AJS & Matchless Owners Club

Today I've been sorting out the battery carrier and the oil tank for my '54 G3/LS. No problems with the battery carrier but I'm not sure about one of the oil tank fittings. Specifically, in the oil return line. My tank has a 1/4" BSP female thread in the bottom of the chamber that houses the felt filter for the returning oil. What screws into that, please? I've looked in the parts list but I find that a bit confusing. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks, John.

See page 13 of the 1954 G3LS Owners Manual !
Here:

http://archives.jampot.dk/book/Owners_m ... ingles.pdf

Here's the (original) oil tank on my '54 G3LS:

The oil tank was introduced in 1936 and used up to 1955. There were changes during the years, You may have a tank for a different year to 1954. It may not even fit correct. So make sure it fits the bike OK first.

I've offered the tank up to the frame and it fits fine. Don't think that will be a problem. I'd just like to know what fitting is screwed into the bottom of the tank so I can see about getting one. I can't really see what it is from Mr Spriddler's photograph but it would seem to be a short length of steel pipe with a 1/4" BSP male thread on one end; probably with a flange to seal a fibre or copper washer against the tank to form a seal.

Looks a lot my 51 oil tank on my G3L:
On my twin from 53 the piping is a little different:
Now, does this suggest you have a tank from a twin? The small return pipe is cranked to keep the main pipes more or less parallel below the timing chest even though the pipe unions at the tank have the return fitting set at the back, under the filter housing.

I have no idea if these poor photos help or confuse...

From your photo, John, it appears that your feed and return pipes are located on opposite sides of the tank seam, whereas both my pipe stubs are on the same side of the seam, i.e. both are on the same (outer) half of the tank as the drain plug.
The return pipe on mine is simply a piece of threaded tube screwed into the boss in the tank.

As Mr Harknett said earlier, there were changes!! I really have no idea which model / year this tank was originally fitted to. It was in one of the boxes of bits (of mostly '54 G3/LS) I've acquired. It certainly fits the '54 frame (which it's self was a 'one year only' frame... or so I've been led to believe). It's not rocket science. I'm sure I can find something to screw into the tank connect the oil pipe to. What I do have to get hold of as well is a set of pipes to connect to the engine. They're out of stock at AMOC Spares.

As Ron says you have a tank from a twin.

G15 Roy wrote:As Ron says you have a tank from a twin.

Not the case, my 52 LCT single has the same pipe fittings as Ron's 53 twin.

So, were comp singles fitted with a twin roadster tank at the time?