breather re-route worth doing?

[lintoncr]

Was just wondering how the re-route would improve the bike. To me, it seems like the stock breather setup is fine, why would I want to re-route it? Also, if I did the re-route, why would I install a breather filter on the hose, couldn't I just run a hose with no filter or plug on it and just let the gases vent out the hose? Thanks in advance, I just want to know why these things would help, not too proficient with the whole breather thing, haha.

 

[Nationals]

There are quite a few discussions on this site on this topic. use the search box. heres a little help
http://www.buellxb.com/Buell-XB-For...Mods/How-To-Crank-Case-Breather-Mod-with-pics

 

[lintoncr]

I guess I should of said that that's the thread I am referring to, haha.

 

[dave_xb12r]

it costs $25 and its about $250 worth of a performance difference. Heck yeah it's worth doing.

 

[lintoncr]

Here is a link I found about the breather filter, I think if I do the re-route I will just run the hose down to a low part on the frame and be done, just let the hose be the vent. I did this on my Harley which has a carb and it works perfectly; no more oil dripping behind the air cleaner cover on the right side of the engine. Personally I think the breather filter and petcock on the end of the hose is a bit overkill.

http://www.gadgetjq.com/cc_breather.htm

 

[dave_xb12r]

If you put the hose out aiming backwards where wind will hit it, the low air pressure will cause a vacuum to pull the oil out. With a breather up in the wind, air will travel into the breather, and out of the bottom of the hose pulling oil out at well, further venting it better.

 

[HOVERJOCKI]

Is it better to run it straight down by the oil cooler or run it back towards the exhaust?

 

[Stevenc150]

Personally I think the breather filter and petcock on the end of the hose is a bit overkill.

I think it would work fine too, but I did use the breather filter, if for nothing else that I thought it looked pretty sweet. Put it in the space between my seat & seat frame on left side. Ran hose down and zip tied discreetly under left footpeg with the end left open. No probs and I like the look.

And it does help with the off idle stutter & oil spray inside the box. Definitely worth doing.

 

[Koen]

Hey Steven, my bike is suffering from hickups when she's cold. A lot of persons adviced the breather reroute. But since it's a new bike, I'm not to keen on starting to fix things already. LeFox told me just to startup the bike a bit before you drive it, and that's just wat I do, I start her up, take of all the disklocks( god I love the smell of fuell in the morning), put on my gloves and helmet. After that, no more hickups, no need for the reroute.

 

[Stevenc150]

I wasn't just meaning hiccups when it's cold, mine was doing it occasionally after an hour of riding, @ around 3000 rpm I think. After the re-route, I'm hard pressed to remember it happening since.

As far you're having a new bike. The re-route is easy, you learn your way around the bike, looks cool, and you keep vaporized oil out of your intake so it's sucking only clean air.....I can't see any reasons not to do it.

 

[maybebuell]

been running open breather line to the ground on harleys for years and years... problem with the filter is after a while they start getting oily and road grime start sticking to them making breathing harder and harder over time causing gasket weep and leaks on he motor

 

[erkblack]

for all you guys that say this helps. for the rest of us that are up in the air, it would be really nice if you could post dyno sheets sowing us the gain.

 

[maybebuell]

dont think anyone ever said it was a power gain..most talk is about low rpm smoothness ... sputter..or just keeping the airbox clean

 

[Stevenc150]

Doubt you would see much, if any dyno gains. Maybe see a minimal improvement in Air/Fuel ratio since it's breathing only clean air. As far as reasons to do it......

The re-route is easy, you learn your way around the bike, looks cool, cleaner airbox, and you keep vaporized oil out of your intake so it's sucking only clean air.....I can't see any reasons not to do it.

 

[lintoncr]

I did the re-route today, very easy, about $30 total. Instead of routing the line forward by the oil cooler, I ran the line backwards, under the seat by the shock absorber, and down by the left rearset, zip-tied it to the fuel tank vent hose and called it a day. Also, under the airbox I put the "T" connection on top of the rear cylinder instead of the front cylinder since I was routing it to the back anyway. I used the stock vent hoses off the heads, cut the forward one to fit better and used the cut section to loop thru the holes left in the air box, no need to buy extra 3/8" hose. She idled rought for a few min, so I decided to take a ride around the neighborhood; smooth as silk now. My 09 Xb12Ss only has 55 mi on it and I already had oil film in my airbox when I took it apart.

 

[Koen]

Steven, I didn't experience any hickups after riding it for 5 minutes... but your argumenting about clean air, learning the bike, and the clean airbox is rock solid... then again, if i'm fixing it, i aint riding it

 

[erkblack]

the ecm is programed to burn air coming in the bike and if your bike is running poorly at low rpms due to oil coming through the breathers you have a big problem or you should replace the oil separators in the rocker box covers and this sounds like a cheap shade tree fix. i have a o4 firebolt 1200 with around 14k and custom hard tail with a 04 firebolt 1200 motor with around 12k. the fire bolt has stock breather setup and hard tail is setup with the external breather. both run the exact same with no problems.

 

[oxygen151]

My bike has very little hickups off the line and little to no oil in airbox. I have been throwing around the idea of the re-route but I don't think for me its worth it having something to drain and a filter to possibly get blocked up and cause more damage down the road.

 

[Stevenc150]

If you decide to do the re-route, you'll see what crap is getting in your air, whether it be a small or large amount, it's not sucking clean air without the reroute. If you don't do it, it's not going to kill your bike either.

Either way, in the wise, famous words of my father when I told him I was getting my first bike, the Buell XB12S.....

Do whatever the hell you want to!!! That's what you're going to do anyway!

 

[Thaloc]

Man, F u guys. Now im seriously going to go get all this shit and spend prolly HOURS trying to do this mod tonight... Ill use every write up and Tin mans video and prolly still f it up. [mad] Aholes!