 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion Groups General MotorcyclesHarleyYamahaSportbikesRacingOff-roadSnowmobilesTechnicalCountry Specific Australian GroupUK GroupClassic (UK Group)Related Topics CarsBoatsMore Topics ... |
Motorcycle Forum / General / Harley / April 2006Junk in oil tank
Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this one before.... My engine started to cut out on me when it got hot. It got so bad that I had to get a tow home yesterday. Well, I checked my oil and saw that there is a bunch of greyish gunk (kinda looks like caulk) stuck to my dipstick.... Any of you ever seen that before? It looks like someone put some sh.t in my oil tank, but I can't think of anyone who is out to get me.... any ideas? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks, T > Well, I checked my oil and saw that there is a bunch of greyish gunk > (kinda looks like caulk) stuck to my dipstick.... > > Any of you ever seen that before? It looks like someone put some sh.t > in my oil tank, but I can't think of anyone who is out to get me.... > any ideas? Last time I saw this was on my beater pickup- caused by water in the oil. /charon -> back to the corner. > Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this one before.... > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thanks, > T thats probably not your problem, but change your oil anyway. the other guy was right when he mentioned condensation. > Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this one before.... > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thanks, > T Must be a bad head gasket......... Seriously there is water in your oil tank > Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this one before.... > [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Thanks, > T That sounds like water. Water in the oil of an air-cooled engine is highly suspicious. Are there any young hooligans in your neighborhood that could get to your scoot? I can't imagine any other way water could get into the oil. When the engine gets hot, the water boils and expands into steam. I don't know how the oil recover system is vented but the crank case vents back into the air cleaner right? I suppose that could explain the engine cutting out. Short Ribs BS#246 '05 FLHRCI >> Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this one before.... >> in my oil tank, but I can't think of anyone who is out to get me.... >> any ideas? > That sounds like water. Water in the oil of an air-cooled engine is > highly suspicious. Are there any young hooligans in your neighborhood > that could get to your scoot? I can't imagine any other way water could > get into the oil. When the engine gets hot, ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BINGO! I was gonna ask the lad if he was makin' short 5 minute rides frequently. If so, that's a bad practice and water (condensation) will accumulate in yer crankcase. A *very* bad thang. MaGGie Thanks for the responses so far. FYI - It's a 1999 H-D FLHT w/ a JIM 116 Stroker. Do you guys think it could be aluminum? Thanks, T > Thanks for the responses so far. > > FYI - It's a 1999 H-D FLHT w/ a JIM 116 Stroker. > > Do you guys think it could be aluminum? Hell, it COULD be Kal-El's sperm leftover from the time he boned Lois Lane and she exploded at the climactic moment, but it's not. It's condensation from making too many short trips and not getting the engine hot enough to evaporate off the water that condensed in the tank. Just like you've been told already. Several times. But if you want to pretend it's wiffle dust and get your panties in a bunch, why you just go right ahead.  SignatureSpunky the Tuna just another atheist out there doing god's work... >> Thanks for the responses so far. >> [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Hell, it COULD be Kal-El's sperm leftover from the time he boned Lois Lane > and she exploded at the climactic moment, but it's not. Heheh. Reminds me of a story I heard Harlan Ellison read back inna 70s. http://www.rawbw.com/~svw/superman.html -- Shag BS#245 The "Poor Lois" Slug '35VLD, '42EL, '78FLH, '88FLHTC, '04FLHTCI Pull the plug to reply >>> Thanks for the responses so far. >>> [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > >All the Myriad Ways. Wonderful book for a 10-yr old to read. I loved it. Fins BS#221 <snip> >> Heheh. Reminds me of a story I heard Harlan Ellison read back inna 70s. >> >> http://www.rawbw.com/~svw/superman.html >> All the Myriad Ways. Wonderful book for a 10-yr old to read. I loved it. Ya shoulda heard Harlan read it out loud. <fond