Mechanical Oil Pumps.

Hello,

Sometime ago I recall someone telling me about a modification to fit a mechanical Oil Pump to an ABC. I seem to recall it was a Best and Lloyd driven off the magneto timing? But don't recall any other details. Have I totally made this up?

Many thanks,

Nicholas

The 250 firefly has a sprocket oilpump between 1914 and 18 so i would use such pump as being more ABC like.

hi you can fit an oil pump to the timing cover, it runs off the middle gear, this should have a slot in the end for the gearpump to slot in' you will have to drill the end cover. most gears have the slot but I have seen odd ones without it
I believe they removed the pump to reduce costs ?

Concerning the fitment of auxiliary oil pumps to ABCs...the various pumps marketed by Pilgrim, and Best & Lloyd, etc., were scarcely pumps at all: they were more gravity-fed oil-dispensers/dosers.
First caveat: these 'pumps' needed to be rotated in the correct direction, usually anti-clockwise, seen from 'the front': although clockwise options were made.
The late, great Bob Thomas always advocated the fitment of such a pump (he favoured the B&L), and his was fitted to be driven from the nose of the camshaft. This would have entailed precision-drilling of the timing chest cover, and provision of, for instance, a drive-slot in the nose of the camshaft: work of which he was well-capable, being a gifted engineer.
An easier option would be to mount a CLOCKWISE pump to the timing cover, ahead of the nose of the magneto shaft, via a (special) slotted nut. Its driven speed would be the same, of course.
But why bother with such complication, when the original system, properly maintained, was perfectly adequate?

Upon reflection, there IS a case for fitting a mechanical pump...its delivery is engine-speed related. In this context, I refer to ABC Newsletter no. 1004, which features a photo of Bob, with his race-face on, whacking his machine up a hill-climb event in Berkshire, I think. The detail of the photo is a little indistinct, but a B&L pump is discernible, mounted ahead of the camshaft.
Is anyone intent upon 24-hour racing, etc? No? Then live happily with your hand-primed tank-top system!

Hi

I posted photos of Bobs bike showing the oil pump 3 years 2 months ago

its on a thread called "Emerson's Brooklands ABC Sopwith - a question?" and its post #219

This link might work(?)

https://www.abcroadmotors.co.uk/forum/abc-discussion/37-emerson-s-brooklands-abc-sopwith-a-question.html?start=12#219


BR
Neil