Okay first off let me introduce myself, I am new to these forums. My name is Billy Myers and I'm 18 years old. I picked up my first bike when I turned 18 in February. It is a 2000 Harley Sportster XL1200C, but right now she is being a little tempermental. After a long run on the interstate she will spit oil out of the breather tube. My first guess was that maybe the oil was overfilled, but that isn't the problem. This first started to happen in May after I did a 1,250 mile trip. I ran her pretty hard all the way from Fresno to Las Vegas. I thought maybe the oil broke down from the heat so I gave it a transmission fluid/motor oil change but the problem still persists. I purchased a Stage I air filter when I first got the bike and since then I've been through snow, dust storms, wind etc so I checked to see if it was dirty today and sure enough it was. Idk if this will fix the problem or not but I'm hopeful. So my questions today are:

1. What kind of oil comes from the beather tube? I hope it's motor oil so I can at least monitor the levels.

2. If cleaning the air filter doesn't fix the problem does anybody have any ideas?

The tube the oil is spitting out of.


The drops forming on the ground. There are also a few small drops under the cardboard.

 

Hi did you ever find a fix for this? That is the primary breather line. It is not motor oil coming out of that. Im having the same issues and cant figure out how to fix it.

 

I am having a similar issue with my 2000 xl 1200, the bike sat for a year and a half (long story involving my wife accidentally running it over). Anyways, when I start the bike and rev it up a large amount of oil comes out there, I understand it is motor oil, the vent hose goes to the crank case. By large amount I filled half a foldgers can up last night.

I heard there is a ball valve there that gets stuck that causes oil to accumulate in the hose and it will spit oil. Also, I found a technical service bulletin for these sportsters that involve re-running the line to prevent that type of blow back. I tried to upload it but I got an error that it exceeded the limit for the site (which is odd because I think I found it on a post here). If you PM me with an email address I can send it to you

I drained the oil when I parked the bike, but I think some condensation caused some water build up, I plan on draining the fluids, re routing the line, and hopefully it resolves the problem

Its frustrating more because I also changed my bars and re did some electrical when I did all this work. When dry, I tested everything and had no issues. After my test run, Im blowing fuses for the turn signal and brakes, Im assuming the oil dumped all over the relays and is causing a short.

 

I am having this same exact issue on my 2000 Sportster. Has anyone found the cause and solution to this problem?

 

I took out the battery and mounting tray. Then I pulled that tranny breather hose out and re-ran it between the frame and the battery tray. Then ran it up and under the seat where it was before. That took out the low spot where the hose dips right after it connects to the primary breather vent. This was the suggested fix.
I took the bike out and road hard for 50 miles with no leakage. Then I took it on a hard 600 mile run and not a drop came out. But then I ran up to the local Harley dealer and back, only 40 miles and I wasnt pushing the bike at all and it blew oil all over from that hose. I cant figure out why. It had stopped leaking for all those rides only to puke oil during a short easy run. I didnt add any oil to the primary. So I just dont get it.

Since then it has spit oil here and there but isnt consistent on when or why it does this.

I would love to here from someone that has solved this same issue with their bike. Seems the only fix left is to buy a breather vent/filter and mount it on the swing arm and run the hose to it. But any excess could get blown on the tire.

 

What oil filter are you running? A mechanic I know who knows his stuff has fixed this problem with a simple oil filter change when oil level and everything else is normal.

He has seen filters with antidrain back valves cause this with too low of a micron rating. A simple switch to a filter with no drain back valve and the proper 30 micron rating fixed it.

Its worth a try instead of modifying something else to fix something that really is not broken.

 

Anybody ever figure this out? I'm having the exact same problem. Let me know.

 

Anyone reading this and has a fix....that would be great, and appreciated

 

having the same problem with a 1998 sportster. The only possible cause is a crancase bearing seal at the crancase allowing pressure from the engine into the primary case. Check if, with the engine running, you can feel air being pushed out of the vent. If that is the case, you need to replace that seal. I'm current troubleshooting the same issue...

 

I know this is and older thread but a lot of us have this problem.
M1103.pdf This is the service bulletin mentioned above.


Breather hose location. Hose is attached to the back of primary. The hose clamps Harley uses suck.



After trying to get the clamp off the hose I broke the fitting off in the primary...great sadness.


This is the threaded piece that the dummy who owns the motorcycle broke off inside the primary, I got lucky and removed it with an easy out.


This is the new brass fitting that I bought at the car parts store. All thats left to do is put on the new hose and route it like in the attached PDF.


My leak has finally stopped!