What have I done ? (starting up with full sump)

[RoyC]

It has been just over twelve months since I last started the BSA.
I was working on the Virago and my son asked, how long it was since I had run the Shooting Star, give it a run.
Not thinking to check the oil, or any thing else for that matter, I removed the covers and started it up.
It ran very well although there was a little smoke from both pipes,
When I stopped it, my son asked, where has all that oil come from.
There was a large puddle of engine oil on the garage floor that was not there before I started it up.
I shone the torch into the oil tank and it was about two thirds empty.
If the sump was full of oil, what damage can I have done ?

mod edit: title edited, please always use a descriptive title in the tech boards. Thanks.

[orabanda]

No damage; except fro the mess you need to clean off the underneath of the bike, and the floor.

[WozzA]

Been there done that...   it blows out the breather...  drain the sump & top up the tank..   
I bet you dont forget that again..   

[RoyC]

No damage; except fro the mess you need to clean off the underneath of the bike, and the floor.

Where could the oil have come from ?
I don't get oil drips normally.

[RoyC]

Been there done that...   it blows out the breather...  drain the sump & top up the tank..   
I bet you dont forget that again..   

Thanks for the reply, PHEW 

[fido]

Some people fit a tap between the tank and the engine but you have to remember to turn it on before starting! It might be worth considering if the bike often stands unused for months but you would need to leave a reminder note on the bike.

[lawnmowerman]

Hi Roy

I have also experienced the same trauma - about a quart of oil on the floor. I had not run the bike for about six months.
You either need to use the bike more or drain the sump before starting. I have considered an SRM pump and/or doing the A65 mod on the non return ball valve but that involves a total engine strip.
I ended up fitting a valve on the oil feed from the pump and I cut a small piece of white plastic waste pipe to fit over the kickstart and wrote "oil tap" on it. When I take it off and turn the oil on I leave it on the shelf where I park the bike and it goes back on when I park up.
I always check the flow back to the tank when I start up to double check.

Jim

[berger]

RoyC just take the points cover off and check it hasn't filled the mag. I was unlucky when mine chucked it all over the floor, it also blew past the mag seal

[RDfella]

Couldn't believe it when it first happened to me. On most bikes all you get is a very sluggish engine as the crank churns the oil. On the A series oil literally pours out of the bike - as I found out. Got fed up with spending a quarter hour draining oil etc preparing for a ride so fitted a tap. Wrote OIL in felt-tip on the petrol tank cap to reming me. I try to turn it on a few minutes before starting, just in case the oil in the pipe has drained down a bit and is therefore risking an unprimed pump.

[Greybeard]

I'll be running my bike this afternoon. It's not been started for a long time. I don't usually drain the sump. 🙄

[Black Sheep]

My A10 and A7 don't wet sump but my Norton does. Norton cunningly addressed this problem on their later twins by routing the engine breather up to an oil separator tower in the oil tank so that the oil goes to the oil tank rather than all over the garage floor.  Earlier Norton twins do just as you describe however and widdle it all over the floor.
Enfield singles also wet sump but their oil tank is incorporated in the crankcase so once again the garage floor stays dry except you can't see it for the gout of oil smoke from the exhaust on starting. They all do that Sir. Velocettes have a remarkably effective anti-sumping valve so no problem there. Except all of Velocettes other idiosyncracies.
All more useless information.    

[mugwump]

Roy, the oil exits via the engine breather pipe btn primary case and n/s crank case.

[RoyC]

Roy, the oil exits via the engine breather pipe btn primary case and n/s crank case.

That sounds about right, the oil was dripping off the frame under the primary case.

[muskrat]

G'day Roy.
My A7 wets her bed badly. I pull the sump plug and put a container under her. When the container is full (1/2 oil tank volume) it gets tipped back in 
Cheers

[a10 gf]

Am I wrong in believing the only way for the oil is through the ball\spring valve, so (teoretically...) a well seated ball with a good spring and the problem should (nearly) be a non issue ...or?

https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=848.0
https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=3169.msg21626#msg21626