Oil thrower - what does it actually do?

[solostax]

So far what I've been able to confirm is that those with extremely strong opinions on faceache have based those extremely strong opinions on the machinations of a twisted 18th century Frenchman, which is nice.

Personally, I can't add anything to the discussion about the dished washer/oil thrower but I can add the following HIGHLY useful information:

1. It was the Marquis de Sade, not the Maquis. Maquis is ia particularly hardy type of wild grass which grows in southern France and after which the French resistance, which was based in Villard de Lans was named (lovely place where I got p1ssed watching the 500GP on telly once).

2. It's not really worth visiting the tower of Pisa unless you go at lunchtime during the week. There is a nursing college nearby and a cafe opposite the tower gets full of rather fetching Italian filles at lunchtime. I'd advise arriving around 1145. Or at least this was the case 20 years ago.

I did add a shim behind my oil thrower to align the chain and wondered if it mattered, but I suspect I'll never know. If i get a cylinder head leak or split reeds, I'll put it down to this shim.

Dickie ,thanks first for airing this vital topic which has been lurking in the troubled minds of Lambretta enthusiasts for decades.This might just prove to be the “Tip Of The iceberg” in cracking the inner secrets of the Lambretta .Also for the correction to Monsieur De Sade’s title;“Marquis “. (By sheer coincidence I happened to be smoking some “Maquis” wild grass at the time of writing my explanation,hence the spelling mistake.)
As for the further inputs from coaster and WTNo1 ,both address the subject of dispersing the oil and dissipating engine temperature.Both parties reinforce the notion that this component serves an important function but differ on whether the oil is inflow or outflow of the “Thrower,”
Those of the Outflow opinion include Tractorman ,gp200ts1,WTNo1,
Those of the Inflow ,shane BBoys,coaster, With gaz_powell undecided due to cabin fever?…...Perhaps the question “has anyone built an engine without this part and proved / disproved its importance?”, might shed further light on the subject !
The observations by WTNo1 that some “dual function “components of the Lambretta engine are perhaps not ideal, hint that they might also have been inspired by the Marquis.I suspect apart from WTNo1’s lost handbook “Fun & Frolics on a Lambretta” the author also penned “50 Shades of Engineering Challenges” , to satisfy those who enjoyed masochistic attempts to repair mechanical devices.This theme was later plagiarized and the subject matter disrespectfully altered to cater for those practising sexual devious behaviours. This is indeed a “Grey” area.
Thanks Hat for also exposing some sinister engineering practises (albeit on the Vespa machine).
And to Andy B.L.C for his thirst for answers re exhaust fixings and oil seal positioning.

[gaz_powell]

Dickie, when you shimmed the thrower was it under it against the bearing or on top under the drive sleeve?
What did you use?

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

So far what I've been able to confirm is that those with extremely strong opinions on faceache have based those extremely strong opinions on the machinations of a twisted 18th century Frenchman, which is nice.

Personally, I can't add anything to the discussion about the dished washer/oil thrower but I can add the following HIGHLY useful information:

1. It was the Marquis de Sade, not the Maquis. Maquis is ia particularly hardy type of wild grass which grows in southern France and after which the French resistance, which was based in Villard de Lans was named (lovely place where I got p1ssed watching the 500GP on telly once).

2. It's not really worth visiting the tower of Pisa unless you go at lunchtime during the week. There is a nursing college nearby and a cafe opposite the tower gets full of rather fetching Italian filles at lunchtime. I'd advise arriving around 1145. Or at least this was the case 20 years ago.

I did add a shim behind my oil thrower to align the chain and wondered if it mattered, but I suspect I'll never know. If i get a cylinder head leak or split reeds, I'll put it down to this shim.

