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Crankcase vent line dripping oil

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Old 05-28-2008, 07:39 AM
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Default Crankcase vent line dripping oil

Got the new Daytona twin tec ignition installed last night and wrapped up the pushrod adjustment. Thought I should roll the motor over a few times with the plugs out to get some oil back into the lifters. After about a minute total of letting the starter turn the motor over I noticed a 3 inch puddle of oil under the bike. Seems to be coming from the crankcase vent. I have capped off the lines to the primary. Oil is dirty and must be laying in the cases. Had the motor out of the frame this spring so the frame could be powder coated. Is this normal on a shovel motor that has been sitting for a few months? No tins on the bike yet so I haven't started it yet.
 
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Old 05-28-2008, 08:01 AM
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Default RE: Crankcase vent line dripping oil

The check valve ball and seat may need to be cleaned and or replaced. {typical problem}
My shovel would do this if the bike sat for a while but after my rebuild and replacing those pieces and re seating seems to have fixed the problem for me.
good luck with your project.
 
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Old 05-28-2008, 08:17 AM
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Default RE: Crankcase vent line dripping oil

Where is the check valve ball and seat located?
 
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Old 05-28-2008, 08:33 AM
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Default RE: Crankcase vent line dripping oil

The inside plug on the top of your oil pump is where mine is located on my 68.
Time to open the manual and do some studying
I use my OEM manual all the time. The Bible for Harley repair.
 
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Old 05-28-2008, 08:47 AM
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Default RE: Crankcase vent line dripping oil

Thanks for the help. Manual is at home (and well used). I'm at work. Want to get parts rolling.

Thanks again[sm=smiley20.gif]
 
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Old 05-28-2008, 07:29 PM
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Default RE: Crankcase vent line dripping oil

Let is know what fixes it.
if your replacing the check ball use the old ball to re seat the seat by "lightly" tapping on the ball with a small drift punch.
Clean first and then after.
 
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Old 05-29-2008, 03:51 PM
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Default RE: Crankcase vent line dripping oil

ORIGINAL: michiganlarry

Got the new Daytona twin tec ignition installed last night and wrapped up the pushrod adjustment. Thought I should roll the motor over a few times with the plugs out to get some oil back into the lifters. After about a minute total of letting the starter turn the motor over I noticed a 3 inch puddle of oil under the bike. Seems to be coming from the crankcase vent. I have capped off the lines to the primary. Oil is dirty and must be laying in the cases. Had the motor out of the frame this spring so the frame could be powder coated. Is this normal on a shovel motor that has been sitting for a few months? No tins on the bike yet so I haven't started it yet.
michiganlarry

“…Oil is dirty and must be laying in the cases…”


A tip I learned years ago was every 3rd or 4th oil change, clean out the sump, it’s easy, on my ride I have the old style oil tank on my FXS low rider, the kind that has the “drop-in” little oil filter in a stock cartridge we called them “horse hair” filters, when they came out with a drop-in type oil filter, to re-place the metal cartridge container I thought I jump into the 21 st century : - )) man this is the best thing ever !!! no more cleaning out that cartridge !!! anyway back to the sump.

Since I have a large hole in top of the oil tank (where the cap is for the no longer used cartridge it’s a little easier to fill the old tank.

You have two oil lines going to the top of your oil tank, one of them is re-turning oil to the tank, (out of the sump) take it off, get a small container or a qt size mayo jar, insert that oil inlet hose in the jar, remember you just change the oil, there is fresh oil filled in the oil tank, start the bike, let it idle, the oil out of the sump will start to fill up the jar (jet black) now all you do is wait until you see clean oil just coming out the hose, (it’s just short of a qt, I used to just put in new oil in the oil tank, as in was pumping out the black crap, not wanting to let in run a qt low, if one doesn’t have that drop in oil filter large hole, you can use your oil fill neck, or just shut the bike down when you first see the new oil coming out the hose.

That’s it, re connect the hose, check the level, you good until 3 or 4 more oil changes, you will not believe how dirty that oil is in the sump, that gets mixed in your new oil change !

Take care and ride safe !!

cj




[IMG]local://upfiles/16813/CB0C942B5B3147DDABA6BAFCD092A9C0.jpg[/IMG]
 
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Old 05-30-2008, 09:27 AM
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Default RE: Crankcase vent line dripping oil

Got her fired up last night after 30 minutes or so that it took me to realize I had the plug wires reversed on the single fire coil. Duh!

Running really nice and idles smoothly on the new ignition. Vent issue resolved itself as soon as the motor fired just like Rodney said. Thanks bro.

Will post some pics of the new paint in another thread.

Slick
 
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