Oil Pump: Driven if towed in Neutral?

[pearljam724]

To make his suggestion a breeze. I would remove the air box on the 550. It's not a pain like the 750. That will give you a ton of room to work with the pump and only takes minutes. With the 750 air box, you have to fight with it a good bit. Just to take it in and out of the frame.

[Ebayru]

Pearljam: Isn't there a risk of introducing air into the oil pump system by detaching the pump to remove the drive gear? Also, if it's not being driven in neutral, why the need to do so? Do you have doubts as to whether it's driven in neutral with the engine off and the rear wheel turning?

[pearljam724]

Yes, there is a possibility of inducing air when you lift the pump off the octopus. Worse case scenario. You bleed the lines of any possible air induced by cracking the bleeder screw and holding the pump at full output when the bike is idling to push the air out when after you retighten the bleeder screw. It's a very simple process to bleed the lines of any possible air induced that only takes minutes. If it were me and the bike has a slip on master link clip. I would remove the chain. That takes 2 minutes and you don't have to remove the wheel or the front sprocket cover. But, you'll have to remove the front sprocket cover to put the chain back on. There are a few options. You have to decide what you'd prefer. To be on the safe side. You're gonna have to remove something. Take your pick. Both the pump drive gear and chain removal takes the trivial part out of the equation. Plus, with the chain on. There's a very slight risk of it jumping into gear. Not likely, but it can happen. You're not driving down the road. 500 miles is far distance to tow a bike. Not a big deal though, if you take the extra steps to insure it goes smoothly.

[Ebayru]

Thanks, Pearljam. Removing the chain was what I originally posted as my solution in my original post if I could not determine whether the oil pump would be driven in the tow scenario. I'd definitely prefer that to messing with the pump and risking introducing air in the system. Also, my bike has a lot of functional modifications and things are more complex than stock, so pulling the airbox involves disconnecting a lot of things, not to mention possibly losing or breaking something away from home and my shop.

If I were not to remove the chain, I would, at minimum, remove the gear selector lever. I probably will remove the chain as it will be less chain wear, weather exposure and non-productive gear spinning.

It's nice to know, though, that I need not be concerned about the pump turning if the chain was not disconnected.

All of you have been a great help and I appreciate your effort in chiming in.

Shel

[pearljam724]

You're welcome, verify that it has a master link clip first. Otherwise, it's a little more work. You would have to either remove the swingarm to keep the chain as is or grind off the rivets and replace the master link with a clip on master link if it's a riveted master link. But, most of these old bikes have master link clips. All you would have to do, is push the clip off with a very small flat head and pair of pliers. After the clip is off. Push or pull the master link out and remove the chain with the bike in neutral. The chain will spin off the front sprocket as you pull it without having to remove anything else. If it is riveted at the master link and the chain could use replacing. Cut the chain or grind off 2 rivets and replace it later with a completely new master link clip on chain. The master link clip on chains are cheap and very easy to install. You have options. The master link clip ons can be bought individually for under $10. It's all very easy to deal with. If you get it out of your head that you don't want to mess with the chain. If it has a clip, it will honestly take a few minutes to remove the chain. This guy isn't very good and is taking much longer than it should. But, you get the idea. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIpWrCxKuAc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[tz375]

It's a good idea to remove the chain, but the pump isn't turning with or without a chain. It will save wear and tear on the chain and gear shafts and avoids the possibility of it accidentally being knocked into gear and making the motor rotate.

[Cliff]

Do not tow the bike any distance with the chain installed! The transmission is "splash lubricated"! You run the chance of damaging your transmission by towing it with the chain on it!

[Ebayru]

I've changed the chain on the bike so I'm familiar with the process. I have an extra master link just in case I drop something.

The bike was a junkyard find that I restored. I've been into everything except the transmission. I haven't had a need to split the case for anything. Thus the question about the oil pump being driven from the rear wheel in neutral.

I try to avoid over working any machinery. I'm very careful removing philips screws. I always use an impact driver, but, nevertheless, it takes it's toll on the hardware. I do plan on removing the chain for the long hauls. If the first 500 mile tow is uneventful, I may also do an additional 350 mile tow to Wisconsin for our family reunion. There will be our 6 kids, their spouses and 15 grand kids and they all love the sidecar rig. I did the sidecar for my dog, but he's too big for it. At least everyone else likes it.

