| Author | Message | ||
     Maximum |
What was I to do? I just can't help myself. I had a little time on my hands...combined with an '06 airbox sitting on the shelf collecting dust...  Combine those things with one of these...  And what do you get? An experiment!  It's what I like the call the "Half Open Airbox". For those of you not as optimistic as me...you can call it the "Half Closed Airbox".   Of course while doing a little airbox work...you might as well do a little Breather reroute too.   And if you are going to reroute the Breather...well you need to figure out how to plug the holes in the bottom of the Airbox base.  I used a 12" 1/4"-20 treaded rod (cut to size), 4 rubber fender washers, 4 steel fender washer, 2 lock nuts, and 4 standard nuts.  Put the filter back on...drill a couple holes in the top airbox for the treaded rod to pass through...and secure with a couple rubber laminated washers and a couple cap nuts.  Reinstall my under the Airbox Cover XM antenna (as seen in a previous mad experiment post)...and there you have it!  How is the performance you ask? Well, honestly...I don't know...I haven't taken her out for a ride yet. But I will tell you that my imaginary wind tunnel test has confirmed that this mod will provide more air flow without the fear of opening a direct shot for rain. Maybe a Vented Airbox Cover is in order? I may need to readjust the fuel map a little, but ECM Spy makes that pretty easy! Oh yeah...I almost forgot (not really)...this is how I terminated the breather.  I wouldn't mind added a catch can like the Drummer version...but I really would like to figure out a way to catch without spending $130, and preferably I would like one that does not look Butt ugly either! Anyone one have any ideas? Maybe one that would mount to that horizontal support bar to the right of my breather filter. I think that this was the least expensive mod I have ever done. The airbox mod cost about $10 for hardware from Home Depot...and the Breather mod was about $20 from Advanced auto parts. I could have done the Breather mod for a little less, but I purchased all new 3/8" hose so I could keep my original hose...just in case I ever want to revert back to stock. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I've been thinking a simple "Y" connector and some rubber tubing would work. My thought is to run the down portion of the tube into one side of the Y with the other portion leading to the filter. At the bottom single leg of the Y simply install a small valve. to dump spooge. The only concern is how much spooge you collect. If there is quite a lot of spooge, it will block the up tube to the vent filter. I guess if you dumped it every fill up, you'd probably be fine. | ||
| Treadmarks |
I've been thinking a simple "Y" connector and some rubber tubing would work. My thought is to run the down portion of the tube into one side of the Y with the other portion leading to the filter. At the bottom single leg of the Y simply install a small valve. to dump spooge. Thats exactly what I installed last year. It works well enough collecting maybe a few teaspoons between oil changes. I have the vent under my seat, but it is starting to smell like oil fumes under the seat. Not that it really matters, but I would like to try it with the vent in the breeze yet safe from the rain. | ||
| Bigkuri |
Maybe a silly question, but why not just dump it out a waste tube like fuel overflow? Environmental reasons? Gets on your rear tyre?? | ||
| Hoon |
My breather goes into an upside-down shampoo bottle with flip-top lid so I can just empty it with minimal hassle. It does collect a fair bit of 'sploodge' on a long,high speed run. I'd take a picture to post for you but as you can imagine,it's not pretty. (I'm sure you could come up with a good looking,free/cheap catch can if you thought about it-a favorite beer brand can?.) | ||
| Ratbuell |
Guinness all the way. You could even tell your "friends" it's a Guinness inside. Oh, the laughs as they take a swig.... | ||
| Wolfridgerider |
Maybe a silly question, but why not just dump it out a waste tube like fuel overflow? Environmental reasons? Gets on your rear tyre?? Thats what I do. I have it dump/drain in front of the exhaust outlet so it gets blown away from the bike. | ||
| Froggy |
I had the open airbox and the carbon fiber cold air intake cover. Thats about as close to a direct shot of rain as you can get, and i only had issues if i rode for several hours in heavy rain. Even then it was fine, just a sneeze here and there. | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
What line up method did you use to drill the 2 holes on top for the 1/4 threaded rod? | ||
| Maximum |
EG: Primarily I used my calibrated Eyeball! Although I did run a 6" socket extension up from the under side of the breather holes (fairly good fit) to help the eyeball a little. The exact spot is actually about 3/8" south...right where there is a ridge in the plastic. With the breather holes being large...there is enough room to be off center some. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I thought you were all freaked out about screwing up the base plate. Long winters makes one do crazy things.  | ||
