Ransomes 20" Mark 14 - Engine Oil system question
This is my first post so please excuse any etiqutte lapses.
I have a number of Ransomes mowers and have just bought off ebay a 20" mark 14. Its in v good condition apart from having lost the original rectangular oil and fuel tank.
I bought it since its a fantastic piece of 20's (over?) engineering, weighs a ton. I want to use it.
Its had a homemade oil tank fitted that looks ok. It has a feed at the bottom and a return at the top. I have just fitted a temporary fuel tank.
I dont have a hand book but it looks like the oil system is dry sump, reflecting the motor cycle ancestry of the Sturmey Archer engine?. It also looks as if the oil drains into the crankcase when its standing since it smokes excessively when the tank is left with oil in it. Thats normally a stuck valve in a motorcycle.
Please can anyone with a handbook or the right tank confirm the oil system is as I have described and ideally tell me where the valve is and if I can fiddle with it without taking the whole engine apart.
Thank you very much in anticipation.
20inch MK14 oil in crankcase
Hello, recently joning this forum and reading all posts, so reason for late reply.
Have the same machine and have the same problem i.e oil tank drains into crankcase after long period unused.
Have a list of parts for it and also a list of parts for Ransomes engines (SA types). Probably the Ransomes engines are license of Sturmey Archer? Not able to find valve to overcome draining.
On another forum seen that somebody fitted a tap in the bottom line to the oil pump, but what if you forget to open it before starting!!! . May be worn oil pump?
Your system layout described is correct . The oil filler cap has a sight glass and with a running engine you see oil drips returning from the crankcase .