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techtalk:ref:genmsr03 [2019/01/09 01:10] ixl2relax [REF: General-MSR 02] |
techtalk:ref:genmsr03 [2019/03/27 18:38] hippysmack [Troubleshooting Oil Related Problems] |
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| ====== Basic Troubleshooting ====== | ====== Basic Troubleshooting ====== | ||
| - | Troubleshooting can be very difficult sometimes to the person that has to physically do it. You're there. You hear it or see it and sometimes the hardest thing to do is to tell it to someone else. Another hard thing to do is to detach yourself from what you (think or believe so strongly in) to strictly what you can prove. It all boils down to your specific belief system. //You filled it full of oil last week so it couldn't have been too low//, so you didn't check that. So, a day later after filling it with oil, your friend on the back burnt their leg or foot on the exhaust, went berserk and not knowingly kicked the oil line damaging or kinking it on a long trip. When you believe that anything could have happened to it, you stand a better chance of diagnosing the problem. Below are some easy fixes and some very difficult ones as well as cheap and expensive ones. Keep in mind an unhealthy bike doesn't care if you can't afford it or know anything about it. ((Hippysmack from the XLFORUM)) | + | Troubleshooting can be very difficult sometimes to the person that has to physically do it. \\ |
| + | You're there. You hear it or see it and sometimes the hardest thing to do is to tell it to someone else. \\ | ||
| + | Another hard thing to do is to detach yourself from what you (think or believe so strongly in) to strictly what you can prove. \\ | ||
| + | It all boils down to your specific belief system. \\ | ||
| + | You filled it full of oil last week so it couldn't have been too low, so you didn't check that. \\ | ||
| + | |||
| + | //I.E., previously unknown to you, your friend on the back burnt their leg or foot on the exhaust on a long trip. \\ | ||
| + | Then they went berserk and not realizing that they kicked the oil line damaging or kinking it on a long trip. \\ | ||
| + | // | ||
| + | |||
| + | When you believe that anything could have happened to it, you stand a better chance of diagnosing the problem. \\ | ||
| + | Below are some easy fixes and some very difficult ones as well as cheap and expensive ones. \\ | ||
| + | Keep in mind an unhealthy bike doesn't care if you can't afford it or know anything about it. ((Hippysmack from the XLFORUM)) | ||
| + | |||
| + | All engine noises aren't good noises but it is a Harley and it's gonna be loud and it's gonna shake. \\ | ||
| + | The front forks may appear to want to leave each other and your hands may feel a little numb after riding. \\ | ||
| + | It's OK, it's suppose to do that. \\ | ||
| + | |||
| + | See also [[techtalk:ref:genmsr05#hunting_down_sportster_noises|Hunting Down Sportster Noises]] for help in diagnosing noises. \\ | ||
| - | All engine noises aren't good noises but it is a Harley and it's gonna be loud and it's gonna shake. The front forks may appear to want to leave each other and your hands may feel a little numb after riding. It's OK, it's suppose to do that. Here's why: | ||
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| - | * | ||
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| * Oil isn't returning to the oil tank ((1959-1985 Clymer Sportster Repair Manual pg 21)) | * Oil isn't returning to the oil tank ((1959-1985 Clymer Sportster Repair Manual pg 21)) | ||
| * __OIL PUKING OUT ENGINE BREATHER__ | * __OIL PUKING OUT ENGINE BREATHER__ | ||
| - | * WET SUMPING, This is simply oil from the tank draining slowly back down into the crankcase while the bike is parked for any length of time. When you start the engine, the excess oil in the crankcase is fired out the breather, onto the floor, (or into your air-filter on post-79 models). The oil should stop puking after the engine runs a few minutes and pumps the excess oil back up into the tank. | + | * WET SUMPING, \\ This is simply oil from the tank draining slowly back down into the crankcase while the bike is parked for any length of time. \\ When you start the engine, the excess oil in the crankcase is fired out the breather, onto the floor, (or into your air-filter on post-79 models). \\ The oil should stop puking after the engine runs a few minutes and pumps the excess oil back up into the tank. |
| - | * OVER-FILLED OIL TANK, If the puking starts after you top your oil tank, this is probably the problem. If you fill the oil tank to the Full mark while some oil has wet-sumped down into the engine, you have too much oil in the system. The oil from the sump will be pumped back up to the tank, dribble down the vent tube to the timing cover, from where it is fired out the engine breather. This puking will continue after initial start up until all the excess oil has been fired out, which can take a while. The cure is to drain a quart or so out of the oil tank, run the engine for five minutes til the puking stops, then top up the oil tank to the full mark.DO NOT be tempted to drain oil out of the sump by taking out the threaded drain plug under the front of the engine (if equipped). These are notorious for stripping the threads and are very difficult to repair properly. In most cases the plug is factory installed and is not intended to ever be removed. Leave it alone. | + | * OVER-FILLED OIL TANK, \\ If the puking starts after you top your oil tank, this is probably the problem. \\ If you fill the oil tank to the Full mark while some oil has wet-sumped down into the engine, you have too much oil in the system. \\ The oil from the sump will be pumped back up to the tank, dribble down the vent tube to the timing cover, from where it is fired out the engine breather. \\ This puking will continue after initial start up until all the excess oil has been fired out, which can take a while. \\ The cure is to drain a quart or so out of the oil tank, run the engine for five minutes til the puking stops, then top up the oil tank to the full mark. \\ DO NOT be tempted to drain oil out of the sump by taking out the threaded drain plug under the front of the engine (if equipped). \\ These are notorious for stripping the threads and are very difficult to repair properly. \\ In most cases the plug is factory installed and is not intended to ever be removed. |
