| Author |
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Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Monday, July 04, 2005 - 04:10 pm: | 
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RT
Thanks! I was wondering what happened to cause them to be side by side, my preview screen had them stacked like they are now.
-Mike |
Tripp
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 05, 2005 - 04:02 pm: |
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looks great mike! i ended up using the button head(?) screws on mine which are a little easier on the eyes but still huge and shiny! |
Bluzm2
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 05, 2005 - 07:49 pm: |
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Tripp, do you have the part number for the button heads?
I have them on my S2 but I have the "ugly" bolts on the M2.
I no longer have the part number.... |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 05, 2005 - 11:58 pm: |
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Thanks Tripp.
I think when I black out my engine I'll use a semi gloss like you have used. That crinkle sure dirties up fast! I haven't even riden the thing yet... |
Tripp
| | Posted on Wednesday, July 06, 2005 - 02:43 pm: |
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brad i'll get the numbers off the parts bags they came in when i get home tonight.
 |
Tripp
| | Posted on Thursday, July 07, 2005 - 08:11 am: |
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could'nt find the bags, i think they must've been loose in the box when i got them, my receipt says
868A hex screw, i got them sent to me from dave stueve from appleton, they were 4.50ea. |
Bluzm2
| | Posted on Thursday, July 07, 2005 - 02:27 pm: |
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Thanks Tripp, I'll ping Dave. |
Tripp
| | Posted on Sunday, July 17, 2005 - 07:37 pm: |
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here's the finished product on mine, it works well, i'm glad i did it.
(Message edited by tripp on July 17, 2005) |
Tripp
| | Posted on Friday, August 12, 2005 - 11:26 am: |
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here's more on the subject:
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/47623/55910.html?1083251044 |
Turnagain
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 08, 2006 - 08:26 pm: |
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José's write-up from the (defunct) dcbrag site: The benefit of doing this is greatly improving the engine’s breathing ability and therefore reducing the amount of oil puking out of the heads, a subject near and dear to every Sportster/Buell owner. A side benefit is the “cool factor” of having new XB parts on you old tube frame Buell.
The pictures below helps to explain why this new cover works better than the old one. First you are getting rid of the spacer, eliminating one more gasket that could leak, but more importantly it gets rid of the tiny return hole (2) and replaces it with a bunch of empty space in the top of the head.. Second, the PCV valve is much larger than the little flapper valve used previously so it can handle more volume in each head. Third, the air oil mixture only has to go up through top of the head through the PCV valve and never return, where the old design had to go through a wandering route as shown in this figure from the service manual, increasing the chances of oil pooling and puking when the engine decides to push the oil out of the breather bolt.
The old way
The New Way
Here are the parts that you will need:
17605-00YB Rocker cover, front head $39
17642-02A Rocker cover, rear head $39
17606-00YA Grommet, Viton, Black $2.95 each (need 2)
17607-00Y PCV Valve, $6.90 each (need 2)
868A Hex Socket Button Head Screw, $4.75 each (need 2), not shown
The only special tool that you really need is a cut down 3/16” hex wrench. Take a regular hex wrench and cut off about ½ inch of the short side of the wrench. What this allows you to do is to remove the hex bolts that are obstructed by the frame on the rear cylinder.
After removing the fuel tank, you might want to consider removing the top and the front two tie bars and the front motor mount to rotate the engine down away from the frame to give you more space to work in. Don’t forget to put a jack under the engine so it doesn’t drop on you when you undo the front motor mount. Slowly lower the engine using the jack until the motor mount gets close to the front tie bar frame member. I found that the extra space to work with was helpful.
The operation is basically take off the four bolts holding the covers, remove the cover and the spacer, then install the new XB cover and bolt it down with the same four screws. The only two clearance issues that I ran into were the front cover and the front motor mount and the rear PCV valve and the Fuel tank.
Now, what do you do about the old breather holes in the head? Just use the two button head screws that you have not used yet to replace the old breather bolts, remembering to use thread sealant on these bolts.
For the front cover, I shaved away some material from the front left corner of the rocker box cover so it would clear the front motor mount during installation. On my bike a friend of mine had cut down the edges of the head hex bolt in that corner to provide further clearance when removing and installing the covers. You can also completely remove the front motor mount, but I did not want to mess with it.
