Oil jet blockage

[Peter Naulls]

Does anyone have any tips for cleaning out around the oil jets? I have had to clear 4 blockages in 50 miles; I'm assuming the crud is sitting on top of the jet rather than being poked through with my little bit of wire but no amount of fishing brings out anything of any consequence. Working at the side of the road makes it more tricky.

Peter.

[Robert Leigh]

The important thing is to turn the engine on the handle, or roll it in top gear to the point where the crank throws are vertical, so that when you poke the jets and crud falls onto the gauze where it should not cause any further problem. four blockages in 50 miles suggests that there are things in the crankcase which need cleaning out properly. If a clean of the jets needs repeating often it is probably time to remove the sump and do the job properly including removing the gauze to clean that.

["Slack Alice" Simon]

I am fairly slapdash - example, my cruddy fuel tank.   My attitude is "it will probably be ok if I keep going..."

And it often is.

But 4 blockages in 50 miles would have me dropping the sump and having a look before I started the engine again.

[Howard Wright]

Hi Peter

I wonder if it is worth removing the dynamo (to get at the oilway blanking nut) and putting a bottle brush down the oilways? 

Obviously as Robert and Simon says drop the sump and gauze.

Out of interest what oil are you using and what is the history of oil changes?  Using a cheap 20W50 after SAE 30 may cause dirt to be washed out of the engine.

Cheers

Howard

[Nick Turley]

Hi Peter
I know it sounds drastic but I would take the engine out and give all the oil galleries a really good wash out and use bottle bushes everywhere.
As said earlier clean the sump ect.
Then as said earlier use a non detergent oil in future, and change frequently.
You can then be sure of no trouble round the corner.

[Hedd_Jones]

I will probably horrify a few of you now. Drop the oil. Fill the swine with diesel. Start it up. rev it moderatley. After about 30 seconds shut it off and dump the diesel

[Peter Naulls]

Thank you all for the advice. Sounds like a job to be put off until a day when I have more time and inclination!

[Chris KC]

Not sure about diesel but flushing oil had crossed my mind.

[Greig Smith]

I have great success with the diesel flush in cars, but my approach is to get that car engine nice and hot, then add 1/2 a liter / 2 pints of diesel into the engine on top of the current oil and just idle the hot engine for 3 or 4 minutes without revving it. The diesel acts like dishwashing detergent in the hot oil and cleans out a 'lot' of gunk from the passages etc

The downside is that some of this gunk kinda has to go through the bearings and out as well, so it's not a substitute for doing things right and opening up the motor & cleaning things properly. I only do it on higher mileage engines that have larger bearing clearances.

My 0.02p's worth anyway

Aye
Greig

[Howard Wright]

Hi All

This thread has got me thinking.  I have a bored out pump and a standard 10 psi gauge.  On start up pressure is off the gauge, hot running also off the gauge, hot tickover around 2 psi.

So how would I know if I have a blocked jet? At normal running the gauge is showing 10 psi and on the stop!

So I’ve bought a pressure switch that will close contacts between 4 and 29 psi (adjustable). The idea being to install a warning light to light when the pressure reaches a certain value. I will T in the switch in the oil line to the gauge.

 My question, at what pressure should I set the switch?  I’m thinking about 20psi?  The light would then be on at start up.....go out as the oil heats up... and light up again if 20 psi is reached.

Cheers

Howard