Motorcycle Repair: Oil pours out of line to Air Cleaner cover, crankcase breather hose, vent line

Question
QUESTION: I have a 1992 Soft Tail Custom (FXSTC).   I don't ride it too much, it has 12,500 miles.   The problem is that oil appears to accumulate in the bottom of the engine. when I start it, oil comes out the crankcase breather hose that is attached to the air cleaner cover.  I look at a figure of the oil tank, and it has dashed lines indicating that there are tubes that are inside the oil tank that go to the top of the tank for the oil return line and the oil tank vent line.   Question:  I changed the oil, tank was empty. should you be able to see those tubes inside the oil tank ?   Have you ever know those to break off ?  If they were broken off, that would allow oil to back drain out of the oil tank into the engine, then be spit up when the engine is started.  

Also the plastic nut / connecter is broken on my choke cable (enricher).  How do you get the carb off to replace the choke cable ?  

Thanks.

ANSWER: Lets start with the 1st problem. What is happening is the oil tank sits higher than the motor. There is a check valve in the oil pump that is suppose to keep the oil from draining into the motor. When sitting for a long time oil weeps into the bottom end. You start the bike and the oil pump cant pump it back fast enough so it comes out the vent. There is a ball on a spring in the oil pump. The ball is suppose to block the hole in the oil pump, but there might be some dirt or carbon in there. You can take a small punch and hammer and tap the ball and that should reseat it.
To replace the choke cable, you first have to put some slack in the throttle and idle cables. Remove the air cleaner and the backplate. The carb is pressed onto the intake manifold so it just pulls off. The cable screws out of the carb.

Good luck and happy riding
Mike

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I have been looking through the questions and answers, and have seem quite a few of these oil problems.   I have replaced the oil pump, put a Jims oil pump on it, thinking it was the check valve in the original Harley pump that oil was leaking through.  But replacing the oil pump didn't help.  so, is it that the check valves in these oil pumps just can't get a good seal ?   I found a guy on the internet, he sells a check valve for a Indian engine, for a similar problem with them.  So, would an additional check valve in the supply line to the oil pump help stop the oil leakage. I could put a manual valve, but would always have to remember to open it before starting the engine !!   Thanks for your help.

Answer
When you changed the oil pump, that should have solved the problem. If your bottom end of the motor is filling its the check valve leaking by. Like I said before, you could take a punch and tap the ball and reseat it. I have done this a lot of times. You can add the manual valve, but like you said you really have to make sure you turn it on!
Mike