Plugged breather, am I up sh*t creek?

Panhead 61 engine

Lubrication System (oil feed pump and scavenger pump, reservoir, filter, and lines)
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Kallep
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Plugged breather, am I up sh*t creek?

#1

Post by Kallep »

Hi all,

Previous owner plugged the crankcase breather/oiler
(No 3 here: https://www.hydra-glide.net/phpBB3/view ... =67&t=4295
when converting to beltdrive.

Nothing I can do about the fact that it has been used with breather plugged, (more than hoping that he never ran it hard and far)
As a result of this, my engine has leaking gaskets everywhere.
-Oilpump gasket, outgoing sprocket shaft seal, valve cover gasket, and many more places...
Not heavy drooling anywhere really, but there´s dripples and trickles just about everywhere.

But now, to the questions:

1: Is it likely that my motor has sustained any damage from this, and if so; what damage/s?
2: Can someone explain in a simple way how a plugged breather will affect the oilflow in a motor?
3: Can I run the bike like this, or will this modification neutralize the vaacum needed in the crankase?


I read many threads about crankcase vent here on the forum, but never really found answers to these questions.

Btw, I noticed there were a lot of questions here on the forum about what to do with breather when converting to belt.
Here`s some pictures on how I solved the plugged breather problem.
I have not tested it yet, but it looks and feels ok. The inner primary cover keeps it in place and prevent it from coming off.
Please leave comments if this solution looks all weird to you.

IMG1_0285.jpg
IMG2_0287.jpg
I cut a thin slice of some red scotch brite and placed inside the cap to prevent the oil from slushing out. It does not hinder the airflow the least
IMG3_0288.jpg
IMG3_0290.jpg
I glued the cap in place with some oil and gasoline resistant liquid-gasket.
IMG5_0292.jpg
The blue hose runs through the inner primary cover, up along the saddlepost framepipe, and then down again, to end up above the rear chain, in case oil would find its way out.

Ideas anyone? Thankful for all inputs.
/Karl
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Last edited by Kallep on Fri Jun 01, 2012 9:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1950Panhead
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Re: Plugged breather, am I up sh*t creek?

#2

Post by 1950Panhead »

You have a plugged chain oiler, they did this when they switched to belt drive.
You can turn the chain oiler off at the pump but they may not have known that.
If you stay with belt drive you can leave it plugged, if you switch back to chain open it up.
There is a timed breather in the gear case and a breather tube to the oil tank but this is another subject.
Replace any gaskets that are leaking (not caused by pluged chain oiler).
Jerry
Kallep
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Location: Sweden

Re: Plugged breather, am I up sh*t creek?

#3

Post by Kallep »

1950Panhead wrote:You have a plugged chain oiler, they did this when they switched to belt drive.
You can turn the chain oiler off at the pump but they may not have known that.
If you stay with belt drive you can leave it plugged, if you switch back to chain open it up.
There is a timed breather in the gear case and a breather tube to the oil tank but this is another subject.
Replace any gaskets that are leaking (not caused by pluged chain oiler).
Jerry
-Hey Jerry,

I guess they did not know that possibility existed. And neither did I..

You say I can leave it plugged?
Now that I opened it up and crank the engine over, there is a pretty good amount of air being pushed through that outlet.
Where is that air supposed to be let out if it is plugged?
If I keep the oiler plugged, the breather function will also be shut off.


This gives 3 new questions:

1. What happens to the the breather function if I turn the oiler function off, will it still let out the air?
2. Will it turn the oiler off to a 100%, or will it drool oil anyways?
3. How do I go abut to turn the oiler off?
awander
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Re: Plugged breather, am I up sh*t creek?

#4

Post by awander »

The chain oiler adjustment adds more oil to the breather air(above the normal amount of oil in the crankcase air).

You can turn it off all the way, but the crankcase air will still contain some oil.

you should NOT plug the breather. Looks like your solution, though not pretty, will work. I would be concerned about routing the hose up, though, as it may fill up with oil, and then come splashing out when you don't want it to. I'd route the hose so it goes down all along it's length.
1950Panhead
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Re: Plugged breather, am I up sh*t creek?

#5

Post by 1950Panhead »

What happens to the the breather function if I turn the oiler function off, will it still let out the air?
Open breather and vent down.
Will it turn the oiler off to a 100%, or will it drool oil anyways?
It could drool a smidge but not much.
How do I go abut to turn the oiler off?
Loosen nut on pump, turn needle in slowly until it botoms, tighten nut.
Jerry
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