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[North Star]

I'm getting a bit of oil into the AC, which is not normal for my bike. I refuse to hook up hoses from the breather bolts to re-route the oil- I'd rather fix the root issue.

I hear that sometimes the cause is the umbrella valve in the rocker boxes- any idea how much work is involved in replacing them?

[Unbalanced]

Tough question / situation.   At high RPM's its not uncommon to see the oil in the oil filter.   To change the umbrella valve its 6 screws in the rocker box top and 2 screws to unbolt the plate for the umbrella valves.   
I would question how long it takes on a clean air filter before you see the oil dripping out and how much high RPM you do.   Could be a return issue any work done to the motor or heads?   if you look inside the throttlebody behind the butterfly do you see any oil pooling in there like a seal might be having an issue?   

[HILLSIDECYCLE.COM]

I'm getting a bit of oil into the AC, which is not normal for my bike. I refuse to hook up hoses from the breather bolts to re-route the oil- I'd rather fix the root issue.

I hear that sometimes the cause is the umbrella valve in the rocker boxes- any idea how much work is involved in replacing them?

We've also found that by enlarging the return holes in the rocker support plate, oil can be better channeled away from the breathers.
Scott

[INDEPENDENT_1]

After the bike gets nice and warm, remove the Allen head in the bottom of the cases and catch the oil in a measuring cup. If you get more than 5 oz or so, you probably have an O-ring that that is not sealing. Either the yellow one that the oil pump spigot goes into or one of the two brown ones the cam plate isn't sealing against good. Also disassemble the oil pump to see if it has any evidence of scoring or some kind of other engine material or trash has ran thru it. If it has, remove the oil pan, blow out all oil lines, flush oil pan completely and replace what is needed. Also try to determine where the trash came from (needle bearing etc.) and replace those items. 

[porthole]

So if the o-rings are good, there is no oil in the air cleaner, the dipstick stays put, the umbrellas are new, the drains enlarged - where would oil more then 3-4 ounces come from?

Will the oil filter and lines drain into the crankcase if you pull that plug before doing anything else, eg. oil pan drain, filter removal?

[Rooster]

After the bike gets nice and warm, remove the Allen head in the bottom of the cases and catch the oil in a measuring cup. If you get more than 5 oz or so, you probably have an O-ring that that is not sealing. Either the yellow one that the oil pump spigot goes into or one of the two brown ones the cam plate isn't sealing against good. Also disassemble the oil pump to see if it has any evidence of scoring or some kind of other engine material or trash has ran thru it. If it has, remove the oil pan, blow out all oil lines, flush oil pan completely and replace what is needed. Also try to determine where the trash came from (needle bearing etc.) and replace those items.

Good advice Harry, does he need to flush out the oil cooler as well?

[North Star]

Thanks for all the advice.

My bike has 37,000 miles on it, and I just had a top end rebuild 7,000 miles ago, so I don't think and hope it's nothing major. I was going to ask my builder if the replaced them while he was in there, but he is out of town, and I'm going to guess that he didn't. If he didn't, they are very likely due.

I got the umbrella valves, which is now an integrated unit, which includes the little filter, etc. I'm guessing they are the culprit.

I'm having the work done next week, so hopefully that will be the fix.

While he is in there, I'll get him to enlarge the holes in the rocker support plate, providing he doesn't have to do a whole bunch more work/disassembly

I just did an oil change and removed the pipe plug, as I use the oil scavenger, and I didn't recall much oil coming out of there.