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[tazmun]

 My best friend's 11 CVO Roadglide is now dripping oil out of the air cleaner. Bike just turned 10k and all that was
ever done was a mild tune, exhaust etc. Need to know the root cause, and possible cure from all you wrenchheads, please. He said it just started in the last 1k or so.

Regards,
Taz

[Thermodyne]

If it's the stock air box, with everything in place, then he can try running it 1/2 a qt low on oil and see if it stops.  If it's an aftermarket breather, then there could be an issue with where the oil blow by goes.

After that, a cylinder leakage test might show something, or at least insure that it's not a scored jug.  And there is always the option of modifying the rocker perches to improve drain back.  Some people only see them pushing oil out on the highway, and have been known to put a sanitary pad inside the air housing cover to catch it.

My 11 103 pushed enough out to oil the filter down real wet in 5K miles.  When I did my stage 2, I modified the rocker perches and it hasn't pushed any in the 6K miles since.

[hogasm]

Tell him to clean his air filter more often

[tazmun]

Tell him to clean his air filter more often

I'm not a wrench head, (nor do I play one on TV) but how would a dirty air filter bring oil back thru the intake?

[Midnight Rider]

I'm not a wrench head, (nor do I play one on TV) but how would a dirty air filter bring oil back thru the intake?

I don't think that's what he meant...clean it more often because of the oil getting in the filter, not that the dirty filter causes the oil issue.

Run the oil 1/2 quart low (after cleaning the filter) and see if that doesn't help.  A lot of motors will push out a bit until they reach their "happy" place on oil level in the crankcase. My '06 would puke out at least a pint if I filled it full of oil.

[tazmun]

I don't think that's what he meant...clean it more often because of the oil getting in the filter, not that the dirty filter causes the oil issue.

Run the oil 1/2 quart low (after cleaning the filter) and see if that doesn't help.  A lot of motors will push out a bit until they reach their "happy" place on oil level in the crankcase. My '06 would puke out at least a pint if I filled it full of oil.

TC, Why would his just start doing it? He has not changed, or added oil since spring?

[Fired00d]

TC, Why would his just start doing it? He has not changed, or added oil since spring?

Could it have been doing it all the time and just recently got to the point where it was noticed?... may have taken 1k before it built up enough to be noticed.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Midnight Rider]

Could it have been doing it all the time and just recently got to the point where it was noticed?... may have taken 1k before it built up enough to be noticed.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Exactly...it takes a while for the filter to absorb enough for it to start dripping or blowing back.  The oil is coming into the filter/throttle body as a fine mist, so it take a bit to saturate the bottom of the filter.  The misting is worse at higher RPM's...or that has been my observation, at least.  The mist gets sucked into the TB and burned in the combustion process, but there is always a bit that manages to stick to the filter material.  When the bikes used to have the football type covers that surrounded the whole filter, you could put a mini pad in the bottom of the football cover to catch some of the oil if the filter got saturated between services, but with the new type filters/covers that is not possible.  I would recommend that he clean the filter well and let the bike get a half quart low on oil and see if the problem solves itself that way.  You can't completely eliminate the oil misting, but running half quart low seems to do the trick on a great many bikes and it won't hurt anything at all.

[tazmun]

Thanks guys, I'll pass on this information.

Taz

[hogasm]

Could it have been doing it all the time and just recently got to the point where it was noticed?... may have taken 1k before it built up enough to be noticed.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Exactly

[NH Bulldog]

I noticed the issue on my 2007 with the stage 1 kit.  The factory vent tubes inside the air cleaner are removed and this allows more oil mist to enter the cleaner.  Over time, the oil pools at the bottom of the filter to the point where it soaks through and drips out.  I would simply rotate the filter 180 degrees each oil change, and service the filter (stage 1 uses a K&N or similar reusable element) every other oil change and didn't have an issue.  I have not experienced this issue at all with the 2012.

[KE8LW]

I had a '08 that did it consistently around the 10k mark.  Lucky I was under warranty..the dealer put a motor in it, mind you it was a 96" and then at 20K they told me it was the jugs not true.  Said I needed a new set of jugs and suggested boring it out..so I asked instead can you just go to the 103" on the Harley warranty..they did with min cost to me.. well it took yet another 10K miles before I was misting on the air cleaner yet again.. I tried the 1/2 qt down and nothing gets rid of this problem.  I ride alot of miles and usually all on the interstate so my bike is no stranger to 75MPH for extended hours.  I finally accepted it and stuffed a tampon in it and changed it just about at every oil change.  I wont say its normal but without machine modifying the oil drain back your not going to fix this IMHO.  Now - after 83K I ended up throwing a rod on a bike trip which is only about 40K on rebuild 103" - I went to the 120R and this motor now has 30K on it with no signs of leaking the mist.  So I think the engineering is there for harley but they dont want to do it.  Most dont buy the extended warranty or drive many miles a year, and tend to accept it cause its old no mileage..arrrrrgh..I do wish they would get this handled.

[chaos901]

If he was already running with the oil 1/2 quart down instead of full, this possibly is an oil return problem.  The umbrella valves are a known issue but it could be something else too.

[spada84]

I'm running the heavy breather.  Normally does not show any oil in the filter, EXCEPT after extended runs over 75mph.  We are talking long expressway trips of several hundred miles at speeds between 75 and 90.  Then I'll see a little oil on the engine under the filter and maybe blow-back on the right side cover. 

[kraut]

you may check out this one.