of them but the main one is the volume of air needed in the oil tank above the oil. (The Twins can be particularly bad in this respect because of their slightly different oil return.) Nico can give it a try more easily than any other solution that has been offered so far, so why not!

REgards, Mark

[NicoV]

I had the oil cap with temperature meter, which doesn't leave much room for ventilation. I removed it and installed the old system with a two-click cap. Closed it on the first click, and am curious to know what will be the effect.