Need help with burning oil.

So the 98 RK starts smoking on decel. I fear it's the valve seals again since I had trouble with them last year. What I found is one of the head bolts pulled out.

Could this somehow caused it to burn oil?

I was thinkin that maybe the loose head caused blowby into the rocker box which then pushed oil into the breather into the carb. Most of the oil went into the front head which had the pulled head bolt, but there is considerable carbon build up in the rear head too.

Anyway, I had to order a "time-sert" kit so I wont be able to put it together till next week.

Hey Cowboy, I know what I wrote sounded a little confusing. Last year I definitly had valve seal problems. Apparently a bunch of these SE EVO heads came with bad valve seals. I guess that is why I got them for $700.00. So I thought that maybe I had the same problem this time but when i took it apart the head bolt was finger tight. So after I checked the seals and found out they where fine I went and put the heads back on but the one bolt that was loose didn't tighten, it just pulled out from the crankcase. I'll fix it with an insert but I still don't know why it was sucking oil into the intake. I guess I'll find out when I get the head bolted down right and start the thing up again. If this wasn't the problem with the oil consumption maybe it has something to do with the oil pump, I don't know.

Loose head bolt could be the problem....here's a top 40 for engine oil consumption...check #8 and #19....

Top 40 Reasons for Motor oil Consumption

Nice info. Thanks.

Oil filter in the rocker area?? All EVOs have is a screen on the inlet side of the lifter blocks. I think it is the high pressure side too.

I got the insert put in. It was a dicey job considering the hole is thru to the crank case. I had to put a glob of grease on the end of the drill and only go about an 8th inch then pull it out, clean it and glob it with grease again. I kept doing that till I was at the proper depth then had to do the same thing with the tap. That and the shop vac kept the cut bits from getting into the crank case (I hope).

I'll finish putting it together this weekend.

I may have to run the breathers to the ground like I used to before I got this Arlen Ness big sucker.

Yea. I was thinking that the EVO has a pretty big hole in the heads. I was wondering about putting something in there to restrict the flow a bit. Not sure if it will keep the oil out or not. Funny thing is it always seems like the front head drops more oil then the rear and I put CDs "the cure" in that front rocker box about 8 years ago but it never really helped that much. I also got a S&S reed breather in the nose cone that replaced the plastic gear type stock one. Its just that it is a lot worse now so something changed recently. I'm still hoping it was some fluke thing with this head bolt.

Don't restrict the holes,you'll have oil coming out of a lot more places when the crankcase pressure builds up....
Probably need to change the umbrella valves they're in the bottom rocker box piece....
Cowboy your '94 is a head breather too so you should be able to locate it in your Parts Catalog(middle rocker box is one of those parts that don't fit between head breather and bottom breather,because of the umbrella valve)

Here's what one looks like...

Generic 26858-89 Umbrella Valve For Harley-Davidson EVO's/XL's from BKRider.com

I've changed it a few times. It wont hurt to do it again, maybe they came out with a new design. I noticed last summer that they came out with new rockerbox gaskets for EVOs. This was probably motivated by the rebuild program since they haven't made EVOs for 12 years but then come out with a new gasket was strange. maybe the same for the umbrella.

The umbrella never looked like it seats all the way so as to close off the holes. I guess it only closes them off under negative pressure ??? Is it supposed to lay flat?

If you talk to the head porters they can tell you what color the valve seals should be. The ones I had in my Vtwin 2 yrs ago was the wrong color when I got them done. The head porter changed them out when he did the heads.

And anytime I pull the heads I replace the studs. They seem to streach.
And I get new head bolts.
Make sure you use oil on the head bolts before you screw them back on the studs.
When doing INboard Chevy Vortec motors, we have learned that the bolts are lighter. And once torqued you have to replace them or they might break.

I'd get a digital torque wrench. Then you have foot lbs and inch lbs in the same wrench.

I went and got this one. Checked it against the Bosses 3 snap on torque wrench's and its on the money. two buddies went onine and got them one.
They use it all the time.
Northern Tool Northern Industrial Digital Torque Wrench - 1/2in.-Drive : Questions, Answers, How To, FAQs, Tips, Advice, Answers, Buying Guide



It will not do the rear sprocket nut or the compansator bolt.
You need a longer digital torque wrench for that.
On the last build I did I borrowed a clicker type and it was 20 ft lbs off. Imagine that.

And Harley has a Angle guage they are using. You don't have to get a SE one but if your manual calls for one, use it.

Screamin' Eagle® Torque Angle Gauge | Genuine Motor Accessories | Harley-Davidson USA

yeah, I got Snap-On torque wrenches from years ago. I went with the torque method up to 40 ft-lbs. One old timer said never go above 40 and the nightrider site said 42 tops. The HD angle tool is nice but it is only as accurate as the torque wrench is too.

Anyway it's done and I finally got a chance to go for a good highway cruise today and it is running great. no smoke and the plugs look good. crossin my fingers that it stays that way for a while.

To be honest I did find shavings in my oil filter from the drilling and tapping. I guess I was not able to keep them all out of the crankcase. These shavings would have been sucked into the low side of the pump and straight to the filter so they didn't get anywhere else. The high oil pressure is good so far. I'll see if the pump keeps scavenging the crank. Worse case I get a new pump.

Oh well that's life.

oil smoking on decel is usually valve seals,we use teflon seals on evo heads,will easily last 100K,stock & most regular syle aftermarket seals wont last (stockers are good for about 15K,max)