Rain-testing the Stock CARC Vent - Myth Busting ?

[Lannis]

Not owning a Stelvio {yet} but having alot of riding experience I was trying to look at this objectively and impartially.

It looks as though the CARC is just a check valve of some sort that allows breathing, but no water in, basically.
What would the objection be or obstactles be to screwing in a barbed nipple into the 10mmx1.5 hole, then using a tubing up to the air box or under the seat even as has been mentioned, but then putting the CARC valve on the end of that?

Just thinking out loud and trying to help from the outside looking in...this may have already been done before, Im new.

Terminology thing - The CARC is the entire final drive setup, with joints, bevel gears, bearings in it. These are lubed by something like 350 cc of oil. The interior of the CARC is vented through a small breather in the top of the casting.

This small breather vent:

1) Is in a very wet, dirty, and muddy part of the bike, and subject to going under water if there is a creek crossing. If there's not a creek crossing, but just a very hard rain or with water being thrown off the wheels, the breather gets soaked.

2) THe breather is not a check valve. It's just an open hole into the casting, with a little "top hat" made on top of the hole to prevent water from being able to flow directly in; it has to go under the little cap, which is not hard for water to do.


3) It's not hard to remove the little "top hat" breather, put a straight fitting into the hole with a barb, put a tube on it, and run the tube to a dry place. Problem is, that looks like a bodge, generally, and so people have been coming up with clever solutions to make the tube go unobtrusively to a good place. The end of the tube is still open, although a little foam breather filter would probably not go amiss ....

Lannis

 

[Kelvio]

Lannis,
Thanks for the clarification.
I did know that the CARC is the entire final drive unit. I mistakenly was refering to the vent that the OP was spraying with water. I assumed that had a check valve of sorts in it. If it is just a cap, then making a vent line that goes to a drier place, especially in my opinion, into the air box is a good idea.

There has to be 90* barb fitting that one could use and then a nice looking piece of braided line or something to make it look trick instead of cheesey.

Maybe a cool Russell set up like these:
russellperformance.com/mc/hose/main.shtml

Just a thought, i will look into that if I end up with a 2012 Stelvio....saving and researching right now. :mrgreen:

 

[boxermoose]

Well, after a long day in heavy rain (10 hours/600 miles) I checked the CARC oil - and ordered Silver Gooses vent mod the next day

I'm waiting for the moisture to settle out - looks about 1-1/2 teaspoons

 

[Penis Rotor]

There has to be 90* barb fitting that one could use and then a nice looking piece of braided line or something to make it look trick instead of cheesey.

This is exactly what I did. I was told that I was a robber and that my system was way too expensive even though it uses stainless speed flow fittings, braided hose and a solid bundy pipe from the vent. It's solid and unobtrusive and when you do see it it doesn't look like a cheap lash up but I'd forgotten I was dealing with Guzzi owners who are generally so cheap they can peel and eat an orange without taking their hands out of their pockets :lol: .





I strongly advise the fitting of a device that will vent the breather remotely. I have no idea why some seem to be more prone water intrusion than others but I have seen it on several occasions and it concerned me enough to make me design and fit one. Whether people use mine, somebody else's, or one of their own design worries me not a jot but I do suggest using one.

Smallblocks too suffer from the problem and V11's are notorious for filling their gearboxes with water because the same crappy vent is used on them and its right in line with the spray off the rear tyre!

Here's my solution for smallblocks.



Pete

 

[BravoBravo]

There has to be 90* barb fitting that one could use and then a nice looking piece of braided line or something to make it look trick instead of cheesey.

This is exactly what I did. I was told that I was a robber and that my system was way too expensive even though it uses stainless speed flow fittings, braided hose and a solid bundy pipe from the vent. It's solid and unobtrusive and when you do see it it doesn't look like a cheap lash up but I'd forgotten I was dealing with Guzzi owners who are generally so cheap they can peel and eat an orange without taking their hands out of their pockets :lol: .


Pete

Pete, I was one of the early purchasers of your system, and in my opinion, you get what you pay for. It looks great and seamlessly integrates with the bike. All components are high quality items. I have always felt that it is, in the big picture, very inexpensive final drive "insurance."

Cheers,

Bruce

 

[Penis Rotor]

Thanks Bruce. Yes, there are many ways to skin a cat. The thing is I did think that simply running a hose up the reaction arm looked, quite frankly, like shit. That's why I went the way I did.

