Adventures in Oiling Dept: The HD OILING KIT INSTALLATION

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johnblaid

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I just finished installing the Morley HD oiling kit in a 1986 with the engine in the bike.

I did this while installing a new clutch so I decided to go a bit further and do this.

The results were spectacular. No more knocking mains at slow idle. (this is NOT your front exhaust pipes as it appears there are factory created creases in the outside of my pipes to prevent their sounding like knocking mains).

Also. a LOT less engine mechanical noise in general. Indirectly, in removing the exhaust system I discovered that mine was about to fall off. I only had to use a tool on two muffler clamps...everything else except the rear covers that are held on with small Allen head bolts came off using my fingers. This means the round nuts that hold the head pipes on were finger tight. Exhaust sounds a lot better now too.

Upon removing the oil pan I saw that my o-ring WAS blown.

My recommendation is that as soon as you buy a used Gen 1 V-Max you should immediately install one of these kits before you do any serious riding.

Now for some important tips you might find handy. Let me save you some mistakes.

DURING THIS OPERATION, THE BIKE WAS ON THE CENTER STAND ONLY.

REMOVING THE CLUTCH BASKET.

When you attempt to remove the clutch basket, you will be faced with a 30mm nut that has a special "bendable tab" lock washer on it that you bend up.

You do not need an impact wrench to remove this nut as long as you have the EBC VMAX clutch removal tool which is available on EBAY. If you don't have this tool, you can make one if you can weld but the tool is cheap and I'd recommend getting it. If you don't have either, you will need an impact wrench.

If you have a 30mm socket and a 1/2 inch breaker bar, you are set to go. I bought a 3/4 set thinking the nut would be on there very tight but it was not. 3/4 was not needed but it does work so I got the nut off and got the clutch basket off.

So, to remove the clutch basket you need

>>>a 30mm socket
>>>either a 1/2 inch drive breaker bar and the EBC tool
or
An impact wrench.
>>>At least 2 new lock washers
I would never reuse one of these"bendable tab" locking devices.

REMOVING AND INSTALLING THE NEW INNER OIL PUMP DRIVE GEAR.

This is the most difficult part of the job. You can review my thread on the dreaded lost washer somewhere else on the forums but that was, in part, my fault. I used the wrong washer and inserting the shaft pushed it out of place and it fell and I lost it. SPECIAL THANKS TO TRAUMAHAWK FOR HIS HELP IN THE AREA OF THE LOST WASHER.

To do it correctly, you will need a set of expanding 45 degree snap ring pliers and use good forged ones. don't try to use that cheap crap from Auto Zone...that comes later. Stuff cloth or paper towels around the gear so that if the snap ring gets away from you, it will not get up in the engine.

1. remove the snap ring on the outside gear (easy since it's right out in the open once the clutch basket is removed) and remove the gear.
2. get under the bike and carefully remove the snap ring from the inside drive gear.
3. get out from under the bike and remove the three Phillips screws that are retaining the bearing lock. This lock also retains the oil pump drive shaft to a certain degree and the shaft will not come out without removing this.
4. get back under the bike and reach outside and pull the shaft out and the metal gear will drop onto your chest. Toss it and the snap rings in the trash. NEVER reuse snap rings on stuff that is inside an engine.
5. take the oil pump drive shaft and try BOTH Seans washers that come with the kit on the shaft. One will slide onto it perfectly. The other one has an inside diameter that is too small and it will NEVER go over that shaft. (the colors mentioned on Sean's site are WRONG so don't trust that (Sorry Sean...but I did send you a corrected picture) The one that will NOT go over the shaft is the oil relief valve shim washer. Put it aside in a safe place for later use on the oil pump. The washer that fits the shaft, obviously, is the one that goes on the new inside white plastic gear as a spacer.
6. Put the correct washer in the recess in the white plastic inner drive gear (DO NOT USE ANY GREASE ON THIS WASHER OR YOU WILL HAVE CLEARANCE PROBLEMS WHEN IT'S TIME TO PUT THE SNAP RING ON) and, from outside the bike, CAREFULLY position it until you can see that the hole in the gear/washer is lined up with the hole in the case. (you should have lightly lube the shaft with engine assembly grease) Put the shaft through the hole and align the flat on the shaft with the flat on the gear. you should have two fingers on the gear and washer at all times. Once the shaft is fully inserted into the gear/washer and you have verified that the washer is fully in place, replace the bearing lock and the three Phillips screws so that the shaft is locked in place and cannot slide back out. use blue locktite on the three screws.
6. STOP AND READ CAREFULLY NOW
7. The new gear is larger than the old one and most people will not be able to get a finger up in there to make sure the snap ring does not fly off when you replace it. SO

go to Auto zone and purchase a set of 90 degree snap ring pliers. Check to see if the pins on the pliers fit the snap ring holes PERFECTLY and if not, file them carefully until they just fit in the holes. If the pins are already to small, return them and try to find some that are too big. Mine were too big...yours probably will be too.

