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2003 R1 - Heavy Breather
spdpug98 - 20/4/09 at 01:08 PM

Can anyone with an R1 tell me if their R1 breathes quite heavily, just with the engine at idle there is a lot of vapour coming from the crank breather hose.

Also, what have you done with the breather I do have a catch tank to run it to but not sure what SVA man thinks of that

Mr Whippy - 20/4/09 at 01:12 PM

is the oil creamy? might be if you've had the engine sitting around for a while. If so I'd change the oil and then get the engine fully hot before assuming there's a problem

hobzy - 20/4/09 at 01:17 PM

quote:
Originally posted by spdpug98
Can anyone with an R1 tell me if their R1 breathes quite heavily, just with the engine at idle there is a lot of vapour coming from the crank breather hose.

Also, what have you done with the breather I do have a catch tank to run it to but not sure what SVA man thinks of that


No vapour from mine Dave. Let me know if you want pics of the set up on mine or pop to have a look.

spdpug98 - 20/4/09 at 01:49 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
is the oil creamy? might be if you've had the engine sitting around for a while. If so I'd change the oil and then get the engine fully hot before assuming there's a problem


I have just put oil in the engine, so should be fine and I have now run it up to temp twice and still lots of vapour

spdpug98 - 20/4/09 at 01:50 PM

Some pics would be great, don't think I will have time to come over and see you as SVA only 7 days away

quote:
Originally posted by hobzy
quote:
Originally posted by spdpug98
Can anyone with an R1 tell me if their R1 breathes quite heavily, just with the engine at idle there is a lot of vapour coming from the crank breather hose.

Also, what have you done with the breather I do have a catch tank to run it to but not sure what SVA man thinks of that


No vapour from mine Dave. Let me know if you want pics of the set up on mine or pop to have a look.

Mr Whippy - 20/4/09 at 02:42 PM

Well the vapor could be smoke from burning oil or water from condensation evaporating. Normally an engine will give off plenty of steam until its had a good long run. So if the coolant level is not going down, you don't have oil in the coolant and the oils not throthing or creamy (or wasn't when you last changed it), I'd really not give it a second thought till you've given the car a good thrashing on the road. If the vapor is blue and smokey then I’d investigate further.

spdpug98 - 20/4/09 at 02:53 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
Well the vapor could be smoke from burning oil or water from condensation evaporating. Normally an engine will give off plenty of steam until its had a good long run. So if the coolant level is not going down, you don't have oil in the coolant and the oils not throthing or creamy (or wasn't when you last changed it), I'd really not give it a second thought till you've given the car a good thrashing on the road. If the vapor is blue and smokey then I’d investigate further.


Cheers Whippy you have put my mind at rest, just hope it doesn't smoke the VOSA man out!

Gergely - 20/4/09 at 03:06 PM

Hi, mine is a 2005 engine - was...
The reason it most probably failed is that it was pushing out all the oil it could through the breather pipe... until there was not enough oil left in it. It took 7-8 laps on a circuit to kill the engine...
I was told the 2004-06 R1 is the one prone to this, but if I were you, I would keep a very very good eye on that vapour and route it in a catch tank. Also, make sure that you don't go on a circuit before you are confident that you are losing no oil from the sump - check it very regularly when out on the road and pushing hard. If you are losing oil, back off.
I could be wrong of course and the 2003 engine could be completely different, but it seems this is why I have no engine in my car now...
Gergely

bassett - 20/4/09 at 03:24 PM

just got a breather on mine. If it hasnt been used in a while it does steam slightly before its hot but ones its at temp theres nothing to be seen from it. Ive heard they wont spit oil out for a few thousand miles but after that replace it or get a catch tank.
Adam

locoR1 - 20/4/09 at 03:53 PM

Mines a 99 4xv and its always breathed surprisingly heavy at idle even before it was turbo'd if its not chucking oil out its nothing to worry about!
I had a filter straight onto the crank case originally and the filter would get slightly damp its now piped into a catch tank in two years ive never seen any oil in it! and that with the turbo.

A1 - 20/4/09 at 04:59 PM

i had a wee bit of oil coming out of my first one, this ones only got about 5-10ml in the catch tank after loads of flat out blasts.

spdpug98 - 20/4/09 at 05:07 PM

Thanks for all the replies I will just keep an eye on it

I was a bit paranoid as when my Peugeot race engines used to start to breathe heavy they where about to blow up!