Installed the DK Outlaw 587 intake this weekend, and, after sitting in traffic during my commute this morning for over an hour, I started to get some white, oily smoke coming from the crank case breather bolts. Checked the heads when I got into work and there wasn't any discernible oil on the bolts them selves or the heads so I don't think it was a blow-by issue. Also, checked my oil and I'm just a hair below the mid-line on the dip stick. The bike was definitely hot (rode about 20 minutes on the highway at normal speed before sitting in stop and crawl traffic for an hour with ambient temps in the 80's and no air flow over the engine).

Normal? Problem? What do you all think?

-Wildcat

 

That's why they're called "breather" bolts, they breath, especially when the bike really gets hot.

 

That's what I figured, but I didn't know if the smoke was an issue or not.

 

You'll definitely want to keep an eye on it, but unless your oil level is dropping considerably, it's probably the intended behaviour.

 

+1 charley

 

That is why the bolts exist, its to let that hot, wet, dirty air out of your engine.

Normally that **** gets routed back into your intake (YUCK!) but that is enforced by EPA regulations.

The breather bolts are just showing you how your engine is breathing. If actual oil comes out, then you have a problem.

If its just hot, wet smoke...that is pretty normal.

 

Not recommended. Like these dudes who claim to smoke turkeys during the holidays; they must have a hard time finding big enough rolling papers not to mention having a helluva time keeping them lit! I think they'd have an easier time finding a turkey that smoked instead of smoking a turkey, but...



=8^)

 

Thanks for the reply ^^


I knew the intended purpose was to vent to atmosphere all the hot, oily air from the crank case, but I didn't realize that I would see smoke coming out of the bolts. It's pretty faint, white smoke. And, like I said above, there is no oil spilling out of the bolts, my oil level is correct (checked it hot on the side stand).

Just made me a little worried after sitting in traffic for so long that I was overheating the bike to a dangerous level.

-Wildcat

 

The turkey thing is funny.

 

Harley tests their bikes by allowing them to run idle in the desert for 24 hours. This is done at their proving grounds in Arizona.

You would have to try to overheat your bike, assuming its running well and not crazy lean.