Oil issue running 212cc predator almost vertically

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Boscosz28

New Member
Mar 6, 2017
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Oklahoma
Ok. Recently completed my first motorized bike build. Pat at Busted Knuckle Bikes did a fantastic job!! But I have a question about oiling and a possible issue. The engine is brand new.. I have run it for 30-45 minutes this weekend, and it runs great. It is a 212cc predator engine. I am having some oil, which appears to be coming from around the valve cover..dripping down the front of the engine. I know these engines are designed to sit at a 40-45 degree angle. Mine is sitting basically vertical. Trying to find out if this will cause any long term issues, or if my possible oil residue is simply because the engine was not designed to run at this angle. Picture gives a little more information..

Thanks!!







 
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Tony01

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2012
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Put about 20oz and when it stops dripping measure what's in there and that's the right amount. For me it's 19oz.

Really nice looking bike. But swap that POS fork out for anything else even a rigid for now till you get a real dual crown dh or springer fork.
 

Boscosz28

New Member
Mar 6, 2017
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Oklahoma
Great! Assuming you have the same engine in the same orientation?

And that was the only dated Fork he had available at the time.
 

ZipTie

Active Member
Jan 8, 2016
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Mpls Mn
That is one hot looking Ride. As tony01 says that fork can instantly fail without warning, even with a lightweight 2 stroke let alone a heavy 212cc 4stroke. The fork looks awesome on the bike but.... Id keep real slow and cool with the present set up. Tell us more about the build with some more picts if you find time. Again beautiful bike.
zip
 

Tony01

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Nov 28, 2012
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See my sig 212 2spd. On a build $hit will fall apart randomly so better make sure it's not your fork. That one WILL fall apart within 100mi probably a lot less. I still run the dual crown rigid cause I haven't yet found a susp fork I can trust.
 
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Boscosz28

New Member
Mar 6, 2017
6
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Oklahoma
That is one hot looking Ride. As tony01 says that fork can instantly fail without warning, even with a lightweight 2 stroke let alone a heavy 212cc 4stroke. The fork looks awesome on the bike but.... Id keep real slow and cool with the present set up. Tell us more about the build with some more picts if you find time. Again beautiful bike.
zip
I looked over the design, and yes.. it looks like its quite frail. I will certainly take your advise.. Finding something that looks like it will fit the build of the bike (style wise) will be my issue I suppose. Any recommendations?

Little details of the bike..
My criteria were pretty simple for this one... I wanted to be able to start the bike without a cord, and wanted it to remain as rusty looking as possible. He did a good job on both! I dont have very many more pictures during the build, but will see what I can find.. Will have some good "finished" pictures coming soon. Have just a few little quirks to work out.

EDIT: I embeded a few more pictures in the OP, including one of how I found the bike.
Cheers!
 
Last edited:

Boscosz28

New Member
Mar 6, 2017
6
0
0
Oklahoma
See my sig 212 2spd. On a 212 build $hit will fall apart randomly so better make sure it's not your fork. That one WILL fall apart within 100mi probably a lot less. I still run the dual crown rigid cause I haven't yet found a susp fork I can trust.
Perfect! Ill go home and drain, refill and see what I come up with. My guess is there is probably just too much in the crankcase. And yes... Thats one part I dont want to fail. Like posted above, I want to keep the character of the bike intact. Any suggestions for something I could replace it with, and still leave it looking 'period correct'.. or close to it. :)
 
Jan 21, 2015
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Portland, Oregon

gsmith003

New Member
Mar 25, 2017
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Costa Rica
Another fork possibility -
https://monarkforks.com

Engineered for powered bikes. I'm going to try this on my build project, also a 212. Should end up with a good retro style end product using a sixthreezero in the barrel frame. That is IF I can manage to make that 212 look like something other than a lawnmower engine.
 

MEASURE TWICE

Well-Known Member
Jul 13, 2010
2,741
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CA
Perfect! Ill go home and drain, refill and see what I come up with. My guess is there is probably just too much in the crankcase. And yes... Thats one part I dont want to fail. Like posted above, I want to keep the character of the bike intact. Any suggestions for something I could replace it with, and still leave it looking 'period correct'.. or close to it. :)
My Briggs engine tilted forward about 15 degrees does not leak the from the breather hose back to the airfilter now that I RTV gooped the swivel at the breather and other connections. There is an odor after running a while that smells like oil. The exhaust does not look blue or smokey. I still think it probably is the oil fumes going back to the carb and the top of cylinder to be burned with fuel charge.

