1988 Harley Davidson XLH Sportster 883 Question

[vonbaron]

HELP!!

I have a 1988 Harley Davidson 883 and inside the cam cover is a breather check valve. (plastic) based on my research I am missing a mesh screen, is this a necessary part and if so where do I pick one up without having to buy the hole cam cover? I found one from Ted's Cycles but it says the latest year is 1976?

Thanks for any insight

[BadMonkeyMW]

A picture of the inside of the cam cover would help a lot.

[BlackCloudSalvage]

16. Breather Baffle (is this the plastic piece?)
17. Breather Tube
18. Diaphragm Valve

Shouldn't be a mesh screen. Earlier Ironheads used a mesh screen in the oil pump/breather valve.

This breather just separates oil from the air before leaving the Cam chest.

Many folks say it on here and it's true.... Ya gotta get a manual for your bike. They are cheap and extremely helpful. You can troubleshoot while dropping a deuce.

If your breathing good and not spitting oil and your oil is being filtered you should be good to go.

That's my thought, hopefully the gurus will chime in.

[vonbaron]

I have service manual I am missing #18..can not find it?

[vonbaron]

The diagram below I have 16 and 17 missing 18

[bbqbob]

When I did my 88 those parts you are looking for were not available. My plastic stuff was all broke. The heat killed it. I left the area empty. I ran the breather hose with a Hyden crank vent and then dumped it to the ground. Ten years now without an issue. I got 10.5 J.E. pistons,ported heads and Andrew cams. It does dump a small amount of oil on the ground usually at start up. To do again I would consider cutting and rolling some stainless screen for some kind of oil separator. That plastic assemble is basically an oil separator.

[BlackCloudSalvage]

I have service manual I am missing #18..can not find it?

My bad. That was an assumption.

Anyhow...maybe try finding the part number and searching that way.

Good luck.

[BadMonkeyMW]

When I did my 88 those parts you are looking for were not available. My plastic stuff was all broke. The heat killed it. I left the area empty. I ran the breather hose with a Hyden crank vent and then dumped it to the ground. Ten years now without an issue. I got 10.5 J.E. pistons,ported heads and Andrew cams. It does dump a small amount of oil on the ground usually at start up. To do again I would consider cutting and rolling some stainless screen for some kind of oil separator. That plastic assemble is basically an oil separator.

Yep, this is basically the answer. If the OEM plastic baffle you're describing has degraded on you, just put a small breather filter on the end of the hose and zip tie it low on the frame.