I dunno what the problem was with the cost? Speedflow fittings aren't cheap, the nuts for the Bundy pipe are about $6 each, the other fittings are ten to fifteen each, getting the bundy pipe flared costs a few dollars then there is the hose at $25-30 a meter. Washers, ancillaries like the clips and rubber hose protector all cost, not a lot, but it adds up. Yes, I made a few dollars on each kit. That's how business works. Throw in my time and I can assure people I am not about to retire on the profits :lol: . There again there are still people around who think water intrusion is all BS! That's fine, I've got spare CARCs in every colour so when they bugger up because the gears have polished themselves due to water in the oil I can sell the, for two and a half grand each! I'll be more than happy with that. Or folks can buy a new centre for, in Oz, $3961.88 plus 10% GST, freight and assembley. If that's a risk they want to take I'm more than happy with that!!! :evil:

Pete

 

[beetle]

Pete,

When I bring my Griso to you for its next service, I think I'll grab one off you. Of course, I need to ride the bloody thing to work up some kilometres to justify a service. It may be a couple of months. :roll:

 

[mrcanns]

Totally agree Bruce as this thread gets longer I get happier with the neat ,easy fit solution I purchased from Mr Roper, I live on the river as it often floods andy carc oil is still prefect, cheers Pete.

 

[boxermoose]

I dunno what the problem was with the cost? Pete

I didn't have issue with the cost - it looks like a nice bit of kit...but I thought I had to send to OZ to get one and wanted a solution right then as had upcoming wet(proabably) rides

 

[Lannis]

I dunno what the problem was with the cost? Pete

I didn't have issue with the cost - it looks like a nice bit of kit...but I thought I had to send to OZ to get one and wanted a solution right then as had upcoming wet(proabably) rides

It IS a nice bit of kit, the Roper thing is, it does what it says on the tin, looks like it belongs there instead of being cobbled on, and the shippers don't care if it's coming from Oz, China, Idaho, or Bug Tussel, Arkansas - took mine a week or less to get here.

The peace of mind and knowledge that you did it right and didn't just slap something together with fish-tank hose and gaffer tape is worth the money ....

Lannis

 

[Campagman]

Just done the oil changes on my 08 after 5000 miles that included a long stretch in Europe in the rain and some dsily commutes in the wet.

Oil looked fine. But did spot these in an engineering magazine Immersion Proof Breathers
http://brownell.co.uk/our-products/immersion-breathers/immersion-proof-breathers.html

Whats the thread size into the swing arm?

Interesting. Thread is M10 X 1.5

Found a pair of M10 x 1.5 banjo bolts on ebay for a couple of £s and with a spare ss braided brake house I did this within a few minutes. I ran the house up into the under seat area, leaving the original union on that end, Just in case I need the hose again.

 

[canuck1969]

Finally got around to doing my vent for the Carc. Picked up a pair of custom stainless steel braided cables on ebay for $50 (fhad to buy 2 of them). Had them make it to 36". M10 X1.5 bolt for $7 and an eye bolt for ) $0.99. Ran it along the carc arm and up underneath the seat. Used an existing hole for the eye bolt and used it as a hose guide. So far so good...

 

[pyoungbl]

A week ago I had the pleasure of a 1600 mile ride that included two of the worst rainstorms I have ever experienced. One was about 50 miles of frog strangler, the other 20 miles of worse. There were multiple other smaller rain storms but they paled in comparison. When I got home I thought that this was a good time to see if Pete Roper's kit was worth all the hype. When I drained the final drive oil it came out clear as could be. There was minor swarf on the magnet but no sign of any water. Say what you will, this is a good investment if you do any bad weather riding.

Peter Y.

 

[Mi_ka]

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Maybe a piece of foam through the upper vent banjo to keep insects out?
Heard a story of a friend's friend XT550 starved of oil when a biggie big horsefly somehow got through the oil cap during some casual oil change and clogged the feed pipe to the pump.
Yes, different case but here's a narrow pipe to easily clog.

 

[Louis]

Late april my Stelvio NTX had her 30.000 km service. So all oils where changed.

Mai and June trip to Berlin with rainydays and 3 weeks vacation with some havy rainy days.

After reading this post this morning i decided to check my CARC as well.

Wow, what a mess..........CARC oil like milk.
Next week time for modification.

Ciao...........Louis

 

[Mi_ka]

Yikes!

 

[Louis]

Hi Stelvisti

Today i mounted my new home-made CARC-vent, for less then 10 dollar.

Next job is testing if it is what it ment to be.

Ciao.........Louis