[Joe28]

So, last week I went to the shed to pull out my trusty steed to haul my arse to work yet one more day in the rain!
I check the oil, yep, it's at the 1/4 mark, I better put a bit in, cuz I'm here and I'm thinking about it.
Of course with the side car, it's not a 1,2,3, J.O.B.
Of course, it early in the morning, I'm wedged between the bike, the lawnmower, it's gloomy in there, I'm in a hurry, see where this is heading??  I add a bit too much -again, (seem everytime I had a "bit" of oil, over fill it)! Not a LOT, but to the filled mark.
MAN!!! Well, too late to do anything about it now!
So off to wok I go, get there and there is is....... the  white/yellow oil puss oozing out my air filter, (I have the military airbox opened up at the bottom and running a foam filter to breath easier).
I slip a catch pan under it and head to work, (maybe the gremlins will clean this mess up, cuz I'M NOT)!
(One of the good things about being the BOSS, I get to park my rig in the garage out of the weather)!!!
Come out,after work, yep still messy, and still over filled......
I get home, same.
I try taking the breather off the crank and running to the bottom of the engine-mistake, this blows oil out ALL the time!
So, now, after making a mess EVERYWHERE, (at least the underside of my bike won't rust out)!!
It's time to correct the problem once and for all.
I had to top, er, should I say 1/2 top off the oil, put the oil can back into operation, clean and re oil the filter.
I was thinkin', (no, I'm gonna) order that "oil return" system on our host has in the parts.
Has anyone used this??
What do other Bulleteers do to keep the oil in the crank, (Yeah, I know-DON"T OVER FILL IT).
This bike seems finiky about the oil level? My 2 othere R.E. weren't??
How does that duck bill work as opposed to the return system??
Curious oily minds wonder?
Joe
See that oil spot? That's where I park, the E.P.A. let's me oil the ground there, it's like recycling-oil comes from the earth, I'm just putting it back, one small puddle at a time!!

[ace.cafe]

Joe,
The breather system  on the newer models(post 2004) are different than your older ones were. The new types have the breather coming from the oil tank instead of the crankcase. This is the major root cause of the issues, and there's really not alot you can do about it.
So, we try to get around it, with a re-routing of the breather pipe, and that typically keeps the oil from spewing out.

If you want to do the cheapest way out, you can remove your main breather tube from the oil tank, and blow the clogs out of it, so it's nice and clean. Of course, go ahead and drain and clean the catch tank and all the other places the gunk and oil went.
Then when you put it back together, reverse the main breather hose, so that the sharp molded bend in the hose is up at the catch tank, instead of right over the top of the oil tank. When you install this hose, run it over the top of the frame tube that it previously went underneath. That raises the height of the tube some, and it helps to drain any oil-puking back into the oil tank. And having the bend up by the catch tank helps to reduce any clogs happening right over the oil tank too.

So, the idea is to get the bend away from the oil tank outlet, and to route the hose up higher than before.
And don't fill the oil more than 1/2 on the stick.
That usually works.
If you continue to have problems, then a new breather hose that goes high up to the height just below the seat, and then comes back down to the catch tank, acts as more of a "stand pipe" and works even better.

I probably should save these posts to a file, because it seems I write this same thing several times a week.

[UncleErnie]

OK mister- step away from the oil can and put your hands up!

Are you licensed to buy oil?!  You're WAAAY over filling your lump with oil.
I don't warm my engine up to check my oil because I just don't get that.  So I check it cold;  an eigth to a quarter up the dip stick is good.  NO MORE.   Anymore than that ands it just blows up into the catch can.  When the catch can is full, it goes into the airbox.

[GreenMachine]

I just checked my catch can, tubing, etc and everything was clear and just a wee bit of oily mayo in the bottom of the catch can..Clean it out, put everything back together....I try to Keep the oil at 3/4 mark and  change it once a year.. I've been averaging  1.5 to 2k a year on my 06 iron....  I always park it overnight at TDC....Sometimes when I get Green Machine  good and hot from a  hour or so cruise I'll park her and let her sit overnight with the oil tank cap off ....

