Turbobike Web Site www.Turborick.com
Hi all, The subject of this message maybe a little misleading "SHURflo pumps don't suck enough" might have been more to the point! Well the plan *was* to use a SHURflo 8000 series pump to scavenge the oil from my T3 blow-through turboed GSX-R11. I fabricated a vented oil tank that sat under left hand side of the sump, then piped the return oil from the turbo so it gravity fed into this tank. I then used the SHURflo pump to lift the oil from this tank back into the sump via pipe fitting welded to the clutch cover. Sounds good so far! Prior to taking the bike out on the road for it's first test ride today everything seemed OK. I'd run the engine a couple of weeks ago for about 30 minutes at a fast idle on the paddock stand to set the fuel pressure and check for oil leaks etc without any problems at all. -Todays comedy went like this- Finish off a few bits and pieces on the bike and fit the plastic tail section and seat etc. Hmmmmmm, reckon it's ready for a test ride. I've been looking forward to this for a long time so I jump in the car and get a gallon of fuel which I pour into the tank then start the engine. Everything looks and sounds good so I'm just about to shut it down and grab my leathers when I notice a little smoke from the exhaust - Shit, that don't look to good I think - The smoke gets worse. I then look around to find oil pouring out all over the yard - DOUBLE SHIT! I then remember I removed the fuse from the oil pump when I was working on the electrics last week. OK, not the end of the world, I clean up the mess, re-fit the fuse and top up the sump again (about 3 liters). Now I'm really ready for the test ride - I take the bike out and go quite easy at first to check everythings OK and to allow any remaining oil to scrub off of the front tyre. The bike seems OK so I get a little more adventurous, I give it some throttle - about 15psi on the gauge , the front wheel lifts a little too much so I back off and there's a wonderful hiss from the dump valve - Hay this is good - REALLY GOOD! I open the throttle again but this time the bikes all over the place and there is so much smoke from the exhaust you can't see behind at all! Yes you've guessed it the oil tanks venting oil again but this time the back wheel is running in my own oil slick. I shut the engine down immediately and roll to a stop about 5 miles from home. I check the oil pump is working and empty the oil tank, then re-start the engine but the oil starts pissing out again after about 30 to 40 seconds. At this point I come to the conclusion that it doesn't have enough capacity to keep up with the turbo when the oil is hot. I got the bike home by running the engine for about 20 seconds and rolling until my speed dropped to about 20mph then running the engine for another 20 seconds etc, etc. -The morel of this story- If your going to use a vented oil tank, than vent it to the crank case not the air. That way if you lose your pump the oil will vent back into the engine and not the back wheel! If your going to use an electric oil pump, check it's man enough for the job and don't just guess like I did. Me, I've had it with electric pumps. I'm now going to uses the bikes own pump like Christer and Rick. (Anyone want to buy a cheap SHURflo 8000 series pump..??) Regards Tim Drew -- mailto:timdrew@cix.co.uk --------------------------------------------- For my PGP public key send a blank e-mail to: mailto:pgpkey@timdrew.cix.co.uk ---------------------------------------------