Motorcycle Repair: 94 honda shadow 1100, honda shadow 1100, piston movements


Question
bike has set for 3yrs .now after i got it running its building up pressure in crankcase and pushing oil out by hydro clutch rod seal and make oil bubbles by at top of primeary cover

Answer
Bob, you didn't indicate how many miles are on it and what all you have done to get it going again.

First of all drain the oil out to see what that looks like. If the oil is varnished and acidic then it needed changing anyway. Always a good idea when bikes have been sitting for years. The additives in the oil actually fall out of suspension and lay on the bottom of the crankcases after a few years.

If the oil comes out foamy and way more than should be in there, it is possible that the head gasket failed or some other part has allowed the coolant to go to the crankcases and is being churned up by the crankshaft/piston movements and whirling shafts/gears inside.

Check the crankcase breather system for pinched/blocked hoses. Drain the hose at the bottom of the air box. Disconnect the breather tubes from the cylinder head covers and see if they are highly pressurized or blocked off due to some restrictions inside.

http://www.cmsnl.com/honda-vt1100c-shadow-1100-1993-usa_model7627/partslist/F++1

If the bike has a lot of miles, then the rings could be stuck in the piston grooves from sitting and/or worn out, causing blow-by past the rings into the crankcase.

Do a compression test/leak down test to see what kind of shape your cylinders are in now. Spark plugs should give some clues as to how it is running and if it has coolant in the cylinders, too.

Bill Silver