1989 FXRS-SP. When I first bought it I had the it sat too long oil coming out of the breather tube, which went away once I started riding it. Now I'm having a similar problem with oil coming out of the breather tube and it's getting progressively worse even though I'm riding every day. I changed the oil about a month ago, but this only started appearing about a week ago. Thoughts?

 

If I over fill my 86 evo it will do that. Be sure the bike is level when you check it - not on the kickstand. In fact mine does better at about 1/2 quart low.

I did have to replace the check valve once when it was doing that. It's fairly low down on the back of the engine and one of the rubber hoses (oil lines) attaches to it.

No matter what, my 86 will puke some oil after it sits a long time. (Many weeks or months.) It does quit though. I think that's common, at least with the early ones.

 

Doh! The kickstand, forgot about that. On the kickstand the oil level is halfway between the marks. I'll have to set it upright tonight and check. I should probably drain it down to the bottom line to see if that helps. The check ball was done(supposedly) when I bought the bike, but I'll do that also.

 

The 89 is a bottom breather, the heads have no umbrella valves in them and there is no need to run the breather tube back up to the carb.

2 things to check - the check ball on the oil pump can get grit on it and not seat and cause excessive oil, the little screen in the block by the oil pump can be clogged. Both are quick items to check and clean.

Once those two items are done, I'd reccomend removing the stock setup that passes oil up to the carb, blocking off the port in the carb breather and routing the hose to the ground.

 

Well, I re-routed the breather hose, and as it turns out, the majority of the oil wasn't coming from there like I thought. It is bubbling out from the base of the pushrod guide. According to the Clymer manual, I've got quite a chore to replace those gaskets, any thoughts? I'm going to retorque the bolts first to see if that helps. I'll also be doing a search on here first.

 

Also make sure it has an evo oil filter . If some one put a tc filter by mistake the oil will back up in the crank case . If you have high mileage you breather gears might be worn some also .

 

"It is bubbling out from the base of the pushrod guide.... I'm going to retorque the bolts first to see if that helps."

Pushrod guide? Can you describe it some more, it it leaking from the top of the pushrod tube where it goes into the head or is it leaking at the bottom of the pushrod tube where it sits on the lifter block? In either case, there are no bolts to retighten. If you are refering to the bolts that hold the Cyclinerhead on, tourqing them will not help the pushrod tubes from leaking.

 

As far as the gasket leak is concerned, if that is indeed it. To replace the Lifter block base gaskets is fairly easy but time consuming. For sure get a manual and follow it. If it turns out to be the breather, I've found that it only takes a very small piece of contamination (carbon chips are common) to make the check valve leak. Cleaning usually takes care of it. If the leak is in the pushrod covers (also common) the pushrods would have to be pulled and Orings replaced (or atleast inspected and cleaned). None of this is rocket science and can be done in an afternoon. Go for it!

 

It's leaking between #74 and #76. Clymer calls it a pushrod guide, Bike Bandit calls it a Tappet guide, and I've also heard it called the lower pushrod cover.

 

The Clymer manual has me pulling the engine to do this, I'm hoping that's not the case.