I first notice my rear brake going away.....Drove 30 miles to home , lost 2 quarts of oil out the crankcase breather in that time.....blew all over rear wheel - covered the inside of the rear fender-soaked the brake pads, etc. Cleaned it all up -looked for leaks , changed oil & filter , test drove 30 miles taking it easy, seemd OK , except it now sounds like one cylinder is dead at idle, goes away at higher RPMs ,checked everything I could externally, all I found was the cam cover bolts were a hair loose & snugged them up. This all came about in a matter of minutes......wasn't riding hard. I've had Harleys for 35 years-Pans & Shovels- this is my first Evo. Through all this there was No engine noise & still isn't , & the dead cylinder comes & goes...35000 miles on the motor with no problems until this....religiously maintained........I'm baffled , would really appreciate any & all advice. Thanks a lot !

 

I'm just going to take a SWAG here and say that your oil pump scavenger side is not working. You probably sucked a piece of trash through it and sheared off the key. Just a SWAG.

 

I totally agree with Dr. Hess. Harley used a $0.70 key in the EVO's oil pump that can shear off very easily. It's a pretty easy fix, but get yourself a manual as it will have a trick or two to make sure you are not going to drop it into the case when you remove and install the new oil pump or the replacement parts.

Also, especially with the EVOs', make sure you allow the oil to warm up before rapping on it too hard. This can also cause that key to shear off and cause problems.

 

Thanks you guys ! Makes sense...I'll check it out

 

i have heard that 85's were notorious for breaking valve springs. my 85 broke a spring, one of the pieces fell down a drain hole and busted the breather gear. the symptoms were what you described.

 

Thanks bagga , that would explain the miss , and the oil loss starting at the same time !

 

Yep, time for some "exploritory surgery". Let us know what you find.
John

 

My 92 touring evo has been sitting for about 6 months while I've been re-building it cosmetically....no engine or powertrain work. I've rolled it all over the shop, lifted it up and down on my jack, and leaned it in both directions for 5 months but it hasn't had the engine turned over at all. Last week I noticed some oil dripping from the breather and making a pretty big puddle. Once I got the fuel tank back on and turned her over, oil started running out of the breather. I caught nearly a half a quart of oil in a jug. My bike has been sitting upright on a lift for a long time and I understand that changes the oil level. Does anybody know what could be happening?

Here's my set up:

[IMG]file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Administrator/My%20Documents/Dropbox/Camera%20Uploads/2012-04-09%2021.40.08.jpg[/IMG]

 

They All Do That, Sir.

Oil seeps past that check valve if you let it sit. Unless it does it after sitting a week or two, don't worry about it.

 

Ok.....good!! I knew it could loose a little bit but I never knew it would run out so much. It was close to a half of a quart of oil and I got a little nervous. I'm a noob to Harleys....I'm a little brighter with auto. Thanks! Should I continue to turn the engine over until oil stops running out or should I wait until I'm ready to start it up and then let it all run out?