Oil in airbox

**Sean Kelly** · #1 12 Sep 2002

Hi

For some reason, my R80GS has started blowing engine oil into the airbox - I assume through the breather. Oil and filter were changed recently.

Any ideas as to cause or cure?

Cheers

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Sean

**nobby** · #2 12 Sep 2002

hi sean
if you take your air filter out look on the bottom of the air filter housing there is a bolt which holds the housing to the gearbox it is right in the middle of the housing if that has come out the oil from gearbox in to the air filter
chheeerrss
chris

**Timo** · #3 13 Sep 2002

Normally, the oil would be routed into the intake tubes for the carbs, then burned in your cylinders. It may just be that a tube from the breather has gotten loose and is dripping into the air box where it creates a disconcerning oil slick out the back and sides of the transmission case. I removed my breather vent tubes and installed a small K&N filter into the breather hole. I was told it would soak up the oil that comes out the breather, but it doesn't catch it all, and I have the above leakage. I am not sure what is normal in terms of oil venting. Are you sure you didn't over fill the oil slightly? I have heard from some that this condition will occure with the oil topped up, but goes away as you get down a bit - makes sense. All the airheads that I have owned have passed a bit of oil out the breather.

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**Sean Kelly** · #4 16 Sep 2002

Thanks guys

I'll check these ideas out. Just got to Istanbul, so will spend a day on maintenance and see what I can find. The oil level was a little high when I checked.

Cheers

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Sean

**dc lindberg** · #5 8 Oct 2002

I got fead-up with the muck in my carbs so I rerouted the crank-vent. On my R100 the size of the rerouting hoose was just a tiny bit too slim... I got a new oil-compartment, "air-oil" so to speak.

You do have two options, as they say.
a) gearbox leaking up (the most common)
b) crank-vent leaking (poor installation or cracked hooses).

Wish I could post a jpg of my rerouting for you. Send me you e-mail and I'll send you a jpg of it - may give you some ideas.

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Albert Lindberg, D.C.
heal@ebox.tninet.se

**Grant Johnson** · #6 8 Oct 2002

Albert, if you have a website you can link to the picture in the site - see the FAQ for details - link to it at the top of the post.

Otherwise send me the jpg and I can post it in the tech section.

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

**John Ferris** · #7 8 Oct 2002

Just one more thing. You said you replaced the airfilter. Was it a paper filter? or a filter that you oil?
I use a Uni foam filter that you oil. The package said to spray the filter until it was soaked, I did. For the next few hundred miles I had oil in my air-box.

**Grant Johnson** · #8 8 Oct 2002

You should always squeeze all the excess oil out after oiling a foam filter!

The idea is to thoroughly soak the filter to ensure that every bit is coated with oil. THEN squeeze the excess out. Firmly. When travelling, I can do the job with one film can of oil, working it round and resoaking and catching the drip in the can. Messy.

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Grant Johnson

Seek, and ye shall find.
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One world, Two wheels.
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

**ChrisK** · #9 9 Oct 2002

Hi, very common to get oil in the airbox, they all do it Gov. Most common cause is engine breathing and not a problem, you said you had just changed oil and filter, could be you over filled. Gear oil is easy to chech as it will smell different and it should not be black. Where are you now, I am in Goreme heading for Syria in a few days or so also travelling on an R80 G/S