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Should I have oil pressure at the sending unit while kicking the engine over?

778 views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Code Man 
#1 ·
I've just put my engine back together after installing new pistons and rod bearings. The engine is in the frame and I've filled the oil tank with new oil. I removed the oil sending unit located on the timing cover and installed a oil pressure gauge. Before installing the oil gauge line I pumped as much oil as I could into the opening. With the spark plugs removed I've been hand cranking the engine via the kickstart lever. I hooked up a oil pressure gauge with a clear hose between the opening and the oil pressure gauge and I see no oil going up the hose while cranking the engine over.

I've cranked the engine over about 20 times. I would think that I would get some oil being pumped up that clear hose. I'm seeing nothing going up that hose! Is it because I'm not turning the engine over fast enough or what?

The engine had good oil pressure before I took it apart. I did disassemble the oil pump just to make sure there wasn't any crud in it and cleaned it good before putting it back together. I'm pretty sure the oil pump is good but concerned about the lack of oil coming out of the sending unit location.
 

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#2 ·
Hi Gary,

You're over-thinking this. :)

Of course you "see no oil going up the [clear] hose" to the pressure gauge. Apart from hardly any oil pressure is generated "hand cranking the engine via the kickstart lever" (a good analogy is do you expect a speedo. needle to indicate a speed pushing the bike around the yard?), the engine's closed off one end of the hose and the pressure gauge's closed off the other end so where's the trapped air going to go to allow oil into the hose? Oil pressure pressurises the trapped air and, when there's sufficient pressure, the gauge'll show it. Kicking over an engine is one time the switch-'n'-lamp works better, because kicking should simply extinguish the idiot lamp and, after you stop kicking, it should be a few seconds before the lamp lights again.

With the spark plugs removed I've been hand cranking the engine via the kickstart lever.
I've cranked the engine over about 20 times.
You aren't doing the splash-lubricated parts in the crankcase any favours. You read Waking The Sleeping Beast? Notice Phil specifically advises against lots of turning the engine over with the kickstart?

Hth.

Regards,
 
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