For the rear PCV valve, I found that by pointing it towards the rear of the bike and some creative filing there is just enough clearance between the top of the PCV valve and the bottom of the tank on my S3. I’ll keep an eye on this area to see if further modifications are needed.
Finally, you can send the two hoses separately or tied together like I did into a catch can, or just into the ground like I did here, next to the tank vent. This will ensure that the side stand switch and hinge are always properly lubricated!
So that’s it! The fun part now will be to see how long it takes your Buell friends to notice that your bike just looks “different” somehow.
(Message edited by turnagain on February 08, 2006) |
Buellistic
| | Posted on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 07:43 am: |
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Put "BLAST" PVC valves in my stock(97S3T) valve covers in 2000 !!! |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 02:25 am: |
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How come I have so much more blow by now that I've switched out to XB rocker covers?
Breather lines run along left side of the frame to a small filter at my tail. When I run the bike hard I get that foamy oil dripping onto my hugger fender and running down to the swing arm. At some point it will either get to my tire or brake and I'll be hosed.
Will drilling the hole (bigger) in the rocker box to allow more oil to drain back down help this?
Thanks,
-Mike |
Jackbequick
| | Posted on Sunday, March 26, 2006 - 09:30 am: |
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I'd think the difference may be that you are venting the blowby earlier and is more laden with oil mist. With the stock vent, more oil probably collects in the more convoluted path through the covers and passages on the way out.
That hole is draining the oil that accumulates in that low spot in the center section, I doubt that making it any bigger would change anything much.
There seems to be more oil mist in the breather system than I suspected, even on a low mileage bike that does not get ridden real hard.
I'm still using the original covers and breather exits on my M2 with the home made gas filter & catch can I came up with last year. The end of the exit tube from the filter was just below the foot peg mounting boss last year. I noticed a light film of oil on the muffler, the exhaust exit, and on the frame in that general area when I was working on it this winter. I put a slightly longer tube on that so that it hangs down about as low as the bottom of the muffler to see if that will reduce the oil accumulation in that area.
I also had leaking rocker box gaskets last year so some of the oil film may have been from that too. I have the new style gaskets in place now and they are holding good after a few short rides.
Jack |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 12:17 am: |
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I was hoping to not have to bother with a catch can but it's looking like I may have to after all... |
Jackbequick
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 08:20 am: |
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It looks like oil mist is going to be there whenever the engine is running, the choices boil down to keeping it off the bike somehow or trapping it.
I don't know how your vent tube is arranged now but you might find it interesting if you pick up one of those small gas filters, rigging it with a standpipe like I did on that one on mine, and plugging it into the end of the vent line for awhile. It will give you a better idea how much oil is being discharged there.
I've only put about 100 miles on mine (totally degreased, new rocker gaskets) with a new filter/catch can and the longer/lower vent tube. Nothing visible down there yet but time will tell.
My filter only actually captured a small about of oil in about 2,000 miles last year, maybe only an ounce or so.
Jack |
Blake
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 01:27 pm: |
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If an engine is exhibiting excessive blow-by, no breather system is going to be able to solve that problem. Seek to attack the cause, not the symptom. To start, you might want to have a compression and leak-down test performed. Pending outcome of that investigation, you may find that a top-end refreshment is in order. |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 01:46 am: |
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Ah, thanks Blake. I think my dad has the tools for that. If that's all good, THEN I'll figure out a catch can set up. |
Blake
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 11:07 am: |
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Let us know what you find. 
PS: Be sure to perform those tests with the engine at/near normal operating temperature. |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 04:36 am: |
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So I added some oil the other day, I was concerned about all the goo been coming out... No more blow by showing up. I have not done a compression/leakdown yet. Sure is odd though that I added oil and stopped loosing it. |
Jackbequick
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - 03:48 pm: |
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Mike,
How much oil did you add?
I'm about to add some oil to my M2. I did a warm up ride and a oil and filter change when I first started riding this spring and I've got about 700 miles on it since.
I was just on the tip of the dipstick when I did the oil change (2 quarts) and now it looks like it will take 6 ounces or so to bring it back up to there.
