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Need some ideas

01xl1200c

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Have a 2001 XL 1200c picked up a few years ago, first year runs and starts without issue since then oil has been coming from cylinder breathers that dump into the air breather, after riding it saturates the air filter to the point the oil will start to cover the oil tank, after parking from riding it will start dripping from air filter onto exhaust, oil tank has not been over filled and oil gets changed every year, appears to be coming from both cylinders.
 
My 16 XL1200C is in the shop right now for warranty work to correct your same issue. I'll writeup what they found and how they corrected it once the bike is back, possibly Thursday or Friday.

In the meantime run a compression check and a leak down check. The dealership did on mine and she failed - mileage is at 7500 and just a year old.

btw, welcome to the forum.
 
Oil gets changed "every year"? How many miles do you put on the clock every year? do you use full synthetic or conventional oil? Oil viscosity will break down eventually and cause blow by.
 
How many miles on the clock? has it been consuming more oil?(burning oil) Sounds like the oil rings are bad. If you have an oil pressure gauge what does it read? maybe the oil pressure relief valve is sticking and your building too much pressure. Just a thought.
 
Is there any oil on the outside of the air cleaner case, specifically on the side nearest the engine, or is there oil only inside where the filter is?
 
Compression test and leak down test are in order. Could be breathers blocked but more likely poor ring seal. A top end job may be in order but maybe venting to the atmosphere will solve the problem; leak down test will tell the tale.;)
 
Turned out to be a defective piston ring. They could not tell if it was actually defective or if just misinstalled, but it scored the cylinder. Their solution was a new piston/cylinder kit.

Their explanation was that as the piston descended and compressed the air/oil mix in the case the defect allowed the mix to be forced above the piston. As the piston rose and the intake valve opened the mix was then forced back down the intake manifold to the air filter. Seems reasonable, but since the repair is on their dime I'll take their word for it.

As for your issue, could well be worn rings allowing the air/oil mix past the rings. Solution is a top-end job, back to specifications.

As an aside, please don't post the same question in different threads. OK?
 
"Their explanation was that as the piston descended and compressed the air/oil mix in the case the defect allowed the mix to be forced above the piston. As the piston rose and the intake valve opened the mix was then forced back down the intake manifold to the air filter. Seems reasonable, but since the repair is on their dime I'll take their word for it. "

Nice sounding explanation, but not the way engines work. Good that you got it fixed, but not by the person that gave you that story I hope.
 
I think I would explain it as when the fuel/air mix ignites the gasses quickly expand and drive the piston down the cylinder however if there are damaged or badly fitting rings some of that expanding gasses can push past the piston and pressurise the crank case the excess pressure in the crankcase will push any oil there out of the breather

Brian
 
"They" blew you smoke with their explanation. They got the combustion sequence mixed up.
But since they are repairing it under warranty, all is well.
 
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