New Breather Gear and Start Up

[Roadking97]

I just replaced my breather gear with an S&S Reed Valve unit.  I read someplace to add some oil into the cam chest through the lifter opening.  Well,  I did not have my lifted out so I did not add any oil. 

My question is should I be concerned that there isn't any oil in the cam chest when I stat her up?  Or am I just paranode.  Would cranking the engine without the spark plug in help lub up the cam chest.

In my part of the world, Norther Illinois, it's going to be 50 F on Saturday. It's timeto RIDE!

[gryphon]

I swap cams around a lot and have never had any ill effects I know of from starting them without adding the oil. It's not a bad idea to add it but there's no real pactical way to do it without pulling the lifter block. I just crank it a bit with the plugs out to build pressure. Also, with a new cam I use assembly lube when I install it.

[darrelbarrows]

you can always jack the bike and put it gear and spin it by hand with the back wheel to get oil moving around. My indy told me to do this as i am in the process of putting mine back togeather. He siaid after doing that to pull the plugs and roll it over with the starter until the oil light goes out than stop, put in the plugs and enjoy.

[stroker800]

   I keep an oil can with some 20-50 in it..I just give a few squirts in and on what everthat has friction factor..
Dave

[Buddy WMC]

FWIW,
I always coat eveything inside the cam chest with lubriplate. It will protect everything that moves on a dry start until the oil pressure builds. On a new build, we spin the engine over with the plugs removed to build pressure. After four heat cycles with two fans running on the lift the oil and filter are changed. I then always cut the filter apart and check that and the drained oil for any particulate matter. Maybe overkill, but better safe than sorry.

[harleytoprock]

Starting motor with dry cam chest means the scanvenger side of oil pump is not seeing any oil for awhile. With the push rod tube up you can use a squirt oil can to inject 8 oz of oil or so through the breather passage in the lifter block. Gravity will pull it down into the cam chest. Its good insurance to not gaul the oil pump gears.

[IBARider]

I wouldn't worry bout it, but that's me.  I always lube stuff when assembling.  Your reed valve really doesn't need it.  Your oil pump still has residual oil on it.  When I have bottom end apart, I put about a cup of oil in crankcase, so...

You prolly still have oil in crank case.  The first revolutions is gonna sling that oil through your reed breather and you'll have oil to the cam chest pronto...

[Rugby_fxdwg]

Maybe I'm crazy, but if your bike is on a lift, put the bike in 5th gear and rotate thae back tire for 5-10 minutes... Not a technician so maybe my logic is off..?