Hi
Is it usual for the air box drain pipe to need to be emptied every 4-500miles as i have to do?

aye thay all seem to do that just keep an eye on the oil level

Is anyone able to confirm why this might be the case and the consequences for not clearing it out before it gets full?

The pipe is connected to the bottom of the airbox, which is where the crankcase vents into... The oil that accumulates in the tube is basically from when the crank case is pressurising (typically at high, constant revs with a big single) and forces a little oil out and into the airbox.

Certainly after changing the oil and a few high speed runs mine tends to have about an inch or two of oil in there (which if you drain it actually equates to very little) after a few hundred miles... but it doesn't seen to fill up any more than that though, and the oil level at the dip-stick remains constant... even if you empty the tube and it fills back up another inch or so.

xxx

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"Where we're going, we don't need roads..."

JennyDakar.com

I did a 2200 mile trip in 6 days in October and have only done 300miles since.
Today I fitted a DNA filter and took the air box apart to take pictures for Kev.
This is what happened....

Attachment 3086

Attachment 3085

There was about 30mm of oil in the air filter box

A lesson learned...

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We are now retired....so....... lots of this and this and no more of this or this

Phew - that is quite a lot of oil Ray!

I must say, when I took my airbox cover off (erm, the bits of it that remained - that's another Rubicon story) there was a little oil in the bottom, but barely a thimbleful...

Btw. Another one of those new Tenere features that is well thought out but you don't immediately appreciate is the fact the air-box is in three parts - so if you do damage a side panel, you can just replace that part (for around �10) rather than have to replace the whole airbox... top marks Yamaha!

xxx

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"Where we're going, we don't need roads..."

JennyDakar.com

Howzit Old Git! Really appreciated your alps write up, been digging around mapsource trying to figure out where you went, kind difficult. - Any chance that you have any "track" files stored on your etrex that you could email?
http://www.xt660.com/images/smilies/campfire.gif

Attachment 3085

For over 2500 (hard) miles that oil looks remarkably clean.

I haven't been on for a while, and I've just noticed this thread. I had the same thing, oil backed right up to the airbox, after a 600 mile thrash to Scarborough and back. It must be the constant high revs, because in normal day-to-day running, I only see a small amount collecting.
Maybe there's another way to vent the crankcases? Couldn't the breather go straight up from the engine, and maybe run back in again, so there was no oil loss? Or how about directing the pipe into a Scottoiler?! ...Waste not, want not!

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-- Triumph Explorer 1200 --

Hi stridey I know of 2 other guy,s with 660 z and we all have the same issue.Around a inch off oil in the breather pipe after approx 5-600 miles.No worries

Gary

Hi Thanks for all the replies.

Having given it alot of thought and due to the amount of oil being so little when you drain it into a container(a full drain tube amount) I have been running the bike for the last 2 days (160 miles) WITHOUT the rubber bung in place!

Yes you get a few drips after the engine is switched off but very little oil spillage during riding on the bike or rear tyre- infact less oil spillage than from the Lubeman chain oiler fitted to the rear sprocket area on the other side of the bike!

Is it Yamaha fitting the bung purely as a "green" solution as its not good to drop any oil into the ecostructure. is the air breather system big enough to cope and thats why you get oil in the drain tube?

Anyone got any comments or advice?

thanks
Stridey