[Andy]

Hi, I have a 1983 VT500 and I noticed that the plug was missing from the engine breather tube so I fitted a bolt to blank it off - I am just wanting to make sure I have not done something wrong as a remember reading that the engine must breath or you can have problems.

I have looked at the parts diagram and see that the engine breather runs to a catch container which holds and water and this is then drained via a drain tube with a plug at the bottom.

Could you let me know if the catch container is supposed to vent back into the air box as mine has a bolt in this location. I am thinking that the PO blocked the air box vent to prevent the oil / gases coming back in and then vented the engine using the drain tube.

I have been working on the bike and have gone for a few short rides and have found the bike just die after a quarter mile and after a few minuets it will then restart - a past thread suggested that the petrol cap vent may be blocked. I am going to test this by running with the cap open but do not want to run until I am happy that the breather is right.

Hope this make sense to some one. Thanks Andy

 

[Kitulu]

Hi, I have a 1983 VT500 and I noticed that the plug was missing from the engine breather tube so I fitted a bolt to blank it off - I am just wanting to make sure I have not done something wrong as a remember reading that the engine must breath or you can have problems.

I have looked at the parts diagram and see that the engine breather runs to a catch container which holds and water and this is then drained via a drain tube with a plug at the bottom.

Could you let me know if the catch container is supposed to vent back into the air box as mine has a bolt in this location. I am thinking that the PO blocked the air box vent to prevent the oil / gases coming back in and then vented the engine using the drain tube.

I have been working on the bike and have gone for a few short rides and have found the bike just die after a quarter mile and after a few minuets it will then restart - a past thread suggested that the petrol cap vent may be blocked. I am going to test this by running with the cap open but do not want to run until I am happy that the breather is right.

Hope this make sense to some one. Thanks Andy

On my 05 Aero, the breather tube went back into the stock airbox, and there was also a little plastic nubbin that was there to catch water and oil mist that had to be emptied every other oil change or so.

When I installed the Thunder Air Cleaner, I bought this: J&P Cycles® Faceted Crankcase Breather Assembly | 4300150 | J&P Cycles

and bolted it to the mounting bolts. I then cut up some oil-absorbent cloth and put some inside to soak up the oil mist since it was blowing all over the right side of the bike at highway speeds.

 

[Andy]

thanks for the link. In the box of bits the guy gave me with the bike I have a small filter like the one in your link - looks like he blocked off the return to the air box and just ran the breather tube with the filter on the end. I might return back to original and see if I get any oil blow back issues. Thanks Andy

 

[swifty2014]

Hello I am new here but I have a 1983 vt750 shadow and have a similar breather tube hanging down below the frame with a small plastic plug in it with a wire clamp.
The service manual says to drain this of liquid periodically so I checked mine and some did come out. Normal situation. I am new to this bike also but maybe this will help.