Replacing plastic breather gear

[fxrstew]

Currently, re-building engine on 93 HD FXR. Decided to replace plastic breather gear with metal. While shopping around on web, found several manufacturers offering metal gear ranging from $40 to $110 (S&S).

I never bought the metal gear, so don't know the good from the bad. Can anybody make recommendations?

[FXRS84]

I would stay with a brand that I know, S&S is well know. Are you saying you saw a
S&S breather for as low as $40, that makes for a simple choice. If you were thinking bout getting it before your disassembly, remember wear can cause an enlarged hole,
that may require an oversized gear,

[cwilks]

if this is the cheaper gear your talkin about its fine

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BREATHER-VAL...feae8f&vxp=mtr

[fxrstew]

Yes, that's one of the gears I was looking at.

[BigPeet]

I replaced my breather gear 4 years ago with the S&S reed style. The bike has a lot of miles on it and was blowing excessive oil at high speed. When the cam bearing took a crap I just had him replace the breather gear with the reed style.

Since it doesn't spin like the stock breather, you can install it even if you have a little wear.

I researched it before I did it and found some that said it wasn't nesessary. I have almost 50,000 miles on mine with no problems. I still have a little oil blow out the breathers at extended 85mph+ jaunts, but not like before.

Again, at $100, it was a good investment for an old engine...not sure you could tell the difference in a rebuilt engine with new rings, though.

~Pete

[beardo]

Originally Posted by BigPeet

I replaced my breather gear 4 years ago with the S&S reed style. The bike has a lot of miles on it and was blowing excessive oil at high speed. When the cam bearing took a crap I just had him replace the breather gear with the reed style.

Since it doesn't spin like the stock breather, you can install it even if you have a little wear.

I researched it before I did it and found some that said it wasn't nesessary. I have almost 50,000 miles on mine with no problems. I still have a little oil blow out the breathers at extended 85mph+ jaunts, but not like before.

Again, at $100, it was a good investment for an old engine...not sure you could tell the difference in a rebuilt engine with new rings, though.

~Pete

I was just gonna ask about the reed style S&S. Your's is the first hand testimonial that I have read. Info much appreciated. When on the Interstate, I regularly cruise in the 80-100 range. I'll be upgrading when I stall my cam. Thank you very much! Brian

[Cthulhu]

If you are going to buy that breather gear call them first and see if it comes with the assorted spacers for making up the end play!

[tussuck]

+1 for the S&S Reed Breather. I have several thousand miles on my on and love it!


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[hardheaded]

Originally Posted by tussuck

+1 for the S&S Reed Breather. I have several thousand miles on my on and love it!


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did this stop oil from coming out of your breather? mines still the crankcase kind.

[S&S Cycle]

Our steel breather gear comes with an assortment of steel spacers.

[Thermodyne]

What's wrong with the nylon breather that you have? I've reused them even after they passed bearing rollers and never had an issue. If it's pushing oil a little oil out the vent, then you need to look at the umbrella valves and the scavenge side of the oil pump.

If it's just a question of upgrading, then the S&S reed breather is your only real choice. The metal rotary breathers are not going to work any better than the nylon oem piece.

[johnjzjz]

S&S reed breathers are the best nothing is better and they work on any size evo motor - and they do not need a perfect breather hole to perform perfectly -
they are not shimmed a spring is supplied keep it in place as it does not move like all the rest of them
GOOD CHOICE -- jz

[BigPeet]

Here's another link to the S&S. Has discription on how it works.
Like Thermodyne said, if your rings are good and have no galling in the breather cavity, then the stock one works fine. I got 100,000 miles out of mine and it looked good when I replaced it. I only changed to the reed style because of the high mileage motor and the hope of elimanating some of the misting. And it seems to be working as advertised.

You have one less thing rotating, so that has to be a good thing in itself!

~Pete


http://www.phatperformanceparts.com/..._p/31-2096.htm

[tussuck]

They will NOT stop oil mist coming out the breather tube though. That's just the nature of the Evo beast.


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[BigPeet]

Originally Posted by tussuck

They will NOT stop oil mist coming out the breather tube though. That's just the nature of the Evo beast.


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It might not stop it completely but it will certainly slow it way down on an older motor like mine.

I've had it for 40,000 miles (I said 50,000 earlier but just checked my books).

Again, you might not see the difference in a newly rebuilt motor, but you'll definitely see it on an older motor like mine.

And yes, I put new umbrella valves in it the year before the cam bearing and breather were replaced.

If it was me I'd put the reed style in. (oh yea, it was me!)

~Pete