[Geirskogul]

You don't have to warm it up to check the oil, but I would either kick it over with the decomp 18-20 times, or run it for a minute or so.  Gets that oil out of the sump, and you can see your real oil level.  Never check it after it sits for a night, even on the AVL

[UncleErnie]

I don't get why not.  If you get oil up in the engine, how do you know jow much is actuall spread out and how much actually in the sump?

[Joe28]

OK, so here's the poop straight from the, "Man".
I called CMW and went to order that oil return gizmo in the catalog. (part #Z90030)
For the Electra -they don't make the oil return kit.
I was advised, (I already knew, but listened  like a good doobie)
"If the oil reads FULL-too much!
So, I'm gonna rethink my oil checking til.....
I'm sober
I'm awake
I'm a work and get paid to check the oil on my rig.
So, there's the poop as it lies!
So never one to let a credit card empty, I ordered somemore "stuff", (gotta keep the "E-com-a-me" sputtering along like a '56 Buick)
Joe
What do you mean it's running great? hand me that wrench and I'll fix that!

[Tiny Tim]

The AVL catch can is a piece of design developed to comply with the ethos that dripping ANY oil is going to kill numerous Polar Bears.

Once you accept that this is not the case, it can be dispensed with.

There are several aftermarket breather mods available along with a couple of DIY type mods.

I have gone for the DIY mod of sealing off the breather from the rear of the timing chamber and feeding the crankcase breather towards the deck via the rear of the gearbox and ending in a Duckbill.

You can direct it onto the chain but I find that this results in too much "fling-off" and mess.Chains are best lubed with chain lube.

No more Mayo. Just have to remember to keep the oil level below 1/2 way.

If you don't like the idea of the duckbill, I know several people who have fitted a diesel engine one-way valve in the crankcase breather.

And, for the record, I always check oil in a rested warm engine on the centre stand.

[Geirskogul]

Any way to really get rid of any drippage, but keep it in a closed loop?  Like somehow link all three breather hoses with the drain hose with a couple of sealed Y fittings?  That would keep everything within the system, an the only downside is a little bit of condensation in the oil, but with oil changes every 2000 miles anyway, it wouldn't really be a problem, would it?  The condensation was already there in the first place.

I'm really looking for a "no maintenance" solution, like a PCV type valve.

[boggy]

I decided to hijack this thread for two reasons.  One, I don't want Ace to have to retype anything and two, the subject title is spot on.

I just changed my main, primary, and trans oils.  Ran the bike before hand with no problem.  After the fluid changes, I started the bike and everything seemed cool.  Went for a 2 mile ride and when I came back there was oil all over the back half of my bike, mostly around the tire and rear fender.  So-much-oil.

I'm going to assume I overfilled either the main or primary oil.  I put 2.25 quarts in the main and 1 quart in the primary.  I've read that people fill the primary with that much so I'm guessing based on the previous posts in this thread I way overfilled the main. 

The Snidal guide calls for 2.25 liters.  I know I went a bit above that but I didn't think the result would be oil-explosion.  The dip stick read full... not overfilled.  The oil that came out was black, although I did see some of that white gross shit seeping out of a hose.  I'm guess that cylinder behind the battery is the catch can?  Is that correct?  Hose comes up from the oil tank, goes into cylinder, and another comes out with an L-bend.  Is that the can or is that something else.

Would all of the overflow come out of there?  Again, it was black as night oil that spilled out.

Tomorrow I will see if it indeed was coming form there.  Did I overfill my primary? 

Thanks for any help.  Please forgive my ignorance.  This bike is my mechanic 101 crash course.  75% ear to ear smile, 25% ripping my f*cking hair out.

[1Blackwolf1]

  You way over filled the engine oil..doesn't take quite that much..about a quart and a half is a safe bet.  I usually refill with slightly less than that.  I put in one and about a quarter and add from there if needed.  Doesn't take much of an overfill to blow it out all over your sled.

[boggy]

Oh man.  Ok... thanks.  At least it is an easy fix.  Thanks.  Out all over my sled, is exactly how it blew.

[1Blackwolf1]

  And if it's an AVL it'll really make a mess..don't ask me how I know.

[UncleErnie]

I start with a quart and a half.

Don't forget to empty you catch can (if you still use it) and check your airbox / filter.

[boggy]

Is that the catch can behind the battery?  Or is the can where my filter lives?