Dickie ,thanks first for airing this vital topic which has been lurking in the troubled minds of Lambretta enthusiasts for decades.This might just prove to be the “Tip Of The iceberg” in cracking the inner secrets of the Lambretta .Also for the correction to Monsieur De Sade’s title;“Marquis “. (By sheer coincidence I happened to be smoking some “Maquis” wild grass at the time of writing my explanation,hence the spelling mistake.)
As for the further inputs from coaster and WTNo1 ,both address the subject of dispersing the oil and dissipating engine temperature.Both parties reinforce the notion that this component serves an important function but differ on whether the oil is inflow or outflow of the “Thrower,”
Those of the Outflow opinion include Tractorman ,gp200ts1,WTNo1,
Those of the Inflow ,shane BBoys,coaster, With gaz_powell undecided due to cabin fever?…...Perhaps the question “has anyone built an engine without this part and proved / disproved its importance?”, might shed further light on the subject !
The observations by WTNo1 that some “dual function “components of the Lambretta engine are perhaps not ideal, hint that they might also have been inspired by the Marquis.I suspect apart from WTNo1’s lost handbook “Fun & Frolics on a Lambretta” the author also penned “50 Shades of Engineering Challenges” , to satisfy those who enjoyed masochistic attempts to repair mechanical devices.This theme was later plagiarized and the subject matter disrespectfully altered to cater for those practising sexual devious behaviours. This is indeed a “Grey” area.
Thanks Hat for also exposing some sinister engineering practises (albeit on the Vespa machine).
And to Andy B.L.C for his thirst for answers re exhaust fixings and oil seal positioning.

The reference to "50 Shades of Engineering Challenges" is rather premature! I had got as far as sending the original for proof reading to the same experts that 'Scootering' magazine don't use, & it came back with more errors than it had started with. Disheartening or what?

So my next project will be along the lines of "Lambretta enhancement: Cr@p or what?"

The intention would be to cover virtually any add-on or change marketed specifically for the seller to make money.

There would be a rating of usefulness (or not) from, say, minus 10 to plus 10.

Apart from sparkling plug caps & handlebar tassels, it would include components that are sold to match, or even increase, the performance over the OEM equipment.

An example might be......(wait for it!) Rolon chain or Innocenti engraved bearings for rear hubs that had plastic cages. I imagine that most people would reason that such items might languish @ the bottom of the chart........

Trickier are white wall tyres because there is an aesthetic quality on the right machines.

Even more difficult would be disc brake plastic windows. Again, very much machine dependent.

The complexity of making assessments about current day 'bling' & longevity must be considered. Is replacement of an OEM component with gaily coloured anodised aluminium the thing to do on an engine that vibrates only little less than a hammer drill? Yet there is no doubt that alloy gear linkages with their much softer construction sell in significant numbers. Are those that buy them knowingly aware but the incentive to launder dirty money too great?



I dunno whether I can be arsed to finish this book project. There really is a vast amount of things that grown ups chuck money @.........

[dickie]

Dickie, when you shimmed the thrower was it under it against the bearing or on top under the drive sleeve?
What did you use?

Gaz, I put it under the funny dish-shaped washer and against the bearing. I didn't put it there for any particular reason, I just put it there without thinking. Had I thought about it, I'd have put it between the sleeve and the washer so that the washer maintained the same clearance to the case. But it probably makes next to diddly squat difference.

As for what I used, I can't remember, but it was a lambretta engine shim of some sort. The inside diameter was just a tiny amount too small, maybe 0.1mm so I opened it up slightly with a file. If you need to know, I could check it against one I have on the bench. Too hungover to check at the minute.

[dickie]

Gaz, I've just checked from the comfort of the sofa and it's a clutch sprocket shim.

[gaz_powell]

Cheers Rich

[JETEX]

Maybe the Marquis was also responsible for designing that stupid tiny circlip on the gear selector at the back of the engine.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

Maybe the Marquis was also responsible for designing that stupid tiny circlip on the gear selector at the back of the engine.

Clearly BDSM figures largely in the design of the whole gearchange linkage with miniature thumb screws utilised to clamp the cables, as well as the aforementioned circlip. However, the protective boot must surely prove a fetish for rubber &, ahem, copious lubrication.

Amazingly, Innocenti didn't capitalise with advertising such as:

"Lambretta. Uninhibited by design. A must have for masochists"

[solostax]

Maybe the Marquis was also responsible for designing that stupid tiny circlip on the gear selector at the back of the engine.

Clearly BDSM figures largely in the design of the whole gearchange linkage with miniature thumb screws utilised to clamp the cables, as well as the aforementioned circlip. However, the protective boot must surely prove a fetish for rubber &, ahem, copious lubrication.

Amazingly, Innocenti didn't capitalise with advertising such as:

"Lambretta. Uninhibited by design. A must have for masochists"

‘Tingle’ ,’nether regions,’’greasy hands’,’oil stained levi jeans’,’hunt the escaped layshaft springballs,’’worn allen key trunnions’,’stripped chaincase studs’ ‘collar grinding’ clutch shimming’’sliding dogs‘sprocket’ ‘squish clearance’ ooh aah!……….just some of the evocative phrases used in the forthcoming limited edition of “The hidden dark side of Lambretta maintenance” by WTno1 and solostax, priced at 200 lashes.
Seriously though, has anyone run the engine omitting the “Oil Thrower” without serious consequences?