You will find that the 90 degree pliers are too long to fit up in there so you will have to use a big set of vice grip pliers to crush them where they are bent at an angle down to about 30 degrees and then bend the pins on the end so that they are at 90 degrees. What ever you do, make sure they fit the new snap ring holes smoothy without any wiggle. This fit must be perfect because the pliers alone are going to have to position the snap ring. You can't get a finger up in there to guide the snap ring into place.

HOLD YOUR BREATH. you are going to have to put the snap ring on the pliers and without touching the snap ring at all, you will have to use the pliers to position the snap ring and stretch it ever so slightly until it drops over the shaft and into place. This is VERY SCARY...HOLY CRAP...But resist the temptation to drink beforehand. you must have your hands as steady as possible and also, BE SURE to pack the area around the gear with cloth or paper towels because the snap ring may slip off the pliers and go flying.

You may overstress the snap ring and need another one. NEVER put an overstressed snap ring in place and use it...especially in a critical area like this. Gonna trust your engine to a 2.00 part??? No you are not. you were stupid enough to buy a VMax in the first place but you are not stupid enough to risk destroying it over 2 bucks.

Once the snap ring is properly and securely in place, you may replace the outside drive gear and the hard part is done.

just modify the oil pump as instructed and you are ready to replace it and replace all the rest of the stuff and you will experience really great oiling.

BUT WAIT...

Here is what you should have to work inside the engine once the oil pan is off.

1. 45 degree snap ring pliers
2. cheap 90 degree snap ring pliers custom fitted to the snap ring you will use.
3. about 6 to 8 spare snap rings...Yamaha parts, not Auto Zone crap. Sean gives you two but you should have more on hand because you will probably ruin one or two trying to get the inner one in place.
4. Sean supplies the new main pipe o-ring for the oil distribution manifold and also the rubber cap that retains it once you put the oil pan back on.
YOU SHOULD REPLACE EVERY O-RING IN THERE WHILE YOU ARE IN THERE and the square rubber oil manifold buffers also. Use Yamaha parts only. I bought these "nuisance parts" from cheap cycle parts to keep from bothering Sean with stuff he couldn't possibly make a profit on. They have great blow up diagrams that can be quite useful. Make your list carefully and order only once. I had to order several times because I was disorganized and could have saved a bunch of money on shipping. If it's rubber and you can get to it, replace it.

Sean says you can reuse the oil pump bolts but I bought the next longest size just to make sure. I also replaced the Phillips screws retaining the oil pump cover with Allen screws but don't do this unless you have a good feel for hand tightening stuff because they made those Phillips so the heads will strip before you can strip the oil pump body threads....new oil pump expensive and there is no Free ObamaPump available as yet.

Installation of this kit was a nightmare only because I had never done it before. Now that I have done it, I would not hesitate to do it again. I won't make the mistakes I made the first time and, should I get the 2007 I really want, It's the first thing I will do to the bike...even before the COP kit.

I learned something else important too.

As I slowly rebuild this bike, I'll deal only with Sean Morley unless he simply does not or cannot offer what I need and he sends me to someone else himself.

I might have my frame powder coated locally but I'm sure Sean would tell me it would be stupid to ship my frame to him for something like that anyway.

Hope this helps someone. I live in the Dallas area and would be willing to help anyone who wants to install this kit if you are willing to do it the right way.

So...I now have a bike that has 4500 in it and needs another 4500 and I'll still have a bike with 27 year old wiring and some other 27 year old stuff that cannot be replaced.

I'm gonna kill my buddy for buying this 1000 bike for 2750. And I'm on the lookout for a 2007 one owner adult ridden garaged never abused carefully serviced never been dropped not a scratch on it with reasonable miles and stock exhausts and not too many mods. Will pay cash and will ride it home from anywhere in the US. And if It fails before I get it home, I will have it towed home. I will then return to the owner and kill him, his family, and his household pets, get my money back, and have the bike too. So be honest!
Onward...
 
I'm glad that its worked out my friend....and so looks like I will need to buy one of these kits for the future.

We definitely need to go riding together.
 
As soon as I get a COP kit, front forks, front and rear brakes and rear shocks and new tires, we will certainly do that.
 
Sound advice for the most part but, you make it sound really difficult and scary for any first timers considering the mod.

Its not too difficult. I does take some time to do everything but I tackled it in the winter so, that wasn't much of a problem. A 1-3/16 socket works on the basket nut so if you have one, you don't need to run out and buy a 30mm socket.