I used the fill level where it says full when engine is upright. I'll check the level at some point by removing the engine and putting it level to see where it is. Also and even better is to see the difference between how much oil is left in side the engine if at some point the smell goes away. That is fill it to full level and measure how much it takes. And how much is left when it stop smelling like burning oil. The difference is how much less is really needed, as long as it does not seem like a large percentage. So far no performance or starting issue at all with the engine even with this oil smell. Also no oil spray getting from breather connection onto my pulley and belt making it slip.
 

EZL

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2016
349
683
93
Chenoa, Illinois, USA
Ok. Recently completed my first motorized bike build. Pat at Busted Knuckle Bikes did a fantastic job!! But I have a question about oiling and a possible issue. The engine is brand new.. I have run it for 30-45 minutes this weekend, and it runs great. It is a 212cc predator engine. I am having some oil, which appears to be coming from around the valve cover..dripping down the front of the engine. I know these engines are designed to sit at a 40-45 degree angle. Mine is sitting basically vertical. Trying to find out if this will cause any long term issues, or if my possible oil residue is simply because the engine was not designed to run at this angle. Picture gives a little more information..

Thanks!!







 

EZL

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2016
349
683
93
Chenoa, Illinois, USA
The crankcase needs to be vented which is what is being done with the stock carb and filter which recycles the oil vapor
from the engine. The stock setup is not good and the way to do it right is to get the valve cover with the brass fitting
on it which a hose can be attached to. The hose is usually a 5/16" fuel line hose which connects to the barbed brass
fitting and the other end could go to a oil catch tank. https://www.gopowersports.com/aluminum-catch-tank
Without venting the engine it's possible to blow seals out of it since there is pressure built up in the crankcase.
I purchased the CNC valve cover from GasBike and drilled/tapped the valve cover for the brass barb fitting.
If you do that be sure to get a tapered tap that is for brass fittings with fine threads. I haven't ordered the tank yet
and have a hose that attached to a small filter that lets the oil vent to the ground. A small vent filter helps to keep
dirt and debris out of the hose. The downside of using the vent hose venting to the outside is, you will have a
oil drip in the shop floor when the engine is shutdown. The catch tank is the way to go. RebBeard's Garage on
YouTube shows instructions on mounting the tank.
 

Tony01

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2012
1,730
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sf bay area
The crankcase needs to be vented which is what is being done with the stock carb and filter which recycles the oil vapor
from the engine. The stock setup is not good and the way to do it right is to get the valve cover with the brass fitting
on it which a hose can be attached to. The hose is usually a 5/16" fuel line hose which connects to the barbed brass
fitting and the other end could go to a oil catch tank. https://www.gopowersports.com/aluminum-catch-tank
Without venting the engine it's possible to blow seals out of it since there is pressure built up in the crankcase.
I purchased the CNC valve cover from GasBike and drilled/tapped the valve cover for the brass barb fitting.
If you do that be sure to get a tapered tap that is for brass fittings with fine threads. I haven't ordered the tank yet
and have a hose that attached to a small filter that lets the oil vent to the ground. A small vent filter helps to keep
dirt and debris out of the hose. The downside of using the vent hose venting to the outside is, you will have a
oil drip in the shop floor when the engine is shutdown. The catch tank is the way to go. RebBeard's Garage on
YouTube shows instructions on mounting the tank.
Sorry, everything in your post is wrong. The stock breather system works great. No catch can needed. And please stop bringing up/quoting posts from 2017.
 

EZL

Well-Known Member
May 13, 2016
349
683
93
Chenoa, Illinois, USA
The stock oil crankcase ventilation system recycles the oil through the breather much like the 49cc engines.
Check out RBG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTHDeAMrjO4
The old V8s and 6 car engine ventilated to the outside with a pipe behind the engines and always dripped
oil on the floor. Then in the 60s they recycled through a backfire valve (PCV) to the carburetor or intake.
Just saying, I'd just as soon keep it out of the combustion chamber since it gets a little enough that passes
around the rings.
 

Tony01

Well-Known Member
Nov 28, 2012
1,730
1,722
113
sf bay area
Have either of you guys even put a hundred miles on your 212 builds? Put the miles in then come and give advice. Or else you are just perpetuating the garbage that is the internet.

Here’s actual real info from a person that put the miles in:
I put 15000 miles on my first 212 before the case cracked due to vibration. I ran the stock valve cover and never had issues with oiling. They come with a breather in the valve cover for a reason.

Don’t give advice you haven’t tested yourself. Just because people use catch cans doesn’t mean they also put the miles in.