External Breather woes
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 262
Likes: 31
From: So-Cal, USA
External Breather woes
2001 FXDX
I have the external breather with catch can kit from @DK Custom Products and I ran a line from each cylinder off the air cleaner to a "T" and into the catch can (this sounds really confusing even to me, and its my bike. I'll try to add a pic later when i get home). I keep my oil at the line where it says add a quart. Yet when i go for a ride, (like 2 hours+ ) oil gets blown out of the catch can and up onto the bike. Which is annoying and noramlly not a huge issue it can just be wiped off. But NOOOO the oil gets onto my exhaust pipe and burns in place and it takes a wire wheel to get it off, and now after the fact i realize the obvious error of removing it that way since the chrome plating has come off a large section of the pipe and its turning blue. 115K miles and its a shiny chrome pipe, i put on this breather and now its blue AF because i couldnt find any other way to remove the burnt on oil. Buffer wheel did nothing, polishes and cleaners did nothing, a pocket knife works but left a few scratches.
I have brand new umbrella valves, and i drilled out the holes on the breather assembly a smidge I don't remember the size but it wasn't much based on what size people recommended. Its said if the holes are a tad bigger it can alleviate extra oil going through the breather.
Why TF am i still getting so damn much oil blowback?! I drain the can when i get home and all 5 foam filters are fully saturated with oil and there is some at the bottom of the can chilling which is why its coming out the holes on the top. I mean its prob only like a few tablespoons each ride that comes out but it is a freaking disaster with the mess it makes. And i just got the damn bike painted and i am constantly having to wipe oil off of my new paint on the rear fender, saddle bag, pushrod covers, battery, and frame.
I currently have it sitting directly below my carb suspended by the breather hose lines. First i was thinking about mounting it under the bike up by the front motor mount but then it would just fling the oil all over the undercarriage and make a mess down there. So then I was thinking of moving it to the very back of the bike by the alignment bolts and just have a hose vent to atmosphere but i dono if running a hose that long would cause any issues if oil was to pool up somewhere. But that seems to be the only place i can vent my external breather without getting oil ALL OVER my bike.
I have the external breather with catch can kit from @DK Custom Products and I ran a line from each cylinder off the air cleaner to a "T" and into the catch can (this sounds really confusing even to me, and its my bike. I'll try to add a pic later when i get home). I keep my oil at the line where it says add a quart. Yet when i go for a ride, (like 2 hours+ ) oil gets blown out of the catch can and up onto the bike. Which is annoying and noramlly not a huge issue it can just be wiped off. But NOOOO the oil gets onto my exhaust pipe and burns in place and it takes a wire wheel to get it off, and now after the fact i realize the obvious error of removing it that way since the chrome plating has come off a large section of the pipe and its turning blue. 115K miles and its a shiny chrome pipe, i put on this breather and now its blue AF because i couldnt find any other way to remove the burnt on oil. Buffer wheel did nothing, polishes and cleaners did nothing, a pocket knife works but left a few scratches.
I have brand new umbrella valves, and i drilled out the holes on the breather assembly a smidge I don't remember the size but it wasn't much based on what size people recommended. Its said if the holes are a tad bigger it can alleviate extra oil going through the breather.
Why TF am i still getting so damn much oil blowback?! I drain the can when i get home and all 5 foam filters are fully saturated with oil and there is some at the bottom of the can chilling which is why its coming out the holes on the top. I mean its prob only like a few tablespoons each ride that comes out but it is a freaking disaster with the mess it makes. And i just got the damn bike painted and i am constantly having to wipe oil off of my new paint on the rear fender, saddle bag, pushrod covers, battery, and frame.
