Problem getting oil tank on S/A A10 to fit properly

[jjbsa]

I've spent considerable time not getting the oil tank on my 1963 A10 RGS to fit.  I bought this bike dismantled some years ago and it's being assembled for the first time in my hands.

This topic follows on from the one
https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=13533.0
and it's worth reading that as it has some good content, though it didn't conclude with a clear outcome.

The lower of the two oil pipes connecting to the oil tank, the Feed-to-engine one, has had the nut on the union rubbing on the frame, which of course it shouldn't.  On the frame, where this nut and the one above goes, the frame has quite deep etchings (say between 1 and 2mm) from where both nuts have chafed in the past.  See the first photo

If I try and tilt the tank to get clearance between the oil union nuts and the other part of the frame tube, the seam at the top of the oil tank touches the underside of the frame tube above it and stops the oil pipe nut from moving away from the frame tube.

Another oil tank when fitted provides just enough top tube clearance to allow the tank to tilt, but then the fixing at the front of the tank is too high to marry up with the hole in the lug that is attached to the side of the battery tray mount (by at least 1/4 inch). (If you've followed all that you're doing well  ) 

I could use that tank but it's not been repainted, while the one I'm trying to fit I have resprayed and put transfers on, so I am still trying to fit that.

I have wondered about opening up the hole in the rear upper mounting as that could alow the tank to be re-aligned but so far have desisted in case there is knowledge in the forum that would render doing this unnecesary.

I have access to a 1955 B31 with the flat sided oil tank and toolbox, and the feed pipes to the oil tank have a nice clearance of about 1/4 inch.  It's not obvious why this is so, but it is infuriating!

Here's a photo of the B31.  It needs a bit of interpreting, but the clearance is there.

Chaterlea25 mentioned on the older thread that some changes in bracket positioning may  be the cause of this problem.  I've been through my my parts lists (a 1956 on and a 1962 one but couldn't find any different parts being used, so could it be a case of the design of a particular part being changed?  I'd be very interested to know solutions to this problem.

Cheers, Jon

[muskrat]

G'day Jon.
I'd be inclined to fabricate new mountings to suit without harming any hard mounts n the frame.
Cheers

[Catz]

Have you got any rubber spacers or padding to stop the tank fouling up on the frame?

[jjbsa]

Hi Catz, I've started off using pieces of 6mm foam rubber sheet as padding, but as I dug deeper into the problem I removed them so I could explore the full range of movement of the oil tank.  Too much rubber between the tank and the more or less vertical frame tube can make the problem worse, so getting enough to pad the tank, say a minimum of about 1/8 inch, without making the problem worse, seems to be a good start, but even then the nuts on the unions are pressing on the frame tubes.

I'm thinking that modifying the mounting lug at the top rear of the tank, to allow the tank to move forward a bit, may be necessary, in line with Musky's suggestions.

Jon

[Billybream]

Mines a tight fit, you will be surprised how thin the frame to tank rubber packing is, certainly not 6mm. I,ve refitted mine recently, changing all the rubbers and using new stainless braided oil lines. Priory Magneto,s have all the necessary parts and provide a good schematic

[jjbsa]

Thanks Billy, I will continue work on the bike this morning. 

For the record, I found another useful reference to this issue on this forum, see
https://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=10020.0

Jon

[Worty]

Mines a tight fit, you will be surprised how thin the frame to tank rubber packing is, certainly not 6mm. I,ve refitted mine recently, changing all the rubbers and using new stainless braided oil lines. Priory Magneto,s have all the necessary parts and provide a good schematic

Mine was exactly the same, a b*****d to get on and rubbing the frame.  I managed to jam a piece of old leather belt between the union and the frame with everything loose, then belted it up.  No issues so far.

[jjbsa]

Hi wortluck.  I've come to that conclusion.  It's all assembled except that the front tank mounting is still slack.  Once the oil pipe unions are on tight (I'm making new oil pipes as I'm putting a screw-on oil filter in the toolbox), a bit of old hard leather will be put between the lower union nut and the frame, and the front tank mounting tightened last of all.

Thanks to everyone who has helped,

Jon

[Worty]

Hi wortluck.  I've come to that conclusion.  It's all assembled except that the front tank mounting is still slack.  Once the oil pipe unions are on tight (I'm making new oil pipes as I'm putting a screw-on oil filter in the toolbox), a bit of old hard leather will be put between the lower union nut and the frame, and the front tank mounting tightened last of all.

Thanks to everyone who has helped,

Jon

That's exactly how I did it Jon - would love to have seen an 'off the production line' A10 to see what it was like originally.  Good idea with the spin-on filter.  I located mine in the space formally occupied by the ski slope engine plate - fits really snugly although I have to take off the oil pipes to change the filter (no big deal).  I also followed advice about filling the filter with oil until the element is soaked through, this means that you should get oil return a bit quicker to the tank and rockers.  As for filters, the ones that fit Citroen 2CVs and some Peugeot and Talbot models will do.  I found Borg & Beck items that fitted (BFO4180) on Ebay and, with an Ebay discount, got 4 for £16.  Pretty much anything with an M16x1.5 thread will be ok, but check dimensions!

[jjbsa]

Thanks for your information on part numbers for the filter as I'm using a 2VC one as well.  I turned up the mounting for the filter which meant I could decide where the inlet and outlet fittings go.