Hey folks..wanted to solicite your opinions on the following. I've owned my 2006 FLSTC for a little over a year and a half. Bought it used with 4,301 miles on it. It now has over 19k on it now. After buying the bike, I put the SE Stage 1 airfilter on the bike. Shortly thereafter, I kept noticing a burnt oil smell. Come to find that the oil blow by from the crankcase was saturating my filter, then dripping onto my engine. I plugged the holes on the back of the backing plate and routed the blow by tubes staright to the ground rather then having that crap go into my intake. I spoke with the service techs at the dealership where I bought the bike and they said that it could be a misaligned oil pump causing the problem. I purchased the alignment bolts and realigned the pump as per the instructions in the service manual. Flushed all my fluids and serviced the bike with HD synthetic oil.

Now, for some odd reason, the blow by is milky in color? Is that because I introduced synthetic and it mixed with the residual old oil? I checked my dipstick and it's not milky...the oil looks good. Scratching my head and really frustrated...

 

Milky usually means moisture /condensation if I'm not mistaken.

 

Correct, but from where?!?!?!?!

 

I remember reading in the service manual about recommended oil change intervals, based on miles driven, temps, etc. The normal oil change interval is @ 5K, however if you drive only short trips in cold temps then you should change a lot more often. Short trips, cold temps, allow moisture (sludge) to build up in the engine and therefore should be changed more often. The short trips don't allow enough time to allow the condensation to evaporate/burn off.

How else would you be getting condensation in your engine, other than a build up as mentioned above? After all you don’t have an internal water source (like cages) that could be leaking into the engine. That’s my

 

I had read about this problem before, but I am no certified mechanic.
My brother had this happen on his Dyna.
He found milky oil on the bottom of his dipstick cap and around the hole it goes into but none in the oil.
I told him because he rides to work only a few short miles each day (maybe 10 minutes) the motor oil isn't warming up hot enough from that short ride and not turing that condensation build up into vapor which would be exhausted out the blow by tubes. perhaps that could be your problem.
I suggested that he change the oil and let the bike warm up a little longer each morning and before he returns from work so the oil gets to the right temp. to burn off the condensation that normally accumulates on a cooling motor.

 

I usually change it anywhere from 3k - 5k. My trips aren't short, an hour to and from work. I live on the east cost, so I ride my bike in the spring April/May to fall September/October. The only thing that really gets cold during that time frame is my garage, and beer ;-)

 

Try changing more often, around 2 - 3K. If you aren’t ridding all year and in a humid area it could collect condensation in the engine.

I don’t have that problem because the humidity is really low in the desert and ride all year. However, if I lived in a different (cold, humid, etc) area I would change my oil about ever 2K. I change it about ever 2 – 3K now and don’t have a problem. BL, invest the time and money and I don’t think you will have the problem.

BTW, be careful you don't pour any beer in there when changing...

 

I've already invested a Sh@t load of money AND time. As often as I ride in the spring/summer, I'd be changing the oil every other week!!! With HD prices on filters and oil, that can get rather expensive.

It is possible that condensation is building up from storing it in a cold garage then taking out into a hot, humid environment, then back into a cold garage again.

 

If you are real particular about your oil, you should check out the "Oil Scavenger".
I use it, and it is amazing how much old crappy oil is left behind on a normal oil change without it.

Check it out:
Watch the videos
http://www.roguechopper.com/about.htm

 

Thanks, Jester, I will check it out for sure.