[streetrodracer]

Recently had to install a new battery so with airbox off I did some due diligence intake tract clean up, oil breather catch bottle and intake valve decarbonization so since lots of you guys are locked out of riding due to winter figured you might appreciate a fun little low cost winter project that reaps great rewards for the upcoming riding season -

 

[TEAZZR]

I'm right there with ya. Got about 1/2 of things in the works. Repacked Mufflers, Fluid flush, oil change, cleaning K&N Air filters, Belt check , ect.😀😀

 

[streetrodracer]

Using the throttle lock to hold throttle wide open I sprayed Startron Carbon eliminator into each intake tract and top of all 4 intake valves - all the intake valves allowed cleaner to pool so engine shuts down in that position -
Using large lockable industrial forceps with rounded tips ( so no scratching intake tract or valve heads ) I locked pieces of clean new shop rag into the jaws and went down each intake tract cleaning off oil and carbon around the valve bowls -
Over a couple days I let decarbonizer chew at soft & hard carbon deposits on the valves, as usual left fwd valve is worst, fully cleaning out all areas - removing loose debris with shop rag strips on forceps keeps abrasive carbon out of the piston and ring area -
After cleanup I modified a see thru vitamin bottle with holes in the lid, a length of heat bent nylon tubing and tee shirt material for a lid vent filter and using oil resistant RTV, sealed the hose into the oil separator vent outlet and bottle base in place in the airbox, using a final metal lock type nylon Tyrap to attach the oil storage bottle to the H-D oil separator.
Works great, and very low cost - not seeing any oil in the airbox or inlet tract so far so I'm sure they will remain clean, dry and oil contamination free.
Tip - be sure to remove H-D oil separator cap by depressing two push locks with small straight tip screwdrivers, clean sep pads of oil, dry, re-install and oil resistant RTV the cap back on to keep oil from spitting out of the cover gap into the airbox.

 

[Shep762]

Wow those valves came out really nice. I just cleaned mine as well but I simply sprayed about half a can of AC Delco top end cleaner through them while having it running. It cleaned off the deposits but it doesn't look as nice as yours

 

[streetrodracer]

Shep762 - yea the soaking of the carbon deposits for a couple days with decarbonizing cleaner really breaks it up, plus the wiping with the shop rag strips on the long forceps removes it really well - I wanted to add putting Sea Foam or equivalent in your fuel after the top end cleaning will finish cleaning any minor deposits left on the outside edge of the valves and seats. This really helps smooth airflow thru the valves into combustion chambers, and resulting power recovery is optimum. I'm guessing eliminating vent oil ingestion and removal of carbon deposits has to be worth 3-6 Hp and 5% better fuel efficiency, maybe more depending on how bad it was before. Definitely runs smoother and cleaner.

 

[Shep762]

Shep762 - yea the soaking of the carbon deposits for a couple days with decarbonizing cleaner really breaks it up, plus the wiping with the shop rag strips on the long forceps removes it really well - I wanted to add putting Sea Foam or equivalent in your fuel after the top end cleaning will finish cleaning any minor deposits left on the outside edge of the valves and seats. This really helps smooth airflow thru the valves into combustion chambers, and resulting power recovery is optimum. I'm guessing eliminating vent oil ingestion and removal of carbon deposits has to be worth 3-6 Hp and 5% better fuel efficiency, maybe more depending on how bad it was before. Definitely runs smoother and cleaner.

Good to know! So I thought maybe my bike was running a little rich or something due to these deposits, or maybe the previous owner (I just bought it) never really reved it high enough to shake out any deposit build up... I saw him ride it and it was apparent he was afraid of it... but is it possible that this kind of buildup is actually normal?

 

[frogman_h2o]

has to be worth 3-6 Hp

36 HP

but is it possible that this kind of buildup is actually normal?

Carbon buildup is normal part of combustion

 

[Shep762]

36 HP

Carbon buildup is normal part of combustion

Oh yeah I get that... I've just never seen so much of it on an engine under 10k miles. Anyway let me share with you guys my results with half a can of AC Delco top end cleaner. It's not as polished looking as Streetrodracer but I'm "ok" with the results, it used to have chunks of crud on top of the valves but I didn't get pics of that

 

[frogman_h2o]

not as polished looking as Streetrodracer

True, but he's "special" .......... and maybe a little "anal"................. Old school valve/piston carbon removal requires dripping water into the throttle blades of a hot, running engine for a steam cleaning.

