Oil on TOP of valve cover. Confused

[2ndwind]

On my '82 5 spd, there is a slight amt of oil I keep finding on top of my driver's side valve cover. I thought it was coming from the filler cap as it pooled below it and the gasket was brittle. Replaced gasket, no change. Today I was going to replace the valve cover bolt seal. On a lark, I rubbed my finger along the bottom of, what turns out to be, the Crankcase Emission Control Hose that goes into the intake plenum. Voila! A very oily finger was the result.

I followed the hose to the driver's side of the engine to find the "cyclonic trap". There is evidence of a bit of a leak on the block below it too. Something is amiss. It appears this is for recycling any blow by into the crankcase. But I'm getting oil. How do I test what is happening here? What are normal results? What commonly fails?

[wikkid]

Here is some motorcycle engine info that should help: as you noted, the crankcase breather system is set up to bring the blow-by gases and vaporized oil back into the system, all in the name of emissions control. Typically, there is oil in the system, but it is also typically channeled back into the engine through a drain hold, instead of spewing out into the breather tubes.

You should look through the shop manual to understand the breather setup fully, and to see where it might be not functioning. Also, and again with bikes, over-filling the engine oil can result in excess oil being blown out through the breather tubes. So you may want to check that you are in the right dip-stick range but not up to the tippy-top or above that.

[2ndwind]

Thanks wik,
My engine oil is below the top of the mark. I'll study up on this a bit more.

[mdrburchette]

You may want to pull your cyclonic trap and clean it out, along with the hose. A clogged trap could cause excessive crankcase pressure and push oil where it normally doesn't belong.