It makes me nervous to add oil because of the overfill consequences. If its using oil I can't see where it is going. Just a little in the breather/catch can, nothing on the bike or garage floor, and not smoking at all.
Were you trapping your goo? Got any idea of the volume of it?
Jack |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 07:29 pm: |
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No idea how much goo. I was using my carbon fiber sub fender and the rear swing arm as a capture device 
The bike sat from Nov. 04 to Sept. of 05. I wonder if there was a lot of condensation inside the engine.
I added about 1/3 of a quart to bring it up just past the lower line on the dip stick. I find I get overfill blow-by if I fill to the top line.
The engine was pretty warm when I added the oil, I wanted to make sure I didn't over fill it. I actually checked it hot cause I thought maybe I had previously overfilled it.
-Mike |
Jackbequick
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 08:19 pm: |
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When I change the oil on mine, new filter and 2 quarts of oil, the oil just touches the bottom of the dip stick with a piece of 2x4 under the sidestand. That is my bench mark.
In the last 700 miles, my oil level has dropped almost an inch below that and I don't see any evidence of leaks, excessive discharge from the breather, or smoking.
Today, as an experiment, I added oil until it hit my benchmark again and it took 15 ounces.
I ran it at a 2,000 RPM fast idle for about 10 minutes (oil cap off), am getting normal return flow, and the level stayed at the bench mark. So I'm confused as to where the oil went.
I did notice as I was fooling with it today, that if I put the oil cap on it (still running at that fast idle) pressure builds in the oil tank. There is a definite pressurization "pop" if I put it on for 15 seconds or so and then pull the cap off. I wonder if that pressure buildup is normal?
Now that I know about the pressure build up, I'm sort of freaked about the consequences of going for a ride with the 15 ounces added. So, in the morning, I am going to warm it up again and drain the oil just to see how much oil is actually in it.
I guess I'll "treat" it to a 700 mile oil change to figure this out.
Jack |
Ocbueller
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 12, 2006 - 09:08 pm: |
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Jack,
My 1997 S1 has taken 2qts. w/ a filter change since new. Now has 20,000+miles.
My 1999 X1 takes 2 1/2 due to an oil cooler. 7000mi. I would do just as you say and check what comes back out, just to be sure. If it is using that much oil, then it is time for new rings and/or valve seals? Good Luck
SteveH |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Saturday, April 15, 2006 - 02:55 am: |
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Never mind, I am blowing oil again. Gonna borrow the compression test tool tomorrow afternoon.
-Mike |
Pellis
| | Posted on Monday, April 24, 2006 - 08:24 pm: |
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try this:
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/47623/55910.html?1083251044 or this
http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/3842/34533.html?1145084134 |
Littlebuggles
| | Posted on Monday, May 15, 2006 - 01:42 am: |
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So the shop shows a 10% leak down on the front cyl and 8% on the back. The said 5-10% is normal and the cylinders should be close in percentage to one another, as mine are.
I think maybe you all have tried the whole drill out the return drip hole in the upper cover prior to swapping out the covers, cause while I ride aggressively I'm not the roughest riding guy I know.
I'll probably rig up a fuel filter style catch can this week to keep from having to wash my sub-fender every other ride. When I have time to tear down the bike I'll open up the rocker covers and open up the return path out of the covers (back down to the engine).
Maybe I will do my fork springs at the same time... |
Buellkowski
| | Posted on Monday, July 24, 2006 - 06:10 pm: |
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A hearty thanks to the BadWeB and its participants in this thread, especially Jose! I just completed my own XB rocker box swap on my S3T and owe a lot to those who went before me and were willing to share their experiences. Call me a wimp, but I couldn't bear the hot jet of oily air blowing on the inside of my right thigh anymore, so performing the XB mod seemed the right thing to do since I was replacing those failed gaskets anyway. It took about $175 in parts and a few hours over the weekend to get 'er done. The parts guy at Cycle Barn H-D in Lynnwood, WA had never heard of such a mod before.
I found it unnecessary to undo the motor mounts, but did find it helpful to remove the horn and ignition wires for the front rocker assy. So far, no puking after a half-hour test ride last night.
One question: did any of you bother to plug the hole in the airbox where the rear breather tube used to enter? |
Tripp
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2006 - 03:53 pm: |
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yes, the 868a hex screw |
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