I currently have it sitting directly below my carb suspended by the breather hose lines. First i was thinking about mounting it under the bike up by the front motor mount but then it would just fling the oil all over the undercarriage and make a mess down there. So then I was thinking of moving it to the very back of the bike by the alignment bolts and just have a hose vent to atmosphere but i dono if running a hose that long would cause any issues if oil was to pool up somewhere. But that seems to be the only place i can vent my external breather without getting oil ALL OVER my bike.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 17
From: Williamsport, Pa
2001 FXDX
I have the external breather with catch can kit from @DK Custom Products and I ran a line from each cylinder off the air cleaner to a "T" and into the catch can (this sounds really confusing even to me, and its my bike. I'll try to add a pic later when i get home). I keep my oil at the line where it says add a quart. Yet when i go for a ride, (like 2 hours+ ) oil gets blown out of the catch can and up onto the bike. Which is annoying and noramlly not a huge issue it can just be wiped off. But NOOOO the oil gets onto my exhaust pipe and burns in place and it takes a wire wheel to get it off, and now after the fact i realize the obvious error of removing it that way since the chrome plating has come off a large section of the pipe and its turning blue. 115K miles and its a shiny chrome pipe, i put on this breather and now its blue AF because i couldnt find any other way to remove the burnt on oil. Buffer wheel did nothing, polishes and cleaners did nothing, a pocket knife works but left a few scratches.
I have brand new umbrella valves, and i drilled out the holes on the breather assembly a smidge I don't remember the size but it wasn't much based on what size people recommended. Its said if the holes are a tad bigger it can alleviate extra oil going through the breather.
Why TF am i still getting so damn much oil blowback?! I drain the can when i get home and all 5 foam filters are fully saturated with oil and there is some at the bottom of the can chilling which is why its coming out the holes on the top. I mean its prob only like a few tablespoons each ride that comes out but it is a freaking disaster with the mess it makes. And i just got the damn bike painted and i am constantly having to wipe oil off of my new paint on the rear fender, saddle bag, pushrod covers, battery, and frame.
I currently have it sitting directly below my carb suspended by the breather hose lines. First i was thinking about mounting it under the bike up by the front motor mount but then it would just fling the oil all over the undercarriage and make a mess down there. So then I was thinking of moving it to the very back of the bike by the alignment bolts and just have a hose vent to atmosphere but i dono if running a hose that long would cause any issues if oil was to pool up somewhere. But that seems to be the only place i can vent my external breather without getting oil ALL OVER my bike.
I have the external breather with catch can kit from @DK Custom Products and I ran a line from each cylinder off the air cleaner to a "T" and into the catch can (this sounds really confusing even to me, and its my bike. I'll try to add a pic later when i get home). I keep my oil at the line where it says add a quart. Yet when i go for a ride, (like 2 hours+ ) oil gets blown out of the catch can and up onto the bike. Which is annoying and noramlly not a huge issue it can just be wiped off. But NOOOO the oil gets onto my exhaust pipe and burns in place and it takes a wire wheel to get it off, and now after the fact i realize the obvious error of removing it that way since the chrome plating has come off a large section of the pipe and its turning blue. 115K miles and its a shiny chrome pipe, i put on this breather and now its blue AF because i couldnt find any other way to remove the burnt on oil. Buffer wheel did nothing, polishes and cleaners did nothing, a pocket knife works but left a few scratches.
I have brand new umbrella valves, and i drilled out the holes on the breather assembly a smidge I don't remember the size but it wasn't much based on what size people recommended. Its said if the holes are a tad bigger it can alleviate extra oil going through the breather.
Why TF am i still getting so damn much oil blowback?! I drain the can when i get home and all 5 foam filters are fully saturated with oil and there is some at the bottom of the can chilling which is why its coming out the holes on the top. I mean its prob only like a few tablespoons each ride that comes out but it is a freaking disaster with the mess it makes. And i just got the damn bike painted and i am constantly having to wipe oil off of my new paint on the rear fender, saddle bag, pushrod covers, battery, and frame.
I currently have it sitting directly below my carb suspended by the breather hose lines. First i was thinking about mounting it under the bike up by the front motor mount but then it would just fling the oil all over the undercarriage and make a mess down there. So then I was thinking of moving it to the very back of the bike by the alignment bolts and just have a hose vent to atmosphere but i dono if running a hose that long would cause any issues if oil was to pool up somewhere. But that seems to be the only place i can vent my external breather without getting oil ALL OVER my bike.
level 1/4 under full mark on dipstick. Another possiblity may be the breather can is syphining somehow?( never ran them myself).
