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Engine breather ?

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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 11:28 AM
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Default Engine breather ?

Hello Guys,

When and why an engine breather kit is needed ?, sorry im fully ignorand on this.

I was looking for Stage 1 install pics based on 2014 Iron 883, and sometimes i see a small filter like thing installed when a high airflow air filter system is installed, but not always ...

So, WHY and WHEN to do/install this ENGINE BREATHER ?

thanks,

Pat
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 11:32 AM
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Thank you for holding. Kevin from DK customs will be with you shortly.
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 11:33 AM
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Hahaha!!^^^
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 11:53 AM
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Originally Posted by PatoConcha
Hello Guys,

When and why an engine breather kit is needed ?, sorry im fully ignorand on this.

I was looking for Stage 1 install pics based on 2014 Iron 883, and sometimes i see a small filter like thing installed when a high airflow air filter system is installed, but not always ...

So, WHY and WHEN to do/install this ENGINE BREATHER ?

thanks,

Pat
The factory setup routes the engine's blow-by back into the engine. Blow by is essentially exhaust that went past the rings instead of out the exhaust port. In it's travels through the engine and out the breathers, it picks up oil mist and also moisture. So it's some pretty nasty stuff.

When it gets sent back through the motor, it's displacing oxygen and fuel. So it reduces cylinder fill. It's also hot, which reduces the density of the fuel charge. And the oil it' carrying doesn't do your motor any good at all, over time it creates carbon build-up on the pistons and in the chambers.

So a lot of people put a breather kit on their bikes and route the stuff to the atmosphere instead. Some send it out directly to the ground and don't worry about the occasional drip here and there. Others send it out through a breather filter to absorb the moisture component, and just clean that filter periodically. Still others send it to a catch can, which has a vent but also a place for the moisture to accumulate, and a drain on the bottom.

I've dyno tested rerouting vs. recycling the blow by on a couple of occasions. Much of the result depends on how bad the blow by is, which of course is a function of the individual motor's ring seal. But a small gain in power over a wide rpm range is very typical when you reroute the breathers out of the engine.

Some air cleaners utilize the breathers as part of the mounting system for the air cleaner, and in these cases, it can take some creative engineering to figure out how to reroute the breathers. Other air cleaners are designed with no facility at all for recycling the blow-by, making it very easy to reroute the breathers. It's a key thing you should understand before you buy an air cleaner.
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 12:16 PM
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That's the most spot on explanation of this topic I have ever read on this site, kudos aswracing!
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 12:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Jester 08 Nightster
Thank you for holding. Kevin from DK customs will be with you shortly.
lol, I'm guessing I'm predictable.


Originally Posted by aswracing
The factory setup routes the engine's blow-by back into the engine. Blow by is essentially exhaust that went past the rings instead of out the exhaust port. In it's travels through the engine and out the breathers, it picks up oil mist and also moisture. So it's some pretty nasty stuff.

When it gets sent back through the motor, it's displacing oxygen and fuel. So it reduces cylinder fill. It's also hot, which reduces the density of the fuel charge. And the oil it' carrying doesn't do your motor any good at all, over time it creates carbon build-up on the pistons and in the chambers.

So a lot of people put a breather kit on their bikes and route the stuff to the atmosphere instead. Some send it out directly to the ground and don't worry about the occasional drip here and there. Others send it out through a breather filter to absorb the moisture component, and just clean that filter periodically. Still others send it to a catch can, which has a vent but also a place for the moisture to accumulate, and a drain on the bottom.

I've dyno tested rerouting vs. recycling the blow by on a couple of occasions. Much of the result depends on how bad the blow by is, which of course is a function of the individual motor's ring seal. But a small gain in power over a wide rpm range is very typical when you reroute the breathers out of the engine.

Some air cleaners utilize the breathers as part of the mounting system for the air cleaner, and in these cases, it can take some creative engineering to figure out how to reroute the breathers. Other air cleaners are designed with no facility at all for recycling the blow-by, making it very easy to reroute the breathers. It's a key thing you should understand before you buy an air cleaner.


Some options on external Breathers HERE

Some options on Air Cleaners that use external breathers HERE
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 02:58 PM
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Originally Posted by DK Custom
lol, I'm guessing I'm predictable.
Some options on external Breathers HERE
Kevin,

Would it make sense to install one of these on an all-stock XL1200 Low?

Thanks.
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted by lewk
Kevin,

Would it make sense to install one of these on an all-stock XL1200 Low?

Thanks.
I would do it if it were my bike. Even with the restrictive stock air cleaner, you will get two benefits-

1. Cooler clean air into the combustion chamber

2. No oily film building up carbon deposits on the pistons

This is will probably make even more of a difference on a stock set up than a Stage 1. The stock set-up is already so choked down, that any little bit of improvement will help.

The only one of the 5 that will work well with the stock XL1200 Low is the Discrete System at this LINK
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 04:24 PM
  #9  
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DK,

Thanks for your words man ...

I repeat, im TOTALLY IGNORANT on this ... so, how you see 10+ years old bikes which never used a breather, and they dont show any visible problems ?.

With this option, i avoid EXTRA hoses and stuff ? : http://www.dkcustomproducts.com/Mirr...C-587-MB-S.htm

More important, on a 2014 Iron 883 obviously one of my concerns are not to avoid warranty. Do HD shops will be able to install no problem ?.

thanks for your input !!

Pat
 
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Old Jan 15, 2014 | 06:17 PM
  #10  
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have a horseshoe breather on mine... will track down info for you-
got tired of oil on my right leg (from the air cleaner). usually at high rpms (running the bike hard)--
 
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