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[mickt]

Hi can anyone help ? i have a 2006 Electra X i revamped it over last winter nut & bolt re-build apart from the engine as it was running fine (already done 4000 mls on it) so i just painted it, then 200 mls after it went back on the road it started pressurizing the oil tank & pushing all the oil out ! ive been to all the experts/dealers & anyone that would listen, so far ive stripped it to the crank & re-built it three times ive fitted new crank seals & bearings new oil pump new rings & honed the bore even though it all looked fine. ive also cleaned all the oil ways with air & poking wire through them each time i stripped it & changed the timing case & fitted new gaskets every time (i am a 30year experienced bike mechanic but with jap bikes not British) & all of that has made no difference what so ever. ive spent 5 months & far to much money already ! has anyone had this problem before ?

[papasmurf]

Too much oil in it? (Overfilling catches a lot of Electra owners out, including me.) I made up a dipstick for checking the oil level with a cold engine and before starting the bike. As long as there is about 5 inches of oil in the tank. I leave well alone.

[sofiaspin]

That was exactly my thought ie too much oil - the owners manual is useful in that regard.

[mickt]

the recommended amount is 2 1/4 liters ,ive been putting 2 in (2/3 run it then 1/3) that puts the level at half way up the dip stick. if i unscrew the dip stick wile the engine is ticking over the pressure will almost blow if off !

[papasmurf]

mickt, the 2 1/4 litres in the manual is just plain wrong, EXCEPT for the first lot of oil in a new or rebuilt engine.

At a normal oil change nearly 3/4 of a litre of oil remains in the engine in various nooks and crannies.

1.3 litres is about the correct amount to add at an oil change. Hence my home made dipstick.

[papasmurf]

Suggested reading:-

http://royal-enfield.10950.n7.nabble.co ... d3088.html

[Mark M]

I have seen Mick's bike and it is a real beauty. He has taken an unfinished project and cafe-racered it but with some unusual touches. He obviously knows what he is doing, the whole thing is really well thought out and executed. I hope the assembled brains here can solve this. I've made some suggestions myself but I am ignorant about the details of the Electra engine.

REgards, Mark

[sofiaspin]

I would defer to Papasmurf's knowledge. Adrian might contribute as well, and he knows them inside out. I am wondering if a breather is blocked, if only marginally? Mine had emulsified mayonnaise leading to oil spray.

[sofiaspin]

Be good to get some pics posted of it!

[Adrian]

That sounds like what my Electra-X did when it was still fairly new and still fitted with the factory breather system.



The main breather pipe from the top of the oil tank becomes clogged with mayonnaise, this causes crankcase pressure to force oil back uo the breather return pipe from the timing chest (there's a duck bill which is supposed to stop that happening but doesn't). This then fills up the catch-can and spills over into the air filter box as the oil keeps getting pumped out of the timing chest, and from there over the back of the bike an onto the garage floor/your back tyre. Not good.



There has been a ton of stuff written about how to sort the Electra-X breather, but I suggest the following.



1. Rip out the whole breather assembly, catch-can pipes, the lot.



2. Block off the breather pipe stubs to the timing chest and the primary chaincase.



3. Find a bit of right-angled tube from the original breather pipes, fit the short end to the oil tank breather union with whatever clip you fancy.



4. Cut the other end off about 6" from the 90° bend and fit a non-return valve from Henry Price. Make sure the valve seals properly in "suck" mode and opens easily (i.e. without too much pressure needed) in "blow" mode, and remember to fit it the right way round.



5. Run another length of tubing from the non-return valve to the back of the rear chainguard and secure as you see fit.



6. Job done.



You will get the odd grey oily dribble from the back of the breather pipe but it's a whole lot less mess.



A.