I have an 06 Heritage Classic, it has 60K on it. The oil recently started to sump out the air breather. Previous threads indicate this is normal, I also read where air breather in Rocker Box cover could cause this problem so I just replaced the Rocker Box Gaskets. Prior to this happening I got the oil light that lit up on the dash just as I got to work one day and when I checked the oil there wasn't anything in the Oil Reservoir. I added oil and that is when the engine started sumping. Replacing the Rocker Box Gaskets and changed the oil on the bike. I got less than a quart out of the reservoir and the filter. I added three quarts of oil and started it up and noticed it was still sumping. Oil was going down in the reservoir as I was trying to start it up. Since its sumping I'm guessing that the oil pump is still working, does this model Harley have an oil check valve at could be causing this? Any suggestions would be helpful...

 

It's hard to tell exactly what is going on with your bike.. You use phrases that are not necessarily descriptive of your problem but rather are inaccurate labels of various problems.. I will guess a little about what you mean and try to help..

"oil sump out the breather" - "sumping" and "oil out the breather" are two entirely different things.... If by this you mean that oil is coming out the breather valves, into your air cleaner, that can be normal. You have breather valve assemblies, inside the rocker boxes, that regulate & control the crankcase pressure and vent it to the air cleaner, theoretically to be be ingested via the intake and burned.

If the amount is small, try filling your oil level between the add and fill marks. That will often cut down on that. If the amount of oil in your air cleaner has recently increased, or is a large amount, it is a sign of a problem.

"so I just replaced my rocker box gaskets"- The rocker box gaskets have nothing to do with "oil out the breather" or "sumping". Changing the gaskets will only help if you had oil leaking from your rocker box covers/gaskets.

While this can be a common problem, it is not normal and can be fixed. I've never had a Harley with leaking rocker box gaskets.

"I checked the oil there wasn't anything in the Oil Reservoir. I added oil and that is when the engine started sumping"- Again, I don't know what you mean by sumping...?? Sumping is an internal engine problem, not usually visible from the exterior of the engine.. Exactly where is oil coming from?

Based on this description of "sumping", I will offer that you need to check softail oil levels after running the engine. Your softail is a dry sump oiling system. The oil stays in the oil tank, until pumped through the engine and returned to the oil tank. The oil tank is above the engine sump, and there is no check valve in that system. For various reasons (some a problem, some not so much), when the engine is off, oil will flow past the oil pump and settle in the engine sump (some call that "dry sumping"). Your engine has all the oil it needs, it's just not in the tank where it is supposed to be. When you start the engine, after a minute or so, the oil pump will scavenge the oil from the sump and return it to the oil tank. That is why you never check a softail engine oil level cold. When cold, and if not run for awhile, the tank may appear empty. If you add oil, then start the engine, when the oil pump returns oil back to the tank, the now excess oil will come out the oil fill. It will pop the cap right off in most cases and get oil all over the oil tank, transmission, and engine.

If your bike sits for weeks and the oil level gets low due to oil flowing past the oil pump (again, no check valve/ the oil pump is like the check valve) that is not really a problem. If it was full when you parked it, and no oil is on the ground, start it up. Let it idle for a few minutes (don't rev it up), and then recheck the oil to get an accurate oil level reading.

If the oil flows past the oil pump into the engine over night, you probably have an issue with your oil pump, at the least.



I hope some of those explanations/suggestions will help with your problem. If not, you need to have a professional, or someone who knows Harley engines well, diagnose your issue...

Good luck with your repair