I started a NEW THREAD, because the replies I was getting were of no help to me.
As for all you OIL FILTER experts; "Chrome don't get you home", but it sure looks pretty! I still use the K&N 171-C filter.
I run Castrol 20-50 in the summer, and Castrol 10-40 in the dead of winter. The bike runs great. It just SMOKES.
My primary problem is that my rear exhaust smokes when I let off on the throttle, after I have ridden for a while.
I own a 2000 TWIN-CAM, since 2007.
In 2011, I upgraded to S&S509 SOLID CAMS when it was time to replace the cam roller pads. I Love Solid Cams!
In 2018, my transmission slipped into neutral, as I was coming home from North Carolina. I had to have it towed home. I was unable to determine what was causing the failure, so I replaced the transmission with a 2003 Transmission from a wrecked bike.
Because I am a repairman-kinda-person, after I replaced the transmission, I eventually found that a small obsolete spring (only used in 1999 & 2000) in the shifter mandrel had froze up while it was retracted, during a gear change, causing my transmission shifting forks to become stuck in neutral.
I paid $800 for a transmission and new mounting cushions all because a small 25 cent spring had frozen up in a tiny shaft, in my shifting mandrel, inside my transmission.
The bike worked wonderfully since then.
In 2020, I removed the 88ci cylinders and had them professionally bored out to 95ci. Then I re-assembled it.
The bike ran great for 500 mile break-in, then a 500 mile trip to Outer Banks, then back home.
Next trip was 1000 miles to Travis County Texas (Waco/Killeen area), then back home. All was good.
This year has been rough.
1. My FLHR Road King started smoking out the rear exhaust when i let off on the throttle. (Compression is good, rings are good, plugs are good)
2. The FLYWHEEL POSITION SENSOR was going bad, making my bike run rough, until it died at the bottom of a steep hill 200 yards from my driveway.
I replaced that, and the bike ran great for local test rides. Could not believe it was running so well.
3. Then the rear OIL VENT TUBE (inside the air cleaner) cracked and oil covered my motor. (2nd time that has happened in the last 15 years)
No worries! New OIL VENT TUBES came from AMAZON, and I was riding great again, other than the smoking exhaust when I let off the throttle.
I checked down the oil filler cap looking to visually see OIL FLOW while motor was running, and became alarmed when I saw NO OIL FLOWING.
I initially thought oil was no longer circulating, and extra oil was being dumped into my air cleaner, and being burnt out the exhaust.
I was looking for possible causes for the oil to stop circulating.
Checked/Changed the oil filter with no difference. Not burning a "significant" amount of oil (since my last bike was a shovelhead).
Interestingly enough, while the motor was idling, I stuck my finger down the oil filler neck and felt a steady pulse of AIR from that oil line. Just NO OIL.
There was a light coating of dirty oil all over the bottom and sides of my 22 year old motor. I cleaned that up.
I thought the oil line across the top of my transmission was the main oil return line.
I pulled the oil return line from the top rear of my motor, to check for blockage. No blockage.
I feared that my motor was no longer circulating oil.
Today, I pulled my push rods, and opened my CAM COVER to check my OIL PUMP for any damage, blockage, or problems.
As I tried to find/follow the oil return path (from the oil pump to the oil reservoir (under the tranny), I became alarmed to find a wide open rough opening inside the engine case, where that "return" oil hose connects to the engine.
Further investigations led me to determine that this oil line is just an overflow/air VENT between the CAM COVER and the OIL FILLER tube.
I had mistakenly thought this was my main oil return line, and panicked.
Did I make this simple enough, so far?
If I recall correctly, (from back when I replaced the transmission) there are two hidden hoses, between the motor and the tranny, that allow oil circulation.
I can't find a diagram of the oil circulation path in my factory service manual, or online, which is why I joined this forum.
I am guessing that my OIL PUMP is probably functioning normally, and probably circulating the oil properly.
I will just put that all back together.
My next thoughts are that the UMBRELLA VENT in the rear cylinder has probably failed. I will investigate.
I just "freaked out" because I didn't see any oil return coming into the oil filler neck on my transmission.
Other than that; my bike runs great.
My bike just needs to stop smoking up the intersections at Red Lights, or when I pull into my driveway.
I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. You asked me to keep you informed.
Hopefully, my long story eliminated a lot of your random guesses. I'll go put my bike back together, now.
