Reed valve installation

rdleeart · Mar 3, 2016

Hi all. Finally getting around to installing a Mikes PCV valve on my 75 mark 3 850 (the oil leak syndrome). Got a quick question about the hose size. The fittings on the valve Mike sent me are 3/8 inch and of course the stock breather hose is half inch, which means that it must be reduced. Do the smaller diameter hose fittings cause any significant constriction of air flow through the breather or is it still enough to provide adequate ventilation?

I was also wondering if I got the right valve. This valve has 3/8 inch hose fittings on one end and they are set at 45 degrees to each other. Photos I've found on the forum look like they were half inch hose fittings but I could be mistaken. This was the only valve Mike had listed and I used the links that I found on the forum to order this one. The inlet and outlet fittings are located on the narrow end of the valve and set at 45 degrees to each other. Perhaps he's selling a different valve from what he used to??

Any of your thoughts would be most welcome. Thanks.

Richard

1up3down · Mar 3, 2016

why bother with Mike

just go to an auto parts store like Autozone and get this

http://www.autozone.com/1/products/1947 ... 80190.html

one way breather, works the same as Mike's and only $9, your existing breather will fit right on the larger, and pick up a smaller air hose for the other outlet to go to your oil tank

I have had mine installed for two years now, no leaks

texasSlick · Mar 3, 2016

3/8 vs 1/2 inch ID is insignificant difference. The XS valve conducts gas flow mainly on start up, then settles down to maintenance of the sump vacuum. The maintenance flow is so small relative to start up, that a 1/4 inch hose would probably suffice.

Slick

pete.v · Mar 3, 2016

1up3down said:
why bother with Mike

just go to an auto parts store like Autozone and get this

http://www.autozone.com/1/products/1947 ... 80190.html

one way breather, works the same as Mike's and only $9, your existing breather will fit right on the larger, and pick up a smaller air hose for the other outlet to go to your oil tank

I have had mine installed for two years now, no leaks

They are not perfect or totally as effecient as the reed, but they do reduce crank pressure and they do reduce leaks.
At that price it might be suggested to change them as often as oil. The little rubber flapper is sure to reduce its abilities after a time.

850cmndo · Mar 3, 2016

pete.v said:
1up3down said:

why bother with Mike

just go to an auto parts store like Autozone and get this

http://www.autozone.com/1/products/1947 ... 80190.html

one way breather, works the same as Mike's and only $9, your existing breather will fit right on the larger, and pick up a smaller air hose for the other outlet to go to your oil tank

I have had mine installed for two years now, no leaks

Click to expand...

They are not perfect or totally as effecient as the reed, but they do reduce crank pressure and they do reduce leaks.
At that price it might be suggested to change them as often as oil. The little rubber flapper is sure to reduce its abilities after a time.

Indeed they are not perfect. I got maybe three years out of mine and knew immediately when it let go. Picked up a couple more. One's on the bike and one's in the tankbag. I'm more than ok with them.

david levine · Mar 4, 2016

anyone using mikes 45 degree offset valve? can you post pic of installation?

swooshdave · Mar 4, 2016

850cmndo said:
pete.v said:

1up3down said:

why bother with Mike

just go to an auto parts store like Autozone and get this

http://www.autozone.com/1/products/1947 ... 80190.html

one way breather, works the same as Mike's and only $9, your existing breather will fit right on the larger, and pick up a smaller air hose for the other outlet to go to your oil tank

I have had mine installed for two years now, no leaks

Click to expand...

They are not perfect or totally as effecient as the reed, but they do reduce crank pressure and they do reduce leaks.
At that price it might be suggested to change them as often as oil. The little rubber flapper is sure to reduce its abilities after a time.

Click to expand...

Indeed they are not perfect. I got maybe three years out of mine and knew immediately when it let go. Picked up a couple more. One's on the bike and one's in the tankbag. I'm more than ok with them.

Of all the things I don't want to have to carry around as a spare in my bag is a brake check valve.

pete.v · Mar 4, 2016

swooshdave said:
Of all the things I don't want to have to carry around as a spare in my bag is a brake check valve.

But you could.

850cmndo · Mar 4, 2016

pete.v said:
swooshdave said:

Of all the things I don't want to have to carry around as a spare in my bag is a brake check valve.

Click to expand...

But you could.

He's probably right. God know they weigh a ton and leave room for little else. I'll have to rethink my approach...