Putting the snap ring on is a bit fiddly but not too bad. Patience and snap ring pliers with a short 90 will win the battle

I had some trouble getting the oil elbow back in the block with the new Kawi oval ring on there. I actually put the pan on and snugged up the bolts to press it in place. I used the old bumper as a cushion between the elbow and pan.

I ditched the rubber bumper on the pipe and installed COO's pop stopper. I didn't like the idea of a squishy hunk of rubber being responsible for keeping upward pressure on the elbow for years to come.

Its really fun laying on cold concrete scraping the pan gasket off the engine block.
 
The electric impact guns are getting cheaper. They really help out and will last a long time, not being used on an everyday basis. I'm doing the curent oil pump kit on the engine stand. The last one was looking up from the floor. I feel your pain. A new snap ring is cheap enough. I don't reuse them, but if careful it's ok. Congrat. on getting it done John.
Steve-o
 
Frankly, It was a bit scary. I've rebuild quite a few small block Chevy's to drag race with but this is my first time inside a motorcycle engine.

I was frankly horrified at the "oil distribution manifold" that feeds oil to the mains.
This is the biggest piece of crap engineering I have yet seen and there's no excuse for not having either a lot better manifold or some other way to do this.

Flame me freely but this bike has some serious issues. But then you guys seem to have a fix for all of them and I can't find any bike that excites me. All other bikes are just two wheeled transportation. So I guess the piece of shit engineering that is sometimes found on them is the price to pay for having a bike that I like to ride.

I'm angry at God for this...this...lack of spiritual symmetry similar to that of the Chevy Corvette, the most exciting piece of shit car in existence.
 
I agree about the oiling manifold. Pretty lame. Orings are ok but the joints should be flange bolted.

PCW's oiling manifold upgrade they sell that uses the main cap bolts to hold the manifold in place, and I believe also has the other slip joins welded solid, is the best thing I've seen that would be a good upgrade to the HD oiler Sean sells.
 
Yea I had a fairly hard time on mine too, actually broke the oil manifold but I brazed it back together. Might just be me but the snap rings weren't all that hard on mine, fitting the Kaw O ring was a bitch though. One of the phillips screws for the oil pump stripped the head out so I couldn't remove it, good thing I have a welder cause I welded a 1/4" bolt to the head and screwed it right out while it was still hot. As much of a pain in the ass as I had with it I still believe it to be a very worthwhile mod but just don't be surprised if you hit a few snags.

sent from my HTC Rezound using tapatalk
 
I agree that the OEM oiling setup seems like a POS design may have been the work of a young intern at the yamaha factory that chugged saki and snorted wasabi.

I've only seen pictures of PCW's pro oiler.
http://www.pcwracing.net/instructions/instructions.htm
Interesting setup. Not sure I really feel the need to do all that though. Maybe if I had something other than a stock engine.
 
This was definitely a good mod. Bike always has good oil pressure now. IMO everyone should get an oil pressure gauge at the same time.
 
I didn't install the shim to raise the "blow off" limit. Felt like 70 psi was plenty. I just wanted the overdrive Sean's oiler provides to get the idle pressure up.
 
You would have thought Yamaha would have fixed this "o" ring problem some time ago seeing as they had about 22 years to think about it.

They do some stupid stuff at times, they have a history of making the the most disgraceful starting mechanisms on many of their models. Even the Max is not immune in that department with all the horror stories with the starter clutch bolts
coming loose and flogging the starter clutch.
 
PCW VALVE SPRING REPLACEMENT? What the fuck is that? Do the valve springs need an upgrade too?????
 
Not unless you are installing aftermarket cams. Otherwise they are fine. I put the link there because there should be instructions for PCW's pro oiler on that same page.
 
Is not installing the shim to raise the blowoff limit ok? Im curious since im in the middle of doing this right now and am held up at the moment by broken snap ring pliers... they werent cooperating, lol.
 
Yes, it will work fine without that extra washer added in. I've not tried to compress the spring externally and drop the washer in place that way. If it works it might save some efforts.
 
I figured out a little tip that helped me in getting the snap ring on the shaft after putting in the new gear and washer. I put on the shaft retainer with the screw in the upper right hole and pushed the shaft towards the outside of the bike as far as it could go and still be able to get the snap ring on, then tightened the retainer screw enough to have the retainer hold the shaft. The retainer wasnt in the groove, just a little past the groove. It allowed me to use a small flat head to help manipulate the snap ring into place without having the shaft slide around on me. Did it with some 90° pliers that I ground the back down for added clearence. The things you come up with after a few beers, lol.
 

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