Ryland3210

Thanks for the suggestion. I have lots of experience using and designing systems using electronic transducers of many types, including pressure. It would be no problem replacing the switch with a sensor and meter. In spite of that, as an aftermarket add-on I would prefer a simple pressure guage. Less complex, no electrical signals or connectors (the most common cause of failure in the electronics business I have been involved in since 1973), and easier to install. Nevertheless, if there is enough interest, I would be glad to put together a package of electonic components to do the job. I did similar projects for my Norton and '64 Harley.

Lining journals with material softer than the crank has certain advantages. When a particle imbeds in the liner, the crank will keep turning. However, in my experience, using aluminum in a relieve valve poppet as critical as the oil supply is a mistake. Harder contaminants of the kind likely to be found in engine wear particles could imbed in the aluminum, causing long term, if not immediate problems. As long as the particles are relatively small (and they should be, unless the pump itself is failing) they will pass through the relief valve. You may get your wish regarding Ford. GM is selling controlling interest in their profitable finance division to raise capital to hopefully fix their unprofitable divisions. Ford is further challenged by that, and is currently trying to sell all of its assets and drastically cutting employment. Unlike yourself, I view this as a tragedy. Henry Ford invented mass automobile production to make cars affordable to the common man. When he saw his own workers were not making enough to afford purchasing the cars they built, he gave them a raise so they could. It didn't take a union strike to make that happen, it was Ford's idea. The Ford family built the most completely self sufficient industrial enterprise from making their own steel all the way to the finished product. Obviously Ford did a lot of things right to have survived this long, not only for their customers, but also their employees and suppliers. No one makes 100% perfect automobiles, and IMO there are no longer any significant differences in overall quality among manufacturers. Remember that Ford is a public company accountable to millions of shareholders and managed by a board of directors that does not consist solely of Ford family members. Many industry icons like Lee Iococca learned their trade and skills there. I'm not a Ford stockholder, but it will be a sad day in my opinion when Japanese and Koreans, and soon to come Chinese, finally wipe out the American company that started it all and showed them how to do it. Sorry to get off topic, but I'm not the first, and I had to speak out.

That method of setting relief pressure is the traditional method used as long as I have worked on automobiles, which is a very long time. Shortly after I bought it, I increased the setting from 50 to 80 psi on my '67 Barracuda by adding a few washers. Pete's right about the idiot light, and it's no different with cars. As long as there is any oil being delivered at all, the manufacturers don't want to make owners nervous with flashing red lights when they are sitting in traffic or at a light. That's why I love guages. If all the bearings were ball or roller, a few psi might be OK, but with journals, low pressure is a real problem. If the relief pressure is 54 psi, and the oil filter drops another 15 psi before bypassing when it gets contaminated, there is only 39 of unfiltered oil left for the engine. Then imagine what happens when idling with a hot engine. Of course, with a pump in good condition, it will act as a fixed displacement pump, so even when idling, pressure will build to as much as is required to force oil through the filter, up to the relief setting. As the pump ages and begins to bypass internally with even a partially contaminated filter, there is the possibility nothing will get through the filter under low RPM conditions if pump pressure does not reach the filter bypass pressure. All of which you probably know, and once again, that's why I love guages.

Hi Ratchethack, So far, I've learned the following: according to Purolator's replacement for the UFI, their part number ML16822, relief pressure is 12-15 psi, and it has an anti-drainback valve. I think you're right about the anti drainback valve being useful regardless of orientation. In the back of the Purolator catalog, there is a section on instructions for priming the oil pump after an oil change if oil pressure does not build up within 10 seconds of cranking. This is included because Purolator believes filters are sometimes unjustly accused of being clogged, while the real cause is cavitating pumps, especially when the oil sump remains empty for a long time. The recommended priming includes squirting oil down the passage to the pump and filling the filter with oil before installation. However, in the filter I looked at, the anti-drainback valve seems to consist of a neoprene disc which covers all the inlet holes. I haven't tried priming one yet, but I suspect this will make priming the inlet side of the filter difficult or impossible.

Be careful with the lowest cost oils. A cheap, non-leading brand 10-40 oil I used in a pinch, reverted to close to 100% 10 weight after only a few hundred miles at normal running temperature. Apparently the reformulating process used by some oil companies to increase viscosity does not achieve strong enough bonds in the long chain molecules. Since then, I stick with the lowest cost, but major brand oils in my automobiles.

Hi Ratchethack (or any other knowledgable person) Three questions: Why is anti-drainback needed on a filter mounted upside down? What is the relief valve cracking pressure? I have read elsewhere about two engines being blown in succession until the plugged oil cooler was replaced. I would like to know if there is a convenient location where oil pressure downstream of the filter and oil cooler can be monitored? Thanks, John M.

I truly understand and appreciate the advantages of a dynomometer which can hold rpm's constant under variable loads as Derek describes. However, he's 3000 miles from me, so the question is, is the Dynojet 250i used by John Tavolacci an inertial type? If it is, I hope Derek can suggest someone closer to Warwick. I'm not necessarily looking for more power, but I'm a bit of a perfectionist engineer that would like to get better mileage (range) and have the bike run as perfectly as technology will provide.

