Author Topic: Oil Line replacement  (Read 2081 times)

Offline nagrod

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Oil Line replacement
« on: 04.07. 2012 17:06 »
The Super Rocket is coming along well, I've been breaking it in with short runs, letting it heat up and cool down as well as building my confidence in it! Definitely want to put indicators on it out of a sense of self preservation but I am seeing I may have to move them back on the list in the interest of engine preservation. I am getting some oil leaks and have been finding and knocking them off one by one. One of them looks to be involving the oil lines. I have the original armored rubber lines on there and it looks like they are weeping and overdue for replacement. This is one I've not done before and after looking at the price of replacement sets I may have to have a go at making replacements myself, wanting to fit an oil filter anyway. My thinking is that if I cut the old lines apart then I have the original fittings and just need to attach new lines to the existing fittings. It raises some questions though. 1)  Is the old style armored line still available without fittings? 2)  If not and I buy the braided metal covered line I've seen, or any other for that matter, is there any way of attaching them similar to the original or is it just small hose clamps now? 3)  If I find that the fittings are part of the problem are they easily replaceable?  I'm sure I'll come up with more questions but that's my start! Thanks

Rick D
'Never again. But that's what I said the last time.'


beezermacc

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Re: Oil Line replacement
« Reply #1 on: 04.07. 2012 21:56 »
The supply pipe is rarely a problem as it fits on tapered unions at each end; these can usually be screwed up quite tightly until they stop leaking and they are only on gravity pressure / vacuum so unlikely to leak. The problem is usually on the return around the oil tank area where the rocker feed 'T's off. The connection to the tank is a bit dodgy so it's worth taking this off, making sure the banjo is tight first, then fastening the return hose. Unfortunately, as you are in the USA I can't help you with cheap replica bits. I've seen quite a few attempts at D.I.Y alternatives and they usually look a bit bodgy. I would persevere with the originals provided they aren't perished.

Offline nagrod

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Re: Oil Line replacement
« Reply #2 on: 05.07. 2012 01:03 »
Thanks for the reply! I did find that the banjo is loose and that might account for what I thought was leaky lines. That should be tomorrows project and then I'll watch to see what leakage if any remains. I keep looking at those 52 year old oil lines though and wondering just how smart it is to trust them. Doing an inline filter would be a good excuse to replace them.

Rick D
'Never again. But that's what I said the last time.'


beezermacc

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Re: Oil Line replacement
« Reply #3 on: 05.07. 2012 07:53 »
I should have mentioned, don't forget the fibre washers each side of the banjo.

Offline BSA_54A10

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Re: Oil Line replacement
« Reply #4 on: 05.07. 2012 15:44 »
If they need replacing go for armour plated teflon pressure tube.
Bike Beesa
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Offline mfhutchins

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Re: Oil Line replacement
« Reply #5 on: 06.07. 2012 10:06 »
I had a leak just where you mentioned at the rocker feed banjo. I found a set of new old stock replacement armored lines for $90. Should be getting them today. A little perseverance online and you should find some out there.

Offline jjbsa

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Re: Oil Line replacement
« Reply #6 on: 06.07. 2012 17:27 »
When I was building up my RGS I bought some new lines, the type that look like the originals.  I noticed that the bores of the actual pipes was nowhere near as big as the BSA originals.  I consider that plenty of internal diameter is vital on the feed pipe in particular, as on startup it is pulling treacly 20/50 down to the engine, so I put these aside and bought some good modern stainless braid covered hose in 8 mm bore, and used that with the original end fittings.  For the clamping of the hoses, I turned up some crimp outers out of aluminium alloy, slipped them over the barided hose, and squeezed them up using a 4 jaw lathe chuck, plus a second stage when I used a piece of 3 mm steel, rounded at the business end, to slide between pairs of jaws and tap with a hammer, to end up with 8 closing crimps rather than 4.  May sound odd, but it is gentle, neat and it works.

I do get irritated when I buy replacements that aren't as good as stuff made 50 years ago.

Offline nagrod

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Re: Oil Line replacement
« Reply #7 on: 07.07. 2012 00:13 »
I have had the oil tank off, cleaned it out, got a new fiber washer and annealed the copper one for the rocker oil feed banjo. It's all back together and tomorrow I'll see how well I've made the leak disappear. I'll be losing my automatic brake cable oiler. When the leak is gone that will give me a better idea about the oil lines. I'm gonna replace them on general principal and I definitely want to do the filter. That's a neat idea about turning the crimp outers, has to be a lot nicer looking than the small hose clamps. As far as hose and pipe ID that's a little scary. If I make them myself I definitely want to use the existing fittings. Makes me wonder about new fittings with an inline filter although I've been reading the posts to the forum about them and haven't seen that mentioned as a problem.

Rick D
'Never again. But that's what I said the last time.'


Offline wardleybob

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Re: Oil Line replacement
« Reply #8 on: 28.10. 2012 19:29 »
I have just had 25 year oil pipes collapse and  nearlly reak a moter you could not tell as they wear
breaded