Topic: How much oil should you see on the tappets?

[Scott S]

How much oil should there be on the top end with the engine running? When I remove the tappet covers there's oil on the rockers, springs, etc. If I run it with the tappet cover off I don't really see much oil spurting and slinging and spraying around.
How much oil should there be up there?


I ask because I had a weird stalling incident last night. I was riding home and the bike ('71 CL350) started bogging and just died. Hitting the starter button would barely, if at all, turn the engine over. I was on a back road and it was pitch black. I pushed it about 500 yards to a gas station and called my GF to bring the van. While waiting for her, the bike started right back up.
This morning, I pulled the plugs and they look perfect. I have compression on both cylinders. I have oil on the top end (exhaust side anyway, haven't pulled the intake side yet). It starts and idles fine in the van.
I was concerned that I had overheated it and it seized temporarily, but there's no sign of that now. I have about 200 miles on it without any issues. I thought for a second about the gas cap (vacuum in the tank), but I've ridden it way to much for that to just now rear it's head, I think.
I was only doing about 45 MPH and had not been wailing on it or anything. It was a cool night, in the 60's. Very weird incident.

[calj737]

Any indication of electrical drain? Dimming light, or blinkers not working? I'd suspect that or fuel level/low fuel

[70CB750]

Running 750 engine without tappet covers will make an oily mess very fast, not sure about your bike.

[b52bombardier1]

Same oily mess with removed tapped covers on my 72 CB500.

Rick

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[Gene]

Sounds to me like points.  I used to have that issue on my 360 once in a while and with those twins one little thing can throw your day into disarray. It would go and then just stop - wait - start right up.

There should be a good amount of oil pumping up in there when running, but I'd check your seals around the points to make sure there's no leaking around the cam.

OH - one more thing - IIRC your starter solenoid is under the seat. Make sure it's not bouncing up and shorting on the seat pan. Had that problem too.  Killed the bike - unhooked it, kicked right over.

[Scott S]

 I should add that from the time it stopped until the time it started again was only ten minutes, maybe.

 I checked the resting battery voltage just now: 12.2V. But I have started it a few times and not ridden it since the incident, checking  for oil, smoke, symptoms, etc.
I had asked before about only charging to 12-7-12.9 V and was told that's somewhat normal for these bikes. The stator tests good and I have a new Sparckmoto reg/rec. The new reg/rec made no difference in the charging voltage. I have the battery on the tender now. Maybe I need to read up on the headlight switch mod and do that for better charging.

[754]

One coil or two ?  I Suspect  it might be the coil, as it was cool out, normally they take longer to cool down.

[Scott S]

 Two coils. I will say, all the ignition stuff is original except for the plugs.

[754]

Well if its two coils, i doubt they would both go at once..
 It might be the 350 that has this..a bolt on the side of the valve cover, that you can take out to check if oil is flowing. If it does and its working its going to shoot out of there.