Hitchcocks Forum

I'm pretty sure versions of this have been covered before (sorry!) but I'm probably looking for peace of mind as much as alternative solutions ....
I have a standard 2008 Electra with no modifications to the catch tank or breathers and fill the engine oil to 2/3 full, checked with the dipstick resting on the threads (not screwed in). That's what I've gathered from reading various posts so hope I'm doing the right thing! The catch tank always seems to overflow (it isn't really a problem it's just a bit messy) and the oil is oil not mayo. Any suggestions on how to improve this? I guess one obvious answer is to put less oil in - but how little before it's too little?! Any other fixes?

hi mermaid,the oil should return from the catch can via the timing side case pipe if your can is overflowing maybe you have a blockage to the timing chest ,i have a catch can on my electra the pipe that go,s to the air filter is blocked off the pipe from the inlet manifold needs capping the steel pipe on the catchcan from the manifold is used as a drain when capped off the oil pipe from the oil tank go,s to the can as standard and the pipe from the can to the timing chest is as standard ,i hope you can get what i,m on about i run my electra often and have not encountered a problem up to press although i have tried many other concocktions this works for me although i now have an amal carb so no rubber manifold to cap off,if you have no blockages your oil should circulate via the can to the timing chest hope this makes sence atb paul.

Oil level sounds about right to me. I've got a similar system to Grunda's. Just disconnect the pipe to the timing chest at the tank and let it breathe fresh air. Route another pipe from the spare port on the tank to let it drain somewhere near the battery hose but away from the tyre. Disconnect the hose from the top of the can to the airbox and blank both holes off. The airbox is also likely to have been filled with oil so be careful when you pull the lid off! Worth also to clean all the pipes through as they are likely to be blocked with emulsified oil. I've had no problems since doing this..

The whole catch tank idea is a bit of a nonsense and in my view you'd be better off without it.
If you want to keep it however, it sounds like your return pipe to the timing side is clogged up. This easily happens as there is very little gravity to allow the oil to flow back from the catch tank, and there is a NRV in the tube which makes it even more difficult for the oil to flow back. Because of this NRV the oil can only return when the engine is not running (there is quite a bit of positive pressure in the timing chest when running - hence the NRV) This is one reason that the catch tank can overflow after a long run if much oil is being breathed to the tank. Have a read of this - not an Electra but the principle is the same; http://www.whfolk.co.uk/REOCHUMBER/Arti ... eather.htm

That's great - thank you. I'll have a tinker at the weekend and see how I get on.

One of the first things I noticed, and surprised me, after doing the mod I posted above was the amount of water vapour that was expelled from the new drain hose. Presumably this was a build up over the life of the bike which was never allowed to escape but merely recirculated through the engine, building up as it went. It was quite visible for a while but eventually disappeared. No doubt this was the cause of repeated blocked pipes from the mayo. Keeping the catch can was more for neatness than anything else. I didn't fancy the acidic oil and water vapour being blown over the chain and then thrown over the rest of the bike. After all, thats what I pay good money for chain grease to do! The can is mounted high enough to minimise oil being blown into it and is already fitted with a duck bill valve inside. There must have been a modification to later bikes as the original pipe going to the timing chest had no NRV fitted, although the replacement I ordered did. This one is probably the better bet. When I stripped the system down after over 1000 miles there were no blockages and crucially very little mayo. Previously the hoses would have been blocked solid every 300 miles.

I refitted my catch can due to over oiling of the chain when I had it removed now the oil returns to the can and back into the timing chest instead of all over the rear wheel ad frank says the water vapour exits near the battery overflow pipe it's the best it's been as I opened up the left hand breather stub to try to depressurise the crankcase that made matters worse so I plugged the stub but some later electras don't have it also free breathing electras tend to blow the contents of the oil tank on the rear wheel with open breathers so the can , can be used to eliminate that I note that the new efi,s have a built in the casing a catch can type orifice although they spew into the air filter box which is easy remedied by diverting the pipe over the chain with a duckbill with no ill effects atb paul