New Problem, The '04 EVT Valve Cover Milk Shake?

[Tom H]

This bike is starting to get me a bit uummm... Annoyed.

With the help of this board, I think I have my ECU sorted out, A few more .bins to try and see how it does.

Next problem, is my bike water cooled??? Not!

About 2 months ago I pulled my RH valve cover to see if the upgrade to the valve train had been done. Yes it was. Everything was nice and clean in there.

So tonight I pulled the LH valve cover to replace the gasket and what do I find, a milk shake inside the cover. Pulled RH and found the same. The LH breather tube looked OK, but the RH looked clogged. Blew it out with my compressor to hopefully clear it.

I did read this old post: http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=32675.0
as well as a few more posts and it sounds like this is normal??? I was a bit confused with ratguzzi's fix. Is there a more recent fix with the breather hoses? I'm thinking of pulling the hoses from the frame, plugging the frame ports and just routing the breather hoses to the ground.

One step forward, two steps back with this bike. Arrgh!!

Thank you,
Tom

[chuck peterson]

Might that be from cold weather idling in the garage?

[fotoguzzi]

you need to run the beast long enough to get fully heated up at higher revs, like on the hwy.. consistently!

[Dean Rose]

You can't ride a Guzzi for short distances, that motor has to get warmed up to get rid of the condensation.

Dean

[Tom H]

Good thoughts.

The normal trip 5 days a week is about 30-45 minutes of freeway, one way. That should heat it up a bit?

I have been tuning it in the garage. Maye that's the problem?

As the link mentioned about the old bikes, my Ambo and Eldo never had this problem.

Tom

[mtwillyman]

My 2003 Stone is a mayo factory once temp outside gets below 55 degrees. It is cool and wet 8 months out of the year in the North-Wettis. I could ride my Stone for 100 miles in 40-55 degree and wet weather and the mayo still forms. I clean the valve covers once a month. The engine can't come up to full temp most of the year no matter how far I ride. The bike is stock except for an aftermarket crossover. I'll ride it till it dies, ha ha! It's a quirk that I've only seen in this bike. None of my BMW airheads ever did this here. I recommend you clean your valve covers monthly and see how the weather contributes to the mayo, good luck.

[Tom H]

The weather has been fairly cool since I first had the cover off, maybe that's it?

Still, it shouldn't do this.

Guess I need to see what happens when the weather warms up?

Thank you!!
Tom

[Tobit]

In cold weather this happens on my LeMans IV and in the '95 Volvo 850s dipstick tube, which is on the front, right behind the radiator. 

Not a problem.

Tobit

(does this happen with synthetic oil too?  I run dino.)

[Wayne Orwig]

The 'fix' is to ride it on loooong trips.
The blow-by gases in cold weather condense on the cold valve cover. It is normal.


Worry less, ride more.

[Dilliw]

Worry less, ride more.

Yep, Wayne gave me this advice a long time ago and it's worked out great! 

[jetmechmarty]

I ride a 35 year old four cylinder Yamaha.  When it's cold like this, I see mayo in the crankcase.  I concur that it's all normal for cold weather operation, especially for short runs.

[keener]

 never seen this in my Griso 1100
Being in Canada I will ride into the late fall temp being 45 F average ...and I use 10w60 full syn Motul
oil temp 100 c average ...perhaps its the syn motor oil ...?

[Wayne Orwig]

perhaps its the syn motor oil ...?

Hahahahahahahahahah

[Tom H]

Well, I guess I shouldn't worry about it. Still think it's odd that all 3 of my old bikes don't do this. This kinda scared me, thought I had a head gasket leak and the radiator fluid was getting in

Not another oil thread but...... Did I use Dino or Synthetic?

An oil change was done at a dealer before I bought this bike. I called them and it was Motul (Spell) 20W-60 synthetic. I did need to add about a 1/2 quart. I used Shell Rotella T6 5W-40 synthetic. I used the lighter oil per spec for this engine and it was recommended in the archives. Shortly I plan to change the oil and go with the 5W-40 Rotella per spec.

Thanks again!,
Tom

[Stevex]

Sometime last year I removed my LM2's rocker covers to check the valve gaps. The covers inside were clear but mayo fluid started to pour out of the breather hoses. I've since removed the head breather hoses and blanked off the covers and the breather box connections for these hoses.
I think the problem stems from the hoses being at a much lower temp that the engine, possibly not much above ambient, and any moisture in the oil mist condensates in the hoses.
Since I've removed the hoses I've had no mayo in the engine and it breathes fine, through the main crankcase breather; the catchment bottle I use for the breather box exhaust hose never gets mayo in it, just a few drops of engine oil mist.

[Vagrant]

oil is too heavy for the outside temps and it's not ridden long enough to get hot. I saw a lot of Guzzi's in Mn. do it in cold weather and warm too when using 15/50 in the 80's. my Honda civic did it to ( stop and go city driving by wife) but my Guzzi never. I used 10/40 from September to May and never started it unless it was going 100 miles or more. these engines run cool.