Having now broken in my bike, I'm interested in having a dyno run and tuning job done on my '04 Cafe Sport, and possibly purchase a power commander. I'm in Warwick, New York. Any suggestions?

Thanks for the link. Dunno if he's back. I've left him a post that I want one.

Hi Edge, I'll have one as well.

Sounds great! Where do I get one of these gems?

Does anyone know of a way to correct the speedo error on my 2004 Cafe Sport. It reads about 10 MPH high at 55.

I was looking for the length of the dipstick and position of the marks. Your answer, "identical" does it for me. Your 21 mm agrees closely with my 18.23 mm measurement. My measurement was taken from the level of the actual oil wetting the dipstick. When rotated as one extracts it, the oil initially wets a little higher than the centerline of the dipstick, indicating a level a little higher than actual. That accounts almost exactly for the difference. Glad to see my measurements of last month independently confirmed.

One more bit of information is needed for to compare my level and put this issue to rest for good: What is the length from dipstick to block mounting surface to your high and low level marks? I have read where there have been different dipstick lengths. Further to that, my plastic dipstick looks nothing like the one in your picture. Thanks much. Where is the "click to enlarge" button?

I found out windshield de-icer makes a great flame thrower at age 16. Ah, if only I had known that when I was in the boy scouts. Would have saved a lot of time messing around rubbing sticks together. You were two years ahead of me, which shows how backward I was.

Right on! Now you got me going! It was ironic that years later, after Nader killed GM's first "compact" car, he criticized Detroit for not coming out with compact cars. Litigation and the threat and reality of unlimited, astronomical damage awards far beyond anything reasonable are a growing cancer to our society. Not only has it exponentially increased the cost of insurance, but worse yet, in my opinion, is that our freedoms are eroded as well. As an example, schools and government buildings that used to be made available for respectable uses outside of school hours cannot permit that unless their insurance company is consulted and agrees to cover the event. Usually, they decline because they would obviously like to cover as little as possible and still get the maximum premium. When they agree, all too often they require an additional payment. The fear of unreasonable and outrageously unfounded liability permeates our society today at tremendous cost. Just as an example, if I want to go skiing, I receive a disclaimer of any liability with my lift ticket. The problem is that it is meaningless because if I break my leg, I will have no problem finding an attorney to take my case on contingency, no matter how reckless and stupid I was. What I want is a form that I can sign that actually gives me the right to take all the risk with no recourse to the ski venue no matter what happens, with all the insurance built into the lift ticket discounted. Will I get that freedom to choose? No, because the legal profession and judicial system are ethically challenged. Small wonder insurance is so costly. In some countries, you can also sue for whatever amount you want, but you must prove you have the money available to pay the opponent's legal fees PLUS 10% of whatever you sue for in case you lose. You can imagine how much more reasonable claims are, and that frivolous claims are non-existent.

Success! Thanks, Gary for the wood/heat combination. It worked fine. The glue dried up, and came off as a powder, like old, dried up paint.

It came with the windshield, so I'm not sure how old it is, Gary. It might be latex. It's like old chewing gum, but still not rock hard. I have a heat gun, and will try that carefully with a wooden stick sharpened like a chisel.

Oh no, not another redundant debate ! If there is one, I'll stay on the sidelines this time. I've said all I care to on the previous thread.

Neither goo gone or naptha had any effect on this cream colored masking tape glue.

On my OEM UFI filter element, it specifies 10-12 newton-meters. Personally, I prefer the turns method. However, there is considerable controversy on the torque vs. turns method. For a thorough review, you might start with post #22 in the "Filter Cover Tool" thread and read on from there.

Thanks, Gary. What about hard coated Lexan? Is Stoddard solvent hydrophobic?

Thanks. I tried goo begone and everything else except peanut butter.

Ditto. I loved the look and sound of the reverse cone megaphones I had on my Norton, and would buy them if they had a large enough diameter to slip right on. There is a firm that makes good quality, reasonable priced replacements for stock Nortons and sells them through Norvil in England. You might be able to convince them to have them made for your bike. You're a lot closer than I am-perhaps you could get a dialogue going with them.

I use WD40 for screwing- HOLD ON, LET ME EXPLAIN! I recently had to use hundreds of rather large screws for assembling a wooden truss. Spraying a box of the screws as a preperation made it far easier to drive them in. In time, the WD40 disappeared. One box was left over. After a week, everything evaporated except a small amount of oil in the bottom of the box, which I suppose is the lubricant Ratchethack refered to. WD40's maker is not alone in enjoying high gross margins on canned sprays. That is the rule, rather than the exception. People are willing to pay for the convenience and application advantages spraying itself provides. For example, I use it on heavy duty staplers to permeate the mechanism, knowing it will get the small amount of light oil it contains where it is needed, while the solvents evaporate away. In a free market, profits are the applause of happy customers. Any idea what will remove masking tape glue from windshields?