Breather tube

[Andy m 23,609]

The 8000 service on the 2016 seems to consist of draining and replacing the oil (but not the filter !), letting any gunk out of the plastic tube behind the radiator and a series of vital bill-racking-up items such as inspecting the tyres for roundness under toe cap impacts.

I will always replace an oil filter BTW, can't see the point in running the engine with the red light on for 90 seconds just to mix a cup of old oil in with the new. Filters are worth less than half an hours labour FPS.

The breather however strikes me as something that can be "automated" should some grease monkey forget to put the bung back while tied up doing the mirrors-as-an-aid-to-male-grooming inspection. Thoughts from the collective? Risk of water going in? So easy to do you may as well just do it?

Cheers

Andy

[usabikes 440]

This facet of the Borg has heard that removing the bung leads to inhalation of muck. So, nah. It's an easy job and only needed every few thousand miles. Do it before dropping off and save some dosh.

 

Like you I don't get not changing the filter with the oil - all that nice new detergent cleaning out yukiness and redepositing it around your engine - why?

[Guest sykospain]

I would never ever change the oil in any vehicle without also replacing the filter with new.

Sorry Andy - ¿ which plastic tube-with-a-bung behind the radiator ?  ¿ For oil or water ?

[Guest aldmannie]

Crankcase breather I would presume.

 

Not really a breather if its sealed.....?

[embee 7,288]

It's a drain for any oil caught in the top section of the crankcase breather. It needs to be plugged, as said if it's not it will allow air/dirt in (inside air cleaner so lower than atmos pressure).

It's not drained back to the engine because it can be contaminated with condensate and also would need a check valve, more complicated.

[Guest sykospain]

Aaaahh - entiendo.....

[Andy m 23,609]

Thank Gents,

I'll keep the bung. Actually makes sense, the last few modern bikes I've had have dumped the gunk over thd air filter element which a) can't be good for breathing and 2) means getting out the kitchen towels on service day to mop it up. The Enfield used it to lube the chain.

I think I will be doing the service myself. Anything on warranty is a huge fight and I can make a decent claim to knowing what I'm doing, so use the right oil, buy the filter from Honda, save the hassle and hope the gamble pays off appeals.

Andy

[Grumpy old man 4,682]

When I had an 8000 service done the paperwork said no filter change. I questioned this and the service manager insisted the filter had been changed and he had printed the wrong service schedule, the one he'd given me was for another country.He said he would never dream of changing oil without a filter and couldn't understand why Honda recommended this in any country

[Andy m 23,609]

Simple solution to that one: when you wash the bike pre-service take a paint marker and sign the filter. When the graffiti is still there despite the "wrong invoice" you get to watch them squirm. You can do the same with dots of paint in capheads and screws, the tool breaks the paint.

Its how you catch Suzuki dealers using their teleporter to change the two rear plugs on the Weestrom. Non-teleporter owners have to undo the tank bolts and a zillion other fasteners to get right into the middle of the bike and would thus displace paint on the fasteners.

Andy