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 262
Likes: 31
From: So-Cal, USA
check oil level first.I run mine a bit low from the ful mark. Also make sure you have breather lines closed off from intake completely. Then I would check valve covers for leek and make sure plugs look dry. Then ride. I breathed 1/3 quart mine every 1500 maybe. But I also spend a lot of time on brake at speeds and will use engine braking. If still having issues pull tank and valve cover and replace breather assembly there. Valve seals can go bad also. My bikes have been pretty good as l keep oil
level 1/4 under full mark on dipstick. Another possibility may be the breather can is syphoning somehow?( never ran them myself).
level 1/4 under full mark on dipstick. Another possibility may be the breather can is syphoning somehow?( never ran them myself).
Almost new oil pump and all seals were replaced at the same time
HDF Community Team
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 3,046
Likes: 1,212
From: New Hampsha
Holy crap you run the oil almost full? ... everyone says run it at the add a quart line, also when i first installed a external breather i had a normal looking filter element instead of the catch can and had the oil at 3/4 full on the stick and there was oil every-****ing-where coming off that filter element
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
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From: Albuquerque, NM
Blow by is usually caused by not fully seated rings, which is usually caused by the original owner: "broke it in nice and gentle, babied it." In other words, never seated the rings properly. That's what happened to my '07 Street Bob. No problem with normal riding but when I do all day high speed trips on the highway it pukes oil from the breathers. Coming up on 100K miles, maybe I'll do a top end rebuild and take care of that problem, but right now I just live with it.
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2001 FXDX
I have the external breather with catch can kit from @DK Custom Products and I ran a line from each cylinder off the air cleaner to a "T" and into the catch can (this sounds really confusing even to me, and its my bike. I'll try to add a pic later when i get home). I keep my oil at the line where it says add a quart. Yet when i go for a ride, (like 2 hours+ ) oil gets blown out of the catch can and up onto the bike. Which is annoying and noramlly not a huge issue it can just be wiped off. But NOOOO the oil gets onto my exhaust pipe and burns in place and it takes a wire wheel to get it off, and now after the fact i realize the obvious error of removing it that way since the chrome plating has come off a large section of the pipe and its turning blue. 115K miles and its a shiny chrome pipe, i put on this breather and now its blue AF because i couldnt find any other way to remove the burnt on oil. Buffer wheel did nothing, polishes and cleaners did nothing, a pocket knife works but left a few scratches.
I have brand new umbrella valves, and i drilled out the holes on the breather assembly a smidge I don't remember the size but it wasn't much based on what size people recommended. Its said if the holes are a tad bigger it can alleviate extra oil going through the breather.
Why TF am i still getting so damn much oil blowback?! I drain the can when i get home and all 5 foam filters are fully saturated with oil and there is some at the bottom of the can chilling which is why its coming out the holes on the top. I mean its prob only like a few tablespoons each ride that comes out but it is a freaking disaster with the mess it makes. And i just got the damn bike painted and i am constantly having to wipe oil off of my new paint on the rear fender, saddle bag, pushrod covers, battery, and frame.
I currently have it sitting directly below my carb suspended by the breather hose lines. First i was thinking about mounting it under the bike up by the front motor mount but then it would just fling the oil all over the undercarriage and make a mess down there. So then I was thinking of moving it to the very back of the bike by the alignment bolts and just have a hose vent to atmosphere but i dono if running a hose that long would cause any issues if oil was to pool up somewhere. But that seems to be the only place i can vent my external breather without getting oil ALL OVER my bike.
I have the external breather with catch can kit from @DK Custom Products and I ran a line from each cylinder off the air cleaner to a "T" and into the catch can (this sounds really confusing even to me, and its my bike. I'll try to add a pic later when i get home). I keep my oil at the line where it says add a quart. Yet when i go for a ride, (like 2 hours+ ) oil gets blown out of the catch can and up onto the bike. Which is annoying and noramlly not a huge issue it can just be wiped off. But NOOOO the oil gets onto my exhaust pipe and burns in place and it takes a wire wheel to get it off, and now after the fact i realize the obvious error of removing it that way since the chrome plating has come off a large section of the pipe and its turning blue. 115K miles and its a shiny chrome pipe, i put on this breather and now its blue AF because i couldnt find any other way to remove the burnt on oil. Buffer wheel did nothing, polishes and cleaners did nothing, a pocket knife works but left a few scratches.
