Hitchcocks Forum

HI all, I removed my rocker covers to check the valve clearances, and found them both very heavily coated with a mayonnaise/sludge.( PAV system was removed 3000 miles ago). so removed airbox and fitted a S&B cone type air filter I found in the shed from my old Suzuki X7. I then rerouted all the breathers to atmosphere. I used a plastic 1/2" tee piece from the greenhouse for the 2 bigger hoses, and the primary crankcase I just tucked away at the rear of the engine . I will do a plug chop and jet as required (have lots of mikuni jets!). your thoughts gentlemen please.

Sorry about the picture being upside down, it keeps doing it and I can't correct it.

The variations of the breathers on these engines continue to be a real mystery to me. My Electra has only one breather, the one on the top of the oil reservoir. It has neither the one on the left side of the crankcase nor the one at the top rear side of the timing case.

Connecting the two pipes won't achieve anything, the small pipe to the back of the timing chest was the oil return from the catch can and unless you have removed it, there is a small duck-bill non-return valve inside under the timing cover which is supposed to prevent any flow of gas out of this pipe. If all the original gubbins has bee removed it's probably best just to block the small pipe off altogether and relyon the one bigger pipe off the top of the oil tank, which might benefit from a non-return valve in it in place of the blue tee piece.

A.

Wheaters, my bike is an '07 model. Adrian, thanks for the info, I will remove the duck bill thingy and blank off whenever the engine has to come apart. bike showing 11030 miles on clock, I bought it showing 7000miles, don't know the past history but assume the motor has never been apart...… head gasket weeping a bit, starter motor long gone but would like to remove the sprag clutch. otherwise bike is fine.

An awful lot has been said and typed about late Bullet breathers. The poor old Electra-X has had its reputation blighted by early bikes' big-end failures, later ones are better, but there's nothing wrong with these bikes that can't be fixed, whichever side of the Medway you're on!

A.

I know you’ve put 4000 miles on it, but as long as your journeys are at least ten miles plus, you will get sludge.

Actually my 350 Bullet needs at least 15 miles to clear it.

windmill john wrote: ↑

Thu May 07, 2020 11:58 am

I know you’ve put 4000 miles on it, but as long as your journeys are at least ten miles plus, you will get sludge.

Actually my 350 Bullet needs at least 15 miles to clear it.

I remember the days of 15 mile rides.......

I’ve been locked down for six weeks now. The bike has had all “those little jobs” done and has never looked so good in my ownership and is now ready to go. So am I, but......

There are a few motorcycles out and about. If you've recovered enough after your surgery, there must be some essential supplies that need to be collected? I'm sure that's what the guys tearing up the local bypass on their rice-burners would have claimed they were doing...

A.

I’ve been under doctor’s orders to avoid the extra risk of catching C-19, I’m afraid. However, I’ve just finished self injecting blood thinning medication and my abdominal muscles seem to have mainly begun to work again. My mother in law is 94 and lives alone and without home help. I might need to get down to see her soon.....