Smoke from the Crank Case breather ?

[Eric_XJ]

So in the continuing saga which is the XJ11 I've had for 3 weeks, I have found ANOTHER goofy fix from one of the PO's.

Instead of hooking the Crank case tube up to a filter after installing filter pods, the PO ran a tube zip tied to the inside of the frame and underneath the seat. Then instead of putting a filter on the end, took a piece of rag cut into a square and zip tied to the end of the tube.

Friday, I started the bike to warm it up while I was putting my helmet on ect...

All of a sudden I see smoke from under the seat, so I shut down the bike, pulled the seat and discovered the above detailed "mod".

My question is why is it smoking from the vent tube ? Is this normal or do I have something else going on inside the motor. I've never had another bike with Pods on it so the crankcase vent always went into the airbox. As for the smoke it was noticeable but not like a smokescreen. maybe the same as a cigar being smoked by a vacuum cleaner. just a constant smoke.

[dbeardslee]

You're always going to get a little blow-by past the rings, and some smoke from that tube. That's one of the reasons the tube is there - to recycle the gases back into the carbs so you don't have to smell them. Doesn't sound like anything to worry about, but a proper filter might make you feel better. Not going to stop the smoke though. Ever get down around Kings Island?

[Eric_XJ]

You're always going to get a little blow-by past the rings, and some smoke from that tube. That's one of the reasons the tube is there - to recycle the gases back into the carbs so you don't have to smell them. Doesn't sound like anything to worry about, but a proper filter might make you feel better. Not going to stop the smoke though. Ever get down around Kings Island?

Cool. Thanks again for the help !

I get down that way at least once a year on my way to IN for my yearly Casino trip to Belterra. This year I'm planning a trip to Kings Island for me and the wife and kids. Other than that not much.

[dbeardslee]

I'm about 1 mile south of KI, and we have a lively social group (swoxs) that meets pretty regularly for maintenance and rides. Sunday is our usual maintenance day, so if you've got work you want to do but need some help, come join the fun. Colortune and sync are the house specialties .

[Eric_XJ]

I'm about 1 mile south of KI, and we have a lively social group (swoxs) that meets pretty regularly for maintenance and rides. Sunday is our usual maintenance day, so if you've got work you want to do but need some help, come join the fun. Colortune and sync are the house specialties .

Sounds nice ! I wish there were more members in the Columbus area ! I would love to come down for a clinic on a colortune and sync. I'd like to be able to ride it down since I don't have any other way to bring it down (2 cars no trucks)
So I would need to make sure it was roadworthy enough for the trip there. So far I've hooked up some missing vac lines, did the cam chain adjustment (slapping the case like crazy. I could hear the adjuster go up a few notches once I loosened the bolt) Checked the fluids all the way around. Planning on an oil change and middle and final gear oil change in the next week or two. Cleaned up some wiring fixes from the PO. Other than that, just finding new things every time I look at it a different way.

I'm sure the trip back would be a piece of cake after a few hours with you guys

[dbeardslee]

For some reason that reminded me of a trip I took to Las Vegas some years ago. I went there in an old Ford pickup, but I came back in a $500,000.00 vehicle - a Greyhound bus .

If you run into problems, let us know (check the SWOXS social group page, accessible from your User CP) - we've been known to organize rescue missions.

[Crazcnuk]

I think most just put a filter on that hose, but cut the hose short, so the filter is down under the air filters. That way, any vapor coming out will not get on you or your seat.

The PO probably saw the vent tube for the middle drive and thought the same thing should work for the crankcase vent tube, not thinking the larger tube means more volume of gases.

[dbeardslee]

Craz - that's a good idea. I might just relocate mine 'cause it fumes me out pretty good at stop lights - sometimes it even makes my eyes water.

[trbig]

All opinion's stateds are only opinions, even if they are well known facts, so that TRBigs ego doesn't get damaged and start him on a rant.

LAMOOOO!!!!!! Tell the whole story if you're gonna whine, not lies.

Eric,

Yeah, as the others stated, those are just blow-by gasses. Wherever you end up putting the end of the house, be prepared for a bit of oily mess. I've always tucked mine down the middle back side of the motor but many like it under the seat. Figure out what works best for you.


Tod

[trbig]

Ummm.. that would be HOSE, not house?? lol.

Tod

[randy]

If there's smoke coming out of the end of your hose, you're workin it too hard.

[trbig]

Slowly step away from the keyboard, Randy...


Tod

[Geezer]

I would give it an oil change just to be sure. If there were some gas in the oil, it would smoke like crazy out the vents and I don't think it would burn off quickly.

Geezer

[Eric_XJ]

I think most just put a filter on that hose, but cut the hose short, so the filter is down under the air filters. That way, any vapor coming out will not get on you or your seat.

The PO probably saw the vent tube for the middle drive and thought the same thing should work for the crankcase vent tube, not thinking the larger tube means more volume of gases.

I was going to mount a bracket and filter to the security chain box location. I removed the box because there was no chain there. It sits on the right side not far from the crankcase breather tube and behind my leg when I'm on the bike. Hoping that's good enough.

[dbeardslee]

Just remember that every now and then oil may come out of that tube. The higher it is on the bike, the less likely that's going to happen.