memory> Classic literature like ~that~ helps shape young minds... Ya sick bastid. <sfsf> -- Shag BS#245 The "Warped izza shape, right?" Slug '35VLD, '42EL, '78FLH, '88FLHTC, '04FLHTCI Pull the plug to reply > FYI - It's a 1999 H-D FLHT w/ a JIM 116 Stroker. > > Do you guys think it could be aluminum? > > Thanks, > T Nope. The gray stuff (it could be a little brown or yellow too) is almost certainly an emulsion. Aluminum will not emulsify with oil. You're makin' salad dressing in your oil system son! That's no damn good. Short Ribs My trips have usually been 25 miles each way and 50-70 per trip over the winter. I haven't been making that many short trips and I always let the engine warm up. This stuff is really, really thick and gooped up on the dipstick itself... almost like a putty. It's totally grey, with no hint of brown or yellow. The dipstick is completely cool to the touch even after the bike is running extremely hot. So, any ideas on what I can do to get rid of the condensation? Thanks, T > My trips have usually been 25 miles each way and 50-70 per trip over > the winter. I haven't been making that many short trips and I always [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thanks, > T That fact that the dip stick is cool even when the engine is warm concerns me even more. Do you have a local experiences wrench you trust, private or dealer? I would call them right away and describe the situation. The emulsion has to be removed one way or the other. Hopefully, a few closely spaced oil changes would do the trick. However, the key is getting is all out. Make that call. Short Ribs Short Ribs, Thanks for the advice. I called the dealer that's been doing the work on it and I'll take her in tommorow. I called today, but the mechanic who took my call could not have sounded less concerned and wouldn't give me a chance to describe the problem in detail. Gave me the standard, "we have too many bikes right now and we'll get to it when we get to it, just drop it off and shut up" crap. I need to talk to the shop manager (who I usually deal with.) He'll be back next week. Until then I think I'm SOL. My problem is that these are the same guys who put the stroker in in the first place. Since then (2 years) I've already had to take it back in for a flattened piston head and before that a head gasket. They just rebuilt it and it's at 500 miles and now it's messed up again. In addition to all of this, I'm headed to Iraq June 1st. So, I might have to end up just giving up and leaving it sit like this for a year and a half. I know that I brought a lot of this on myself by getting the stroker, but I never thought it would break down this often. T > Thanks for the advice. > [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > T I'm not convinced it's the stroker issue. I don't know your dealer or his work but there are a lot of folks riding properly set up strokers without the horror stories you've related. It's seems particularly egregious to me that you're having these problems while getting ready to go to Iraq, but bad luck is a Bitch no matter how you slice it. Do some checking around with friends and road buddies. See if they have any seemingly reliable advice about the best wrenches in your area. I wish you the best of luck with getting this sorted out. Short Ribs >Short Ribs, > [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > >T Bullshit. I ride an '82 Shovelhead with a 92" stroker kit in it. Once I fixed all the fuckups made by the guy that installed the kit in the first place, the bike has been very reliable. I'd think about draining the oil, pulling the lines off at the pump and flushing the tank and lines with some solvent or kerosene. After that, fill the tank with fresh oil, pull the filter off and place a pan under where it goes. Start the motor and let the pump flush the new oil through the rest of the engine until you get clean oil from the filter adaptor. Install a new filter, top up the oil tank, and you should be good to go. Like someone in here once said, "It ain't rocket science". -- Old Crow "Confusion will be my epitaph '82 FLTC-P "Miss Pearl" As I cross the cracked a broken path." '74 XLH chopper(gone but not forgotten) BS#133, SENS, TOMKAT, MAMBM "There's only 1 RE" > I called the dealer that's been doing the work on it and I'll take her > in tommorow. > My problem is that these are the same guys who put the stroker in in > the first place. Since then (2 years) I've already had to take it back [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > I know that I brought a lot of this on myself by