Rocker shaft oiling? (early square barrels)

[SED]

Redid the valves on the LMIII and was checking oil flow to the rockers and was surprised to see oil coming out from the split washer under the  rocker pin lock bolt.  Is it designed this way?  It doesn't seem right, but everything is original to the bike.

Thanks!

[moto-uno]

  The lube goes through the shaft to the rocker arm bushings and from there along the shaft to the openings offering
the least resistance to oil flow ( the opposite side of the rocker is held somewhat firmly against the rocker arm support
by that spring and hence offers greater resistance to the oil exiting there ) , hope that is clear enough . Peter

[SED]

  The lube goes through the shaft to the rocker arm bushings and from there along the shaft to the openings offering
the least resistance to oil flow ( the opposite side of the rocker is held somewhat firmly against the rocker arm support
by that spring and hence offers greater resistance to the oil exiting there ) , hope that is clear enough . Peter

Thanks Peter, but it is also coming out from under the bolt heads.  It seems like there should be a sealing washer.

[SED]

Is it "oh they all do that"?

Or no one's ever checked.   

I didn't look for oil from between the pin and carrier plate, but it's probably leaking there too.

[Kiwi_Roy]

If you were to measure the oil pressure and it's up around 60 then you can forget about any leaks you see.

[SED]

If you were to measure the oil pressure and it's up around 60 then you can forget about any leaks you see.

Good point, but I'm guessing it drops well below 60 at hot idle.

And the pins have been rotated (double drilled), but they are not new...

[Tom H]

I can't say that I have ever checked for leakage there. I guess it could happen. None of my bikes have anything other than the bolt and a lock washer. They all have split lock washers, but MAY have had a different style lock washer when new.

The bolt is a specific length. Too short and you risk stripping the hole. Too long and you cut off the oil supply to the rocker. And yes, if the threads are buggered, you can just rotate the shaft. Just make sure all the debris are out of the hole.

Hope this helps,
Tom

[reidy]

I think the other thing to note is that in some applications it takes surprisingly little oil to provide the required lubrication. For example, a 2 stroke engine with 50 to 1 or 100 to 1 oil ratio. Another is a Briggs and Stratton with splash lubrication. Even the rollers in a motorcycle chain.

Steve 

[jwinwi]

Would it make any difference if you are using split lock washers or schnorr washers?

[Don G]

Put the covers on and forget about it! DonG