Vented Oil Cap Issues?
- Thread starter beeze455
- Start date
Don't be so quick to dismiss this guys. I would like to see a much better vented cap that is suited to back-country, extreme attitude changes. The current cap isn't what we need.
I've been saying this is an issue since back in the IQ days. Should be a thread I started about it. Those sleds have a cap sitting at a 30' angle when the sled is straight and level.
And really for a mountain rider, it's not so much about what the vent is doing when the sled is level. Think about how much time your sled is NOT straight and level.
These caps as designed will only vent when the cap is almost straight and level attitude. Any minor change of attitude and it closes. I've spent hours testing many caps of all years from 06 up to '13. If you don't believe it, test your cap, it's very easy. Then try pulling the line off your oil pump and see if oil comes out in the shop. My '12 didn't.
Some (one of my very smart friends on here) say the cap only needs to vent every so often. So then whats happening during those heaven days when you are in a 1-3 minute full load climb when the cap is not venting? Over and over....The pump is not going to overcome this, it's a gravity fed pump. Gravity fed requires venting.
How many times have you seen or read about these sleds with air bubbles in the oil feed line even when there are no low spots?
I did this exact modification on my own 09 dragon and had to readjust (Lower) my oil pump adjustment as my oil ratio went off the chart after adding a tank vent like the one pictured above. That sled would continously develop a returning oil bubble regardless of routing.
Just another reason why oil pump failures on IQ-RAW's were so frequent.
I've been saying this is an issue since back in the IQ days. Should be a thread I started about it. Those sleds have a cap sitting at a 30' angle when the sled is straight and level.
And really for a mountain rider, it's not so much about what the vent is doing when the sled is level. Think about how much time your sled is NOT straight and level.
These caps as designed will only vent when the cap is almost straight and level attitude. Any minor change of attitude and it closes. I've spent hours testing many caps of all years from 06 up to '13. If you don't believe it, test your cap, it's very easy. Then try pulling the line off your oil pump and see if oil comes out in the shop. My '12 didn't.
Some (one of my very smart friends on here) say the cap only needs to vent every so often. So then whats happening during those heaven days when you are in a 1-3 minute full load climb when the cap is not venting? Over and over....The pump is not going to overcome this, it's a gravity fed pump. Gravity fed requires venting.
How many times have you seen or read about these sleds with air bubbles in the oil feed line even when there are no low spots?
I did this exact modification on my own 09 dragon and had to readjust (Lower) my oil pump adjustment as my oil ratio went off the chart after adding a tank vent like the one pictured above. That sled would continously develop a returning oil bubble regardless of routing.
Just another reason why oil pump failures on IQ-RAW's were so frequent.
The ball unseats the valve wether it's level or at an angle. As long as the ball is rolling around due to sled movement, it's venting. The whole 35* shutoff is ONLY if there is no movement. Like the sled is on it's side. I've attached a hose to the underside of my cap and held it at over 45* and as long as I wigle it slightly, I can suck air through it. And I measured the top of my oil tank neck and it's a 20* angle FWIW.
I have seen a motor burn down because of not venting first hand. A customer brought his sled (a 2010 rmk 800) in because it blew up. We started checking it over and pulling the motor out when we noticed the oil lines were empty.We immediately assumed "oh he ran it out of oil and put some back in the tank so he wouldn't look like an idiot" and let's be honest stuff like this happens, not to most people but to some. At that time I looked at the oil tank, it was completely sucked together. I took the cap off and shook it and could hear something besides the ball rolling around in there. I took it apart and found a little piece of plastic had plugged the hole so it couldn't vent. I feel that the chance of this happening isn't very high but I guess it can happen.
The two on HCS pushing the issue are both pretty trusted sources. I'm not sure how wide spread the issue is but it makes me a little bit nervous. Not nervous enough to spend $50 on a hose but I think that I will be melting a small hole through the inside of the cap, just for insurance sake...
Warranty or not I would hate to miss riding over something preventable.
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Interesting, my 09 has over 6000 miles on the sled and it has no problems getting oil to the engine. My '14 Pro has 100 miles and is getting oil as well. Not really seeing any problem with the cap.
I had no oiling issues with my 09 either and I just got my 14 so it's hard to say. I guess the biggest issue is an air bubble forming in the line just off the tank and erratic oil/gas ratios.
"Air bubble in oil line, Fix"
The best way to fix / eliminate the bubble is to place a rag or to under it because this is messy but effective. Remove line from fitting, use the oil leaking out of the fitting to totally fill the line and push the air bubble out, reconnect the hose and wipe up the mess. Done with that!
I can not take credit for this another SW'er on here posted it originally but I never can remember who to give credit to when I re-post it. But thanks to ___him!
The best way to fix / eliminate the bubble is to place a rag or to under it because this is messy but effective. Remove line from fitting, use the oil leaking out of the fitting to totally fill the line and push the air bubble out, reconnect the hose and wipe up the mess. Done with that!
I can not take credit for this another SW'er on here posted it originally but I never can remember who to give credit to when I re-post it. But thanks to ___him!
I did that on my '09. I may have posted that method during my build thread during the summer of 2011, don't know if I got the idea from SW or I had more than 2 functioning brain cells that day and tried it out. It does work though.
edit: Nope, wasn't me that posted that info.
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I believe the question is why does the air bubble form? And then reform after it has been cleared out?
The theory seems to be that the pump is pulling a vacuum in the bottle when the cap isn't venting.
It does not re-appear when eliminated properly as described in my previous post.
Good to know. Like I said no actual experience with the issue, just relaying what I have read.
My theory on how the air bubble reoccurs is when the sled is laying on its top for awhile, say when you're getting it unstuck. I've had mine come back a couple times. Easiest way to get rid of it is to tip it up on its right side (right at the balancing point is easiest) and squeeze the oil line behind the air bubble with a pair of pliers until the bubble is gone. No mess, quick and easy.
But it is not "gone" when you do it that way! it is just not visible as it is in the hose barb, and that is why it seems to come back for many people. Whatever makes you feel better though.
I prefer not to milk my hoses with pliers, but to each their own.
Enjoy your winter!
I see what you're saying now that I think of it.
X3. Mine has an extra hole on the bottom side now...
