airhead oil breather valve disaster..

edray · 02-05-2011, 08:15 PM

first: can't get the damn thing out..
wanted to upgrade to the reed valve.. attempted to pull up and out w/ loops of wire,pipe, frame as fulcrum as previously posted.. then when wires broke, used hooks and loop of cable ...hooks failed, and the kicker: post snapped off old valve...
hmmmm. scoured shop, huge force threw hooks across shop(had duct tape on them so they wouldn't fall down inside if they broke..), found them..but no post. can't see it below valve,etc..realizing that being aluminum, won't be able to fish it out(if its in there..), so will drop oil, and pan and look around.. hopefully it got flung away from the open holes by the force of the break???..
course now gotta get the old one out..so can poke around topside..
as the previous poster a ways back said when he lost his pulling chain thing down there..he didn't wanna be the 3000 dollar breather valve guy..
me neither.
arghhhh.

any pointers..?????
thanks in advance.

PaulRS · 02-06-2011, 03:26 AM

Drill a hole in the plate and screw a fat woodscrew in it.
Lever it out with a clawhammer or similar.

Paul.

bmwrench · 02-06-2011, 05:50 AM

Beg, buy, borrow or steal an automotive dent puller. They usually come with a hook tool that you can slip past one of the windows in the valve. It'll pop right out.

The Raven · 02-06-2011, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmwrench

Beg, buy, borrow or steal an automotive dent puller. They usually come with a hook tool that you can slip past one of the windows in the valve. It'll pop right out.

+1 or a slide hammer.....those things are invaluable on an airhead with seals

Beater · 02-06-2011, 07:47 AM

It's too late now for this ... but ...

1. Go ride for 30 minutes. Get the engine nice and hot.
2. Go buy a can of the 'computer air cleaner' ... the canned 'air' that you blow off keyboards, electrical equip, etc.
3. While the engine is hot, quickly remove everything so get to said valve. Take it's cover off.
4. Hose the CENTER of the valve with the air cleaner. The air cleaner will start getting VERY COLD. Keep hosin.
5. Attach a pair of vice grips to one of the valve legs, and gently begin pulling, no twisting, pull strait up.
6. Keep hosing with the air throughout this.
7. At some point it will *pop* right out.

But for your current problem, I might start to think about a dremel tool and a shop vac. Good luck.

DaveBall · 02-06-2011, 07:48 AM

Even a cheapo slide hammer will work. I bought probably the cheapest slide hammer I could find about 25 years ago. Still works fine. Pulled lots of those breathers out with it. Sometimes, you have to apply a little heat to the engine case to help ease it out, but only a little. I use a small heat gun for that (again, the cheapest one I could find at a hobby store).

Yes, I can be very cheap. That way I can put more $$ in the tank and go for longer rides.

edray · 02-06-2011, 09:45 AM

great options..
now to gather tools..catch my breath and attack.
thanks guys..

dotdash · 02-07-2011, 01:51 PM

I'm the guy who dropped the link trying to pull the breather with a chain. I can smile about it now since I managed to get it out... To get the breather out, I ended up screwing a deck screw through it and prying it out.
If the attachment works, here is a crappy cell phone victory picture from my ordeal.

02-05-2011, 08:15 PM	#1
edray ^OP cascadian Joined: Aug 2010 Location: Behind the Gray Curtain Oddometer: 189	airhead oil breather valve disaster.. first: can't get the damn thing out.. wanted to upgrade to the reed valve.. attempted to pull up and out w/ loops of wire,pipe, frame as fulcrum as previously posted.. then when wires broke, used hooks and loop of cable ...hooks failed, and the kicker: post snapped off old valve... hmmmm. scoured shop, huge force threw hooks across shop(had duct tape on them so they wouldn't fall down inside if they broke..), found them..but no post. can't see it below valve,etc..realizing that being aluminum, won't be able to fish it out(if its in there..), so will drop oil, and pan and look around.. hopefully it got flung away from the open holes by the force of the break???.. course now gotta get the old one out..so can poke around topside.. as the previous poster a ways back said when he lost his pulling chain thing down there..he didn't wanna be the 3000 dollar breather valve guy.. me neither. arghhhh. any pointers..????? thanks in advance.

02-06-2011, 03:26 AM	#2
PaulRS Dutch fool Joined: Apr 2008 Location: Holland, land of tulips and wooden shoes Oddometer: 679	Drill a hole in the plate and screw a fat woodscrew in it. Lever it out with a clawhammer or similar. Paul. __________________ Geht net, gibbet net.

02-06-2011, 07:47 AM	#5
Beater Scope Creep's Victim Joined: Sep 2009 Location: Decatur, GA, USA Oddometer: 2,213	It's too late now for this ... but ... 1. Go ride for 30 minutes. Get the engine nice and hot. 2. Go buy a can of the 'computer air cleaner' ... the canned 'air' that you blow off keyboards, electrical equip, etc. 3. While the engine is hot, quickly remove everything so get to said valve. Take it's cover off. 4. Hose the CENTER of the valve with the air cleaner. The air cleaner will start getting VERY COLD. Keep hosin. 5. Attach a pair of vice grips to one of the valve legs, and gently begin pulling, no twisting, pull strait up. 6. Keep hosing with the air throughout this. 7. At some point it will pop right out. But for your current problem, I might start to think about a dremel tool and a shop vac. Good luck. __________________ Fred '85 R80RT G/Sified '91 R100GS Bumblebee Airhead Zen: Ride-Maintain-Repair-Ride On.

02-06-2011, 09:45 AM	#7
edray ^OP cascadian Joined: Aug 2010 Location: Behind the Gray Curtain Oddometer: 189	thanks.. great options.. now to gather tools..catch my breath and attack. thanks guys..

02-07-2011, 01:51 PM	#8
dotdash scarecrow n hometown Joined: Jan 2010 Location: Lost in the supermarket Oddometer: 51	I'm the guy who dropped the link trying to pull the breather with a chain. I can smile about it now since I managed to get it out... To get the breather out, I ended up screwing a deck screw through it and prying it out. If the attachment works, here is a crappy cell phone victory picture from my ordeal. Attached Images __________________ going ninety miles an hour down a dead end street

02-06-2011, 05:50 AM	#3
bmwrench Beastly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2006 Oddometer: 1,465	Beg, buy, borrow or steal an automotive dent puller. They usually come with a hook tool that you can slip past one of the windows in the valve. It'll pop right out.

02-06-2011, 07:48 AM	#6
DaveBall Studly Adventurer Joined: Sep 2009 Location: Vancouver Island Oddometer: 931	Even a cheapo slide hammer will work. I bought probably the cheapest slide hammer I could find about 25 years ago. Still works fine. Pulled lots of those breathers out with it. Sometimes, you have to apply a little heat to the engine case to help ease it out, but only a little. I use a small heat gun for that (again, the cheapest one I could find at a hobby store). Yes, I can be very cheap. That way I can put more $$ in the tank and go for longer rides.

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