Sleepyjohn
As for all you OIL FILTER experts; "Chrome don't get you home", but it sure looks pretty! I still use the K&N 171-C filter.
I run Castrol 20-50 in the summer, and Castrol 10-40 in the dead of winter. The bike runs great. It just SMOKES.
My primary problem is that my rear exhaust smokes when I let off on the throttle, after I have ridden for a while.
I own a 2000 TWIN-CAM, since 2007.
In 2011, I upgraded to S&S509 SOLID CAMS when it was time to replace the cam roller pads. I Love Solid Cams!
In 2018, my transmission slipped into neutral, as I was coming home from North Carolina. I had to have it towed home. I was unable to determine what was causing the failure, so I replaced the transmission with a 2003 Transmission from a wrecked bike.
Because I am a repairman-kinda-person, after I replaced the transmission, I eventually found that a small obsolete spring (only used in 1999 & 2000) in the shifter mandrel had froze up while it was retracted, during a gear change, causing my transmission shifting forks to become stuck in neutral.
I paid $800 for a transmission and new mounting cushions all because a small 25 cent spring had frozen up in a tiny shaft, in my shifting mandrel, inside my transmission.
The bike worked wonderfully since then.
In 2020, I removed the 88ci cylinders and had them professionally bored out to 95ci. Then I re-assembled it.
The bike ran great for 500 mile break-in, then a 500 mile trip to Outer Banks, then back home.
Next trip was 1000 miles to Travis County Texas (Waco/Killeen area), then back home. All was good.
This year has been rough.
1. My FLHR Road King started smoking out the rear exhaust when i let off on the throttle. (Compression is good, rings are good, plugs are good)
2. The FLYWHEEL POSITION SENSOR was going bad, making my bike run rough, until it died at the bottom of a steep hill 200 yards from my driveway.
I replaced that, and the bike ran great for local test rides. Could not believe it was running so well.
3. Then the rear OIL VENT TUBE (inside the air cleaner) cracked and oil covered my motor. (2nd time that has happened in the last 15 years)
No worries! New OIL VENT TUBES came from AMAZON, and I was riding great again, other than the smoking exhaust when I let off the throttle.
I checked down the oil filler cap looking to visually see OIL FLOW while motor was running, and became alarmed when I saw NO OIL FLOWING.
I initially thought oil was no longer circulating, and extra oil was being dumped into my air cleaner, and being burnt out the exhaust.
I was looking for possible causes for the oil to stop circulating.
Checked/Changed the oil filter with no difference. Not burning a "significant" amount of oil (since my last bike was a shovelhead).
Interestingly enough, while the motor was idling, I stuck my finger down the oil filler neck and felt a steady pulse of AIR from that oil line. Just NO OIL.
There was a light coating of dirty oil all over the bottom and sides of my 22 year old motor. I cleaned that up.
I thought the oil line across the top of my transmission was the main oil return line.
I pulled the oil return line from the top rear of my motor, to check for blockage. No blockage.
I feared that my motor was no longer circulating oil.
Today, I pulled my push rods, and opened my CAM COVER to check my OIL PUMP for any damage, blockage, or problems.
As I tried to find/follow the oil return path (from the oil pump to the oil reservoir (under the tranny), I became alarmed to find a wide open rough opening inside the engine case, where that "return" oil hose connects to the engine.
Further investigations led me to determine that this oil line is just an overflow/air VENT between the CAM COVER and the OIL FILLER tube.
I had mistakenly thought this was my main oil return line, and panicked.
Did I make this simple enough, so far?
If I recall correctly, (from back when I replaced the transmission) there are two hidden hoses, between the motor and the tranny, that allow oil circulation.
I can't find a diagram of the oil circulation path in my factory service manual, or online, which is why I joined this forum.
I am guessing that my OIL PUMP is probably functioning normally, and probably circulating the oil properly.
I will just put that all back together.
My next thoughts are that the UMBRELLA VENT in the rear cylinder has probably failed. I will investigate.
I just "freaked out" because I didn't see any oil return coming into the oil filler neck on my transmission.
Other than that; my bike runs great.
My bike just needs to stop smoking up the intersections at Red Lights, or when I pull into my driveway.
I appreciate your thoughts and suggestions. You asked me to keep you informed.
Hopefully, my long story eliminated a lot of your random guesses. I'll go put my bike back together, now.
Sleepyjohn