getting the stroker, > but I never thought it would break down this often. You've been given a lot of advice here, unfortunately most of it is just feel good sh.t. The real truth of the matter is, you've gotten one of the few bikes that don't have a stroker soul buried in them. It can't be bought, or installed in any way. Some bikes just don't have it. Your only solution is to get rid of it because it is ruined for eternity. For a few bucks for gas I'll come over with my truck and haul the damn thing away so you won't be bothered with it anymore. Sheeeeeesh, I can't believe nobody else has offered to do the right thing. I hate to see someone suffer with a bike that doesn't have any love in it. Ping me with your addy and a good time to stop by, and we'll take care of the problem. SignatureLarry, SENS, DOF# 29, SLOB# 14, BS#(pending) Always ready to lend a helping hand. > My trips have usually been 25 miles each way and 50-70 per trip over > the winter. I haven't been making that many short trips and I always [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > So, any ideas on what I can do to get rid of the condensation? NOT GOOD. Sounds like ya gotta serious problem with yer oiling system if the oils' cold in the tank when the engine's hot. I'd stop ridin it, getta manual an start flushin things out. Good luck. That's thirsty work ya know. -- Shag BS#245 The "Go here: http://rmhfaq.com " Slug '35VLD, '42EL, '78FLH, '88FLHTC, '04FLHTCI Pull the plug to reply <ted.hogan@gmail.com> wrote in message <snip> > This stuff is really, really thick and gooped up on the dipstick > itself... almost like a putty. It's totally grey, with no hint of [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Thanks, > T An oil cooler with a drain petcock! Yep, that'll do it. The oil cooler will cause the condensate to freeze in a remote location where it can not harm your engine. Then before the next ride you just open the petcock and drain the water from the cooler and you're ready to ride away. Signature"frito" Fred Snetzer '01 FLHT, '97 M2 TOMKAT IBA #10549 BS #162 http://users.ipa.net/~frito/ http://eddiekieger.com/ Thanks for the advice guys... except for the one offering to pick her up! <VBG> I have an oil cooler on it. I'm putting her in the shop Tuesday. Meanwhile I was thinkin that maybe because I have the oil cooler (which is new this winter) and I have been riding in cold temps (25-35 f), maybe that's got something to do with the condensation.... I'm going to flush it a couple of times with car oil and then slap a new filter and fill her up with synth oil. That should do the trick (I hope). Thanks for the specifics Old Crow... T > Thanks for the advice guys... except for the one offering to pick her > up! <VBG> That would be me. I still think it would be your best course of action. I won't even ask for much, maybe a couple hundred just to cover expenses. Hell, just send me your addy and a time when you ~won't~ be home, and i'll do it for free.<efg> SignatureLarry, SENS, DOF# 29, SLOB# 14, BS#(pending) "It can be clean, or ridden, but not both in the same day." 2006 FLHTCI 2005 XL883L Thanks for the responses so far. FYI - It's a 1999 H-D FLHT w/ a JIM 116 Stroker. Do you guys think it could be aluminum? Thanks, T >Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this one before.... > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] >Thanks, >T Signaturethe heekster, BS#4, preposterous >Just wondering if anyone has ever seen this one before.... > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > >Thanks, You do lots of short rides, and the bike never gets fully warmed up. You are getting water condensing inside your oil tank. Only thing I know of that makes gray gunk in the oil. You need to take your bike to someone who knows what they are doing, and have your oil changed and the tank flushed. Make damn sure you get the tank flushed. The engine is dry sump, and unless you rode thru Katrina, there shouldn't be any water in there. In order to prevent future occurences, ride the bike for at least an hour, non stop, every day. Two hours would be better. You see where I'm going with this? Signaturethe heekster, BS#4, preposterous You didn't mention what kind of scoot of your ride. Is it a V-Rod or a metric? I suspect it's one of the two. If so, you have a blown head gasket or a warped head. Water from your coolant is getting into your engine oil causing the "emulsified" thick oil (greyish to white in color). -- Jake |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2010 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.