Oil dripping from air filter
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Oil dripping from air filter
I have a 1997 Fatboy that I recently bought with 43K miles on it. I had the dealer service the bike including cleaning the air filter. During a ride yestereday I noticed that I had oil dripping from the air filter. They may have put oil on it after it was cleaned. My owners manual says not to put air filter oil on it. Will this hurt the performance and should I reclean it myself?
I can not see any other reason why I would have oil coming out of the air filter. Any ideas here?
Foot
I can not see any other reason why I would have oil coming out of the air filter. Any ideas here?
Foot
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 11
From: Punta Gorda,FL
One of the main causes for oil getting in the air intake is too much oil in the oil tank.
The dealer may have put too much oil in your tank. On your year bike, you should check the oil level when the bike is sitting straight up and off the jiffy stand, with the engine up to operating temperature.
I don't know exactly which model year that they started checking the oil level while the bike is on the jiffy stand, but I know it is checked on the jiffy stand, from my 2005 and newer models.
Some owners run 1/2 quart low to elminate sucking oil into thir air intake. It wont hurt anything running 1/2 qt. of oil low.
Tom
The dealer may have put too much oil in your tank. On your year bike, you should check the oil level when the bike is sitting straight up and off the jiffy stand, with the engine up to operating temperature.
I don't know exactly which model year that they started checking the oil level while the bike is on the jiffy stand, but I know it is checked on the jiffy stand, from my 2005 and newer models.
Some owners run 1/2 quart low to elminate sucking oil into thir air intake. It wont hurt anything running 1/2 qt. of oil low.
Tom
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Middle River, MD
Agreed that it is almost certainly from the breather, and I hear on this forum that it is fairly common. Luckily, I've never had much more than a stain on the filter element and a film inside the ham can. No, you don't want to oil the factory element like the foam ones in a lawnmower. Yes, the factory filters can be washed with water and detergent (I use dish soap, and replace the filter with a new one about every 4th time).
Wet sumping can make a LOT of oil come out of the breather, and that makes sense to me. (Bike sits long enough for oil to drain from the tank into the crankcase, and blows everywhere before the scavenge pump can pump it out).
I regularly hear the "too much oil in the tank" story, but can somebody tell me how this can make more mist coming out of the vent tubes?
Is it pushing foam up so high in the tank that the tank itself is venting into the crakcase? That would have to be WAY too much oil in the tank, like somebody added 2 quarts to bring the tank back to full when the bike was already full but wet-sumped. I don't see how more oil in the tank can increase flow through the primary oil pump (same volume per revolution of the gearrotor. So what makes it more likely to come out the breather?
Wet sumping can make a LOT of oil come out of the breather, and that makes sense to me. (Bike sits long enough for oil to drain from the tank into the crankcase, and blows everywhere before the scavenge pump can pump it out).
I regularly hear the "too much oil in the tank" story, but can somebody tell me how this can make more mist coming out of the vent tubes?
Is it pushing foam up so high in the tank that the tank itself is venting into the crakcase? That would have to be WAY too much oil in the tank, like somebody added 2 quarts to bring the tank back to full when the bike was already full but wet-sumped. I don't see how more oil in the tank can increase flow through the primary oil pump (same volume per revolution of the gearrotor. So what makes it more likely to come out the breather?
Banned
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 17,265
Likes: 21
From: Los Angeles, CA
If you have an aftermarket air filter (k and n) then you should clean it and oil it. Take off your air filter cover and see what is behind there. Stock air filters should not be oiled as they are paper.
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 83
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Thanks for all the information. I just had all the fluids changed at the Harley dealership and they added 3.5 quarts of oil so maybe they overfilled it.
As for the filter it is metal mesh with a paper filter inside the mesh. I believe this is the stock filter.
As for the filter it is metal mesh with a paper filter inside the mesh. I believe this is the stock filter.
May our Moderator Rest in Peace
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 11,386
Likes: 35
From: Rochester, NY
When its over full it takes a little longer to pump itself dry and that's all the time it needs to make a mess. Once the filter is gummed up it will actually make things worse. By restricting the air flow it will start trying to suck air through the breather tubes making a bad situation worse. Its not likely to cause anything like real physical damage, but it can rib the engine of performance and gum things like the plugs up.
One way to permenently stop it is to replace the breather tubes in the intake with an external breather filter kit. Then it can't suck oil and oil vapors into the intake clogging things up on you.
It ain't exactly EPA friendly, but your bike is old enough not to worry and who cares what they think anyway. You want the bike to run properly without making a mess all the time or costing you a small fortune in replacement air filters.
Trending Topics
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 3
From: Peoria, AZ
Oil is checked upright, level, at op temperature for this yr/model. Small amount of oil is normal esp in 75 degree & up weather as the breather has a tendency to puke on EVO's. There are ways to lessen this occurance by proper carb adjustment but too soon for that. Why not enjoy the new bike for a while first and, meanwhile, you could go getja a service manual?
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public
Verdad Gallardo
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,257
Likes: 6
From: Leander Texas
I have a 1997 Fatboy that I recently bought with 43K miles on it. I had the dealer service the bike including cleaning the air filter. During a ride yestereday I noticed that I had oil dripping from the air filter. They may have put oil on it after it was cleaned. My owners manual says not to put air filter oil on it. Will this hurt the performance and should I reclean it myself?
I can not see any other reason why I would have oil coming out of the air filter. Any ideas here?
Foot
I can not see any other reason why I would have oil coming out of the air filter. Any ideas here?
Foot
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
this happened to me last summer. i took bike back to the dealer who did my scheduled service and the original tech had overfilled my oil way too high....once they pulled the oil out and got me back to normal oil level i was fine and no oil was blown out back into the air filter from that point on. they also cleaned my filter