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[mrdinny]

Took the bike out on the first ride of the season yesterday. after smelling oil burning only 20 miles out I pulled over to find oil all over the right side. Couldn't see the cause so I returned home. finally traced it to the air breather. cleaned breather and all seems ok. I changed oil from redline to mobile 1 and had new lifters and adjustable pushrods installed over the winter but other than that nothing. Just cant get my head around why there would be oil in the breather element. Any advice will be much appreciated.   

[Fired00d]

Oil overfilled.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[mrdinny]

Oil overfilled.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Sorry my screw up should have already said . I always run it just under full on the stick so it wasn't overfull

[skratch]

Sorry my screw up should have already said . I always run it just under full on the stick so it wasn't overfull

just under full on the dipstick is just overfilled....

seems the tc likes to run with the oil about halfway in the hatchmarked area.  anywhere in the hatchmarked area is the operating range, it isn't low until it's below that.

[grc]

How old is the bike, and is this the first time you've noticed the problem?  How many miles on the bike, and when was the last time the air filter was serviced and cleaned?  If the engine has a tendency to have some oil carry over into the air cleaner, it can collect there for quite awhile before it reaches the tipping point and starts to blow out or drip.

While it really shouldn't be that way, Harley's are kind of infamous for oil carryover into the air cleaner, and some are worse than others.  The first and easiest change you can make is to run the oil about a pint below full (halfway between FULL and ADD), then see how the carryover is affected.  That has cured the problem on many Twin Cams over the years, including mine.  If that isn't the problem, then it will take some digging internally.  Perhaps the breather valves in the heads are bad, perhaps the drain back holes in the heads are restricted, etc.. 

Jerry

[Steve_G]

seems the tc likes to run with the oil about halfway in the hatchmarked area.  anywhere in the hatchmarked area is the operating range, it isn't low until it's below that.
[/quote]
Agree.  Even after doing this I got oil blow-by on the right side.  I finally ran the breather into a Y fitting then down to the ground.  Problem solved.

[mrdinny]

How old is the bike, and is this the first time you've noticed the problem?  How many miles on the bike, and when was the last time the air filter was serviced and cleaned?  If the engine has a tendency to have some oil carry over into the air cleaner, it can collect there for quite awhile before it reaches the tipping point and starts to blow out or drip.

While it really shouldn't be that way, Harley's are kind of infamous for oil carryover into the air cleaner, and some are worse than others.  The first and easiest change you can make is to run the oil about a pint below full (halfway between FULL and ADD), then see how the carryover is affected.  That has cured the problem on many Twin Cams over the years, including mine.  If that isn't the problem, then it will take some digging internally.  Perhaps the breather valves in the heads are bad, perhaps the drain back holes in the heads are restricted, etc.. 

Jerry

Bike is a 2010 and I have 11000 on the OD. I did have it what I thought was  about a pint low (3 1/2 in the crank ) but that did put me in the upper part of the dip stick  . breather element has not been changed before and the oil could have build up over time as you indicated as I cant remember the last time I had it off to see and never had an issue before. I will address all and get back thanks Brad.

[Skipper]

seems the tc likes to run with the oil about halfway in the hatchmarked area.  anywhere in the hatchmarked area is the operating range, it isn't low until it's below that.

Agree.  Even after doing this I got oil blow-by on the right side.  I finally ran the breather into a Y fitting then down to the ground.  Problem solved.

x2 

[hdaliaconis]

Bike is a 2010 and I have 11000 on the OD. I did have it what I thought was  about a pint low (3 1/2 in the crank ) but that did put me in the upper part of the dip stick  . breather element has not been changed before and the oil could have build up over time as you indicated as I cant remember the last time I had it off to see and never had an issue before. I will address all and get back thanks Brad.

 

[grc]

I'd suggest checking and cleaning the air filter every 5000 miles, even if Harley doesn't require it that often in the maintenance schedule.

Jerry

[hdaliaconis]

I'd suggest checking and cleaning the air filter every 5000 miles, even if Harley doesn't require it that often in the maintenance schedule.

Jerry

   The manual for my 2013 CVO Ultra "suggests" 5000 miles for air filter service.  I never go that long.  How hard is it to take it out and wash it or what ever you like to do while cleaning the motor.  I do it about ever 2K - 3K miles.  May not need it that often but it also cleans out the oil that collects there.