| Hoon |
Wolfridgerider, That's a clever idea-lateral thinking at it's best. | ||
| Teeps |
What type of 3/8" hose was used? | ||
| Hoon |
Ok,I said I wouldn't bother but I was out on the bike today,had the camera with me anyway and I'm a post wh#re/tart. Here ya go-ratty breather catch-can:  Btw,Maximum, How many cutting discs did it take to get through your airbox cover?(I find them really brittle and easily snapped) Also looking forward to hearing what the mod does to performance. | ||
| Maximum |
Teeps: I forget what they call it...but it is the hose that came in boxes of 2' that the sales guy took me to when I asked for 3/8" breather hose. It was in the same section as all of the plastic connectors. Hoon: I actually got through the entire job with one cutting disc. I even cut the 1/4" rod down to size with it too! So far I am liking how the bike is running...but I don't know if it is the airbox, or the breather mod, or the new Xopti maps that I have been working with. I may try to swap back the '07 airbox at some point to see if there is any change. | ||
| Jackbequick |
"..Anyone one have any ideas? Maybe one that would mount to that horizontal support bar to the right of my breather filter..." The following concept is cheap, not ugly and worked for me on my then M2, and is still working for me on my now Dyna. http://users.adelphia.net/~jackerbes/Buell/breathe r.html The key concept is that the small piece of vinyl tubing inserted from the bottom acts as a standpipe and lets the canister of the gas filter serve as the holding tank. And the filter element traps some of the oil mist on the way through. It still will have a little oil vapor in the outlet air stream but it was not very much at all in my experience. Disclaimer: A similar approach did not work for another person, you results may vary, the box may not appear to be very full, the good looking blonde is not necessarily going to turn out to be the best choice, etc., etc. Nice piece of work above, I love seeing things like this. Any problems using with the Garmin receiver there? Getting any fading from signal shading by your body or things like that? Jack | ||
| Maximum |
Nice idea Jack. The XM deal works pretty good. My signal meter does go down to 1-2 bars when I am traveling in a heading around 330-350 (NNW), and the signal does fade a little in this direction. But I think that my ProTaper bars cause me to cover the antenna more than stock bars would...because I can lean back as far as possible and the meter returns to a full three bars (when heading NNW). But I really like it being out of sight, and will probably keep it there (unless I find a better way). | ||
| Teeps |
Maximum, The reason I ask the type of hose is; over time, standard heater hose will react with the oil vapor and swell. I found 3/8" braided breather line at a hotrod shop, but it cost $50 for 6 feet... | ||
| Hoon |
Here's my short photographic study of English crankcase breathers,taken at last weekends UKBEG meet:        Not Ulys but I thought you might be interested. | ||
| Maximum |
I like the one in the last picture...any idea what it is? | ||
| Hoon |
Sorry,no idea. If I see the owner again I'll try and get some details. | ||
| Hoon |
Here's a link to the responses I got when I asked about the can in the last picture: http://www.ukbeg.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file= viewtopic&p=381039#381039 Seems it was a homemade mod,the posted video at the end is interesting-shows what is going through the engine with the standard breather set-up. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
Hoon, knobish question. What are the circular "plates" above the inspection plates on several of those bikes? | ||
| Hoon |
They're tax discs-'road fund license',£64 for 12 months for a 1200cc bike. Unfortunately the government doesn't spend enough of it on the up-keep of the roads for our liking. Amusingly,England being quite antiquated (old fashioned) still,it says 'Bicycle' on the tax discs of motorcycles for the class of vehicle. | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
I figured that you guys liked caviar and simply wanted to show off your favorite brand by strapping the empty cans to your bikes. Of course in your case, there would be a desiccated sturgeon carcass strapped somewhere on there in addition. | ||
| Hoon |
Yeah,like this:  | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
If you look at the second photo on this review of the XT you'll see that you can buy a canister from Buell. http://www.motorcycledaily.com/25march08_2008_buel l_ulysses_xb12xt_p1.htm | ||
| Treadmarks |
I added an improved catch can to the Uly, as my hose and "Y" trap just didn't cut it. Added an extension to allow the intake port to discharge near the bottom and as far as possible from the outlet port.  Then added a layer of scotchbrite to catch more liquid.  You would not believe how much spooge/water comes out of the can now. |
