Motorcycle Repair: 4 wheeler leaking fluid out hose, polaris atv, honda motorcycles

Question
Thanks for considering this question.  i know you deal with Honda motorcycles and this is an ATV, but I think you will know the answer.  My Polaris 350L Atv was idling for about 10 minutes and then driven a short distance.  It began to leak a brown (grease smelling substance) out of a drain/breather hose (clear) just below the gas tank.  The hose looks like it comes from the crank case.  After i noticed the draining.  I shut the machine down and then started it back up after a few minutes.  The leak/draining seemed to stop.  What causes this drainage and what should be done?  Thank you for your help in advance. Dan

Answer
Dan, being that I know nothing about a Polaris ATV, especially as far as where hoses drain and what they are attached to, I can only make a vague guess here.

The air inside the crankcase is at ambient air temperature for the most part, when it has been sitting. If you start it up and let it idle for 10 minutes, the air inside condenses into water vapor, as the engine heats up. The breather system is supposed to sort out the solids (oil) from the vapors (moist air and crankcase fumes, in this case) and separate the two out. The moisture has mixed with crankcase vapors and is collecting in the breather system, which is probably what it was designed to do.

Tip... Leaving any engine in anything running at idle for 10 minutes is wasting fuel and adding to airborne pollution levels. ATVs, motorcycles, etc are designed to do work.... i.e. transport you somewhere. If you are going riding, fire up your machine, let it warm up for about a minute or so, to allow the oil to circulate and the choke mechanism to open up (if automatic) and then go riding! Short trips and extended idling just contaminates the oil quicker, which becomes diluted and loses its effectiveness as a lubricant.
Lack of lubrication leads to worn parts and more machine expense over the life of the vehicle.

I imagine that the answer to this question was in your owner's manual or shop manual.... Yes? If you are the owner of such a machine, get the owner's manual for it. Manufacturers take great pains to inform you of the service and maintenance procedures, so that you enjoy their products for a long time.

Bill Silver
aka MrHonda