Best oil for bottom end

[Deleted User]

Hi
I have now rebuilt the broken regulator on my 1925 Squirrel, and it seems to be working OK. I drained the tank to take the regulator off. It originally contained a thinnish, blue oil (some kind of premix oil? – that’s often coloured, in my experience). I refilled the tank with straight 30. The drippers are working, but very slowly. The blue oil had previously run quite freely – certainly much faster than the SAE 30.
I have printed and read the entire ‘Technicalities’, but there seems to be a lot of conflicting advice about what might be an appropriate oil for the main feeds.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Trevor

[Deleted User]

A straight 30 or 40 should be ok. I have used both but prefer the 30 as this runs a bit faster through the drippers and can thus be adjusted a lot better.

Cheers,
Erik

[Deleted User]

I have used 50’s in my 600 sports with pilgrim pump.It seems easier to set the pump to pronounced drips with the thicker oil.As extra security i mix a little full synthetic with the fuel.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your advice. I have drippers but no pump. As I say, I am using SAE 30 now, but it takes about a minute for a single drop to form, and doesn’t get much quicker thereafter. I assume a much lower viscosity oil (possiby a fully synthetic) might give a better flow rate – but would it be suitable for this application?
Thanks
Trevor

[Deleted User]

Mmm, there might be something wrong with your drippers then. Are you sure all holes are clear? Try it with the oil tank cap off, you might have a vaccuum in the oil tank.

The oil also drips a lot quicker when the bike runs than when the engine is off. I guess the suction from the running engine helps a bit.

When I turn my drippers fully open the oil drips at a very fast rate, it almost runs through. Both on 30 as on the thicker 40.

About the use of synthetic oil in our old machines has been written a lot here and there. Searching the board on “synthetic” gives quite a few hits.

Cheers,
Erik

[Deleted User]

I have the same experience as Erik. My gravity fed drippers pass very little oil until the engine has been running a few minutes. I frequently check the oil wells after a run, to make sure the engine is getting a good supply and they are holding a good reserve for the next start up.

Additional question. The outlets of the Best & Lloyd drippers are designed to have a non return valve in the outlet union, a flat disk with light spring. These are omitted on mine and I have not tried fitting them. Does anyone have any experience with them?

Graham
1929 Sports in Arkansas.

[BRIAN MARSHALL]

Hi.
I think that you ought to strip your drippers and make sure that they are not gummed up, and at the same time see how your oil flows out of the supply pipes without the drippers being connected up. For reliable flow to drippers you need pipes with a minimum bore size of a quarter of an inch, especially in cold weather. You must be able to achieve around 10 drips per minute in each sightglass for safe running. For many years Scott owners have typically used 40 grade oil in summer, and 30 grade in winter, but of course some folk have other ideas!
Also blow out the pipes between drippers and engine. You will have to turn the engine over slowly by hand to find the point at which the holes in the “timed” sealing glands open, and then air and/or oil should flow freely. The opening point for the oil holes in the glands should be at the point when there is maximum suction in the crankcase, typically as the piston is rising up to compression, but before the transfer ports open. There are different types of gland for drippers and pumped oiling, and they can have one, two, or three holes, and some even have slots instead of holes! Refer to “Technicalities” for more information.
I just hope and pray that your engine has the correct type of glands for drippers, AND that your engine hasn’t been assembled with the glands in the wrong side of the motor as they are handed. Good luck!!

[Deleted User]

@Graham wrote:

Additional question. The outlets of the Best & Lloyd drippers are designed to have a non return valve in the outlet union, a flat disk with light spring. These are omitted on mine and I have not tried fitting them. Does anyone have any experience with them?

The same here, not fitted. Did not even know about those. I do similar valves fitted on my Flyer but that has been converted to rubber seals and a throttle controlled pump so a totally different story.

[Deleted User]

Hi Trevor, best to make up your own mind and be happy with your decision. My 1926 Scott, which I have been riding now for 13 years, has a pilgrim pump converted to drippers. I run Valvoline 2 stroke oil. I have set each one to 8 – 9 drops per minute and have had no trouble. I noticed on a hot day – here in Australia – the drip rate does increase. But it is never a problem, doesn’t oil plugs and the electric start we fitted 4 years ago still works well. I have just enjoyed a 3 day weekend riding my Scott around the Western District of Victoria in glorious spring weather.
Good Luck.
Catrina Sargent

[Deleted User]

When i used a 29 two speeder as my every day bike i fitted drip feeds i put the disc valves from them in abox with the pilgrim pump under the bench .IT ran on Duckhams 20 50 oil flat out always and never any probs. Regards the drip.

[Deleted User]

Hello Catrina. May i ask did you have a relative in the UK aMr sargent who owned a scott and a Bugati . He lived i think in Peterborugh. if you would prefer not to answer this Ifully understand.Regards Dripfeed.

[David J Waring]

You may be thinking of Frank Serjeant of Peterborough, a surname with a somewhat different spelling.
Frank owned various Bugattis at different times, a variety of Scotts including a very interesting veteran with a split crankcase, thought to be a TT practise machine, several other bikes, most notable of which was a one-off 1914 “Pello” built in Peterborough. Frank hosted an SOC get together on his farm land in the early 1970’s. He died in 1991.

[Deleted User]

Thank you David i expect that you are corrrect. I think it was at one of the evsham scott days that i met the gentleman. Regards Dripfeed .

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