The GT550 with all it's bottom end power has no problem pulling the rig, but the lousy gas mileage is lousier. To extend my range, I added an auxiliary 5.5 gallon tank with a selector valve mounted aft of the main tank petcock. With a 9.5 gallon capacity, the range is now more realistic.

[pearljam724]

I've changed the chain on the bike so I'm familiar with the process. I have an extra master link just in case I drop something.

The bike was a junkyard find that I restored. I've been into everything except the transmission. I haven't had a need to split the case for anything. Thus the question about the oil pump being driven from the rear wheel in neutral.

I try to avoid over working any machinery. I'm very careful removing philips screws. I always use an impact driver, but, nevertheless, it takes it's toll on the hardware. I do plan on removing the chain for the long hauls. If the first 500 mile tow is uneventful, I may also do an additional 350 mile tow to Wisconsin for our family reunion. There will be our 6 kids, their spouses and 15 grand kids and they all love the sidecar rig. I did the sidecar for my dog, but he's too big for it. At least everyone else likes it.

The GT550 with all it's bottom end power has no problem pulling the rig, but the lousy gas mileage is lousier. To extend my range, I added an auxiliary 5.5 gallon tank with a selector valve mounted aft of the main tank petcock. With a 9.5 gallon capacity, the range is now more realistic.

If your fuel mileage is lousy. Your likely pumping too much oil. These bikes are tuned extremely rich at the factory recommended pump settings using modern injection oils. I'm not suggesting what you do. But, I have both of my bike's pumps turned down as low as they will go and they receive plenty of oil. I know within an ounce or two of how much oil they use at that setting. By knowing how much oil it takes to refill my tank after each ride. Combined with the amount of fuel I consumed. At the lowest setting these bikes still pump at 50:1 ratio. Which is plenty of enough oil. Too much oil being mixed into the combustion chamber causes lousy fuel mileage because the gas isn't being burned at a proper rate. Too much oil causes other internal engine problems too. I feel the 550 is by far a better all around bike than the more popular 750. Post a picture of your beast.

[Ebayru]

I have the oil pump set as low as possible. I added a helper spring to be sure the lever would completely return as I noticed a tendency to stuck on occasion. The poor mileage probably has more to do with hauling an additional 200 to 350 lbs and increased wind resistance.

I'll post pictures of the rig and towing set up later this evening. Actually, I just tried to add a picture of the pump lever set up and I keep getting a message that the board's attachment quota has been exceeded. What does that mean? Can't I post pictures in this forum? I've posted pictures in the repair and electrical forums previously.

[ConnerVT]

The poor mileage probably has more to do with hauling an additional 200 lbs and increased wind resistance.

My bike's problem as well. Except I don't have a sidecar rig.

[tz375]

................I have the oil pump set as low as possible. I added a helper spring to be sure the lever would completely return as I noticed a tendency to stuck on occasion...........

That's a common misconception. The way that a Suzuki triple pump is designed, in certain positions, the lever will not return and in others it does. It is not a problem and does not need to be "fixed" A helper spring will tend to accelerate wear on the internal cam.

[Ebayru]

Tz: Interesting. If the lever doesn't return, doesn't it mean it's pumping more oil than intended? I'm also having difficulty understanding why there would be more cam wear. A helper spring only facilitates positioning the lever where the control cable is allowing it to go, not into an abnormal position. It's not loading the cam lobe. I decided to add the spring because, with the engine off, trying to set the pump cable, sometimes the lever would return and sometimes not. It seemed that the lever spring may have fatigued. I added an on-the-cable spring of just enough force to assure that the lever would consistently return to home position.

I sure wish I could upload a picture! "Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached."

[yeadon_m]

The lever may stick if the motor and pump are not turning. I think if running, the lever should not stick. Suzuki did issue a bulletin to fit a helper spring in this situation, I recall. TZ you may anyway be correct. Piecing together bits of info here.
Mike

[pearljam724]

I get that message anytime I try to post pics now too. "Sorry, the board attachment quota has been reached."