Ramair + crankcase pressure = blown cam cover gasket?!

[alpental]

Just picked up my '14 Roadster with 14,000 miles on it from the dealer for the second blown cam cover gasket, both times right behind cylinder 1 on the exhaust side. Dealer mentioned that Triumph was asking about modifications to the bike, and they kindly said nothing.

However, the tech came out to talk about what he thinks is going on. He said the cam cover and head mating surfaces are flat and clean. He thinks the problem is that I've removed the stock intake and installed the Ramair system. The stock exhaust design creates a vacuum to the crankcase which aids in pressure relief, and the Ramair crankcase breather filter doesn't do anything to help relieve big crankcase pressures, and that unrelieved pressure is what's blowing out my cam cover gasket.

I told him I don't understand how on one hand he can say the crankcase generates high pressures but on the other hand a filter won't allow it to breath. The filter has only been on a year, but I guess I'll check it to see if it's clogged or something.

Does the crankcase require vacuum-assisted pressure relief, or do I need to find another Triumph dealer?

 

[jpool]

While the stock breather system is probably more effective at scavenging the crankcase, the breather that comes with the RamAir kit should work well enough to equalize crankcase pressure. You would need pretty significant pressure in the crankcase to start blowing gaskets. I was still running the stock air filter setup when I had my first cam cover gasket failure, in the exact same spot as yours.

If the new gasket still fails and you can't figure out the root cause, a thin smear of RTV silicone in the trouble spot before installing a new gasket should make it last between valve check intervals.

 

[warp9.9]

Clean your crank case breather before you blow the oil cap off riding down the road !!!!!!!!! This can be very messy if you do this you can plug the tank with a leather glove Again can get messy and don't ask me how I know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[alpental]

While the stock breather system is probably more effective at scavenging the crankcase, the breather that comes with the RamAir kit should work well enough to equalize crankcase pressure. You would need pretty significant pressure in the crankcase to start blowing gaskets. I was still running the stock air filter setup when I had my first cam cover gasket failure, in the exact same spot as yours.

If the new gasket still fails and you can't figure out the root cause, a thin smear of RTV silicone in the trouble spot before installing a new gasket should make it last between valve check intervals.

So I mentioned installing a thin smear of RTV to the Triumph tech, and he said Triumph recommends against it (although he finds it useful in his work). Triumph's thinking is that since there isn't really a lip to the cam cover gasket, any RTV will make the gasket more likely to slide out of place. Because this was a warranty repair, the tech did not install any RTV.

 

[alpental]

Clean your crank case breather before you blow the oil cap off riding down the road !!!!!!!!! This can be very messy if you do this you can plug the tank with a leather glove Again can get messy and don't ask me how I know !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey @warp9.9, does the breather even need a filter? Can't I install a 3' hose and route it such that it faces downward by the starter with all the other vent/overflow hoses?

 

[mully95]

I don't have the Ramair but do have three K&N filters with a breather for the crank case ventilation. I have had this set up for a longtime now and have not had any problems. The bike has been took in for valve adjustment and a new cam cover gasket was installed with no problems arising. Something is causing your problem other than crank case pressure I do believe.

 

[R-III-R Turbo]

With the ramair as intake, what is now in the OEM airbox?

 

[alpental]

With the ramair as intake, what is now in the OEM airbox?

Umm, a rag and some of the electronics from the @DEcosse keyless system and the Nautilus horn relay. Nothing really...

 

[1olbull]

With the ramair as intake, what is now in the OEM airbox?

Collects dust . . .

 

[R-III-R Turbo]

Umm, a rag and some of the electronics from the @DEcosse keyless system and the Nautilus horn relay. Nothing really...

And do you have a little pod filter on the crankcase breather or is it still piped up to the airbox?