Airbox Oil - Oil Smell... Took Spyder apart... Time for questions and observations.

[WackyDan]

The last couple of days on some short rides to the gym and errands I was getting a burned oil smell. Wrote it off to other traffic at first, but after today's ride I seemed to be getting it after taking some hard turns. Let me add, that one other perk of having the tall touring shield (CHAD) is that is seems to ensure that smell gets pulled up behind the shield and to my face... Go figure.

Spyder has 1200 miles on it so far.

After the reports of fires and now the other Spyder smoking, I decided to pull the plastic for the first time and inspect the airbox. Sure enough, there was oil strewn all inside and outside. Not a lot, but there were some areas in the airbox where it was pooling.

So... I guess I'm going to do the Lamont airbox mod...

Some questions:

- How tight do you put the torx bolts back in? I was being careful not to simple the plastic too much.
- Should I be putting locktite back on the torx bolts? There was some already on them.
- Some of the torx bolts had black plastic washers... some didn't... What's with that?

I also checked the 12volt outlet in the trunk that isn't working. Connections are fine... But man, trying to get the weather proof boot on the back of that thing is impossible without taking off the entire trunk, so that will have to wait till another time.

You'd think they could have made that airbox easier to get to eh?

 

[BajaRon]

I highly recommend the Lamonster Crank Case Vent mod. I am still very suspicious about a possible connection between all that oil pooling and running out of the airbox on to hot parts (not that uncommon).

Rule of thumb is the Torx bolts that are visible when you're all buttoned up have the black washer. That is to give them a little slide action without buggering up your nice covers. The ones that get covered up usually don't have the washer.

I think people tend to get these too tight. Snug them till you get just a bit of distortion and then back them out until the distortion goes away. I don't use locktite and I've never had one back out.

Glad you checked on your smell before something happened.

 

[vt228]

take left side off I did lamonster air resirve and runs better and dont get that much oil in it .cost $ 17.56 Was eazy to do and looks great....

 

[NancysToy]

Look in your fuse box for a fuse in the switched accessory slot. That normally feeds the 12 V outlet. BRP left installing a fuse out of the instructions. Takes a 3 amp fuse. If that doesn't do it, try the other accessory fuse, sometimes dealers hook up the wrong wires (but not often). Outlet is hot only when switch is on, and for about 20 seconds afterward, BTW.
-Scotty

 

[SPYMAN]

The last couple of days on some short rides to the gym and errands I was getting a burned oil smell. Wrote it off to other traffic at first, but after today's ride I seemed to be getting it after taking some hard turns. Let me add, that one other perk of having the tall touring shield (CHAD) is that is seems to ensure that smell gets pulled up behind the shield and to my face... Go figure.

Spyder has 1200 miles on it so far.

After the reports of fires and now the other Spyder smoking, I decided to pull the plastic for the first time and inspect the airbox. Sure enough, there was oil strewn all inside and outside. Not a lot, but there were some areas in the airbox where it was pooling.

So... I guess I'm going to do the Lamont airbox mod...

Some questions:

- How tight do you put the torx bolts back in? I was being careful not to simple the plastic too much.
- Should I be putting locktite back on the torx bolts? There was some already on them.
- Some of the torx bolts had black plastic washers... some didn't... What's with that?

I also checked the 12volt outlet in the trunk that isn't working. Connections are fine... But man, trying to get the weather proof boot on the back of that thing is impossible without taking off the entire trunk, so that will have to wait till another time.

You'd think they could have made that airbox easier to get to eh?

If nothing else comes out of this mod than to not have the oil every were it will be worth it to me!!
Just did mine a couple of days a go!

SPYMAN

 

[bjt]

After having various panels off the Spyder multiple times, I can say that additional loctite isn't necessary on the screws. That stuff BRP puts on the screws seems to last forever. Some of those same screws on the undertail pan come out very hard every time. Usually the ones that are the hardest to work on because of tight quarters. :sour:

 

[WackyDan]

Well... The plastic washers for the visible bolts really were not consistent. So... Where can I get some plastic washers?

 

[BajaRon]

Well... The plastic washers for the visible bolts really were not consistent. So... Where can I get some plastic washers?

Are you saying you came up short on plastic washers? Well, I did too but I figured, owning the parts bike, all the bolts with washers ended up on Lamont's ride... :dontknow:

If you find any let me know. I'll get some for my doner bike and a handfull for Lamont!

 

[BajaRon]

take left side off I did lamonster air resirve and runs better and dont get that much oil in it .cost $ 17.56 Was eazy to do and looks great....

