Breather Bolts Question
#1
06-29-2014, 09:39 PM
Breather Bolts Question
Was wondering if anyone has used these, and what you thought of them?
My 97 seems to drool a bit from the AC, thought this might solve it.
http://www.dkcustomproducts.com/Stag...-BB-AB-SPT.htm
My 97 seems to drool a bit from the AC, thought this might solve it.
http://www.dkcustomproducts.com/Stag...-BB-AB-SPT.htm
#4
06-30-2014, 08:48 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Just how much oil are you getting in the air cleaner? My bike has had this problem for years, and last year it became critical. The bike would soak a folded paper towel wedged under the air cleaner with oil about every 100 miles.
A compression check revealed a good, tight motor with no excessive crankcase pressure from blow-by, so it was time to look elsewhere. The heads hadn't been off the motor since '02, and when I opened the rocker boxes I found two problems. One, the little rubber "flapper valves" that are supposed to function as "one way" valves were hard as a rock from age and heat. Two, the neoprene rocker box gaskets that were supposed to isolate the breather chamber from the rest of the rocker box had extruded out of place, allowing oil from the rocker box to enter the breather chamber. This is a poor design, as there is nothing to retain the gaskets in this area.
This required a trip to the dealer for new parts. I see the new H-D gaskets are some kind of translucent silicone rubber and are stiffer than the neoprene gaskets. Also, the new flapper valves are a different material (green) as well. While I was in there, I also opened up the hole next to the flapper valves with an .089 drill (I read about this trick on the internet). It wasn't much of a change, I could all but push the drill through the hole by hand.
After reassembly, the bike has almost no oil carryover anymore. Just a few drops in a thousand miles. I couldn't be happier.
Don't know how long your motor has been together, but if it's been as long as mine, it's worth trying to fix the problem at the source, first.
A compression check revealed a good, tight motor with no excessive crankcase pressure from blow-by, so it was time to look elsewhere. The heads hadn't been off the motor since '02, and when I opened the rocker boxes I found two problems. One, the little rubber "flapper valves" that are supposed to function as "one way" valves were hard as a rock from age and heat. Two, the neoprene rocker box gaskets that were supposed to isolate the breather chamber from the rest of the rocker box had extruded out of place, allowing oil from the rocker box to enter the breather chamber. This is a poor design, as there is nothing to retain the gaskets in this area.
This required a trip to the dealer for new parts. I see the new H-D gaskets are some kind of translucent silicone rubber and are stiffer than the neoprene gaskets. Also, the new flapper valves are a different material (green) as well. While I was in there, I also opened up the hole next to the flapper valves with an .089 drill (I read about this trick on the internet). It wasn't much of a change, I could all but push the drill through the hole by hand.
After reassembly, the bike has almost no oil carryover anymore. Just a few drops in a thousand miles. I couldn't be happier.
Don't know how long your motor has been together, but if it's been as long as mine, it's worth trying to fix the problem at the source, first.
#5
06-30-2014, 09:18 AM
Just how much oil are you getting in the air cleaner? My bike has had this problem for years, and last year it became critical. The bike would soak a folded paper towel wedged under the air cleaner with oil about every 100 miles.
A compression check revealed a good, tight motor with no excessive crankcase pressure from blow-by, so it was time to look elsewhere. The heads hadn't been off the motor since '02, and when I opened the rocker boxes I found two problems. One, the little rubber "flapper valves" that are supposed to function as "one way" valves were hard as a rock from age and heat. Two, the neoprene rocker box gaskets that were supposed to isolate the breather chamber from the rest of the rocker box had extruded out of place, allowing oil from the rocker box to enter the breather chamber. This is a poor design, as there is nothing to retain the gaskets in this area.
This required a trip to the dealer for new parts. I see the new H-D gaskets are some kind of translucent silicone rubber and are stiffer than the neoprene gaskets. Also, the new flapper valves are a different material (green) as well. While I was in there, I also opened up the hole next to the flapper valves with an .089 drill (I read about this trick on the internet). It wasn't much of a change, I could all but push the drill through the hole by hand.
After reassembly, the bike has almost no oil carryover anymore. Just a few drops in a thousand miles. I couldn't be happier.
Don't know how long your motor has been together, but if it's been as long as mine, it's worth trying to fix the problem at the source, first.
A compression check revealed a good, tight motor with no excessive crankcase pressure from blow-by, so it was time to look elsewhere. The heads hadn't been off the motor since '02, and when I opened the rocker boxes I found two problems. One, the little rubber "flapper valves" that are supposed to function as "one way" valves were hard as a rock from age and heat. Two, the neoprene rocker box gaskets that were supposed to isolate the breather chamber from the rest of the rocker box had extruded out of place, allowing oil from the rocker box to enter the breather chamber. This is a poor design, as there is nothing to retain the gaskets in this area.
This required a trip to the dealer for new parts. I see the new H-D gaskets are some kind of translucent silicone rubber and are stiffer than the neoprene gaskets. Also, the new flapper valves are a different material (green) as well. While I was in there, I also opened up the hole next to the flapper valves with an .089 drill (I read about this trick on the internet). It wasn't much of a change, I could all but push the drill through the hole by hand.
After reassembly, the bike has almost no oil carryover anymore. Just a few drops in a thousand miles. I couldn't be happier.
Don't know how long your motor has been together, but if it's been as long as mine, it's worth trying to fix the problem at the source, first.
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