LOTS of oil inside airbox (NOT A DIRTY FILTER ISSUE)

[scuzz]

OK guys & Gal, I just bought a 2001 Honda 400ex and went riding today and had a pain in the butt (box) issues.

As I rode the aibox filled with crankcase oil unbtil the intake would suck it up into the engine and then burn it out the exaust.

Any idea what would cause this? I ended up going through 3 quarts of oil just to ride today. This consisted of draining the airbox dran plug of oil SEVERAL times. I evevn removed the foam air cleaner thinking it was a dirty air cleaner...it still filled the airbox with oil.

I'll buy you a coke if you help me out.

Thanks guys!




Also, what should my compression be? :mad:

[PismoLocal]

You probably have way to much oil in your quad.

[LaLaLoosh]

i agree

[duneaticdave]

same thing happened to me when i cracked my piston.

[scuzz]

I'll let you guys know tomorrow when I drain it.

Any idea what the compression should be?

[duneaticdave]

well what kinda pistons in there? is it the stock one

[scuzz]

Yep. It's bone-stock.

[gopherholes]

I had the exact same problem with my 01 ex today!! How is this even possible???

[GPracer2500]

Sounds like it's overfilled with oil. You didn't just pull the dipstick and fill the resevour untill it reached the right level on the dipstick did you?

There's a short procedure for checking the oil level. Not doing it will result in overfilling with oil.

[gopherholes]

well about an hour into my ride I stopped and pulled the dipstick out, expecting it to spew out oil, but as far as I could tell it was at a normal level. I did notice it running very warm though.

[GPracer2500]

The ONLY way to get an accurate dipstick reading is to normalize the amount of oil in the crankcase. The oil pump does this automatically--but only at idle. The engine must idle for a few minutes to normalize the oil level in the crankcase. The excess oil collects in the oil resevoir. It's the amount of this excess that is measured on the dipstick.

If the engine is cold, let it idle for a full five minutes to warm and fully circulate the oil. Shut the engine off and wait "a few minutes" (exact wording from the service manual) and check the level. Don't screw in the dipstick.

The critical part is the idling before checking the level. Don't ride it around or rev it at all during that idle period. Doing so changes the oil pressure and hence the oil volumes in the case and resevoir.

A common mistake is to check the oil level like you would on most cars--just pull the dipstick and check it. If you do that on a 400EX (or most any dry sump engine) without starting it first, the dipstick will read very low if at all. This leads to overfilling. The extra oil then gets pumped out of the crankcase breather into the airbox. This is all because the oil held in the resevoir drains back down into the case after the engine is shut down for a while.

hope that helps

[scuzz]

The ONLY way to get an accurate dipstick reading is to normalize the amount of oil in the crankcase. The oil pump does this automatically--but only at idle. The engine must idle for a few minutes to normalize the oil level in the crankcase. The excess oil collects in the oil resevoir. It's the amount of this excess that is measured on the dipstick.

You my friend, ROCK I truly believe not that what what my issue was. I haven't checked my compression yet (due to the fact that I don't have a thin-walled socket or "honda" tool to remove the plug, but I'm pretty sure it's not a blow by issues, but rather a "novice owner" issue.
I bought the quad a little over a week ago, and when I did, the paint near the pegs and on th rest of the frame was barely, and I do mean barely, worn, as was the factory stickers and plastics.
I had ordered the owners manual from the Honda shop (which just came in) but the day I rode it (and later posted the issue) I had only ideas of what I thought the oil change should be done like.

I'll write back and let you know how it goes and what I find after I get my spark plug tool and check the compression. (I was going to change the plug anyway)

Also, while I have you attention I would like to thank you for putting so much effort in my reply, thank you very, very much.

[scuzz]

Oh yeah, hey...you wouldn't happen to work on Ford's too? If so I have a TON of questions for you....

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D