water in oil
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,306
Likes: 39
From: Everywhere
Originally Posted by andyp
I usually go for a good ride and oil gets up to operating temp of around 190.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,191
Likes: 2,423
From: USA
OK, that helps.
Few thoughts, none Harley specific.
It takes a surprisingly long time to get water out of oil. An afternoon ride/drive in fact many times won't get it all out. Especially if the oil never gets good and hot.
Condensation can bring a lot of water into the engine, particularly if the bike is stored in a dampish environment and goes through appreciable day/night temperature cycling. It will not usually be visible until you start and operate the engine, mixing the oil with the water that was on internal surfaces.
Water down an intake won't usually get much into the crankcase. The piston rings do a pretty good job of holding the water in the combustion chamber. But the water going up the crankcase vents, that can be appreciable. Especially if it's sprayed right into those vents.
Few thoughts, none Harley specific.
It takes a surprisingly long time to get water out of oil. An afternoon ride/drive in fact many times won't get it all out. Especially if the oil never gets good and hot.
Condensation can bring a lot of water into the engine, particularly if the bike is stored in a dampish environment and goes through appreciable day/night temperature cycling. It will not usually be visible until you start and operate the engine, mixing the oil with the water that was on internal surfaces.
Water down an intake won't usually get much into the crankcase. The piston rings do a pretty good job of holding the water in the combustion chamber. But the water going up the crankcase vents, that can be appreciable. Especially if it's sprayed right into those vents.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 14,744
Likes: 402
From: Phoenix '53, '88, '09 Big Twins
just to protect the filter media- a plastic grocery bag over the air cleaner and the exhaust tips.
you can come back later with windex and clean those when the bike is dry.
possible you are not warming the motor enough to make up for the condensation formed in the cases when you do those short starts
( this can be a problem for the guys in the winter who start up the bike just to hear the pipes).
and in cold climates, water turns to ice and expands as it does...
Mike
you can come back later with windex and clean those when the bike is dry.
possible you are not warming the motor enough to make up for the condensation formed in the cases when you do those short starts
( this can be a problem for the guys in the winter who start up the bike just to hear the pipes).
and in cold climates, water turns to ice and expands as it does...
Mike
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 1,962
Likes: 140
From: NY
Along with all the other suggestions like short rides not heating oil enough to drive moisture out could also be an issue with crankcase breather being clogged not allowing proper venting of moisture from crankcase too.
Scott
Scott
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 388
Likes: 3
Bike is always warmed up before ride and yesterday I put on 250 miles before changing oil. Bike is stored in garage (partially heated) yearound.Breather is not blocked.I have it vented to ground behind trans, The bike is an 05 FLHTCEE with some engine inprovements.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,999
Likes: 55
From: Bay Area
UH, water doesn't boil off to a gas until 212*F, you need to ride it more and for crying out loud if youre going to douche your bike cover the inlets. As another fyi, water and oil and engine byproducts have sulphur in it, mixed with water it becomes acidic (as in sulphuric acid) which corrodes.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 1,832
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From: Rockland County, NY
The water doesn't need to actually boil to evaporate but it does accumulate after shorter rides and it evaporates more slowly at lower temps. I'm guessing it's accumulated condensation. Spraying the air filter isn't going to get much water past the rings.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 9,166
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From: Doghouse... mostly
You'd pretty much have to stick the garden hose right straight into the throttle body to get water into the motor and crankcase.