Oil under the air filter

[Herman]

I've got oil under my air filter!!  It seems to be coming from the breather box, through the breather tube (there was some oil in the tube when I ran a shop towel through it).  Is this due to too much oil ( I thought the oil system was a closed one and the only way for oil to get out is to be burnt up or through the oil pressure release valve) or am I going to have to replace the head gasket?

[roboto65]

I bet it is on the left side it is normal for that just blowby would not worry about it !!!!

[Curtis_Valk]

Give the air box and the sponge a good cleaning.  As Allen said, it's normal.

Curtis

[rjb/AKA Bob Barram]

If it is a grimy gritty oily mess, on the left side, they are correct. I have that problem on my '99. It took 5 aerosol cans of carb cleaner to clean up the exterior of my carbs when I had them off two weeks ago. According to Dr. Greg that is normal.
Clean it and keep an eye on it.
If it is a clean oil film on the inside of the filter area, I have seen that before also but was never concerned with it. I have 50k miles on mine.
Bob

[Herman]

Good to hear that it's not out of the ordinary!!  However I did rip into the rear cylinder head to check it out... it never hurts to open it up and take a look .  I'm just surprised the oil can make it all the way up through the cylinder head, through the breather box, through the breather tube, and into the air box.  I have been pushing the upper ranges of the RPMs lately, so I'm sure that's probably a factor.

O-well, at least is gives me a reason to get in there and really clean the engine up.

Thanks for the help!