 

[streetrodracer]

36 HP

Frogman you forgot the dot . it's 3.6 Hp - not 36 but maybe your old school steam cleaning will recover 36 if your top ends that bad dirty ! Yes carbon buildup is a normal part of combustion but it really screws up smooth airflow thru the valves at 8999 Rpm - and can create preignition and/or detonation, not good. I used to think a little vent oil would be good for top end, valve stem / seal lube but actually the elimination of the vent oil ingestion is the best quickly done performance improvement - vent oil (along with the fuel) that's where the carbon buildup and oily crud in the intakes comes from - so eliminate the vent oil, run premium fuel, tune your bike properly and get that cork outta ya muffler and she'll run RIGHT !

Shep762 - see if your bike has a fuel tuner on it - when I bought mine seller had taken the open exhaust off it and fuel tuner never reset for stock mufflers so it ran pig rich and wouldn't run over 6000 Rpm without stumbling and stammering. You may be running real rich - your engine should run smooth from idle to 8999 Rpm with no flat spots or stumbling - if not it needs tuned -

 

[Knut J]

worth 3-6 Hp

And I, who thought it would be 3-6Hp = -3Hp..
It is now on my to-do check list when the winter service is to be carried out.
Thank you for the advice.

 

[Nordic Black]

My ride got her new breather setup too during winter service. That original system is just plain s....t and made only the easiest way to meet the EPA or other nonsense. No performance engine ( or any engine for that matter) should inhale its own farts - just mixture of high octane fuel and clean, cool air.
My system consists of Mishimoto baffled oil catch can, some hoses and a reed valve on the outgoing port. The goal is to keep the intake system clean and smooth. My ride just passed the 20 000Km post and no bad carbon buildup or oil fog oriented sludge present.
First start and idle was smoother?
Couple of pics, reed valve is located under air box and not visible here.

 

[streetrodracer]

Great tidy install job Nordic Black ! Exactly what I was ( and still may ) do to mine if my home made oil storage bottle fills up with oil quickly or breather separator still leaks oil into airbox. I heard from Ron here, I think it was, that most oil leaks from the split in the 2 part stock air breather / oil separator that is not sealed with RTV so on my battery swap I sealed it up to see what happens. The JLT is also a good unit and the other one I was looking at - btw where is your outgoing port with the reed valve ? dumps below airbox ? Thanks

 

[Nordic Black]

Thanks streetrodracer! Yep, the original oil/bad breath sprayer works best in the garbage bin.
In my set up the center port is connected to 12mm reed valve which is installed in a 12mm hole in the air box. A snug fit and sealed with PU glue/seal stuff.
And yes, it dumps the outgoing farts just below the horn cover. The hose is just barely visible.
I don`t expect oil drips there, but we`ll see about that after looong 3 months or so!
I had to drill and tap the ports for 3/8" R fitting because there are no 90 deg fittings available for the Mishimoto original M16 x 1,5mm threads

 

[frogman_h2o]

Great tidy install job Nordic Black ! Exactly what I was

WOW.......... suck up much 🤪 ................. seriously, waiting to see what my mods will do for oil control.......... of course I have to keep it on two wheels long enough ........... hope your fix helps

 

[streetrodracer]

WOW.......... suck up much 🤪

Frogman - did you ascend too fast and get the bends again, making you speak baloney before your mind is cleared out and oxygenated again ? 🤣 Sometimes somebody does a great job and deserves a compliment, or are you one of those jealous type biker dudes that just can't do that ? His separator install is exactly what I planned to do during my engine update using a JLT separator can - btw JLT does have 90 degree elbows that can be used with regular tubing & clamps vs wrench on hoses - they may make it a bit easier to install system but careful routing needed to avoid kinking the vent tubing -

 

[frogman_h2o]

Combination of "the bends" and failure to maintain vertical riding position could very well be to blame. Didn't mean to take away from the impressive job Nordic Black did with his mod.