| - | * WORN ENGINE, If your engine breather continues to puke oil or blow smoke after the above two things have been eliminated, your problem is most likely wear in the cylinders and heads. Worn rings and even valve guides, can allow blowby of combustion gasses into the crankcase area, which then comes out the breather. Usually this will be accompanied by smoke or oil coming out the exhaust pipes too. A compression test will give some indication of top-end condition. Anything below 120psi is suspect, according to the factory manual. These bikes will still run ok at even 100psi, but they will be down on power and consume oil, and blow fog out the breather pipe. ((Article by Hopper of the XLFORUM [[http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=518948&highlight=wet+sumping]])) | + | * WORN ENGINE, \\ If your engine breather continues to puke oil or blow smoke after the above two things have been eliminated, \\ Your problem is most likely wear in the cylinders and heads. \\ Worn rings and even valve guides, can allow blowby of combustion gasses into the crankcase area, which then comes out the breather. \\ Usually this will be accompanied by smoke or oil coming out the exhaust pipes too. \\ A compression test will give some indication of top-end condition. \\ Anything below 120psi is suspect, according to the factory manual. \\ These bikes will still run ok at even 100psi, but they will be down on power and consume oil, and blow fog out the breather pipe. ((Article by Hopper of the XLFORUM [[http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=518948&highlight=wet+sumping]])) |
| * __Oil isn't returning to the oil tank__ | * __Oil isn't returning to the oil tank__ | ||
| * Damaged/ restricted oil lines/ fittings ((1959-1985 Clymer Sportster Repair Manual pg 21)) | * Damaged/ restricted oil lines/ fittings ((1959-1985 Clymer Sportster Repair Manual pg 21)) | ||
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| * Faulty oil pressure regulator | * Faulty oil pressure regulator | ||
| * __Engine Overheating from excessive load__ | * __Engine Overheating from excessive load__ | ||
| - | * Engine oil level too high. Adding too much oil to the oil tank/ engine causes undue pressure in the crankcase which degrades engine performance and increases heat ((1970-2010 Haynes Sportster Service and Repair Manual pg REF.35)) | + | * Engine oil level too high. \\ Adding too much oil to the oil tank/ engine causes undue pressure in the crankcase which degrades engine performance and increases heat ((1970-2010 Haynes Sportster Service and Repair Manual pg REF.35)) |
| - | * Oil viscosity too high. Using heavier than recommended oil can damage the oil pump, oiling system and cause engine to drag and overheat ((1970-2010 Haynes Sportster Service and Repair Manual pg REF.35)) | + | * Oil viscosity too high. \\ Using heavier than recommended oil can damage the oil pump, oiling system and cause engine to drag and overheat ((1970-2010 Haynes Sportster Service and Repair Manual pg REF.35)) |
| * __Engine Overheating from poor lubrication__ | * __Engine Overheating from poor lubrication__ | ||
| * Engine oil level too low which increases friction | * Engine oil level too low which increases friction | ||
| * Wrong oil viscosity/ degraded oil viscosity | * Wrong oil viscosity/ degraded oil viscosity | ||
| * __Change in Engine Vibration due to degraded oil__ | * __Change in Engine Vibration due to degraded oil__ | ||
| - | * Vibration analysis can pick up subtle vibration changes and may be able to identify lubricant starvation before the extreme heat from friction is discovered. ((http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/30027/lubricant-starvation-signs)) | + | * Vibration analysis can pick up subtle vibration changes. \\ You also may be able to identify lubricant starvation before the extreme heat from friction is discovered. ((http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/30027/lubricant-starvation-signs)) |
| * __Engine running poorly on acceleration__ | * __Engine running poorly on acceleration__ | ||
| - | * Oil viscosity too high. Using heavier than recommended oil can cause engine drag | + | * Oil viscosity too high. \\ Using heavier than recommended oil can cause engine drag |
| * __Engine running poorly with continuous high revs__ | * __Engine running poorly with continuous high revs__ | ||
| - | * Wet sumping occurs when the crankcase fills up with oil. The crank has to turn in an oil bath when it's really designed to run in open air. The crank running thru the oil heats it up and adds lots of bubbles. It also really cuts down on the available power. The scavenge pump picks up the oil and sends it to the oil tank. The hotter the oil, and the more air bubbles in the oil, the harder it is for the scavenge pump to move the oil. So, the oil collects in the crankcase even more. ((blacksmith_wills of the XLFORUM http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=73243&highlight=sumping&page=2)) | + | * Wet sumping occurs when the crankcase fills up with oil. \\ The crank has to turn in an oil bath when it's really designed to run in open air. \\ The crank running thru the oil heats it up and adds lots of bubbles. \\ It also really cuts down on the available power. \\ The scavenge pump picks up the oil and sends it to the oil tank. \\ The hotter the oil, and the more air bubbles in the oil, the harder it is for the scavenge pump to move the oil. \\ So, the oil collects in the crankcase even more. ((blacksmith_wills of the XLFORUM http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=73243&highlight=sumping&page=2)) |
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