Side cover gasket failures

[Brad Wunder]

The only negative that I can see is if you install it like the driver of the #87 did. i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff506/bawunder/IMG_0157.jpg

Now, I am the last person who should be pointing stuff like this out since I'd probably install it on my gas tank accidentally. However, I view this posting as a public service message that even if you are highly competent when it comes it installing stuff, sh..., er stuff still happens. If the #87 driver was looking for a auto chain oiler, he couldn't have done a better job. ;D

Given the volume of oil on the chain guard, one might wonder if wanton environmental destruction (or at a minimum, gross vehicular ineptitude) charges might be warranted??

[Simon]

He can't hear you, he has his ear-buds in.

[Simon]

I have spent the afternoon going through the bottom end of my motor very carefully and I have a suspicion I might have figured out what might be causing my side cover gasket failures.

What is everyone doing with the black breather pipe off the rocket cover ? Being a good citizen, I shoved a bit of fuel line in mine and ran it to a catch can (actually a plastic bottle). I'm beginning to suspect that fuel line's bore is WAY too small to be an effective breather and I'm choking the ability of the motor to vent and breath and so causing all sorts of crankcase pressure/vacuum issues.

At PC Luis did comment on my hokey catch can and said "you don't need to do that, just leave it open", I'm beginning to think he hit the nail on the head with that comment.

Let's see how I go at Reno, I'll run just the little black hose and nothing else.

[scoots27]

When I was racing Animals (just like WF) I was told never put any thing in the valve cover vent hole. If oil comes out of the vent you need to drop the oil level an ounce or so. I used to run about 14 ounces of race 20 and never had problems.
The Brigg,s extra crankcase vent is grate, it allows oil to return to the crankcase if too much ends up up there. putting any thing in the vent hole will cause pressure to build up and cause bad things to happen. I found oil would only come out on long left handers when the oil would collect on the right side of the case and go up the vent into the valve cover.
Thats my two cents.

[scoots27]

I also wanted to say, I have my Briggs F200 that is run with no extra vents and I have had no problems at all.
I run 13 to 14 ounces of Red Line race20.