Fed up with oil in my air cleaner
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 609
Likes: 14
From: Mount Airy, MD
Fed up with oil in my air cleaner
Let me get this out of the way, I do not have too much oil in my crankcase.
Now, the H-D Stage 1 Air Cleaner backing plate is a piece of junk! My K&N filter is always soaked with engine oil every time I check my air filter which can't be good for the air cleaner material. Also, I do long rides in the order of 800 miles in a day so not only does the filter get soaked but I also get some oil dripping inside the football cover.
There is a vacuum port behind the throttle body butterfly. So here are my questions:
To end, my rant, sucking oil into the intake tract is a stupid idea anyway since oil presence can cause pinging issues and it just gums up the intake valve.
Input that answers my questions are welcome.
Thank you!
Now, the H-D Stage 1 Air Cleaner backing plate is a piece of junk! My K&N filter is always soaked with engine oil every time I check my air filter which can't be good for the air cleaner material. Also, I do long rides in the order of 800 miles in a day so not only does the filter get soaked but I also get some oil dripping inside the football cover.
There is a vacuum port behind the throttle body butterfly. So here are my questions:
- Is that port used by the stock air cleaner for crankcase ventilation?
- Is there a high performance air cleaner backing plate that uses the Stage 1 K&N air filter that has crankcase vent tubes that run to the vacuum port on the intake manifold behind the throttle butterfly and that let's me retain the stock football cover?
To end, my rant, sucking oil into the intake tract is a stupid idea anyway since oil presence can cause pinging issues and it just gums up the intake valve.
Input that answers my questions are welcome.
Thank you!
Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 597
Likes: 1
From: Texas
I agree with you on this. I remove the filter and clean the backing plate and throttle body every week. I have a lot of oily buildup inside the throttle body behind the butterfly plate. I thought about trying to clean it with carb cleaner but I am afraid of damaging the something.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,640
Likes: 817
Interesting thing.
My bike used to drip oil like there was no end onto the area below the air cleaner every ride after I parked the bike.
I figured it was part of the "charm".
I did my motor build, then took the bike to FuelMoto to be dyno'd. Jamie said he could hear the predetonation ( I didn't) and he pulled 2 degrees (IIRC) of timing out.
NEVER has done it since; even though I am at higher displacement/compression.
My bike used to drip oil like there was no end onto the area below the air cleaner every ride after I parked the bike.
I figured it was part of the "charm".
I did my motor build, then took the bike to FuelMoto to be dyno'd. Jamie said he could hear the predetonation ( I didn't) and he pulled 2 degrees (IIRC) of timing out.
NEVER has done it since; even though I am at higher displacement/compression.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
I got fed up with it too. I removed the two "S" hoses from the heads and plugged the holes where they feed into the backing plate. Then bought a dual ended crankcase breather filter and ran hoses from the heads to each end of filter. I did this about 2 years ago. Just have to clean breather filter once in a while, or you could buy a spare. I'll try and post pictures, real simple to do
Road Master
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 900
Likes: 4
From: Wisconsin
You say it isnt overfilled.......Is it at the full mark? if so its over filled.....I run mine half way up the stick and never had an issue.....and yes...its crankcase ventilation.....dont plug it..
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,020
Likes: 69
From: Twin Cities, MN
My buddy had the same issue. Now he runs his oil somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 the way up the stick and the problem has stopped.
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Advanced
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: San Jacinto CA
I have a 98 EVO EFI motor, I kept getting oil into the air filter. Since I have true duals I noticed that it would smoke slightly on the rear cylinder on decel. I finally decided to pull the head and replace the guides. Had the machine shop install the new guides and new seals, grind the valves. I now have over 3000 miles on it with no oil in the air filter. I do have a different backing plate, that came with the big sucker air filter. It may be possible that you have a guide that is worn pushing pressure into the upper head/cylinders. I had already done the cylinders and pistons and was still getting oil into the air filter. Just a thought. I am a mechanic and see a lot of diesle motors that push oil into the exhaust via worn valve guides. With the new emissions in california this is causing a problem with the exhaust filters. I never realised how much oil can burn off and not be noticed. Guides can cause the problem you are having. My two cents.
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 609
Likes: 14
From: Mount Airy, MD
Oil level is just slightly above half. With my luck the damn thing will spin a bearing or something and I'll get it towed to the dealer and they'll say sorry about your luck, you should have kept the proper amount of oil in it. Just sayin'...
