Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Bsa bulletin board Hepolite oil pump BSA A65

Anyone with experience or results from testing this pump?
Thanks!
Rgrds,
Lars

It sure looks the business

Hi
I have fitted one to an A10, works fine and does not wet sump

John

Replaced the leaking zinc-bodied unit on my 68 thunderbolt last year with one of those. It was between that and an SRM unit which was much pricier in the US. Only got about 20 miles miles on it (it was part of a rebuild) but oil was returning good. Plus I'm not racing it, and cast iron is long lasting

The same in Sweden. I can source the Hepolite pump localy and in total at about 40% lower cost compared to the SRM pump. So my concern is if the pump works well and if there are any tests done compared to the SRM pump.
Rgrds,
Lars

I've always been happy with the SRM unit, so for me I will continue to fit what I know. I think though for the difference in cost you are getting all the mounting kit (ok its only 3 allen bolts), gasket - which actually fits properly as many dont and the worm gear for the end of the crank, to encourage you to fit NEW parts together. I think if you cost it seperately (certainly in GBP) the difference in cost is the extras you receive...

....I also do my best to avoid anything Wassell have a hand in, since they bought Lucas its getting kinda tricky.

Allen,
Can you explain your thoughts on Wassell with some examples of failures. You’re well respected here on this board and your opinions should be backed up with facts.
Respectfully
Richard

Here are my thoughts, since we do sell both pumps

The SRM pump and Hepolite pumps are both made in England

The SRM pump does come with more components, while the Hepolite pump does not, however the retail price reflects that on both brands of pumps

To this day, we have sold far more Hepolite pumps than SRM

In my opinion, I like the Hepolite pump better simply because its cast-iron

Based off all the pumps I have sold, I have had 0 problems or 0 complaints from customers on both brands of pumps

If I build an A65, it will have a Hepolite pump installed as my first choice

If Wassell have sourced from a good supplier then all will be good, their VAPE sourced electronic ignition is an example of a good Wassell product. On the Lucas branded items sourced from the Far East then its a lottery and I try to avoid, going NOS seems to be a better choice.

Not quite sure about the well respected part, however my opinion (and it is only my own opinion) has been down to the junk spares I have bought historically and when replacements had been sent they were as bad as originals. This was mainly tinware (headlight brackets for one) and “high tensile” bolts which were not only metric, but stripped their thread before they were anything like nipped up. Those were just the things which struck out enough to be etched in my memory.

Kommando is correct, if the person that is making the parts does a decent job, the product is good, Vape ignitions, some Lucas components I have used, and their choice of piston supplier. Their pistons are good but I would still buy the JE pistons first.

I’m sure the pumps are very good and someone like CBS will have a better experience of those an me who chooses not to fit one and to be fair would be better getting advice from in this instance. If I get a bad SRM pump then I may rethink my choices but 15 years on one of my pumps, it’s never done me any wrong.

Back in the day when BSA parts were starting to get REAL hard to find here (way before internet etc ) my long suffering mother was going on the trip of a lifetime to the UK ... Like the dutifully son that i was I was concerned she wouldn't have enough to do on her holiday SO i gave her a shopping list ... a long one , and told her where to go to get the bits.

Apparently the guys in the bike shops were so impressed with an ancient old woman coming in and getting parts ( she even knew the year of the bike hahhaah) that she got discounts,

pistons ( 2 oversize's) mains kick quadrants etc etc etc

AND a DEVIMEAD ( now SRM) cast oil pump

that pump sat on my shelf (in her house hahahh ) for 30 years until one day i needed it ... EXCELLENT UNIT

that exercise sure future proofed my old dunga and i have used nearly all the bits i squirrelled away

She did complain that some of the shops had dirt floors and RUFFIANS standing around drinking beer hahhah but said the Ruffians were very good to her,

" I would like a speedometer for a 1970 BSA Lightning ... i want the one with the gray face 150 mph and 15/12 ratio thank you and the rear wheel gearbox to match it " ... that line blew them away ... she had been schooled

one cheeky wazic asked her the month of the bike ( to be a smart arse) AND she replied "its August , the last month of the grey face" ROFLMFAO

Rhymes with "Fossils", are connected to some of the site sponsors here. I have had posts censored/ deleted after critisizing this after market supplier.
Sadly there are two "Wassels" , one with a diverse range of goods of variable quality, another making supposedly decent exhaust systems, I refer in this post to the one supplying the wide range of " goods, not the exhaust manufacturer who I have no beefs with.

Fossils, supply a lot of stuff ,some good, some meh, some terrible, in the terrible category I have had spokes that were totally wrong, engine components that didnt fit, and rubber stuff that falls apart on its own.On the good side the kick start cotters they provide are excellent and no doubt they sell other good stuff like the Vape, its good to hear that their oil pumps dont fall into the first two categories, however, nothing will persuade me to fit engine parts supplied by them.

A fair proportion of Brit owners are overly frugal, some would say tight, even grippin, when it comes to spending on new bits , these miserly types are Oxygen for rhymes with fossils and guarantee a ready buyer for 3rd rate goods. Its a succesful business model, no one ever went broke underestimating the penny pinching nature of old bike owners.And because the bits fail without use or low mileage they are guaranteed more business selling again and again, eg fork gaiters.
To be fair to RWF they have kept a large diverse range of bits for years and have possibly helped some folk along the way get a project finished, but , on the other hand I know one bike shop who had a RWF catalogue who will no longer work on old brits because its uneconomic to fit bits that dont work , then spend hours dealing with RWF difficult return procedures, often its just not worth the bother.

I resemble that remark.
And I'm somewhat of fossil
And I enjoy an occasional wassail.
You do get what you pay for but besides the exchange rate and postage there's a heavy markup in the states.

I always looked at it as like fitting a Quinten Hazell exhaust or clutch in your car.
Pattern parts, some good, some bad. Normally much cheaper.
Nothing wrong with Vape, JCC, etc. BUT you have to be selective.
I have never actually seen one of those oil pumps in the flesh, but i would rather
use an iron bodied pump than aluminium.

I suppose the nearest comparative firm to Wassels is Emgo, same with their stuff.

All I can say is that my A65 wet sumped until I finally located an iron oil pump, but i didn't really notice better oil pressure after mounting that.
The Hepolite people have also created an oil pump for triples. Still waiting to see if these are any better than original pumps. At least the triple pumps weren't make of monkey metal.

The only part I have bought from SRM was an oil pressure relief valve. Pretty stainless, but the piston was scored after very little mileage.

"At least the triple pumps weren't make of monkey metal."


No, triples have plenty of troubles without having monkey metal oil pumps as well eh?

Mostly brought on by dealer service shops who had no inclination to deviate from the procedures of servicing a twin. "What do you mean I can't adjust both valves when the piston is at TDC? What's this other two valves 'on the rock' stuff?" I can still do that in less time than it takes me to remove the head steady and valve cover from an OIF A65.
Didn't help that they were all built at Small Heath.