NorCat · Mar 4, 2016

See t'he pintures at nearly t'he end of the Page. http://www.hollandnortonworks.eu/nl/exc ... onderdelen

grandpaul · Mar 4, 2016

850cmndo said:
Indeed they ($9 item) are not perfect. I got maybe three years out of mine and knew immediately when it let go. Picked up a couple more. One's on the bike and one's in the tankbag. I'm more than ok with them.

Okay, so let me get this straight:

1. Buy (3) $9 items = $27
2. Install one on the bike, keep one in the shop, one in the tank bag
3. You are fully aware that they fail after a relatively short time, and start puking oil all over the bike when they fail, possibly out on the open road

* OR *

Buy (1) $25 reed valve that lasts tens of thousands of miles with no reported failures (that I've seen in 10 years of them being around as Commando upgrades), install it and forget it until it's time to overhaul your engine or rebuild your bike.

I'll go with the latter.

850cmndo · Mar 4, 2016

grandpaul said:
850cmndo said:

Indeed they ($9 item) are not perfect. I got maybe three years out of mine and knew immediately when it let go. Picked up a couple more. One's on the bike and one's in the tankbag. I'm more than ok with them.

Click to expand...

Okay, so let me get this straight:

1. Buy (3) $9 items = $27
2. Install one on the bike, keep one in the shop, one in the tank bag
3. You are fully aware that they fail after a relatively short time, and start puking oil all over the bike when they fail, possibly out on the open road

* OR *

Buy (1) $25 reed valve that lasts tens of thousands of miles with no reported failures (that I've seen in 10 years of them being around as Commando upgrades), install it and forget it until it's time to overhaul your engine or rebuild your bike.

I'll go with the latter.

wow..

rdleeart · Mar 4, 2016

So to update, yes the valve I purchased from Mikes is the new type with a 45 degree hose fittings. Holland norton works has photos showing the valve installed near the top of the oil tank. It looks pretty tight in there to me.

I'm contemplating trying to mount it on the battery tray since I no longer use it for the air filter box. Of course one of the problems now with the new style is that the hose fittings are 3/8 inch instead of half inch so I'll have to noodle about that for a while. Also thinking about mounting it vertically in the battery compartment but I still have to deal with the different hose sizes.

At least these bikes keep our troubleshooting skills finely honed.

slimslowslider · Mar 4, 2016

850cmndo said:
pete.v said:

1up3down said:

why bother with Mike

just go to an auto parts store like Autozone and get this

http://www.autozone.com/1/products/1947 ... 80190.html

one way breather, works the same as Mike's and only $9, your existing breather will fit right on the larger, and pick up a smaller air hose for the other outlet to go to your oil tank

I have had mine installed for two years now, no leaks

Click to expand...

They are not perfect or totally as effecient as the reed, but they do reduce crank pressure and they do reduce leaks.
At that price it might be suggested to change them as often as oil. The little rubber flapper is sure to reduce its abilities after a time.

Click to expand...

Indeed they are not perfect. I got maybe three years out of mine and knew immediately when it let go. Picked up a couple more. One's on the bike and one's in the tankbag. I'm more than ok with them.

What were the symptoms when it let go?

850cmndo · Mar 4, 2016

Oil on the third fin above the head gasket.

kommando · Mar 5, 2016

If you do not like the fitting entailed in the Mike XS 45 degree version stick EGR valve into ebay and look at the results, you will see several variations of this valve even a 180 degree version. Pick the one that fits your installation with least messing around.

ILLF8ED · Mar 5, 2016

rdleeart said:
So to update, yes the valve I purchased from Mikes is the new type with a 45 degree hose fittings. Holland norton works has photos showing the valve installed near the top of the oil tank. It looks pretty tight in there to me.

I'm contemplating trying to mount it on the battery tray since I no longer use it for the air filter box. Of course one of the problems now with the new style is that the hose fittings are 3/8 inch instead of half inch so I'll have to noodle about that for a while. Also thinking about mounting it vertically in the battery compartment but I still have to deal with the different hose sizes.

My '72 750 has a 1/2" hose coming from the engine that originally had a metal adaptor to reduce to 3/8" hose connected to the top of the oil tank. Just replaced the adaptor with the reed valve.

slimslowslider · Mar 5, 2016

OK 850cmdo, so in fact you got yourself a pretty simple cure in dealing with a cracked head.

850cmndo · Mar 5, 2016

slimslowslider said:
OK 850cmdo, so in fact you got yourself a pretty simple cure in dealing with a cracked head.

Don't think so.

Guido · Mar 5, 2016

Here's how I did mine. It hasn't leaked since.

Reed valve installation

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