ET: Engine (Twin) Anyone know what this is?

[stevierob]

Hi I am embarking on building a black shadow from crates boxes and bags. According to PO the engine has been professionally rebuilt and it certainly looks the part. Can anyone identify this part and how it plumbs in. I suspect it’s a breather collector but may be totally wrong.It looks like it would fit on casing bolts in line with the oil filter housing. An alloy ‘Vincent’ cap does fit the end.
cheers Steve

 

[Peter Holmes]

I think it is most unlikely that it is anything to do with a breather, looks more like some ancillary oil filter chamber with inputs and outputs, but how and why I have no idea.

 

[ClassicBiker]

It is definitely not a stock item. No idea what it is or does. But it does have the fact that it looks well made going for it. I like Peter's suggestion. Because of that I would have a close look at the stock oil filter chamber et al and make sure that is all correct. You wouldn't want to find out that if you don't plumb this in as the PO intended oil doesn't go where it's needed.
Steven

 

[Peter Holmes]

Does it have divided internal chambers, and if so how are they configured?

 

[stevierob]

Does it have divided internal chambers, and if so how are they configured?

Peter, no divided chambers it’s effectively an empty tube with 4 banjo connections. I have a short breather pipe which looks like it will fit from the breather banjo just above the magneto to this device if bolted to the crankcase alongside the oil filter.
I will mock it up and post more pictures. Thanks all for your help
Steve

 

[Richard Beard]

With the right sort of innards it might be an oil thermostat.

 

[Chris Launders]

Won't work as a filter chamber as all 4 connections are on the outside, none up the middle.

 

[passenger0_0]

I made up a similar item to distribute the return oil from a Triumph triple around various tubes of a Rickman frame so that it's full capacity was used.
Maybe this could have been used in a similar special oil-in-frame application??

 

[Bobv07662]

I made up a similar item to distribute the return oil from a Triumph triple around various tubes of a Rickman frame so that it's full capacity was used.
Maybe this could have been used in a similar special oil-in-frame application??

passenger0-0...will be sending you a PM regarding that Rickman plumbing.

Bob V

 

[Richard Beard]

Interesting that you mention the Triumph triple.
"Back in the day" I designed the oil cooler for that bike.
And although it was not fitted as standard since retiring I have specified an oil thermostat to go on the triple and then worked with Dave Madigan in CA who designed a tailor made oil thermostat for the triple.
The item shown in this thread bears an uncanny resemblance to the outer casing of the oil thermostat that Dave designed and now sells.
It just needs a wax capsule and spring to go inside with an end cap at the end.
Perhaps a previous owner fitted an oil cooler and then made an oil thermostat to go with it!