[dickie]

I think the biggest consequence would be difficulty in lining up front and rear sprockets.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that it just makes the engine heavier.

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

‘Tingle’ ,’nether regions,’’greasy hands’,’oil stained levi jeans’,’hunt the escaped layshaft springballs,’’worn allen key trunnions’,’stripped chaincase studs’ ‘collar grinding’ clutch shimming’’sliding dogs‘sprocket’ ‘squish clearance’ ooh aah....

Isn't it Sir?

Oooooh! Suits you Sir!

And do you have a laydee at home Sir? Is she a right little go-er Sir? Does she leak when you push her, Sir? From behind, Sir? Does she like it when you sit astride her, Sir? Snetterton seat, Sir? Does she love it, Sir? Oooooh! Tea bagging, Sir?

Oooooh! Suits you Sir!

[solostax]

I think the biggest consequence would be difficulty in lining up front and rear sprockets.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that it just makes the engine heavier.

Thanks dickie for the most logical answer yet ! and whilst on this subject I intend to" Take the Bullet" ,reassemble a standard 150 without the Thrower or rather replace it with a flat shaped washer alternative........Meanwhile with WTno1 quoting my heroes of the innuendo ,Mark and Paul ,,brilliant !I fear I may have trouble being taken seriously enough to elicit help with a little problem I have.:- Although I’m a bit reluctant to discuss a “Rubbing Problem I Have On My Bottom End,” the old plate is twisted and warped and I obviously I need a tight seal.So what caused this and what's to stop a new one being corrupted ?

[dickie]

Sorry for raising the tone. I think lockdown is getting to.me.

[solostax]

Hi.
As it is guess time does it throw as suggested the oil onto the front sprocket and thus oil the chain?

Cheers Shane

Thanks Shane.......
No problem dickie ,reviewing the thread the moment shane BBoys opened up by guessing it was bound to become 'Open Season'
Despite the twisted path the topic has taken some very plausible explanations have been put forward.
Pity there still is no unanimous verdict.

[Fast n Furious]

I have a TS1 with a modified crank and crank case which means the oil thrower had to be dispensed with and the drive sleeve had to be ground back a smidgeon to achieve correct chain alignment. No problems to report.

[solostax]

I have a TS1 with a modified crank and crank case which means the oil thrower had to be dispensed with and the drive sleeve had to be ground back a smidgeon to achieve correct chain alignment. No problems to report.

Fast n Furious...Thanks for the info , If you had replied to dickie’s original starter question I think the following thread would have been quite short.
Without having a definitive description of its purpose , how confident were you that dispensing with the thrower would not cause problems? And therefore what function do you think it plays being that it is a standard build component?

[Fast n Furious]

It was included to restrict the amount of oil splash onto the bearing. I suspect it was more a belt and brace sort of measure and not a necessity.
The standard gear oil capacity is nominally 750mL to the overflow plug. I run with 1 litre of oil in all mine and its never been an issue.

[solostax]

It was included to restrict the amount of oil splash onto the bearing. I suspect it was more a belt and brace sort of measure and not a necessity.
The standard gear oil capacity is nominally 750mL to the overflow plug. I run with 1 litre of oil in all mine and its never been an issue.

Fast and Furious,Thanks for the update and opinion which concurs with Tractorman ,gp200ts1,and WTNo1
I would be happy running without it now and note you run with extra oil with no problems ,guess that will also help with heat dissipation .
Like dickie I was genuinely curious as to its purpose so many thanks.
Regards

[gaz_powell]

just ordered 2, could have saved me money !

EDIT... Seriously its not something I'd miss out

[Warkton Tornado No.1]

Opinions of the need for the dished oil thrower vary, but I still hold my opinion of the reason for it's existence.

Consider why later head cowlings had the addition of the inbuilt deflector.

Innocenti engineers didn't add that for adornment & probably had to fight tooth & nail with the accountants to ensure it's inclusion! None other than Dave Webster once removed the deflector & his race engine promptly seized. So he refitted it & ensured their use thereafter.

The same applies to the oil thrower. If the accountants could have had their way, it would have been omitted. It may not be 'essential' but I doubt it is by any means 'superfluous'