Oil shooting out of the breather tube

Lubrication System (oil feed pump and scavenger pump, reservoir, filter, and lines)
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Alford
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Oil shooting out of the breather tube

#1

Post by Alford »

I've been working on a 53 Panhead, and finally got her to fire up an idle at 2:34 am today! =)

I have the outer primary cover off, and I watched a huge amount of oil keep shooting out of the breather tube.

I let her warm up and run for a few minutes, and shut her down when I heard the top end get a little louder.

Could the chain oiling screw on my oil pump be so far out of adjustment? Or is it something else?

Thanks,
Alford
FlatHeadSix
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Re: Oil shooting out of the breather tube

#2

Post by FlatHeadSix »

Alford
its probably just a sump full of oil from sitting for while. How long since the engine last ran?, how long since the bottom end has been apart?

Did you check the oil tank to see if you have oil returning to the tank? I would put a pan under it and let it run for a bit more, see if the oil flow from the breather stops and make sure you have return and good circulation.

"Sumping" is an issue but it is very common and not hard to correct. It usually indicates that you just need to run the engine more frequently.

keep us informed, let us know what you find out.

mike
Alford
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Re: Oil shooting out of the breather tube

#3

Post by Alford »

Thanks for the info. That's potentially good news, becuase I was worried that it drained itself and I ran it dry for a minute. I haven't checked the oil tank level after I fired it, but that's the first thing I'll do today. I'll try and fire her again and check for circulation. It's hasn't run in a year or two, and the motor hasn't been broken in yet.
Hauula Pan
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Re: Oil shooting out of the breather tube

#4

Post by Hauula Pan »

2 very common issues and easy to fix are 1. oil sumped into cases because bike sat and the oil seeped past the check ball in the pump. 2. chain oiler adjustment needle and seat allowing too much oil flow. One other that's common and a bit more trouble to correct is breather timing, but unless you've been inside the engine and had it apart that should be OK. Sumping past the check ball in the pump is very common. If you start it and the oil scavenges out of the cases and flows back to the tank it should quit blowing by once things return to normal. Remember these are dry sump motors and when they get filled up it takes a bit for them to scavenge all that oil back out.
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Re: Oil shooting out of the breather tube

#5

Post by PanPal »

Also, don't top off your oil tank until the sumped oil returns to your tank. you may find the oil level rises in your tank as you run for a while.
FlatHeadSix
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Re: Oil shooting out of the breather tube

#6

Post by FlatHeadSix »

Good Point John (PanPal)!
I learned that lesson the hard way years ago. On the first warm day one spring I checked the oil and found it needed a bunch so I topped it off and fired up the bike and took off, when I returned I discovered that I had left a "trail of shame" about a half mile long leading right back to my shop and a rather large oil slick at the first stop sign. I was a little afraid to check the oil level but, guess what?, it was right up to the top. (mike slaps forehead with the flat of his hand here, DOH!)
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