I have brand new umbrella valves, and i drilled out the holes on the breather assembly a smidge I don't remember the size but it wasn't much based on what size people recommended. Its said if the holes are a tad bigger it can alleviate extra oil going through the breather.
Why TF am i still getting so damn much oil blowback?! I drain the can when i get home and all 5 foam filters are fully saturated with oil and there is some at the bottom of the can chilling which is why its coming out the holes on the top. I mean its prob only like a few tablespoons each ride that comes out but it is a freaking disaster with the mess it makes. And i just got the damn bike painted and i am constantly having to wipe oil off of my new paint on the rear fender, saddle bag, pushrod covers, battery, and frame.
I currently have it sitting directly below my carb suspended by the breather hose lines. First i was thinking about mounting it under the bike up by the front motor mount but then it would just fling the oil all over the undercarriage and make a mess down there. So then I was thinking of moving it to the very back of the bike by the alignment bolts and just have a hose vent to atmosphere but i dono if running a hose that long would cause any issues if oil was to pool up somewhere. But that seems to be the only place i can vent my external breather without getting oil ALL OVER my bike.
Something else is wrong with the engine for it to be generating this much blow-by (oil carry-over as Harley calls it).
For the catch-can to be overwhelmed, especially with you running the oil where you are, is a sure sign.
I know you've had a bunch of work done, probability is that one, or more, of those things is either defective or installed wrong.
The video below has really useful information for your situation.
Again, be assured, that there are thousands and thousands of these catch cans in use, they are the best out there at keeping the oil IN the catch can. You should not be getting any oil blowing out the top.
Check out this video, it will point you toward where to look next in the process of elimination to pin point the issue. (you have already done much of what is in the video, so watch the entire thing and note what you have not done)
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DKCustomProducts.com
DKCustomProducts.com
Thread Starter
|
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 262
Likes: 31
From: So-Cal, USA
Something else is wrong with the engine for it to be generating this much blow-by (oil carry-over as Harley calls it).
For the catch-can to be overwhelmed, especially with you running the oil where you are, is a sure sign.
I know you've had a bunch of work done, probability is that one, or more, of those things is either defective or installed wrong.
The video below has really useful information for your situation.
Again, be assured, that there are thousands and thousands of these catch cans in use, they are the best out there at keeping the oil IN the catch can. You should not be getting any oil blowing out the top.
Check out this video, it will point you toward where to look next in the process of elimination to pin point the issue. (you have already done much of what is in the video, so watch the entire thing and note what you have not done)
For the catch-can to be overwhelmed, especially with you running the oil where you are, is a sure sign.
I know you've had a bunch of work done, probability is that one, or more, of those things is either defective or installed wrong.
The video below has really useful information for your situation.
Again, be assured, that there are thousands and thousands of these catch cans in use, they are the best out there at keeping the oil IN the catch can. You should not be getting any oil blowing out the top.
Check out this video, it will point you toward where to look next in the process of elimination to pin point the issue. (you have already done much of what is in the video, so watch the entire thing and note what you have not done)
I replaced the umbrella valves and the crank breather assembly all at once a few months ago. I also changed out my oil pump to the SE high velocity one last year when i converted to the hydraulic chain tensioner system, I also checked the crank runout before i put it all together and it was well within spec so I don't believe the oil pump to be an issue. I run the reusable filter from K&P but I've had that for like 5+ years without any issues, so i don't think its related to the blow-by.
I have done a compression test a while back and it was like 155 psi in each cylinder, based on the specs in my signature line does that sound right? Or do i need to hone out the jug and toss in some new rings? But since both cylinders are the same i am lead to believe that I'm good since logically if there was an issue one would be lower than the other.
