xr600r cam and valve lubrication

[metisse]

1992 xr600r

I am replacing a cam and followers that have failed from lack of oil - I will check and overhaul/replace the oil pump and screens and pipes.

Where does the oil go in the head to lube the cam and followers - If I pressurize the hole where the "oil pass pipe" (the small chrome pipe into the rear of the cylinder head, it seems to be blocked - The cam is removed from the head, so I expected to be able to see where the oil came out into the head???

[Beyond The Pale]

That does not sound right. There must be some kind of blockage.

[martinfan30]

i would definately spend some time trying to find out why it feels blocked. there has to be something there.

[martinfan30]

That does not sound right. There must be some kind of blockage.

congrats, you're an addict! the wife give you any stuff for spending too much time talking about bikes?

[Beyond The Pale]

congrats, you're an addict! the wife give you any stuff for spending too much time talking about bikes?

Constantly.

I told her about the "TT Addict" a few days ago. She was in the room with me when I made post 3000. I said "Honey, I'm now officially a TT Addict." She rolled her eyes....

I think that you are going to find your way to post 3000 sooner than you think.

[crmc33]

Metisse, the hole in the rocker cover basically goes into a chamber at the RHS of the cam where the sealed cam bearing is located. The oil then passes thru the centre of the cam and out the holes in the base circle of the cam lobes.

If you have no cam there then the oil should fill the chamber and pour into the camchain tunnel. The cam doesnt rely on high pressure, more on flow, but you should still be able to pass air or oil thru the dleivery hole in the cover.

HTH,

Adam 'long way off an addict'

[metisse]

Agreed, there must be a blockage, but where is the oil supposed to come out into the head? The passage appears to turn 90 degrees down at the point the "pass pipe" enters the rear of the head.

[metisse]

Adam from over 'ome - Thanks - this is where the oil should logically boil up to fill the cam - I guess then it must come up the centre of the hollow locating dowel adjacent to the sealed bearing?

[martinfan30]

Constantly.

I told her about the "TT Addict" a few days ago. She was in the room with me when I made post 3000. I said "Honey, I'm now officially a TT Addict." She rolled her eyes....

I think that you are going to find your way to post 3000 sooner than you think.

ya mine too, lol! she say's "how much can you poss. talk about your bike?". i say, "how many times can you watch that SAME ice skating movie?". that usually gets no response, lol.

[metisse]

Geez do I feel stupid - talking about barking up the wrong tree, I was looking downthe wrong hole - wide open and clean so the problem lies deeper! out come the oil pump!

[crmc33]

I had a chunk of rubber blocking my oil pump!!

It tooks two camshafts to realise as the rubber would spin in the pump outlet and only intermittently block it! An expensive mistake

[metisse]

Good Morning Adam and thanks for the interest - just the thing I want to avoid - a second cam shaft!! so the pump and all the pipes and screens are coming out to be checked - lucky I am not in a hurry!

[scalejockey]

now the question is where did it come from and is there more.

[martinfan30]

ya flush the whole lubrication system if i were you.

[crmc33]

my oil pump problem was last year - its no longer an issue.

The rubber was the nitrile lining from a goodridge oil hose (as my bike runs hoses to and from the oil tank behind the seat). I think a chunk of it either fell into the oil hose or into pinged into the oil tank when I was building the hoses up.

A freak problem basically.

I now run a stellite welded HRC profile cam and rockers, which in theory could almost run dry and not suffer! Theres plenty of oil in the top end these days - I always check the top end is primed after changing the oil or after a strip down - just to be sure

[martinfan30]

my oil pump problem was last year - its no longer an issue.

The rubber was the nitrile lining from a goodridge oil hose (as my bike runs hoses to and from the oil tank behind the seat). I think a chunk of it either fell into the oil hose or into pinged into the oil tank when I was building the hoses up.

A freak problem basically.

I now run a stellite welded HRC profile cam and rockers, which in theory could almost run dry and not suffer! Theres plenty of oil in the top end these days - I always check the top end is primed after changing the oil or after a strip down - just to be sure

curious, what is your priming proceedure. i like to crank it over with kill switch on and crack the upper banjo bolt until i see oil come out. works, but makes a mess. this is why im interested in this clear tube you talk about.

[Beyond The Pale]

A clear tube sounds nice, but I'm not sure what kind of material would work. It really needs to be able to stand at least 350F. Ya, I know the oil (usually) doesn't get that hot, but you really want at least 50F in extra margin.

[martinfan30]

it will be interesting to see when crmc33 posts a pic of it. i would like to try one.

[crmc33]

my current hose isnt clear - its a braided stainless with clear heat shrink on the outside. The Aprilia Mille V-twins use a clear plastic tube as a oil level gauge on the oil tanks and that seems ok. I raced an Aermacchi single cyl bike that had clear oil pipes as well, so it is possible. The biggest problem I know of is that for racing the scrutineers dont like plastic hoses and they dont like non swaged fittings for oil hoses.

....Thats why I use the braided hose with swaged fittings.

To prime the oil I have a specific method for my bike as its in a road race (Spondon RGV250 chassis). I slacken the top banjo bolt to the head and remove the oil retun connection to the oil tank, remove the spark plug then put the bike in gear, and push it (starter has long gone!) until I get oil spirting out of the top oil line and the oil return (scavenge) line. That way I know Im getitng oil to the head and the pump is fully primed and returning oil to the tank.

The scavenge check was something my brother suggested as its what he does on a matchless classic racer.

[crmc33]

Will get a pic of the oil hose this w/e.

I also have a new one coming in the post so can show exactly what the kit (and quality looks like)