One big advantage to this mod is no more big suction pulling oil out of the system. This is the reason you go from getting a lot of oil in your airbox to just a little in the Lamonster mod.

And you can see exactly how much oil is lost instead of trying to guess while you mop it up out of the airbox.

After 5,500 miles to California and back I had an insignificant amount in the bottom of my Lamonster breather. And my oil is right to the mark on the dip stick.

I'll bet BRP comes up with a better design on this one eventually.

 

[WackyDan]

Are you saying you came up short on plastic washers? Well, I did too but I figured, owning the parts bike, all the bolts with washers ended up on Lamont's ride... :dontknow:

If you find any let me know. I'll get some for my doner bike and a handfull for Lamont!

Yup.... many bolts that were visible didn't have them.

 

[BajaRon]

Yup.... many bolts that were visible didn't have them.

I was talking basically about the side panels. The bolts under the seat are visible (for example) but do not need the washers.

Still, it wouldn't hurt to have washers on all of them. Hope you can find some.

 

[bjt]

One big advantage to this mod is no more big suction pulling oil out of the system. This is the reason you go from getting a lot of oil in your airbox to just a little in the Lamonster mod.

And you can see exactly how much oil is lost instead of trying to guess while you mop it up out of the airbox.

After 5,500 miles to California and back I had an insignificant amount in the bottom of my Lamonster breather. And my oil is right to the mark on the dip stick.

I'll bet BRP comes up with a better design on this one eventually.

I'm glad you mentioned that. I wondered why you guys had the crankcase venting to atmosphere with the catch can mod instead of hosing it back into the airbox. Now I know. I'm doing the oil catch can mod to both mine and Deb's Spyder in the coming weeks as we both used a quart or so of oil on the LA trip and I bet a lot of that is in the airbox right now (or dripping down the outside of it ). I'm guessing we might not have if the intake wasn't drawing oil into the airbox.

 

[NancysToy]

One big advantage to this mod is no more big suction pulling oil out of the system. This is the reason you go from getting a lot of oil in your airbox to just a little in the Lamonster mod.

Never thought of this aspect. Thanks for mentioning it. I wonder if the Spyder air intakes tend to be restricted to the point that the engine is desperately trying to get sufficient air from anywhere, and pulls too much suction on the oil breather. Good theory! Gathering up parts for a fix real soon.
-Scotty

 

[Buelldog]

Install Question??

If nothing else comes out of this mod than to not have the oil every were it will be worth it to me!!
Just did mine a couple of days a go!

SPYMAN

Looks good!!Just wondering what you plugged the air box hole with.......I was thinking a plastic cap sealed with rtv silicone.Also did you run your drain hose all the way down through splash pan??Thanks .....Am doing this mod this coming week.

 

[Lamonster]

Looks good!!Just wondering what you plugged the air box hole with.......I was thinking a plastic cap sealed with rtv silicone.Also did you run your drain hose all the way down through splash pan??Thanks .....Am doing this mod this coming week.

I plugged mine with a push pin like is used on the body panels.

 

[wyliec]

I plugged mine with a push pin like is used on the body panels.

Can those push pins be picked up anywhere?

 

[mike3069]

One big advantage to this mod is no more big suction pulling oil out of the system. This is the reason you go from getting a lot of oil in your airbox to just a little in the Lamonster mod.

My :spyder:was using 1/2 qt. or more of oil between changes untill I stopped adding oil to the full mark. Basically, I found that if I fill the oil tank to where the oil JUST touches the stick when cold, it will be at the add oil line when checked according to the recommended method. At this level it will not consume anymore oil (and there is very little, if any, oil in the airbox).

This is just my experience and I'll let y'all draw your own conclusions about why this might be the case.

All that said, I think I will be doing the Lamonster mod as soon as I find the time.

 

[SPYMAN]

Looks good!!Just wondering what you plugged the air box hole with.......I was thinking a plastic cap sealed with rtv silicone.Also did you run your drain hose all the way down through splash pan??Thanks .....Am doing this mod this coming week.

I used a plug for plugging vaccume lines you can get a package of them at parts store for about 2 bucks.
Yes I did run a drain hose through the splash pan.

spyman

 

[ataDude]

Well... The plastic washers for the visible bolts really were not consistent. So... Where can I get some plastic washers?

I use McMaster-Carr. Have purchased clear plastic washers and bonded stainless/rubber washers for some applications... like windshields and hidden screws on panels.
http://www.mcmaster.com
.

 

[ataDude]

Can those push pins be picked up anywhere?

Cycle Gear has them in packs of ten or so... reasonable.
.