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64 panhead blowing oil

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Old Jul 6, 2012 | 09:40 AM
  #1  
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Default 64 panhead blowing oil

I have owned my 64 since 1966 and have had very little in the way of problems. My problem started when I decided to upgrade the heads with stainless steel valves and seats to prevent the ethenol damage. upon assemling the engine I had to use the one piece oil ring because I could not get the Hastings 3 piece, when I ran the engine the front cylinder stared smoking, I figured it needed to break in an ran it for about 100 miles and the smoking got worse, so I decided to pull the front jug and had the cylinder deglazed and put in new rings with 3 piece oil rings but the smoking continued, this led me to believe the problem could be in the head( possible wrong guides, valves etc; so I pulled the head and piston and cylinder and took the to Underground Cycle to be checked out, affter inspection they could find nothing wrong in head nor the piston and cylinder and felt the problem could have been a leak at the head gasket and to make sure I full tighten it upon reassembly. So I reinstalled the Piston and Jug with a new base gasket with omc gasket cement and reinstalled the Head and fully tightened the Jug and head bolts with a breaker bar. I started the engine and after running about 5 minuted the front cylinder started to smoke and started to blow oil from the base gasket on the left side of the engine. Is it possible that the engine had SUMPED and would it cause this to happen ?? I am at my wits end and would appreciate any advise. Subwayjoe South Florida
 
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Old Jul 6, 2012 | 11:04 AM
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Ya might think about having valve seals installed between the guides and heads. Almost sounds like you have oil leaking past the guides. I always have my indy install seals.

Prior to assembly did you check the cylinder bases with the deck of the cases to make sure they are true? You should not need to use cement in this area. If they are decked properly just a gasket is fine.

Before securing the heads to the cylinders did you make sure they are true. Only takes a bit to ensure that leaks will develop sooner rather than later when clearances are not correct..and you have had this bike for a very long time.

Sumping usually means ya got oil puikng out a breather tube, cause you have bgeen turning the motor over repeatedly without starting it, or it has sat a long time without being started or something as simple as a stuck check ball in your oil pump assembly.

As you are well aware (as a long time pan owner), oil is always looking for the easiest escape route out of the pan motor and it has seemingly found it in yours. Are you sure you have no pinched or blocked oil lines and are all connected correctly? Tappet screen checked and clear of any debris.

Last thought...use Cometic gasket kit. They now make complete kits for pans. Not cheap (a single C-note) but IMO definitely worth the price of admission.
 
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Old Jul 7, 2012 | 12:20 PM
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thanks for the come back on my oil problem, as far as valve guides and valves all are to new specs, I'm going to check the lifter screen and return lines for blockage, I have a feeling the head is filling with oil ( but why doesn't the rear smoke)
 
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Old Jul 7, 2012 | 11:40 PM
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Originally Posted by subwayjoe
thanks for the come back on my oil problem, as far as valve guides and valves all are to new specs, I'm going to check the lifter screen and return lines for blockage, I have a feeling the head is filling with oil ( but why doesn't the rear smoke)
I know the book doesn't call for it but I have been riding pans since Oct 70 and I do not do a top end without installing seals. Oil has a way of finding its way past the guides. Seals reduce that problem (ya I know it;s not in the manual but....)

So maybe your rear is doing fine but the front?....not so good.


Just a thought.
 
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Old Jul 11, 2012 | 02:32 PM
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Have you had the cam cover off. It sounds like the breather valve is out of time. How much oil is comming out the breathe tube? Did they magnaflux the head? Did they put the gaskets between the valve guides and the head? Some times they install oversized guides and crack the head in the port area.
 
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